Sponsored by GCAL by Sarine
Ruben Bindra Elected AGTA Board President, Again
Bindra, the founder of B&B Fine Gems, will assume the role in February.
Dallas—The American Gem Trade Association announced that Ruben Bindra of B & B Fine Gems has been elected president of its board of directors.
This will be Bindra’s second time serving in the position; he also was president from 2013 to 2015. He succeeds Jeffrey Bilgore.
In addition, Jeff Mason of Mason-Kay Inc. has been re-elected as a director, and Robert Bentley of Robert Bentley Company Inc. and Jaimeen Shah of Prima Gems USA have been newly elected to the board.
Bindra, Mason, Bentley and Shah will take office in February and serve three-year terms.
The following AGTA members will continue to serve on the board: Pramod Agrawal, Bruce Bridges, Charles Carmona, Kimberly Collins, Jonathan Gad, Bill Heher, Gina Latendresse, David Nassi, Hemant Phophaliya, Shekhar Shah and Simon Watt.
Avi Raz and Kusam Malhotra are stepping down from their positions as directors.
The AGTA’s board of directors holds elections on a rotating cycle to guarantee coherence of its long-term plans.
The nominating committee was chaired by Bindra, and the committee members were John Bachman, Benjamin Hackman, Hemant Phophaliya and Ray Zajicek.
The new board members will be introduced at the AGTA membership meeting on Feb. 5, held during the AGTA GemFair Tucson show.
The Latest

David Walton will serve three years’ probation after an incident in a hotel bar led to the death of West Virginia jeweler David Ettinger.

The retailer also provided an update on how the tariffs situation in the U.S. is affecting its business.

Gain access to the most exclusive and coveted antique pieces from trusted dealers during Las Vegas Jewelry Week.

The family-owned jeweler in Great Falls, Virginia, will be celebrating its golden jubilee with a year’s worth of events.


The nonprofit elected five judges who will decide the winners of its design competition.

This year’s edition includes articles on the favorite tools of notable designers, evaluating when to outsource production, and more.

Supplier Spotlight Sponsored by GIA

The jeweler’s high jewelry collection features extraordinary gemstones, like a 241.06-carat emerald and the world’s fourth-largest spinel.

In a special column for the State of the Majors, Edahn Golan breaks down what the top-performing fine jewelry sellers are doing right.

The bolo tie necklace is inspired by “Queen Bey” and set with a nearly 15-carat black diamond.

Current Diamond Council of America President and CEO Terry Chandler is set to retire in January 2026.

The company's Series A shares will continue to trade following a reverse stock split while its Series B shares will be delisted.

Communicating clearly with your staff is key to navigating turbulent times, writes columnist Peter Smith.

The “Inner Journey” collection debuted as the brand celebrated its 25th anniversary, with designs inspired by Morais’ journey.

Tanishq is expanding its presence in the United States with a new store in Santa Clara, California, which is its largest in the country.

Sales for Richemont’s four jewelry brands increased 8 percent, while watch sales picked up toward the end of the year.

Two scholarships are available, one for new and non-members and another for NAJA certified members.

The retailer’s new flagship is set to open in October at the Tuscan Village development in Salem, New Hampshire.

Plus, parent company Saks Global announces plans to cut ties with up to 600 vendors.

Peter Smith joined Michelle Graff to chat about the state of brick-and-mortar stores and share a few book and podcast recommendations.

The necklace features a candy-colored Australian white opal in 18-karat Fairmined gold, as the brand was named a Fairmined ambassador.

Sponsored by the Las Vegas Antique Jewelry and Watch Show

A private American collector purchased the 10-carat fancy vivid blue diamond.

The designer has taken the appeal of freshly picked fruit and channeled it into a capsule collection of earrings, necklaces, and pendants.

The country’s gem and jewelry exports fell 5 percent year-over-year last month, while imports declined 18 percent.

Around 54 million Americans and counting live with a disability. Here’s how to make your jewelry store and website more accessible.