BrankoGems To Hold Conference in Montana
The event, set for June 13-15, will feature educational presentations and guided visits to the state’s sapphire mines.

The event will be held June 13 to 15 at the Delta Hotels Helena Colonial.
It will include presentations and workshops, as well as guided sapphire mine visits to the Yogo, Missouri River, and Rock Creek Sapphire Mines and Yellowstone National Park.
The trips, limited to 30 participants, will be offered before and after the conference.
Expert discussion topics include sapphires from Montana and turquoise grading, as well as the challenges of identifying natural and synthetic and treated gemstones.
Warren Boyd of Potentate Mining will present “Rock Creek Sapphire Mine,” gemologist and consultant Dr. Lore Kiefert will discuss “Origin Determination of Sapphires,” and turquoise expert Joe Dan Lowry will present “Turquoise 101.”
The conference workshops will also feature over 200 samples, and presenters will explore solutions to identification challenges through demonstrating techniques utilizing standard and portable advanced gemological instruments.
Dr. Kiefert will lead the workshop “Treatment and Origin Determination of Sapphires;” Lowry will lead “Turquoise Grading;” and Branko Deljanin, president and head gemologist at CGL Canadian Gemlab and director of Gemmological Research Industries, will lead “ID of LGD.”
A round table featuring seven international experts and moderated by Travis Lejman, gemologist and conference co-chair, will discuss “Sapphire Origins” and “LGD Versus Natural Diamonds.”
In addition, some presentations will further explore portable instruments for identifying gems and synthetic diamonds, as well as artificial intelligence (AI).
Randall Lightfoot of Mayflower Estate Buyers and Consulting will lead “Gem Secrets: The Importance of Inclusions & CPF” and Guy Borenstein, senior gemologist at Stuller will present “Screening Instruments for Laboratory-Grown Diamonds.”
Also, Sharrie Woodring, senior gemologist at GCAL, will lead “An Update from GCAL by Sarine Lab: Diamond Traceability, AI-Driven Grading, and Market Dynamics” and Deljanin will speak on “How India’s CVD Boom in Production, Treatments, and Cutting is Reshaping Diamond Mining and Gemological Testing Worldwide.”
The upcoming event will be BrankoGems’ first International Conference in the United States.
The company has held seven Mediterranean Gem and Jewellery Conferences since 2015, as well as an International Conference in Australia in 2023.
Its conferences are designed to offer a unique “tech-trade platform,” said the company, with practical workshops for gemologists, appraisers, and other industry professionals.
For more information on speakers, lectures, tours, the venue, and registration visit the event website.
The Latest

Emmanuel Raheb shares tips on how a jeweler’s showcases, marketing, and social media presence can whisper, instead of shout.

The private equity firm has a plan to revive the mall staple.

Claudio Pasta will take the lead at the Italian fine jewelry brand, succeeding company founder Licia Mattioli.

With their unmatched services and low fees, reDollar.com is challenging some big names in the online consignment world.

The new lab-grown diamond jewelry offering is the latest expansion of the designer’s “Bliss” collection.


The California-based fine jewelry brand will retain its identity post-acquisition, with new collections launching next year.

The “Untamed” collection centers on carved gemstone jewelry depicting a range of animals embodying one of the four elemental forces.

Jewelers of America is leading the charge to protect the industry amidst rising economic threats.

Founded in 2004, the organization is now called the Community for Ethical Jewelry.

From Coco Gauff’s hoops to Madison Keys’ diamond medallion, these are Senior Editor Lenore Fedow’s standout jewelry looks of the season.

The trendy earrings feature asymmetrical drops, one with a grossular garnet and the other with a diamond.

Four social media marketing experts discuss their go-to methods and favorite tools for making high-quality short-form video content.

Sponsored by American Gem Trade Association

In its holiday report, PwC said the season will be more like jazz—improvisational and less predictable—than an easy-to-follow melody.

The jewelry giant will relocate its existing facility to a larger space in Anne Arundel.

The designer, who is the creative force behind her namesake brand, has now started a new mini line focusing on chains for fathers and sons.

The awards include tuition for a course at the Swiss lab, economy flights, and hotel accommodation.

The 21-day program was designed to help jewelry retailers identify opportunities and eliminate inefficiencies with AI.

A set of four Patek Philippe “Star Caliber 2000” pocket watches is part of Sotheby’s upcoming auction in Abu Dhabi.

The Brazilian jeweler’s latest book marks her namesake brand’s 25th anniversary and tells the tale of her worldwide collaborations.

The Submariner Ref. 1680 with a Tiffany & Co. dial came from the original owner, who won it as a prize on the game show in the 1970s.

The new integration allows users to manage shipments directly from the Shopify dashboard.

At Converge 2025, Editor-in-Chief Michelle Graff attended sessions on DEI, tariffs, security, and more. Here are her top takeaways.

Six people were shot last week at an Oakland cash-for-gold shop as employees exchanged gunfire with individuals trying to rob the store.

The jeweler has expanded its high jewelry offering, which launched last year, with new pieces featuring its cube motif that debuted in 1999.

Ben Bridge Jeweler and Lux Bond & Green were a part of the pilot program.

Associate Editor Natalie Francisco shares eight of her favorite jewelry looks from the 77th annual Primetime Emmy Awards, held Sunday night.