Kering and Richemont Rejoin RJC after Russia Protest

(IDEX Online) – The Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC) says Kering, Richemont and other members have rejoined, after their high-profile departures over the organization’s ties with Russia.

“Most of the small number of members who briefly left the RJC in late March rescinded their resignations within a few weeks, including all the Kering and Richemont maisons, retaining their long-standing RJC membership,” the London-based watchdog said in a statement.

“Neither LVMH nor its maisons resigned, and all remain members of the RJC.”

The RJC was rocked by a series of resignations, including that of its executive director Iris Van der Veken, who was angry that Alrosa, a third-owned by the Russian government, had been allowed to remain as a member.

The RJC insisted it did not have the legal authority to suspend the miner. Alrosa subsequently resigned and the RJC may now amend its bylaws to allow future suspensions.

Kering, French owner of Boucheron (pictured), Gucci, Alexander McQueen and Yves Saint Laurent, said at the time that it had left because of the RJC’s “inability to face the current situation in Europe” in a manner consistent with its values.

Richemont, the Swiss-based company that counts Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Jaeger-leCoultre and Piaget among its 26 maisons, said in April: “If RJC cannot uphold highest of standards, then we cannot be part of that. That’s why we stepped down.”

Both Kering and Richemont have since rejoined the RJC. Pandora and Watches of Switzerland, which both left in April, are not currently listed on the RJC’s online register of 1,468 members.

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Credit: John Jeffay

Posted by: SGDX Singapore Diamond Exchange