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…
Featured ArticlesThe book begins with a brief lesson on the technical aspects of gems including definitions of minerals, crystals, gems, metals, and the various properties of gems (R.I., birefringence, dispersion, S.G., hardness, cleav- age, etc.). While…
Book ReviewCecilia 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…
Featured ArticlesNot 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…
Diamond MarketThe price of rough is down in many markets around the world on soft demand and a lack of buyers. However, this does not necessarily equate to the same percentage decreases in prices for cut…
Market TrendsThe 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…
News ArchiveAppraisers 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…
Gem NotesA recent appraisal assignment on a branded loose gem- stone, developed into a challenge in determining a fair retail price. The story starts as many do. The client purchased a gem on a cruise, took…
News ArchiveThe economy continues to be the biggest influence on the gem market. The Consumer Confidence Index rose moderately in November. Just one month earlier, the Index had declined to an all-time low. Conference Board director…
Colored Stone MarketThe market was so quiet before the holidays you could hear a pin drop. As one jeweler told me recently, I cant wait until January just because then I will know that 2008 will be…
Diamond Market