The American Gem Society announced that Conclave, slated for April 27-29 in Denver, Colorado, has been canceled. The decision was made in light of a National State of Emergency that was declared on Friday of last week and amidst growing concerns of the virus outbreak.
As Conclave is core to the membership’s ongoing education, the Society is exploring options for a virtual mini-conference for later this year. Additionally, the Society will enhance its online learning center, the AGS PRO, to further increase the AGS community’s channels of professional development.
The 2021 Conclave will be held in Louisville, Kentucky, April 26-28 at the Omni Louisville Hotel. More information will be forthcoming as plans shift from 2020 to 2021.
“If there is a silver lining to any of this, it’s that we get to announce our 2021 plans sooner than later. We are thrilled to be heading to Louisville next year,” said Alexis Padis, chair of the Conclave Subcommittee. “What’s especially exciting is that Conclave will take place right before the Kentucky Derby, which will add to an already exceptional week.”
“Conclave is more than an event, it’s an experience,” said Katherine Bodoh, CEO of the American Gem Society and AGS Laboratories. “We are tremendously saddened by our decision, but we saw no other choice. The health of our members is a priority.”
For more information on Conclave 2021, stay tuned to ags.org/Conclave2021. The American Gem Society will be sending out additional information as details are finalized for AGS PRO, and regarding the status of a virtual conference.
About the American Gem Society
The American Gem Society (AGS) is a nonprofit trade association of fine jewelry professionals dedicated to setting, maintaining and promoting the highest standards of ethical conduct and professional behavior through education, accreditation, recertification of its membership, gemological standards, and gemological research. The Society is committed to providing educational products to inform and protect the consumer and to contributing to the betterment of the trade by creating industry standards to protect the jewelry-buying public and the fine jewelry industry as a whole. AGS Laboratories, founded to support the AGS mission, is a nonprofit diamond grading laboratory with a mission of consumer protection. Adhering to the AGS Diamond Grading Standards, AGS Laboratories is dedicated to offering diamond grading reports that provide consistency and accuracy based on science. For more information, please visit www.americangemsociety.org.
