core sector communique

BAUME & MERCIER CERTIFIED BY THE RESPONSIBLE JEWELLERY COUNCIL LONDON –

The Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC) today announced that Baume & Mercier, the Swiss watch manufacturer and part of Richemont International SA, has achieved certification meeting the ethical, human rights, social and environmental standards as established by the RJC’s Member Certification System. The successful verification assessment of Baume & Mercier was conducted by Michel Mooser from SGS, one of the independent third-party auditing firms accredited to the RJC’s Member Certification System. “RJC is delighted to congratulate Baume & Mercier on this great achievement. Baume & Mercier’s certification will send a strong message that responsible business practices are a real necessity for today’s businesses,” says Michael Rae, RJC’s Chief Executive Officer. “We remain loyal to the heritage bequeathed by our founders and continue to uphold Baume & Mercier’s key values of excellence and authenticity. The brand’s motto “Accept only perfection, only manufacture watches of the highest quality”, guides us every day in our mission to produce exceptional timepieces. We accept responsibility for the work we undertake and integrate this ideal into our working methods in order to remain worthy of the enduring trust of our clients. This rationale motivated us to be part of the Responsible Jewellery Council and we are proud to have achieved Certification status as an independent endorsement of our business practices,” says Alain Zimmermann, CEO of Baume & Mercier.

About RJC

The Responsible Jewellery Council is an international not-for-profit organisation bringing together more than 320 member companies committed to promoting responsible ethical, human rights, social and environmental practices in a transparent and accountable manner throughout the jewellery industry from mine to retail. Their commitment aims to reinforce consumer and stakeholder confidence in diamond, gold and platinum group metals jewellery products.The Responsible Jewellery Council is the trading name of the Council for Responsible Jewellery Practices Ltd.

The Council has developed the RJC System, a certification system, which will apply to all Members’ businesses that contribute to the diamond, gold and platinum group metals jewellery supply chain. All Commercial Members of the RJC are required to be audited by accredited, third-party auditors to verify their conformance with the RJC’s Code of Practices and become certified under the RJC System. A full list of its Members can be found on the web at www.responsiblejewellery.com About Baume & Mercier Baume & Mercier’s story begins in 1830 in the Jura Mountains and reads like a true saga. From generation to generation, from family ties to friendship ties, from refined complications to visionary innovations, the family dream continues to be fulfilled and our watches continue to embody the ideal of excellence and affordable luxury we have expressed for over 180 years. Over its history, Baume & Mercier has distinguished itself at national exhibitions and world fairs, also setting accuracy records in timekeeping competitions, particularly the timing trials run by Kew Observatory near London. In 1919, Baume & Mercier movements were awarded the “Poinçon de Genève” or Geneva Hallmark, the highest token of fine craftsmanship in watchmaking. Building on prestige and legitimacy steadily acquired over decades, Baume & Mercier continues to make its mark on watchmaking while remaining in close touch with the public that has made it so successful. In an era of changing values, a Baume & Mercier watch is a memory-keeper of life’s most cherished moments: weddings, births, anniversaries and birthdays, graduations and family reunions, expressed in a new dictum “Life is about moments”.