Federal Trade Commission (FTC or Commission)
Extension of deadline for submission of public comments.
The FTC is extending the deadline for filing public comments on a proposed amendment to the platinum section of the Guides for the Jewelry, Precious Metals, and Pewter Industries for an additional ninety (90) days.
Written comments must be received on or before August 25, 2008.
Interested parties are invited to submit written comments. Comments should refer to “Jewelry Guides, Matter No. G711001” to facilitate the organization of comments. A comment filed in paper form should include this reference both in the text and on the envelope, and should be mailed or delivered, with two copies, to the following address: Federal Trade Commission/Office of the Secretary, Room 135-H (Annex E), 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20580. If the comment contains any material for which confidential treatment is requested, it must be filed in paper (rather than electronic) form, and the first page of the document must be clearly labeled “Confidential.”
Because U.S. postal mail is subject to delay due to heightened security measures, please consider submitting your comments in electronic form. Comments filed in electronic form (except comments containing any confidential material) should be submitted by clicking on the following:
The FTC Act and other laws the Commission administers permit the collection of public comments to consider and use in this proceeding as appropriate. The Commission will consider all timely and responsive public comments that it receives, whether filed in paper or electronic form. Comments will be available to the public on the FTC website, to the extent practicable, at
Robin Rosen Spector, Attorney, (202) 326-3740, or Janice Podoll Frankle, Attorney, (202) 326-3022, Division of Enforcement, Bureau of Consumer Protection, Federal Trade Commission, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20580.
On February 26, 2008, the Commission published a request for comment on a proposed amendment to the platinum section of the Guides for the Jewelry, Precious Metals, and Pewter Industries
Two trade associations that represent jewelry industry members, Platinum Guild International (PGI) and Jewelers Vigilance Committee (JVC), request a 90-day extension of the comment period. The associations explain that the Commission requested responses to 19 questions, that include over 20 subparts, and expressly requested submission of empirical data.
Karat Platinum LLC, a marketer of platinum/base metal alloys, filed a comment opposing the request for extension. Karat Platinum asserts that additional time is not needed in order to fully and completely respond to the Commission’s request for comment and that a delay will perpetuate market confusion. Karat Platinum states that the issues surrounding the appropriate terminology for this alloy are not new and many of the questions in the request for comment overlap with those posed in the Commission’s 2005 FRN requesting comment on this issue.
The Commission is mindful of the need to deal with this matter expeditiously. However, the Commission also recognizes that its proposal raises complex issues and believes that extending the comment period to facilitate the creation of a more complete record outweighs any harm that might result from any delay. Accordingly, the Commission has decided to extend the comment period to August 25, 2008.
By direction of the Commission.