Associations

Founded in 1948 to promote Swiss-made watches, the center is the U.S. office of the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry, based in Switzerland. It provides information and assistance on Swiss-made watches and clocks to retailers, watchmakers, importers and the consumer. Membership: 550 manufacturers.

Gemological Institute of America, 5345 Armada Dr., Carlsbad, CA 92008; (800) 421-7250, (760) 603-4000, fax (760) 603-4080. Also 580 Fifth Ave., New York, NY 10036; (212) 221-5858, fax (212) 575-3095. Richard T. Liddicoat, chairman; William E. Boyajian, president, headquartered at Carlsbad office.

GIA is the nonprofit education, research and information resource for the international gem and jewelry industry. Since 1931, GIA has provided gemological and jewelry manufacturing arts training for more than 200,000 jewelers with classes and programs offered at its 12 campuses located in major jewelry centers around the world, through its distance education programs, and through traveling extension classes and seminars.

GIA supports a state-of-the-art gemological research facility that investigates new and existing gem materials and treatments. The Institute makes its research findings and other relevant information available through the publication of journals, books and other materials. GIA also provides the jewelry industry with access to more than 14,000 volumes and 6,000 reprints of jewelry-related texts through the Richard T. Liddicoat Gemological Library, the largest circulating library of its kind.

GIA developed the diamond grading system that is the international standard of the jewelry trade. Its subsidiary company, the GIA Gem Trade Laboratory, handles the world’s most important gemstones, providing grading and gem identification reports that the industry regards as impartial and conclusive.

A second GIA subsidiary, GIA GEM Instruments [5355 Armada Dr., Carlsbad, CA 92008; (760) 603-4200, fax (760) 603-4266] develops, manufactures and sells sophisticated gemological instruments and equipment. A third division, the GIA Advanced Retail Management System [5355 Armada Dr., Suite 400, Carlsbad, CA 92008; (760) 603-4400, fax (760) 603-1288], provides jewelers with a computerized inventory and store management system that includes software and training.

GIA Gem Trade Laboratory Inc., 580 Fifth Ave., New York, NY 10036; (212) 221-5858, fax (212) 575-3095. Also 5355 Armada Dr., Carlsbad, CA 92008; (619) 760-4500, fax (619) 760-1814. William E. Boyajian, chairman; Thomas C. Yonelunas, chief executive officer; G. Robert Crowningshield, vice president; Thomas Moses, vice president; Edward Schwartz, director; Sally Ehmke, director.

The GIA Gem Trade Laboratory is a division of GIA Enterprises Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of the nonprofit Gemological Institute of America Inc. It issues quality grading reports on diamonds, performs gemological testing and identification of colored stones and pearls, analyzes origin of color in colored diamonds and tests for residual radioactivity in gem materials, metal and enamel.

Gift Association of America Inc., 608 W. Broad St., Bethlehem, PA 18018-5221; (610) 861-9445, fax (610) 861-0948. Al Andrea, president; Lenore Staffieri Pitsilos, managing director.

Founded in 1952. Membership is 700+. Open to retailers, wholesalers, manufacturers and industry affiliates. Cocktail reception held in August in New York City.

The Gold Institute, 1112 16 St., N.W., Suite 240, Washington, DC 20036; (202) 835-0185, fax (202) 835-0155. John Lutley, president.

Worldwide association of miners, refiners, banks and bullion dealers. Membership: 65.

Independent Jewelers Organization Inc., 25 Seir Hill Rd., Norwalk, CT 06851 (effective June 1, 1998); (800) 624-9252. Richard Swetz, owner; Jeffrey Roberts, president and chief executive; Penny Palmer, director of marketing; Mary Moses, buying group director.

Founded in 1971, IJO is the only organization in the jewelry industry whose sole function is to help retail jeweler members to increase their profits. It offers its 800 top-rated independent-jeweler members a variety of marketing and management services, while focusing on group buying and education.

Benefits include Antwerp Diamond Broker Program, newspaper advertising service, extensive seminars on business and gemology, advice on legal, graphic