The International Colored Gemstone Association has signed a Letter of Intent to purchase space in the World Jewelry Center, where it plans to establish the organization’s new global headquarters.

“We at ICA have been considering for some time a place for a permanent home for our head office. This is not an easy task, as our members are located in 46 countries around the world, so it is important for us to keep an international perspective in everything we do,” said Barbara Lipatapanlop, ICA executive director

“It was obvious early on that the World Jewelry Center would meet our needs, as we saw firms from all over the world signing on with the project, including some of our members who will have office and retail space at WJC,” she added.
 
Lipatapanlop said the ICA will gain a number of benefits from being part of the World Jewelry Center, as a centralized place for the international jewelry and gem industry to do business, and its Las Vegas location, as a place to meet.

“I personally love the trade shows where you walk around bumping into people you know at every turn,” she said. “I am excited at the prospect of seeing this happen on a daily basis at WJC.”

World Jewelry Center Managing Director Bill Boyajian added: “The ICA’s global diversity and perspective make it a perfect fit for the World Jewelry Center, and we are especially pleased to welcome this great organization to our fast-growing family of companies. With the American Gem Society and Gemological Institute of America already on board, the addition of the ICA is another strong indicator of the widespread support for the vision of the World Jewelry Center.”

The nonprofit ICA is the only worldwide body created specifically to benefit the global colored gemstone industry. ICA was founded in 1984, and it now has over 500 gemstone dealers, cutters, and miners worldwide.

JCK