#JWLV - AGA Presents "What Everyone in the Trade Needs to Know About Lab-Grown Diamonds"

2014 AGA Las Vegas Conference  

What Everyone in the Trade Needs to Know  

About  Lab-Grown Diamonds"    

Thursday, May 29, 1-5 pm, Platinum Hotel, Las Vegas   

As the production  - and the visibility - of lab-grown diamonds increases, so do questions, about the products themselves as well as about their impact. Everyone is affected, from dealers, retailers, designers, manufacturers and appraisers. Consumers also have questions and, unfortunately, many in the trade still don't know how to answer them. 

To address the situation, synthetic diamonds will be the focus of the AGA's Las Vegas conference, taking place Thursday, May 29th, 1:00-5:00 pm, at the Platinum Hotel.

The availability of lab-grown diamonds to the public through retail jewelers, internet sites, and in the secondary market, has raised many questions, and many viewpoints are surfacing. There are also rising concerns about inadvertently buying and selling lab-grown diamonds as "natural" diamonds, especially in small sizes set in multi-stone and pave-set jewelry.

"Now is the time to pay attention to this growing market," says AGA president Stuart Robertson. Having tracked CVD production for about 10 years, and now watching the increasing role of China in the lab-grown sector, Robertson believes the world will see dramatic growth from China in CVD, along with expanding availability of HPHT-grown diamonds.  

To address questions and issues in this rapidly evolving market, speakers at the AGA conference will include Dr. James Shigley of the Gemological Institute of America (GIA); Tom Chatham, President, Chatham Created Gems; Dusan Simic, President of Analytical Gemology and Jewelry Laboratory (AG&JL); and Ronnie VanderLinden, President of the Diamond Manufacturer's and Importers Association (DMIA) and Diamex, Inc.  

Dr. James Shigley will provide information on identification techniques for lab-created diamonds, and Dusan Simic will present breaking news on affordable options now available for identifying mounted as well loose diamonds, including melee sizes. Tom Chatham, a respected grower, will give a producer's insights into current and projected production estimates, while diamond dealer Ronnie Vanderlinden will share his thoughts on why he, a well known natural diamond dealer, decided to sell lab-grown diamonds as well as natural. In addition, the Q&A session will be extended to allow attendees to play a more interactive role in creating an in-depth discussion and understanding of the market and where it is headed.