HOME    EVENT & NEWS    MINING    EDUCATION    ARCHIVE    REACH US


The International Colored Gemstone Association is very pleased to announce the Gemstone Industry & Laboratory Conference (GILC) taking place in Tucson on Monday, February 1st, 2016.

The GILC format this year will include a "Morning Session" invitation-only guest list, mainly reaching out to laboratories and working gemologists. Media coverage will not be permitted to allow for more candid discussion. The "Noon Session" will be an open invitation summary and discussion, with luncheon.

Featured speakers will include Dr. Daniel Nyfeler from the Gübelin Gem Lab, Lucerne, Switzerland, Dr. James Shigley from the GIA research lab, Carlsbad, CA, and Bruce Bridges, from Bridges Tsavorite, Tucson, AZ and Nairobi, Kenya.

Dr. Nyfeler, director of the GGL, will be presenting the latest findings on using radioactive isotopes to date gem materials, which could help in the traceability of gemstones.

With so many professional labs applying commonly used trade terms such as "Royal Blue" and "Pigeon's Blood", Dr. Shigley will explain how color science is applied to make these color calls more accurate.

Finally, Bruce Bridges will be speaking about the upcoming Summit on traceability. This will be a brief report on what's happening in the industry, what is expected from the Summit, and the reality of sustainability and traceability.

Origin, color nomenclature, and traceability are three major issues the industry is facing, and ICA's GILC hopes that the invitation-only morning will provide the forum necessary to promote candid discussion amongst the laboratories and invited guests.

At 12:00 Noon, the doors will open for those who wish to join in the discussion. The paid admission "Noon Session" will include a summary of the morning's event, and topics for discussion will include:

•  How can labs better contribute to traceability from mine to market?

•  Is color science really science or is it more art?

•  How are terms like Royal Blue, Pigeon Blood, Cornflower Blue, etc., affecting the marketplace?