Articles and News
Industry News From AGS, JVC, MJSA, Fiera Di Vicenza, And NAJA September 09, 2015 (0 comments)
AGS Taps Colin Powell and Shawn Achor For Conclave 2016; Partners With Jewelers Mutual To Air Gem Mining Film
Las Vegas, NV—The American Gem Society has announced the first two speakers in its keynote lineup for the 2016 Conclave, which will be held April 13-16, 2016, at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City outside Washington, D.C.
The opening keynote will feature Colin Powell (left), the 65th United States secretary of state and retired four-star General. Among his many accomplishments, General Powell served as the national security advisor and as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, where he was not only the youngest officer and ROTC graduate to ever serve in the position, but also the first African American to do so. During his time as chairman, General Powell oversaw 28 crises, including the Panama intervention of 1989 and Operation Desert Storm.
General Powell’s autobiography, My American Journey, was a bestseller and has been published in more than a dozen different languages. His second book, It Worked for Me, was an instant New York Times bestseller.
Another keynote is Shawn Achor, the New York Times best-selling author of The Happiness Advantage and Before Happiness. Achor graduated magna cum laude from Harvard University and earned a master’s degree from Harvard Divinity School in Christian and Buddhist ethics. He also taught for 12 years at Harvard, where he won over a dozen distinguished teaching awards, and delivered lectures on positive psychology in what was the university’s most popular class.
Achor has since become one of the world’s leading experts on the connection between happiness and success. He has worked with over a third of the Fortune 500 companies, in addition to the NFL, the Pentagon, and the U.S Department of the Treasury. He is a world traveler and has spoken to everyone from farmers in Zimbabwe to CEOs in China. Recently, Oprah Winfrey conducted a two-hour interview with Achor on the science of happiness and meaning. His research on happiness made the cover of Harvard Business Review, his TED Talk is one of the most popular of all time with over 10 million views, and his lecture airing on PBS has been seen by millions.
“Conclave 2016 will provide our members with enormous educational opportunities. We are planning sessions that will inspire, motivate and help them excel even further in their business,” says Ruth Batson, CEO of AGS and AGS Laboratories. “We are incredibly honored to have Colin Powell as a keynote speaker. And where else would be more perfect to host him than right in our nation’s capital? Adding to that, we have the go-to expert on happiness with Shawn Achor. These two keynotes will inspire attendees with
lessons they can apply in their lives and in their business. Conclave 2016 will be a must-attend event!”
Separately, AGS announces a unique collaboration with Jewelers Mutual Insurance Company (JM) to bring Orin Mazzoni’s new documentary film, “Sharing The Rough,” to the public across the country in a series of exclusive screenings beginning this month. This unique and evocative film documents the journey of a colored gemstone as it travels from mine to market, while also sensitively exploring the challenges and opportunities of an emerging mining economy in East Africa.
Co-hosted by AGS, JM, and local AGS Guilds, the private and public screenings are spanning the country and running through the winter. Each screening will be followed by a Q&A session with a “Sharing the Rough” team member. Additional screening dates are available and can be scheduled by contacting local AGS Guild leadership.
“We are excited to make this inspiring film available for viewing in local markets around the country,” says Ruth Batson, CEO of the American Gem Society and AGS Laboratories. “The film features designer Mark Schneider and cutter Roger Dery, both members of AGS. Having access to the rich, visual imagery of the mine-to-market journey of a gemstone is sure to inspire consumers and gemologists alike, revitalizing our genuine affection and admiration for Mother Nature’s most highly acclaimed treasures.”
The 85-minute film has won a number of awards at film festivals around the globe and creatively explores the stories of individual artisans throughout the supply chain, from miners to cutters to jewelry designers. Director Orin Mazzoni himself hails from a third-generation family jewelry business that is a long-standing AGS member. “Sharing the Rough” is his feature directorial debut, and has proved to be a perfect melding of his two passions: gemology and filmmaking.
“The film truly embodies our mutual passion for jewelry,” said Trina Woldt, chief marketing officer at Jewelers Mutual, of the collaboration with AGS and Mazzoni. “History is important to jewelry owners and the story behind the jewelry is what makes no two pieces alike. Those who see Orin’s film will look at their jewelry in a whole new light.”
For more information regarding “Sharing The Rough” or the screening schedule, visit www.sharingtherough.com.
JVC Launches Newly Revamped Website
New York, NY—The Jewelers Vigilance Committee (“JVC”) has launched its newly revamped website, www.jvclegal.org. The revised site, which provides up-to-date legal compliance information for the entire jewelry industry, went live on September 8.
