#TucsonGemShow - The Fee Based Seminars....via AGTA Gemfair & GEMWORLD

GIA Education
Gem Identification Lab Session
GREENLEE ROOM, TUCSON CONVENTION CENTER	Monday – Friday, Jan 30 - Feb 3
*Required for GIA Graduate Gemologist and Graduate Colored Stones Diplomas	9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
In this lab, students practice the same time-tested procedures and identification skills used by the Institute's renowned gemological experts. Tools used include a microscope, a refractometer with polarizing filter and a removable magnifying eyepiece, refractive index (RI) liquid, a polariscope with an optic figure sphere, a dichroscope, a table model prism spectroscope, a handheld spectroscope, and a loupe. Students use these instruments to practice identifying natural gemstones, imitations, assembled stones and synthetics. Along with this hands-on training, your facilitators will carefully demonstrate key tests and coach you in quick, effective testing procedures. (Be sure to read the Student Notification of Classroom Chemical Usage in the most current version of the GIA Education Catalog at GIA.edu.) Once you have completed the session, you can keep a lab manual, a gem cloth, and a color grading card.
Tuition: $1,600.00 + $125.00 Books and + $25.00 Materials = $1,750.00 plus applicable sales tax
Earn: Letter of Completion
To register, call GIA Admissions at +1 800 421 7250 ext 4001 or +1 760 603 4001 For more information about GIA, visit www.gia.edu
Identifying Inclusions in Corundum and Emerald
GREENLEE ROOM, TUCSON CONVENTION CENTER	Saturday, Feb 4
9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Inclusions are an unending source of fascination for gem professionals. In this seminar, you'll use our lab equipment to explore the interiors of specially-chosen rubies, sapphires, and emeralds and gain insight into what a gem's internal characteristics can tell you about how and where it formed, and whether it's treated. Through lecture and hands-on practice, you'll get an up-close look at gems from new sources, learn to recognize specific types of inclusions, and understand their significance for laboratory gemologists in helping determine geologic origin, possible country of origin, and indicating potential treatment.
Tuition: $225.00
To register, call GIA Admissions at +1 800 421 7250 ext 4001 or +1 760 603 4001 For more information about GIA, visit www.gia.edu
Identifying Synthetic and Imitation Colored Stones
GREENLEE ROOM, TUCSON CONVENTION CENTER	Saturday, Feb 4
1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
This new GIA seminar is designed to sharpen your gem identification skills. Through a lecture and hands-on practice with a microscope, you'll test yourself and gain valuable experience with a selection of unusual synthetics and challenging new imitations. You'll learn key identifying features to help detect these materials, and our experienced gemologists are on hand to provide guidance and help you stay up to date with the latest developments in this area.
Tuition: $225.00
To register, call GIA Admissions at +1 800 421 7250 ext 4001 or +1 760 603 4001 For more information about GIA, visit www.gia.edu Pricing Workshops in Tucson via GEMWORLD January 30-31, 2017 REGISTER NOW Colored Stone Grading and Pricing January 30, Monday 9:00am-1:00pm   Fee from $295.00 Half day program exploring the color, clarity, cut and carat weight of a colored gemstone specifically for the purpose of estimating its value. Participants will examine, grade and value a variety of colored stones.  Emerald Treatments and Pricing January 30, Monday 2:00pm-6:00pm  Fee from $275.00 Half day hands on program working with treated and natural emerald specimens with pricing information. Corundum Treatments and Pricing January 31, Tuesday 9:00am-4:00pm Fee from $445.00 A full day hands on workshop working with 150 ruby and sapphire samples..  Education All Classes held at Tucson Marriott University Park Hotel Address:800 East Second St., Tucson, AZ 85719 Gemworld International offers education classes developed and taught by Dr. Cigdem Lule FGA, GG (GIA), Director of Development along with the research team of Gemworld headed by Stuart Robertson, GG (GIA).  The aim of these courses is to provide teaching strategies specific to gem market pricing and identification challenges.  The programs are designed for practicing gemologists, appraisers and industry professionals who buy and sell gemstones. Please contact Dr. Cigdem Lule, 847.657.0555 x207or clule@gemguide.com for further information.  Click here to Register online.

#TucsonGemShow - The Seminars - YIKES!!!!

I tell everyone who is looking at their first visit to the Tucson Gem Shows to check out the learning opportunities....we have already discussed the Mineral Lecture Series at the Pueblo Show, but there are is so much more!

