GIA To Host Classes, Lab Service, Seminars at AGTA Gem Fair

Attendees at this year's Tucson gem shows can enhance their visit experience with laboratory services, gem and jewelry seminars, classes and more from GIA. The Institute's special offerings will take place from Feb. 5-17 at the Tucson Convention Center during the American Gem Trade Association (AGTA) GemFair™ and the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show.

Dr. James Shigley will present an open seminar on recent gemological discoveries and research, and the Institute will offer a Gem Identification Lab Class allowing show guests to test their skills and learn the latest techniques for identifying natural gemstones, synthetics and imitations.

The GIA Alumni Association will also sponsor the annual dinner, auction and dance event, "Party at the GIA Gem Mine," on Feb. 8 at the Marriott University Park Hotel.

GIA's highlights at the 2013 Tucson shows include:

GIA Museum Exhibits

Colored diamond ring set in platinum. These are the first irradiated diamonds done experimentally by Dr. Fred Pough alongside Robert Crowningshield. 2.73 carat blue pear shape, 2.35 carat yellow round, and pink melée accents. Image © GIA.

The GIA Museum will showcase a ring created with the first irradiated diamonds - featuring a 2.73 carat blue pear shape, a 2.35 carat yellow round, and pink melée accents - from renowned mineralogist Dr. Fred Pough. Following World War II, Pough pioneered work on crystal growth and the treatment of gems as President of the Gem Irradiation Laboratories in New York. Together with Robert Crowningshield, then head of GIA's laboratory in New York and a pioneer in gemological research, Pough selected these stones for his initial irradiation experiments.

GIA Show Service Laboratory at AGTA GemFair
Show attendees will have convenient access to gem identification and country-of-origin services through the GIA Show Service Laboratory. Seasoned GIA gemologists will accept gemstones onsite at the AGTA GemFair show Monday through Friday, Feb. 4-9 from 9 a.m. to 5p.m.; and Saturday, Feb. 10 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The Trilliant Collection
Feb. 14-17 at the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show More than 100 trilliant cut gems made from 30 different gem materials - courtesy of the Roz and Gene Meieran Collection - will be on display at the TGMS Show. This collection is one of the exhibit highlights at the Institute's Carlsbad, CA headquarters, and features one piece that keeps visitors guessing. One of the gems on display has not been cut and is in its natural crystal shape. Tucson attendees will delight in testing their eye and determining which of the trilliant cut gems is actually uncut.

Trilliant cut gemstones from the Roz and Gene Meieran Collection. Image © GIA..

Free GIA Seminar
Friday, Feb. 8, 9 to 10 a.m. GIA's Distinguished Research Fellow Dr. James Shigley will provide a update on the Institute's latest lab developments including diamonds, colored stones and other timely topics of interest.

GIA Education
GIA will offer one lab class and two seminars during the AGTA GemFair™. Tuition for the lab class is $1,550 plus applicable sales tax and the seminars are $160 each. Pre-registration is required; call GIA Admissions at (800) 421 7250 ext. 4001 to register for the seminars, and visit GIA's website to register for the lab class.

Gem Identification Lab Class
Monday through Friday, Feb. 4-8, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Hands-on training - with equipment including a microscope, a refractometer with polarizing filter and a removable magnifying eyepiece, refractive index (RI) liquid, a polariscope, a dichroscope, a spectroscope and a loupe - will help attendees learn effective testing procedures to identify natural gemstones, imitations and synthetics.

Country Origin of Corundum Seminar
Saturday, Feb. 9, 9 to 11 a.m. This two hour seminar will include a lecture and hands-on lab with microscope instruction on country of origin determination for corundum. Attendees will learn how to identify internal characteristics of corundum through a microscope and what they indicate about the stone.

Emerald Clarity Enhancement and Origin Seminar
Saturday, Feb. 9, 1 to 3 p.m. This two hour seminar will include a lecture and hands-on lab with microscope instruction on country of origin determination, and degree of clarity enhancement for emeralds. Through a microscope lab session, attendees will learn how to identify internal characteristics and the extent of clarity enhancement.

Party at the GIA Gem Mine
The GIA Alumni Association's annual auction, dinner and dance event is on Friday, Feb. 8 from 6:30 to 11 p.m. at the Marriott University Park Hotel. Ticket prices are $50 prior to Jan. 25; $65 after and at the door. Register here.

For more information about GIA in Tucson, visit http://www.gia.edu/about-gia/events-calendar/tucson/. For press inquiries, please contact Kristin Mahan at [email protected] or 760-603-4184.

About GIA An independent nonprofit organization, GIA (Gemological Institute of America), established in 1931, is recognized as the world's foremost authority in gemology. GIA invented the famous 4Cs of Color, Cut, Clarity and Carat Weight in the early 1950s and in 1953, created the International Diamond Grading System™ which, today, is recognized by virtually every professional jeweler in the world. Through research, education, gemological laboratory services, and instrument development, the Institute is dedicated to ensuring the public trust in gems and jewelry by upholding the highest standards of integrity, academics, science, and professionalism. Visit www.gia.edu.