Located in Valenza, the now 355,000-square-foot facility includes a new jewelry school that’s open to the public, Scuola Bulgari.
AGS CEO Ruth Batson to Retire in 2017
The American Gem Society and AGS Laboratories announced today that CEO Ruth Batson will retire in the summer of 2017, marking the end of a nearly 25-year career with the organization.

Las Vegas—The American Gem Society and AGS Laboratories announced today that CEO Ruth Batson will retire in June 2017. Her retirement will mark the end of a nearly 25-year career with the organization.
Batson, who holds a bachelor’s in business accounting from the University of Phoenix, started working at AGS in 1993 as controller, just as the organization relocated its headquarters from California to Las Vegas.
In August 1998, she became the AGS’s chief financial officer. Four years later, she was promoted to CEO.
She added CEO of AGS Labs to her title in 2012, after AGS announced it had acquired the outstanding shares of American Gem Society Laboratories.
In a statement released Monday by AGS, Batson noted that she spent her entire career in the jewelry industry with one organization, AGS, and considers it a privilege and honor to serve its membership.
“I will forever feel connected to the wonderful AGS and AGS Laboratories staff, the members and my jewelry industry friends,” she said. “We have an excellent team, and I know the society and laboratory will be in good hands.”
After retirement, Batson will split her time between her home in Las Vegas, where AGS is headquartered, and her family’s ranch in Montana.
The AGS’s board of directors will form a committee to find a new CEO.
AGS President Louis Smith, of Smithworks Fine Jewelry in Spartanburg, N.C., said Batson will participate in the search and on-boarding process for the new CEO, adding, “We are confident that we will find a great successor to guide the organization forward. Ruth has generously provided us with ample time to make a seamless transition.”
Both Smith and AGS President-Elect Scott Berg praised Batson’s leadership, contributions and dedication to the organization, which have not gone unnoticed by the industry as a whole.
Batson has been the recipient of a number of prestigious awards over the years, including the Excellence in Service Award from the Women’s Jewelry Association (2010), the Jewelers for Children Facets of Hope honoree (2012) and the Doyenne of the Year Award from the Indian Diamond & Colored Stone Association in 2013.
In 2014, she won the WJA’s Lifetime Achievement Award and has made JCK magazine’s Power List for the last four years.
She also serves on the boards of the WJA, JFC, Jewelers Vigilance Committee, U.S. Jewelry Council and JCK Show Advisory Board, and chairs the Ethical Initiatives Committee for Jewelers of America.
Smith said throughout her career,
“We are forever grateful for her service and contribution to the American Gem Society and AGS Laboratories,” he concluded. “She will always be part of the AGS family.”
The Latest

Paola Sasplugas, co-founder of the Barcelona-based jewelry brand, received the Fine Jewelry Award.

A platinum Zenith-powered Daytona commissioned in the late ‘90s will headline Sotheby’s Important Watches sale in Geneva next month.

The risk of laboratory-grown diamonds being falsely presented as natural diamonds presents a very significant danger to consumer trust.

The basketball stars wear men’s jewelry from the “Curb Chain” collection.


The Signet Jewelers-owned retailer wants to encourage younger shoppers to wear fine jewelry every day, not just on special occasions.

The 21 pieces, all from a private collector, will be offered at its Magnificent Jewels auction next month.

Lilian Raji answers a question from a reader who is looking to grow her jewelry business but has a limited marketing budget.

GCAL by Sarine created the new role to sharpen the company’s focus on strategic partnerships and scalable expansion.

“Cartier: Design, Craft, and Legacy” opened earlier this month at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.

Industry veteran Samantha Larson has held leadership roles at Borsheims, McTeigue & McClelland, Stuller, and Long’s Jewelers.
The two organizations will hold the educational event together this fall in Mississippi.

The entrepreneur and “Shark Tank” star will share his top tips for success.

The Ukrainian brand’s new pendant is modeled after a traditional paska, a pastry often baked for Easter in Eastern European cultures.

The jeweler has announced a grand reopening for its recently remodeled location in Peoria, Illinois.

The “Strong Like Mom” campaign features moms who work at Tiffany & Co. and their children.

Interior designer Athena Calderone looked to decor from the 1920s and 1930s when crafting her first fine jewelry collection.

During a call about its full-year results, CEO Efraim Grinberg discussed how the company is approaching the uncertainty surrounding tariffs.

The free program provides educational content for jewelry salespeople and enthusiasts to learn or refresh their diamond knowledge.

The feedback will be used to prepare other jewelers for the challenges ahead, the organization said.

The online sessions are designed to teach jewelers to use AI tools like ChatGPT and Claude to grow their business.

The opening marks the jewelry retailer’s first location in the Midwest.

The “United in Love” collection offers tangible mementos of hearts entwined with traditional and non-traditional commitment heirlooms.

Robert Goodman Jewelers will hold a “Black Jewelry Designers and Makers” event on April 27.

The announcements follow a tumultuous start to 2025 for WJA, which saw a wave of resignations following controversial statements about DEI.

Editor-in-Chief Michelle Graff answers questions about how the new taxes levied on countries like India and China will impact the industry.