Events & Awards

Registration Is Open for AGA’s Annual Tucson Conference

Events & AwardsNov 28, 2022

Registration Is Open for AGA’s Annual Tucson Conference

Scheduled for Feb. 1, the event will feature six gemological education presentations and three hands-on sessions.

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The Accredited Gemologists Association has made tickets available for its annual Tucson Gemological Conference and Gala.
New York—The Accredited Gemologists Association has opened registration for its next Tucson Gemological Conference and Gala. 
 
Scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 1 at the Tucson Marriott University Park Hotel, the event will feature six gemological education presentations and three hands-on sessions from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. MST. 
 
Presentations include master gem cutter Meg Berry diving into the lapidary art of transforming gem rough into a jewel, Mark Cullinan of Cullinan Diamonds talking about his family’s connection to diamond mining, and a live-streamed interview with Alan Hodgkinson about his gemological career. 
 
Clemens Schwarzinger will also talk about the color, chemistry, and cutting of zoisite, Robert Weldon will lead a discussion on digital photography of gemstones and jewelry, and Gary Roskin will look at the future of trade shows. 
 
All the presentations will be live-streamed, recorded, and made available to virtual and in-person registrants later. 
 
Options for hands-on sessions, meanwhile, include “Jade Identification” with Richard Hughes, a session on recycling gemstones called “Treasure from Trash” with Kerry Gregory, and a session on identification of black stones called “Back to Black” with Sarah Caldwell Steele.
 
The day will end with the 2023 AGA Gala, which includes a cocktail reception followed by dinner, a silent auction, music, dancing, and the presentation of the 2022 AGA Antonio C. Bonanno Award for Excellence in Gemology to recipient Gary Roskin.
 
 Related stories will be right here … 

“We are excited to host the 2023 AGA Tucson Conference and the long-awaited opportunity to socialize and share our gemological experiences and knowledge,” said AGA Conference Committee Co-Chair Çiğdem Lüle. 
 
“As an added benefit, this year AGA invites global participation by live streaming this conference. We sincerely hope you will join us and bring a friend.” 
 
Early-bird tickets (through Dec. 31) for the full in-person conference and gala are $195 plus fees for AGA members and $245 plus fees for non-members.
 
Virtual tickets are priced at $195 plus fees for AGA members and $245 plus fees for non-members from now up until the conference. 
 
Tickets to the gala event only can also be purchased, for $95 plus fees for members and $125 plus fees for non-members. 
 
Visit AccreditedGemologists.org for more information or to buy tickets. 

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