AGA Tucson Event Update

Gary Roskin, G.G. FGA, Senior Editor -- JCK Online, 1/12/2009 6:49:00 PM

The Accredited Gemologists Association annual Tucson Conference will be held at the University Park Marriot Hotel on Feb. 4.

The latest information regarding the conference on the AGA Web site shows Christopher P. Smith, vice-president and chief gemologist of American Gemological Laboratories kicking off the morning session with a discussion of recent issues observed in the lab, including research concerning the identification of natural, non-heated tanzanites.

Dr. Emmanuel Fritsch, professor of Physics at the University of Nantes, in Nantes, France, will be joined by Franck Notari, founder and director of GemTech Lab in Geneva, Switzerland to present a lecture on “Treated Corundum—From The Naked Eye To The Spectrometer.”

The afternoon session will see the return of an AGA favorite personality, Alan Hodgkinson, director of the Scottish Branch of Gem-A, who will present findings of his recent research of natural and synthetic beryls.

Then AGA board member Gary Smith, along with Stan Hogrebe of Dazor Lighting, will present the latest scientific findings from the AGA’s task force on lighting standards in the field of gemology. The AGA task force was initiated by the Association’s position paper on the impact of lighting on color-grading fluorescent diamonds, unveiled at the 2008 AGA Las Vegas conference.

John Koivula, GG, FGA, chief gemologist for Gemological Institute of America, will wrap up the day’s sessions by presenting his observations made through the microscope.

The AGA Conference sessions are from 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. A light lunch is included.

The conference concludes with the Annual Dinner-Dance and Presentation of the Antonio Bonanno Award For Excellence in Gemology from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m.

AGA & Gem-A Members and their guests: $150
Non-Members: $225

Annual Gala Dinner Dance Only
AGA & Gem-A Members: $60 - Non-Members: $75

To register, log onto www.accreditedgemologists.org, or call (619) 501-5444.