King’s Jewellery World expands operations; stresses importance of national standard, quality

Last Updated on Sunday, 29 November 2015, 16:36 by GxMedia

A well-known jewellery store, King’s Jewellery World, Saturday night formally opened a new branch at Giftland Mall, praising the rigorous testing system by the Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS).

Financial Controller of King’s Jewellery World, Ralph Persaud also highlighted the need for the GNBS to certify the Guyana Gold Board to test the precious metal at the right percentage of purity. “The Guyana Gold Board- if they could be certified by the Bureau of Standards, it would help more jewelers to comply with this rule because your starting purity is very, very important,” he said in response to a question by Demerara Waves Online News.

He explained that the starting purity is very important because that information would help jewelers to arrive at the right mixing formula. “This where everything falls part because you have to send that gold initially to be tested again. You may buy it at as ninety-eight percent and when the same GNBS tests it, it might be tested as ninety six percent,” said Persaud.

General Manager of the Guyana Gold Board, Lisaveta Ramotar Sunday told Demerara Waves that it is the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) that tests gold for her agency that is ultimately responsible for gold trading.

Persaud urged other jewelers to submit their products to the GNBS’ national standards and testing regime that includes surprise to establishments and the taking away of random samples. “It needs to be a national standard where everyone can be certified,” he said, adding that there are only three other jewelers who comply with the standard.

King’s Jewellery World rise to prominence dates back to about 20 years ago when it secured a loan to improve the quality of its products to international standards. “We have probably the most trained set of individuals from our gemologists to our jewelry designers. The selection that we have is probably unmatched to anywhere else in the world,” he said of the company that has expanded to Trinidad and Tobago, The Bahamas and New York.

The Financial Controller explained that GNBS tests to ensure that the starting purity is accurate and they also visit jewellery establishments several times per year and randomly selects pieces of jewellery for testing. “They can randomly go your showcases, pick something randomly and they will destroy it and find the components of this particular material and it has to match what you are saying it is..It’s a destructive process but you can be certified at the end of the day,” he said.

Founder of King’s Jewellery World, Looknauth Persaud remarked that the GNBS appeared to be enforcing the rules on those who have agreed to abide by the standard. “They would police us more than police the people who are under-karating . It’s unfair but what else can we do. We want to stand out. We want people to have confidence in whatever they do,” he said.

King’s Jewellery World, as a family business that began as a small jeweller, now employs more than 100 persons.