CIBJO Pushes for Skill Preservation in Coral Industry

 

Urgent Need to Preserve Coral Craftsmanship Heritage: The Report 

With fewer than two weeks to go to the opening of the 2025 CIBJO Congress in Paris, France, on October 27, 2025, the ninth of the pre-congress Special Reports has been released. Prepared by the CIBJO Coral Commission, headed by Vicenzo Liverino, the report stresses the importance of conserving the pool of human knowledge and skill gathered over centuries, which enables the precious biogenic material to be transformed into fine jewellery and works of art.  

“While much of the industry's recent focus has justifiably centered on responsible environmental stewardship, sustainable harvesting practices, and the differentiation between deep-water precious corals and threatened reef corals, we must also champion the deep cultural footprint and irreplaceable heritage associated with this biogenic gem material,” writes Liverino. “It has a strong craftsmanship heritage and a highly specialized ‘savoir fair,’ which is to say a set of skills and know how”

Coral manufacturing requires highly specialized skills that take decades to master, the CIBJO Coral Commission President notes in his report, pointing out that, traditionally, those people possessing them can be found in very specific areas in Italy and parts of Asia. “The sustainability of the industry requires that artisanal skills are not lost,” he stresses. “That demands deliberate action.”  

“The difficulty of attracting young artisans to work in our industry, especially for high-end jewellery where excellence and detail are critical, has long been a concern,” Liverino continues. “This is even more pronounced in the coral sector, where the number of people able to impart the necessary knowledge and training is limited.”  

The CIBJO Coral Commission President notes several of the educational initiatives being undertaken by CIBJO, in collaboration with others, to remedy the situation. “The recently established CIBJO Academy is a most promising development that will become a vehicle for educating all trade stakeholders on CIBJO standards, industry best practices and the relevance of corals.  

This educational body will give significant exposure to the work of the Coral Commission, including the recently reviewed CIBJO Coral Guide for Customs and the updated versions of the Coral Blue Book,” he writes.