Gemmological Association of New Zealand

Biannual seminar 2023                            Registration here

In conjunction with Jewellery Valuers Society, 



GANZ & JVS COMBINED CONFERENCE 2023 9th- 10th September 2023
The Private Brasserie & Victoria Rooms 
The Parnell Hotel & Conference Centre,        10 - 20 Gladstone Road  Parnell, 1052 Auckland 
Saturday 9th September
Time
Registration/ morning tea 9:30 AM 10:00 AM
Kym Hughes FGA, FGAA, Dip DT, Dip Val, GIA AJP, IMJVA 10:00 AM 11:00 AM Pink diamonds - The challenge of Argyle pink diamonds
Currently the President of the National Council of Jewellery Valuers (NCJV) and past Federal President of the Gemmological Association of Australia (GAA)  Kym has over 35 years’ jewellery trade experience with extensive qualifications. Kym is also CEO of the registered training organization (RTO)  Valued Education Pty Ltd trading as NCJV-EDU which offers government accredited training for the jewellery industry.  Owner of Symmetry Jewellery Valuation Specialists running her own business as a jewellery valuer since 1998, Kym offers trade and members of the public solutions to complex valuation and gemmological needs.  This talk discusses the difficulty of valuing pink diamonds now the Argyle mine has closed. Updating pricing and looking at historical rises in prices over the past 10 years. What provenance paperwork is important & how this affects the price and the challenge of correct colour grading and how this affects the price.
Oliver Waldis  FGA 11:00 AM 12:00 PM The Rise of Rare synthetics
Oliver Waldis is a Swiss-born gemmologist, gemstone merchant and expert cutter, specializing in phenomena stones, treatments, and custom-cut gemstones.
He has extensive experience in the sapphire mining and cutting industry, and with various other gem fields across the globe. He has also lived in Europe, working as a gemstone merchant. After his extensive travels he returned to Switzerland to complete courses at the SSEF which further ignited his love for gemology.
In addition to his gemology experience, Oliver is also a precision cutter of custom-cut gemstones, creating one-of-a-kind pieces. He currently resides outside of Wellington, where he continues to hone his craft. He is currently working to create affordable spectrometer options.
The rise of rare synthetics- talking about the big increase of rare colored collectors synthetics, is it a fad or will it stay? Some of my cutter friends in the States are cutting up to 50% of customers orders as synthetics. Showing with whats on the market, pricing etc.
Lunch 12:00 PM 1:00 PM
Kym Hughes FGA, FGAA, Dip DT, Dip Val, GIA AJP, IMJVA 1:00 PM 1:45 PM Opals – World of Australian Opal
1:45 PM 3:30 PM Opal Workshop
Learn how to grade natural opal and how to identify treatments, and synthetics. Knowing how to correctly grade natural opal, as well as identify various treatments and synthetics is a key requirement for many valuers. Followed by a full hands-on workshop, with samples to study.
BRING YOUR LOUPE!
Saturday Evening 6:30 PM Evening Dinner - venue TBA - Own cost
Sunday 10th September
Jacob Francey FGA, GAA Diamond & Advanced Diamond Grading Certs 10:00 AM 10:30 AM Lab-grown diamonds workshop
Currently the Chairman of the Jewellery Valuers Society Inc, Jacob has been in the industry for 15 years, having worked in London's Hatton Garden and his family's jewellery valuation business, which has given him a thorough experience handling all jewellery, old, new, modest & high spec. A full workshop with samples. Learn how to identify lab-grown diamonds, using basic gemmological techniques as well as modern identification tools.
Oliver Waldis  FGA 10:30 AM 11:00 AM Rare coloured synthetic & natural gems
A workshop with some of the synthetics talked about in Olivers' presentation
Morning tea 11:00 AM 11:30 AM
Continue workshops 11:30 AM 1:00 PM
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