Russ Shor, Guy Borenstein Among Speakers for 2023 AGA Vegas Conference
Online registration is open now for the annual event and early-bird savings will end May 28.

Scheduled for Thursday, June 1, at the Westin Las Vegas Hotel & Spa, the half-day event will feature internationally renowned experts on both colorless and fancy color diamonds.
AGA said speakers will provide diamond-focused education, news and information about technologies in the global diamond sector. The talks will be followed by a reception.
Sessions will start at 1:45 p.m. PDT, beginning with Guy Borenstein, chief gemologist at Stuller Inc.
Borenstein is slated to discuss screening technologies for lab-grown diamonds as well as each growing technique’s limitations and blind spots, as determined from Stuller’s screening tests experience.
Following Borstein will be the Fancy Color Research Foundation’s Fancy Color Diamond Business Expert David S. Rhodes and CEO Miri Chen.
The pair will explain the grading methodology and the important elements and characteristics to focus on when analyzing fancy color diamonds. They also will discuss the pricing principles that determine the value of fancy color diamonds, auction prices, and the fancy color diamond price index.
The conference will end with Russell Shor, senior diamond industry analyst at Russell Shor Communications and Consulting, who will provide a discussion on natural diamonds versus lab-grown diamonds.
Following the sessions, AGA will host a cocktail and networking reception beginning at 6 p.m.
Advanced purchase registration and savings are available until 11 p.m. on May 28. Ticketing options include conference and reception, or reception only.
AGA member tickets to conference and reception are $125 and non-member tickets are $150. Reception-only tickets are $89.
After May 28, it will cost $175 for conference and reception tickets, and $115 for reception-only tickets.
Industry friends, co-workers, and spouses are welcome to attend.
More information is available on the AGA’s website. Tickets can be purchased on Eventbrite.
Vendor tables are available for the conference. Email Raymond Mason, azgemlab@gmail.com, or call 602-615-2116 for more information.
The Latest

The stores that have a great December are the ones that made good decisions in August, September, and October, Sherry Smith writes.

The 22.09-carat fancy yellow “Pragnell Kimberley Sunshine Diamond” is part of the fall jewelry sale at Heritage Auctions.

“Adornos: Jewelry, Memory & What We Pass Down” honors the jewelry’s importance to New York City’s Latine communities.

Submit your pieces for a chance to win in this year's competition.

The company’s managing director of sales said the results demonstrate “continued strong demand for commercial-quality emeralds.”


The nonprofit awarded a grant to the Gift of Sight initiative spearheaded by South African musician Black Coffee.

The Latine-owned New York jeweler is marking two milestones this year: its 50th anniversary and the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.

Retailers are seeking new ways to attract customers, increase traffic, and create revenue – Estate buying events are a popular solution.

The jewelry retail broadcast network has sponsored a new space for Make-A-Wish East Tennessee on its campus in Knoxville.

Keith Rolfe, CFO and COO of Lagos, is now at the jewelry brand’s helm while Steven takes on the role of executive chairman.

Alberto Perez-Elias is one of four men charged in the armed robbery of a Cape Coral, Florida, jewelry store and remains at large.

The “Kat Florence Luminas” will be offered together as one lot and could fetch up to $637,000.

Four directors were elected to the AGTA board and will serve three-year terms beginning in February.

Ken Citron joins the celebrity memorabilia-focused auction house ahead of its first week-long series of events in Abu Dhabi.

The jewelry retailer said it sees opportunity at higher price points, particularly in natural diamonds for bridal and fashion.

The Los Angeles-based, family-owned jeweler was founded by Lenny and Sunny Friedman in 1946.

The auction, held in Bangkok, was 96 percent sold by lot, with nearly 411,000 carats of Mozambiquan rubies sold.

Fine Jewelry 2027-2028 has more than 900 new styles, including silver, gold-filled, gold-plated sterling silver, and vermeil jewelry.

Learn more about the new terms for lab-grown diamonds and composite gemstones, and the major changes in store for precious metals jewelry.

Bromberg is remembered as a Southern gentleman who always wore a suit and tie and treated others with kindness.

With high durability and a wide range of colors to choose from, sapphires may be the ultimate birthstone, Gizzi claims.

Laughter is often considered a distraction in the workplace, but it has benefits for both staff and management, Peter Smith writes.

Gretchen Koback Pursel is the new chief people officer at the company formerly known as Saks Global.

The California jeweler is renovating its store in Fresno, with plans to show off the new space in December.

A lifelong practitioner of Pilates, Gabrielle looked to the springs’ tension and suspension when creating this ring, our Piece of the Week.

The auction house has promoted Remi Guillemin, formerly its head of watches for the Americas and EMEA, to the role.

Zaven Ghanimian discussed the value of human craftsmanship and where the implementation of artificial intelligence does work.

