At the AGTA GemFair you have two opportunities to learn - first the MJSA's "At The Bench Live" - which offers demos that any Maker will apreciate.  For Example this is the offering for Tuesday, January 31st:

Red Flags for Repairs - MJSA's At the Bench Live and Beyond (www.mjsa.org)
GALLERIA / TOOLS, TECHNOLOGY & SUPPLIES / BALLROOM	11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Presenter: Arthur Skuratowicz
Beginning - Intermediate - Advanced
Some repair jobs are simple, and some only seem simple: Many times, one repair is a signal that other problems lurk below the surface. In this session, Arthur Skuratowciz offers some common "red flags" to help you uncover all of the problem areas in a piece of jewelry. He'll also suggest some handy tips to ensure those repairs go as smoothly as possible.
Hold It! Creating Your Own Fixtures for Holding and Positioning - MJSA's At the Bench Live and Beyond (www.mjsa.org)
GALLERIA / TOOLS, TECHNOLOGY & SUPPLIES / BALLROOM	3:30 - 5 p.m
Presenter: Arthur Skuratowicz
Beginning - Intermediate - Advanced
Whether you're assembling components, repairing or modifying a piece of jewelry, or simply trying to see whether the parts of a design will fit together, you need a workpiece to hold steady. In this session, Arthur Skuratowicz will take a page from woodworkers and luthiers to demonstrate how to make your own positioning fixtures for complex fabrication or repetitive assembly. Ensure that even the most hard-to-hold shapes remain still for greater accuracy and ease.

The second offering is the AGTA Seminar Program will offerings that will halp you improve sales, teach you to be more social, to educating you about gems and where they come from.  This example is just Wednesday, Feb. 1st:

Roundtable • Live! Hands on & Interactive
GRAHAM ROOM	9:05 - 10:05 a.m.
Betty Sue King, Pearl Goddess, King's Ransom, www.pearlgoddess.com
Beginning - Intermediate - Advanced
Claim a seat at this Roundtable. Live in the moment through the eyes of your clients and feel the exhilaration of indulging passions for things unique and precious. Experience getting first dibs on remarkable pearls. Through this unique intimate setting you will sell more gems, attract new clients, and build custom designs as well as develop collectors and repeat buyers. Engage in a step-bystep guide to plan your own Roundtable. See invitations, place settings & guest interactions. You will be inspired to formulate your own Roundtable and drive your business to greater heights.
Intellectual Property Law for Jewelers
COCONINO ROOM	9:05 - 10:05 a.m.
Sara Yood, Senior Counsel, Jewelers Vigilance Committee, www.jvclegal.org
Beginning - Intermediate - Advanced
Intellectual property - copyright, trademark, patent, and other areas of intellectual property law - is an important part of any business, and understanding how to use it to protect and promote your work can give you a leg up. In this seminar, we'll learn the difference between copyright, trademark and patent, what can qualify for protection, how to protect it, and the practical applications in the jewelry industry. This presentation will cover trade secrets and the right of publicity, which can affect how you advertise your products to the public. Come armed with questions - our expert is ready to offer guidance and education on protecting yourself and your IP.
Sourcing Colored Gemstones in Afghanistan and Central Asia.
MARICOPA ROOM	9:00 - 10:00 a.m.
Gary W. Bowersox, G.G., Geovision, Inc., www.gems-afghan.com
Beginning - Intermediate - Advanced
This lecture is an update on mine to market gems from Afghanistan, Pakistan, Tajikistan and other Central Asian countries. Details on sourcing gems in this part of the world will be discussed in the light of the latest political situations, Global Witness, and other reports. Gary W. Bowersox has been exploring and purchasing gems in this area for over forty-five years. He is a member of AGTA, ICA, GIA Alumni and President of Geovision, Inc.
Appraisal Essentials - Increasing sales, service, and appraisals
MOHAVE ROOM	9:00 - 10:00 a.m.
Cos Altobelli, Altobelli Jewelers and Appraisals, www.altobelli.com
Beginning - Intermediate - Advanced
This presentation will cover the appraisal essentials including increasing sales, service, and appraisals; pricing colored gemstones and diamonds; stone setting; Rapaport subscription changes; Synthetic and treated diamonds waiver; grading diamond melee; appraisal software; U.S.P.A.P. update; American Gem Society independent appraiser availability; an advanced personal property appraiser program; color vision testing changes, and advertising and publicity.

