GIA Enhances Visitor Experience at Tucson 2014 Shows
Institute to host classes; offer lab service, seminars and more
GIA (Gemological Institute of America) will offer special laboratory services, gem and jewelry seminars, classes and more during the annual Tucson gem shows. The Institute’s show offerings will be at the Tucson Convention Center during the American Gem Trade Association (AGTA) GemFair™, and the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show, Feb. 13-16.
Two free seminars will explore recent gemological discoveries and research, and the Museum of London’s extraordinary Cheapside Hoard exhibit. The Institute will also offer two lab classes – colored stone grading and pearl grading – and two fee-based seminars – identifying synthetic diamonds and identifying diamond treatments. The GIA Alumni Association will sponsor its annual dinner, auction and dance event, “Party at the GIA Gem Mine,” at the Marriott University Park Hotel.
More information, including registration, is available on the GIA website at http://www.gia.edu/gem-event-
GIA’s highlights at the 2014 Tucson shows include:
GIA Museum Exhibit
Attendees of the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show, will have the opportunity to preview pieces from the Institute’s spring 2014 Carlsbad exhibit, “Gems & Gemology 80th Anniversary.” Pieces featured on three different covers of the Institute’s award-winning scientific quarterly journal, will be on display along with their cover:
Winter 1988. These intense rubellites (ring 13.8 ct; necklace 18.5 ct) are from the Queen Mine, San Diego County, CA. Designed by Jeanne Larson. Courtesy of The Collector Fallbrook, CA; Photo Harold & Erica Van Pelt.
Summer 2006. Colombian emerald and diamond necklace with matching earrings designed by Jean Schlumberger for Tiffany & Co. in the 1950’s. The three large emeralds in the necklace are 6.65-7.41 ct; the emeralds in the earrings are. Courtesy of a private collector; Photo Harold & Erica Van Pelt.
Summer 2008. A selection of topaz jewelry and loose faceted stones from the GIA collection. The Belle Époque platinum corsage ornament features a 39.80 ct pink topaz and diamonds. The blue and pink topaz are from the Dr. Edward J. Gübelin Collection. The blue topaz and sapphire ring set in 18K gold is a gift of Jacques Prades. Gift of Stephen and Eileen Silver, S.H. Silver Co; Photo Harold & Erica Van Pelt.
GIA Show Service Laboratory at AGTA GemFair
Show attendees will have convenient access to gem identification and country-of-origin services through the GIA Show Service Laboratory. Seasoned GIA gemologists will accept gemstones onsite at the AGTA GemFair in the Onyx Suite. .
Free GIA Seminars
Magnificent Jewels of Cheapside Hoard
Wednesday, Feb. 5, 1 to 2 p.m.
Robert Weldon, GIA’s manager of photography and visual communications and a noted expert on colored gems, will describe his quest to photograph and document the historically significant treasures of the Museum of London’s Cheapside Hoard. The unrivaled collection of nearly 500 gems and jewelry pieces – believed to have been buried in London in the seventeenth century and undisturbed until 1912 – offer a unique glimpse of Renaissance jewelry.
The Latest News from GIA Research
Friday, Feb. 7, 9 to 10 a.m.
GIA’s Distinguished Research Fellow Dr. James Shigley will provide an update on the Institute’s latest research developments on diamonds, colored stones and other timely topics of interest.
GIA EDUCATION:
GIA will offer two lab classes and two seminars during the AGTA GemFair™. Pre-registration is required; call GIA Admissions at (800) 421 7250 ext. 4001 to register for the seminars, and visit GIA’s website to register for the lab classes.
Colored Stone Grading Lab Class
Tuesday through Thursday, Feb. 4-6, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Students will develop skills in grading the color, clarity and cut quality of a wide range of colored stones. They will also Learn the GIA Colored Stone Grading System and how to describe color by hue, tone and saturation; Judge gem quality factors; Improve the consistency and accuracy of colored stone grading skills; and learn about the relationship between light and color and develop color memory.
Pearl Grading Lab Class
Friday, Feb. 7, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Students will discover how the world’s foremost experts determine the quality of akoya, freshwater, South Sea and Tahitian pearls. They will also learn GIA’s 7 Pearl Value Factors™ by training with a member of the Institute’s internationally respected team of instructors; and learn how to evaluate freshwater and cultured pearls in order to increase sales and promote the relationship between beauty, value and quality in your merchandise.
Identifying Synthetic Diamonds
Saturday, Feb. 8, 9 to 11 a.m.
Through a combination of lecture and hands-on lab using a microscope, students will learn how to identify HPHT-grown synthetic diamonds and separate them from natural diamond. They will also gain greater insight into the identification of CVD-grown synthetic diamond, and learn how to easily separate synthetic moissanite and synthetic cubic zirconia from diamond.
Identifying Diamond Treatments
Saturday, Feb. 8, 1 to 3 p.m.
Students will learn about the most important diamond treatment processes currently used in the gemstone market. Through a combination of lecture and hands-on lab with a microscope, the class covers the nature and treatment identification of diamonds including, laser drilled, fracture filled, HPHT, irradiation, and multiple treatment processes. Students will also learn to separate laser manufacturing remnants from treatments.
GIA at the CAD/CAM Pavilion
GIA’s Jewelry Manufacturing Arts program is at the forefront of jewelry design education – from 3D printer rapid protoyping and casting to prefinishing, setting and buffing. Throughout the AGTA GemFair Tucson, GIA experts will answer questions and discuss a variety of relevant topics, including CAD/CAM, zero-shrinkage from CAD file to photopolymer models to rough castings, jewelry engineering priorities, jewelry design concepts, 3D scanning of gemstones and importing content into CAD files for use in making jewelry, and Quality Assurance Benchmarking criteria when CAD Modeling. The ongoing series will take place at booth # 450 in the CAD Design Studio, located in the Gem Hall.
Party at the GIA Gem Mine
The GIA Alumni Association’s annual auction, dinner and dance event is on Friday night at the Marriott University Park Hotel. Ticket prices are $65 at the door. Attendees can click here to purchase tickets.
For more details about the Institute’s offerings at the AGTA GemFair™, visit GIA’s website.
An independent nonprofit organization, GIA (Gemological Institute of America), established in 1931, is recognized as the world’s foremost authority in gemology. GIA invented the famous 4Cs of Color, Cut, Clarity and Carat Weight in the early 1950s and in 1953, created the International Diamond Grading System™ which, today, is recognized by virtually every professional jeweler in the world.
Through research, education, gemological laboratory services, and instrument development, the Institute is dedicated to ensuring the public trust in gems and jewelry by upholding the highest standards of integrity, academics, science, and professionalism. Visit www.gia.edu.
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