Smithsonian Museum curator Jeffrey Post will deliver the keynote address at the 22nd annual Canadian Gemmological Association (CGA) Conference in Vancouver.
Held from Nov. 18 to 20 at the Terminal City Club, the conference also celebrates this year’s graduating CGA class.
In addition to Post, international lecturer Alan Hodgkinson looks at the joys of gemmology, while gem researcher John Emmett discusses gemmological treatments. Jack Ogden, chief executive officer (CEO) of the Gemmological Association of Great Britain (Gem-A), takes the audience on a tour of gemstones through the ages.
Other topics of discussion delve into new gem localities, advances in gemstone treatments and identification technology, appraisal techniques, and the worldwide pearl industry.
The roster of speakers also includes:
• Gemworld International president Richard Drucker;
• Andy Rendel of 1-800 Emeralds;
• Gem researcher Cigdem Lule;
• Pearl expert Blair Beavers;
• Officer Kelly Ross of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP);
• Independent gemmologist Geoffrey Dominy; and
• Branko Deljanin, president and head gemmologist at Canadian Gemological Laboratory (CGL).
This year, the Vancouver Community College (VCC) and Accredited Gemologists Association (AGA) are co-hosting the conference.
Organizers say seating is limited and early bookings are encouraged. For more information, contact conference chair Donna Hawrelko at (604) 926-2599 (home), (604) 443-8694 (VCC), or by email at dhawrelko@hotmail.com. To register, visit www.gemconference2011.com.
