Month: March 2009

AGA Conference Report

The Accredited Gemologists Association held its annual winter Conference in Tucson on Wednesday February 4. The successful conference featured several speakers from the International gemological community. American Gemological Laboratories Vice President Christopher Smith this years…

Understanding the Burma Embargo

Cecilia Gardner, President, CEO & General Counsel for the Jewelers Vigilance Committee hosted an informational presentation on the “The Tom Lantos Block Burmese JADE Act of 2008.” The program was offered in cooperation with the…

Diamonds in Brief

Not a surprise the economy woes are dragging down diamond prices further after a bleak holiday season. Large diamonds hit the hardest after speculation drove prices up in 2008. Rough imports hit a three-year low…

Pearls Shine Bright in Tucson

The Tucson show is more than a colored gemstone event. One of the absolute highlights of the show each year is to examine the latest developments in the always-fascinating world of pearls. This year was…

Synthetic Diamond

Appraisers must be on their toes at all times and it gets harder every day. We wondered when, as independent appraisers, we would encounter our first synthetic diamond repre- sented as natural. The client purchased…