---
title: "All That Glitters Is Not Gold: FTC Updates Jewelry Guides"
date: 2018-08-02T15:37:52-04:00
author: Import Bot
canonical_url: "https://www.kelleydrye.com/viewpoints/blogs/ad-law-access/all-that-glitters-is-not-gold-ftc-updates-jewelry-guides"
section: Blog Posts
---
# All That Glitters Is Not Gold: FTC Updates Jewelry Guides

 Kelley Drye 

 August 2, 2018

 

 

 

 

 

 

The FTC recently finalized updates to its [Guides for the Jewelry, Precious Metals, and Pewter Industries](https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/documents/federal_register_notices/2018/07/g711001_jewelry_guides_frn.pdf), which provide the FTC’s interpretation of the jewelry marketing rules found in 16 C.F.R. §23. The FTC hosted a roundtable in 2013, which we wrote about [here](https://www.adlawaccess.com/2013/06/articles/ftc-hosts-jewelry-guides-roundtable/), and considered stakeholder comments prior to finalizing the new Guides. The updated Guides address a number of topics, including the surface application of precious metals, below-threshold previous metal alloys, gemstone products, and ​“cultured” diamonds.

**What’s Changed**

Some highlights of the changes include advising that jewelry marketers may:

- Qualify if a coated product only has a service layer of a precious metal;
- Advertise a product’s precious metal coating to assure reasonable durability;
- Disclose the purity of coatings made with precious metal alloys;
- Qualify a product’s gold karat fineness or a parts per thousand (PPT) designation for silver products that have less than 925 PPT;
- Use alternative words and phrases for man-made stones (where it shares the same properties as the named stone) if they clearly and conspicuously convey that the product is not a mined stone.

**What’s New**

The updated Guides also include some new sections to address particular issues, including advising how jewelry marketers can:

- Use the term ​“cultured” to describe a diamond that is not mined to indicate that the product provided it is made clear either through context or express disclosures that the product is not a mined stone;
- Accurately represent the quantity of each precious metal in a product that contains more than one;
- Accurately describe particular gemstones (such as ​“composite” or ​“hybrid” gemstones) to indicate that a gemstone product does not have the same characteristics as another stone;
- Use the correct varietal name to mark or describe a product (*e.g.*, do not use ​“yellow emerald” to describe a golden beryl);
- Disclose treatments to pearls and cultured pearls that: (1) are not permanent; (2) create special care requirements; or (3) significantly affect value.

Finally, the FTC also eliminated some provisions regarding the misuse of the word ​“gem,” misleading illustrations, and eliminating the word ​“natural” from the definition of ​“diamond” to indicate that lab-made diamonds are also diamonds. Jewelry marketers should take the time to review their advertising guidelines to ensure they comport with the updated Guides.

 

 **Tags:** [jewelry marketing](https://www.kelleydrye.com/viewpoints/blogs/ad-law-access/tags/jewelry-marketing)

 

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