EditorsJan 16, 2026
Remembering Pete Yantzer for His Contributions and His Kindness Pete’s boundless curiosity extended beyond diamond cut and he was always eager to share his knowledge with others, no matter the topic.
Events & AwardsApr 08, 2020
Virtual AGS Conclave Set for Late April
It’s free for American Gem Society members and will include a video dance party.
The American Gem Society’s virtual Conclave event is scheduled for Monday, April 27 and Tuesday, April 28. It is sponsored by Jewelers Mutual, the Gemological Institute of America, and Wells Fargo.
Las Vegas—The American Gem Society will hold a two-day, online-only version of Conclave later this month, the organization announced late last week.
“Engage. Connect. Learn: A Virtual Conclave Experience” kicks off at 9 a.m. PST on Monday, April 27 with “Corporate Social Responsibility: How Giving Back Adds Up,” and continues through the afternoon on April 28.
Sessions include “2020 Design Trends: What’s Hot and What’s Coming!” (April 27, 12:30 p.m. PST), which features National Jeweler Senior Editor Ashley Davis; “How to Navigate the Retail Space in a Changing Business Climate” (April 28 at 9 a.m. PST); and “Gen Z: Who Are They and What Makes Them Tick, Click and Buy?” (April 28 at 11:25 a.m. PST).
Virtual Conclave is free and open to all AGS members.
The sessions are all one-hour long and pre-recorded. During the session, the panelists will tune in live to answer attendees’ questions in the chat.
Attendees also will be able to chat and share ideas with each other.
Toward the end of the conference, AGS will hold a virtual dance party.
Prior to Virtual Conclave, AGS is asking members to film themselves dancing to David Bowie’s “Modern Love” and then send the clips to AGS, which will be creating a supercut, of sorts, of its members’ moves.
The online dance party is an alternative to the organization’s annual President’s Party. A Bowie song was chosen in homage to the 2020 President’s Party theme, which was ‘80s Ski Chalet. (AGS did a poll using songs from the movie “Hot Tub Time Machine,” and “Modern Love” was the winner.)
Matchbox Virtual Media, a producer of virtual events, is streaming Virtual Conclave in partnership with Austin, Texas-based tech company CE21. It is recommended attendees use Google Chrome to stream the conference.
For a full lineup and to register, visit AGS.org/VirtualConclave, and please note that all times provided are Pacific time.
Originally, Conclave was scheduled for April 27 to 29 in Denver but, like myriad events, was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic. AGS announced plans for a virtual event when it made the decision to call off Conclave last month.
AGS Conclave 2021 is set for April 26-28 in Louisville, Kentucky.
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