For some jewellery producers, 'quality' is little more than ensuring the gold content meets minimum legal requirements. For many others, progress has been made with manufacturing and material specifications, and the implementation of quality assurance systems based on ISO 9000 standards so that the product is relatively well-made and defect-free. However, jewellery is still a long way from a high-tech engineered product in quality terms which stems, perhaps, from the craft tradition of the industry where the product is seen essentially as an artistic item.

In this presentation, the concept of quality in jewellery is examined from both manufacturing and consumer viewpoints and the way that these impact on quality assurance systems. Some thoughts on their development beyond the Millennium are explored, with particular emphasis on the trends in consumer and retailer demands and how these will impact on product design and manufacturing. This highlights the need to establish industry 'norms' on material properties and service performance which allow the 'quality' of jewellery to be characterised quantitatively and enable the consumer to differentiate between similar products.

Author: Dr. Christopher W. Corti