09-11-2021
The Gemmological Commission under the World Jewellery Confederation (Cibjo) held a session last Wednesday during the virtual ‘2021 Cibjo Congress’. A new working group was established “to create a single, clearly defined and universally accepted set of standards, practices and nomenclature of Fei Cui”.
According to Cibjo, fei cui ranks second only to diamonds by value. It relates to fibrous polycrystalline aggregates, composed solely or principally of the minerals jadeite, omphacite and kosmochlor, or any combination of the three. It is a trade name commonly used in Asia but not as popular in the west.
At the meeting Cibjo’s gemmological commission president Hanco Zwaan said that during the 2019 congress in Bahrain, delegates from Hong Kong had sought to present the testing standards to the world, and asked Cibjo if they could evolve into an accepted international standard.
He said: “In Cibjo we had said we should probably consult other people in the trade in order to gather their opinions, because, although the term is well-known in Asia, it is not so much known in the West.” A survey of industry opinions was then conducted.
As for the findings, Zwann said: “Fei Cui is an Asian trade name which may be spelled and pronounced differently depending on the Asian country,” he said. “Fei Cui is understood to be jadeite jade throughout Asia, according to a Chinese national standard. However, industry members and consumers should be aware that in some Asian markets the term Fei Cui is used more loosely, and it is therefore vital that, if the name Fei Cui is used in sales, it shall be clearly stated which minerals are being referred to.”
Cibjo has decided to established a new working group including Hong Kong members to try to create a universal standard. The first meeting will be held after the congress is done. (Thumbnail courtesy: Christie's)
← Back