Policies & IssuesApr 28, 2026
Tariff Refunds: How to File, What to Expect Importers can submit claims now to receive money back for the IEEPA tariffs they’ve paid, with refunds expected to take up to 90 days.
EditorsMar 11, 2009
Will Collectors Universe exploit AGL name?
The following blog entry was written and sent to us by Antoinette Matlins. So what happens now...and in the future? The manner in which Collectors Universe closed the doors on AGL on March 2 was unprecedented in this field and...
The following blog entry was written and sent to us by Antoinette Matlins.
So what happens now...and in the future? The manner in which Collectors Universe closed the doors on AGL on March 2 was unprecedented in this field and very disturbing on many levels. While these economic times may have resulted in CU having to withdraw from the gemstone arena, there was no need to execute it in the manner in which it was done; CU has caused chaos and confusion for thousands of people who have depended on AGL for years, and thrown into question the value of AGL reports, past and present. AGL was an institution as firmly entrenched and respected globally as GIA.What happens to the value of these documents now? Where are all of the files, with the detailed analysis done on each of the thousands and thousands of gemstones that have come through AGL's laboratory over the years? The sudden closure of its doors will affect collectors around the world and undermine their confidence in the value of their gemstones, and the credibility of their documents with the sudden disappearance of the lab that issued them.
Equally important, or perhaps even moreso, I'm concerned about CU's plans for the AGL name. The way CU has handled the closing of AGL demonstrates that CU management is capable of withholding important information and deceiving people who trusted them.
If CU is the owner of the AGL name, and if CU ever chooses to re-enter the gem field, I fear that CU will reintroduce the AGL name and exploit the reputation is has earned over the years. The value of the AGL name lies in the reputation it earned as a result of the knowledge, experience, and integrity of Cap Beesley and the AGL team, which now includes respected gemologists such as Chris Smith. The reputation of any laboratory--and the value of the paper it provides--is a direct reflection of the people running it. If AGL "paper" were to be resurrected at some future time--without this team--where would its value be? It should have NO VALUE, until it has EARNED value, and this could takes years. However, it would be easy to exploit AGL's current reputation. AGL has become a brand that assures people about the quality and representations related to a particular gem; an AGL report has enjoyed such a respected reputation that it
Editors' Picks
Sponsored by
has become an essential document affecting purchase decisions by consumers as well as the trade. I think that were CU ever to resurrect the AGL name, without the AGL team responsible for its reputation, this would be tantamount to consumer deception and misrepresentation. It would create confusion in terms of the thousands of pre-existing AGL documents and what they represent.
The manner in which CU has handled the closing of AGL reflects an attitude by CU management that suggests they are interested in only one thing: making money, regardless of how they make it. Their lack of sensitivity to, or interest in, handling this in a clean, thoughtful, and professional way, given what AGL represents to the entire gem trade, suggests that they could also proceed with using the AGL name because they lack the sensitivity to, and understanding of, the complexities of the gemstone world.
Personally, I believe we'll weather the current economic storms and there will be once again be a healthy gemstone market. When this time comes, I believe CU will resurrect the AGL name. I believe we mu
st all be alert to the possibility of this scenario taking place, and keep vigilant. And I also think we must be prepared to take a stand and inform consumers and collectors everywhere should this ever happen.
I'm now going to resume grieving....it is a sad, sad, sad state of affairs, indeed.
Antoinette Matlins
The manner in which CU has handled the closing of AGL reflects an attitude by CU management that suggests they are interested in only one thing: making money, regardless of how they make it. Their lack of sensitivity to, or interest in, handling this in a clean, thoughtful, and professional way, given what AGL represents to the entire gem trade, suggests that they could also proceed with using the AGL name because they lack the sensitivity to, and understanding of, the complexities of the gemstone world.
Personally, I believe we'll weather the current economic storms and there will be once again be a healthy gemstone market. When this time comes, I believe CU will resurrect the AGL name. I believe we mu
st all be alert to the possibility of this scenario taking place, and keep vigilant. And I also think we must be prepared to take a stand and inform consumers and collectors everywhere should this ever happen.
I'm now going to resume grieving....it is a sad, sad, sad state of affairs, indeed.
Antoinette Matlins
More on Editors
The Latest
IndependentsApr 28, 2026
This North Carolina Jeweler Is Passing the TorchThe owners of Gregory Jewelers in Morganton, North Carolina, are heading into retirement.
SourcingApr 28, 2026
Doug Hucker Retires From ICAThe colored gemstone industry leader is heading into retirement after four years as the association’s CEO.
Brought to you by
Discover Timeless Treasures: A Showcase of Antique Jewelry & Timepieces in Las VegasGain access to the most exclusive and coveted antique pieces from trusted dealers during Las Vegas Jewelry Week.