The new site was designed to be user-friendly, streamlined, and easy to navigate. Current members will find it much easier to access the “members only” section, where they will continue to find valuable business forms and member-only perks. As always, the website hosts a comprehensive collection of legal compliance information, available at no cost to the entire trade, but in a fresh, more efficiently organized format designed to allow more intuitive searches in all areas, including JVC membership, industry related compliance, the most recent “breaking news” and industry updates.
Purchasing products, registering for webinars and seminars, and viewing JVC’s upcoming calendar of events will also be simplified, making these important educational materials much more accessible.
“JVC’s mission is to promote ethics and integrity in our industry by ensuring legal compliance. The most effective way to do that is to provide information and education to the trade. Our new, upgraded website promotes that effort by making it easier to find the information people need to meet their legal obligations and maintain consumer confidence,” said Cecilia Gardner, JVC president and CEO.
MJSA Retail Link Introduces New "It's Time!" Section
Attleboro, MA—MJSA will launch a special “It's Time!” watch section in the Fall 2015 edition of its MJSA Retail Link publication.
The section will feature the latest watch and related accessories from MJSA member companies, as well as articles that focus how retailers can best promote watches to draw traffic to their stores and drive sales. The section will also include tips for in-store watch repairs, contributed by Jordan Ficklin, executive director of the American Watchmakers-Clockmakers Institute.
"Watches and jewelry have always had a special synergy, and the “It's Time!” section now pays tribute to that relationship," said David W. Cochran, President/CEO of MJSA. "It's a natural extension of the Retail Link content.
Distributed to 20,000 retailers ranging from small independents to major chains (including Kohl's, Macy's, Nordstrom, and Neiman Marcus), MJSA Retail Link features the latest styles in jewelry and accessories. Each product is showcased with a large, four-color photograph, along with descriptive text and such key points as delivery time and terms, minimum order requirements, and suggested retail price. All standard MJSA members are entitled to a free placement to promote their finished jewelry lines and designs. Those who also offer watches and related supplies are entitled to another free placement in “It's Time!”
For more information about the Retail Link or “It's Time! “ contact MJSA at (800) 444-MJSA.
Fiera di Vicenza and World Diamond Mark Agree To Promote Diamonds and Diamond Jewelry
Vicenza, Italy—Fiera di Vicenza and the World Diamond Mark Foundation (WDM) have signed a memorandum of understanding this week during VICENZAORO, the international trade show organized by Fiera di Vicenza.
Fiera di Vicenza and WDM will work to sustain and improve image and consumer confidence for diamond and diamond jewelry. The partnership aims to enhance business opportunities of WDM Authorized Diamond Dealerships (ADDs) and to establish VICENZAORO as the major European platform for the promotion and the trade of diamonds and precious stones.
"Our markets are in a continuous flux, not only due to economic uncertainty, but first and foremost due to the changing behavioral purchasing patterns among the new generation of consumers," said Corrado Facco, managing director of Fiera di Vicenza. “Our industry will need to take drastic and dramatic steps if it is to bring back diamonds and diamond jewelry into the top performing categories in the luxury product consumer market. Furthermore, it is necessary to pay more attention toward transparency and ethical themes, promoting policies of corporate social responsibility, in order to enhance the consumer's confidence in the jewelry and diamond sectors.”
From left: WDM chairman Alex Popov; Matteo Marzotto, president of Fiera di Vicenza; Fiera di Vicenza managing director Corrado Facco, and Ines Aronadio, manager, Fashion and Creative Industries, the Italian Trade Agency.
NAJA Offers A Unique Scholarship For Gemology Students
Rego Park, NY—The National Association of Jewelry Appraisers (NAJA) will award an ACE It Appraisal Conference Scholarship to a deserving gemology student to attend the 45th annual winter conference, January 31 – February 1 in Tucson, AZ.
NAJA invites GIA, FGA, FGAA, FGG, FCGmA, and RGA students to apply for this scholarship opportunity, which gives the gemology student a firsthand experience of networking with appraisal professionals during the Tucson gem shows. The scholarship, which covers the conference fee only, requires a resume, photo and an essay explaining the reason why the gemology student would choose to become a gems and jewelry appraiser. NAJA believes that becoming a gems and jewelry professional appraiser is a viable career option for gemological students.
Applications are available on the NAJA website, www.NAJAappraisers.com, or by an email request to NAJA corporate office. Deadline for submission is November 1, 2015; final selection by the NAJA Scholarship Advisory Board will be announced December 1, 2015.
The National Association of Jewelry Appraisers is the largest membership association specializing exclusively in gem and jewelry appraising and related appraisal issues. It offers education and networking opportunities with knowledgeable appraisal professionals. For further information, contact Gail Brett Levine, GG, executive director, (718) 896-1536 or naja.appraisers@netzero.net, www.NAJAappraisers.com