Navigating Rough Diamond "C's" - Diamonds of color is the hottest trend
GRAHAM ROOM	1:05 - 2:05 P.m.
Chandra Horn, G.G., F.G.A., École De Gemmologie De Montreal, Montreal, Canada
Beginning - Intermediate - Advanced
Color is the hottest trend in diamonds and can also be the hardest to predict when looking at rough. What causes color in diamonds and how do buyers and cutters approach these rare beauties in the hopes of coaxing out the best results. How do the 4 C's apply to rough diamonds and how do sorters and buyers predict the quality of the final cut diamond? This talk will look at how rough diamonds are sorted and the unique challenges faced when grading and valuing rough diamonds.
Sustainable Gemstones
COCONINO ROOM	1:05 - 2:05 p.m.
Sheahan Stephen, Sheahan Stephen Sapphires, www.sssapphires.com
Beginning - Intermediate - Advanced
Sheahan Stephen, will cover the importance of sustainable gemstones in today's marketplace. He will define what sustainability is and give specific (pictorial) examples of the process that a sustainable gemstone company would follow in order to offer you a sustainable gemstone. He discuss who the current buyers of sustainable gemstones are and why they are specifically asking for gemstones sourced through this method, also discuss and answer if this is just a trend or if there will be longevity in this specific sector of our industry. Lastly, Sheahan will cover which countries have a sustainable gemstone mining model in place currently and what questions to ask your suppliers when looking for sustainable gemstones.
Proof of Provenance
MARICOPA ROOM	1:00 - 2:00 p.m.
Klemens Link, Director of Development, Gübelin Gem Lab, New York
Beginning - Intermediate - Advanced
Consumers request more transparency on the provenance of the goods and services they purchase, and also applies to luxury products including gemstones. In stark contrast to this demand, the gemstone trade has a reputation of being opaque. No proper solutions are in place today that truly close this gap: the classical, gemology-based origin determination offered by gem labs merely states the country of origin, and cannot distinguish different producers mining the same geologic unit. Some mining companies have started to issue certificates of provenance, offering information such as the name of the mine, the mining company, and the mining period. The information provided in these documents, however, is largely based on self-declaration, i.e. is not an independent proof of provenance.
Rediscovering the Chivor Emerald Mine - In the Footsteps of Peter W. Rainier
MOHAVE ROOM	1:00 - 2:00 p.m.
Robert Weldon, G.G., Manager of Photography and Visual Communications. Gemological Institute of America
Beginning - Intermediate - Advanced
An epic story of triumph over adversity, Peter W. Rainier, a South African, ran Colombia's Chivor emerald mine in the 1920s. He fought bandits, chased elusive emerald veins, and rode across the Andes. His story, revealed in his memoir Green Fire, was licensed by MGM for a movie starring Grace Kelly and Stuart Grainger. Rainer brought Chivor into peak production, extracting the finest emeralds the world had seen. He fought in both World Wars, and helped defeat Rommel's troops at El Alamein. The rediscovery of a lost album of historic photos sparked the idea for a journey to retrace his path.

As you can see the offerings are amazing!  Get the complete listing at www.mjsa.org or http://www.agta.org/tradeshows/gft-seminars.html

Come see the magic! Michael Dyber at the AGTA Gem Fair

Come see the magic! 

This coming February at the Tucson Gem Show 

World renown Gem Designer, 

Michael M. Dyber of Rumney, NH 

will be celebrating

30 years of "Optical Illusions" 

using his original lapidary technique

"Dyber Optic Dish"

at his Booth 106 in the AGTA GEM FAIR 2017, 

from Jan. 31-Feb. 5, 2017.

The "Dyber Optic Dish" lapidary technique is now copied around the world.

But, Michael is the originator and the only lapidary 

that uses the "Dyber Optic Dish"

to create optical illusions 

in each one of a kind gem design he creates.

(as seen in this Brazilian 313.10 ct. Aquamarine. photo by Sena Dyber)

2017 "Party At The GIA Gem Mine: Cosmic Blast" - Donate an "out of this world" auction item!

Donate an "out of this world" auction item!

2017 "Party At The GIA Gem Mine: Cosmic Blast" event auctions

We encourage fun items that reflect the spirit of the "Cosmic Blast" theme. Consider quality gemstones, jewelry or specimens of peridot, meteorite, sunstone and moonstone; celestial (sun, moon and stars) jewelry designs; or possibly an air and space museum experience. Vacation stays, one-of-a-kind excursions and sports or theater tickets are always in demand. 

All auction proceeds support the Alumni Endowment Fund. 

GIA Alumni Office must be aware of, or receive all auction items by the Dec. 31, 2016 deadline.

Please visit the party webpage or contact alumni@gia.edu for further details.
Donor Form - please download and complete donor form for each donation.

GIA Donor Policy: It is central to GIA’s mission to uphold the highest standards of integrity. We respectfully ask that our laboratory and instruments clients, vendors and current students limit their GIA contributions to $1,000 or less during any 12-month period. We appreciate your consideration.