SourcingApr 28, 2026
NDC Hires Tapestry Exec to Head Global Marketing Susie Dewey joins the Natural Diamond Council as its new chief marketing officer.
Weekly QuizApr 23, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
AuctionsApr 27, 2026
12 Years Later, the ‘Ocean Dream’ Diamond Resurfaces at Christie’sThe largest known fancy vivid blue-green diamond could fetch more than $12 million at its second auction appearance.
ColumnistsApr 27, 2026
Stop Treating Mother’s Day Like an AfterthoughtEmmanuel Raheb says jewelers need to start marketing early and make it easy for customers to pick a gift for mom.
Brought to you by
Las Vegas Antique Jewelry & Watch Show: Showcasing the Most Collectible Merchandise from Across the GlobeGain access to the most exclusive and coveted antique pieces from trusted dealers during Las Vegas Jewelry Week.
IndependentsApr 27, 2026
Longnecker Jewelry Celebrates 30 YearsIn honor of the milestone, the Nebraska jeweler has debuted Leslie & Co., its new in-house jewelry brand.
MajorsApr 27, 2026
JBT Re-Elects Jeff Corey as Board ChairThe trade organization, which held its annual elections earlier this year, also added five new board members.
SurveysApr 24, 2026
Mother’s Day 2026 Jewelry Spending to Top $7B, NRF SaysNRF’s annual survey found that 45 percent of consumers plan to purchase jewelry for a loved one this Mother’s Day.
TechnologyApr 24, 2026
TwentyFour’s Digital-Age Locket Is a Virtual VaultThe “Vault” charm, our Piece of the Week, expands on the memories that can be stored in a locket by connecting to your phone.
Events & AwardsApr 24, 2026
Hamptons Jewelry Show to Return in JulyThe open-to-the-public luxury jewelry and timepiece show, in its second year, is slated for July 23-26.
IndependentsApr 23, 2026
Meet the Real Moms of Day’s JewelersThe jeweler’s Mother’s Day campaign highlights the women who work there—mothers, grandmothers, women who want to be mothers, and dog moms.
Supplier BulletinApr 23, 2026
JM® Shipping Solution: Smarter Shipping for High-Value GoodsSponsored by Jewelers Mutual
Lab-GrownApr 23, 2026
Charles & Colvard May Sell Assets for $1.5MThe proposed agreement follows the moissanite maker’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection filing last month.
AuctionsApr 23, 2026
John Jacob Astor IV’s Titanic Pocket Watch Fetches $1MThe Patek Philippe for Tiffany & Co. timepiece Astor brought aboard the ill-fated ship sold for double its estimate at a Freeman’s auction.
CollectionsApr 23, 2026
Adam Neeley’s High Jewelry Collection Steps Into Salvador Dalí’s GardenThe “Dalí’s Garden” collection was inspired by a surreal dream Neeley had after cooking a recipe from Salvador Dalí’s 1973 cookbook.
IndependentsApr 23, 2026
Windsor Jewelers Names New Buying DirectorNatalie Feanny has been appointed to the role.
CrimeApr 22, 2026
New Mexico Couple Pleads Guilty to Selling Fake Native American JewelryThe pair falsely claimed their jewelry was made by Navajo artists, but it was imported from Vietnam.
AuctionsApr 22, 2026
Roberta Flack’s Jewelry Is Going Up for AuctionJulien’s Auctions is selling the musician’s fine and fashion jewelry alongside her clothing, gold records, and other memorabilia.
CollectionsApr 22, 2026
British Museum Curator Pens Book on ‘The Tudor Heart’Rachel King’s book dives into the history of the pendant believed to have belonged to Henry VIII and his first wife, Katherine of Aragon.
Events & AwardsApr 22, 2026
Here’s What Sy Kessler Has on Tap for Las Vegas The company will have deals on precious metals testers as well as the latest in lab-grown diamond detection technology and security.
WatchesApr 21, 2026
Coco Chanel Enters the Game with New Watch CollectionGabrielle “Coco” Chanel is a character in the “Coco Game” collection of watches and the queen in its first haute horlogerie chessboard.
IndependentsApr 21, 2026
Meet Jewelers of America’s 2026 ‘20 Under 40’ ClassThe annual list honors rising professionals on the retail and supply sides of the jewelry industry.
CrimeApr 21, 2026
Customs Nabs 1,500 Pieces of Counterfeit Jewelry Bound for NYCSeized in Kentucky, the packages include fake Cartier, Tiffany & Co., Chanel, and Fendi jewelry.
CrimeApr 20, 2026
Queens Man Convicted in Bludgeoning Death of Pawn Shop OwnerRodolfo Lopez-Portillo faces 25 years to life in prison after being found guilty in the March 2022 beating death of Arasb Shoughi.
