Jewelry failure during normal wear (e.g., lost diamonds, broken parts, damage to structure of finish) diminishes consumer jewelry satisfaction and increases consumer loss of confidence in jewelry products, ultimately restricting industry growth. Jewelry product failure can be the result of poor design, the absence of a prototype engineering process, employment of the wrong materials or manufacturing techniques, errors in workmanship, and inadvertently abusive wear behavior on the part of the consumer. All of these vulnerabilities to flaws suggest one key problem: inadequate communication throughout the manufacturing progression from concept to post-sale. Quality Assurance Benchmarking is not a new concept in evaluating and determining the quality of jewelry. However, there are great inconsistencies not only in the means and tools of assessment but also in nomenclature and benchmarks used to determine a quality product. Quality assessment is therefore often subjective. With the observance of consistent Quality Assurance Benchmarks, along with increased participation among quality advocates along the manufacturing chain, the evaluation of finished jewelry quality is measurable. This practice supports overall product improvement, consumer confidence, and sustained industry growth.

Author: Mark B. Mann