AGS LOOKS TO FUTURE AT CONCLAVE

Announcements of a new gem grading lab, new advertising programs and renewed interest in membership marked the American Gem Society conferenceThe 61st American Gem Society Conclave, held in the warm April sunshine of Arizona, was “historic,” said Herb Bridge, chairman of the AGS trustees. The reason: the official announcement of an AGS gem grading laboratory. (See “AGS To Issue Diamond Certificates,” JCK, May 1995, page 14.)

If successful, the lab will create more consumer confidence and more sales for AGS jewelers, said Bridge. He urged AGS members to invest to “show your confidence in a project that bodes well for our own and for AGS’s future.”

Other major announcements and events at the conclave:

• AGS and the Diamond Promotion Service will participate in a $5 million advertising campaign aimed at men (see “Diamond jewelry: Fanning desire, fueling sales” on page 150 of this issue).

• For the first time in several years, more jewelers are joining the 1,200-member AGS than leaving it. There are 465 pending applications.

• AGS presented its prestigious Robert M. Shipley Award to John Michaels, a past president.

• The Jewelers Education Foundation of AGS titled its new appraisal courses “The Cos Altobelli Appraisal Foundation Courses” in recognition of Altobelli’s pioneering work in appraisal science. Altobelli, the Shipley Award winner in 1987, is chairman of the AGS Appraisals Committee.

“Spring Training”: The conference, held April 4-10 at the Pointe Hilton Resort at Tapatio Cliffs near Phoenix, attracted about 530 people, mostly owners and top officials of member firms. That was down 200 from 1994. AGS officials said conclaves usually get bigger turnouts when held at center city locations.

Outgoing AGS President Georgie Gleim got into the conclave’s “Spring Training” theme by launching the activities wearing a diamond-studded baseball cap and throwing out a gold-colored baseball. Speaker for the opening session was 70-year retailing veteran Stanley Marcus, former president and chief executive officer of Neiman-Marcus. In keeping with the sports theme, Jay Johnston, a former World Series baseball player, spoke at the Shipley luncheon, while the closing session featured Pat Haden a former Los Angeles Rams quarterback turned motivational business speaker.

The changing nature of the conclave – once primarily a gemological conference – was evident in the range of 78 seminars offered. In addition to gem-training sessions, participants could take such business and marketing sessions as “How to Separate Baby Boomers from Their Money,” “Crossing the Threshold to High-Ticket Sales,” “Building a Million-Dollar Store through Marketing” and “Variable Pricing: Strategies for Profit.”

This conclave included a one-day jewelry show, now in its second year, featuring only AGS supplier-members. The show featured 51 firms (up 50% from last year) and did more than $500,000 worth of business. Vendors give a 6% discount on sales at the conclave; 4% of that goes toward reducing jeweler dues, while AGS gets the rest. Though several members suggested expanding the show to two days, AGS officials said there are no plans to do so.

New this year was a computer show, with six companies offering hardware and software. Based on members’ interest, officials said it will become a regular part of future conclaves.

International representation is growing, a fact underscored by the six national flags on the dais at the opening general session. The flags represented AGS membership and conclave speakers, including master of ceremonies John C. Nash, James Bliss of the Canadian Jewellers Association and Dr. Christopher Jennings of SouthernEra Resources, all of Canada; Sergio Diaz Guerrero, Mexico’s national coordinator of North American Free Trade Agreement negotiations; Junko Shida, a gemologist from Japan; and Kenneth Scarratt of the Asian Institute of Gemological Sciences in Thailand. Meanwhile, plans to expand AGS’s international membership are on hold temporarily. Executive Director Tom Dorman said that while AGS has requests from jewelers in 30 countries, recruitment must wait until the new AGS gem grading lab is fully running and successful.AGS gem lab: The lab – to be run by an independent management and board and due to open in July – is a response to growing demand for diamond certification. Initially, the lab will service only AGS retailers and suppliers (who can supply the certificates with diamonds they sell to non-AGS clients). According to plans, the lab eventually will also grade colored gems and accept business from the entire jewelry trade and the public.

AGS officials said the lab will grade cut (as well as color, carat weight and clarity), provide fast service, charge less than the Gemological Institute of America’s lab (which claims 80% of global diamond grading), use state-of-the-art computerized instruments and capitalize on AGS’s reputation.

The lab will require $600,000-$990,000 in start-up funding. AGS is offering 66 shares at $15,000 each (for which it offers a 12% annual return). Only AGS members may buy, with a limit of five per investor. To qualify, an investor must have net worth of $1 million or individual annual income of $200,000. Investors will be minority owners of the lab; AGS will own the balance. At least 44 shares must be sold before the lab can open; by mid-April, 20 shares had been sold.Building the AGS profile: Two new advertising campaigns will build awareness of AGS across the U.S., said Angela White, marketing director.

The first is a cooperative venture with the Diamond Promotion Service, operated by N.W. Ayer, De Beers’ U.S. agency. The $5 million campaign will target men with the information they need to make knowledgeable diamond purchases. Copy-intensive “How To Buy Diamond Jewelry” ads will run in numerous magazines now through December and will include a toll-free telephone number to call for a brochure and the name of the nearest AGS jeweler. The calls will be answered at AGS headquarters in Las Vegas, Nev. Jewelers will receive a list of callers referred to them.

Thanks to a program with the Newspaper Association of America, the ads also will appear in newspapers across the country.

The second campaign is aimed at women and involves ads placed in magazines such as Town & Country and Vogue starting this fall. The ads will feature four pieces of jewelry from AGS suppliers and the names of up to 16 AGS retailers per regional edition. Suppliers must invest $7,000 per ad; retailers must invest $500 each and agree to buy at least one of each of the four items to display in their stores.

The campaign is designed to give AGS suppliers national exposure, guaranteed orders and the potential for more sales. It will give AGS retailers regional exposure and a three-month exclusive (within a 100-mile radius) on the advertised items.Honors & leaders: AGS presented its prestigious Robert M. Shipley Award to John A. Michaels, chief executive officer of Michaels Jewelers in Waterbury, Conn., and a past president of AGS.

“This is the industry’s ultimate awardellipsegiven by one’s peers for a lifetime of work for the AGS and the industry,” said AGS Vice President Eric M. Freedman, a past winner. He said Michaels “has always placed interests of the industry before his” and cited “the Four C’s that make him a truly remarkable man: competence, compassion, commitment and candor.”

A genuinely surprised and casually dressed Michaels (“I wish I had worn a tie,” he joked) told the luncheon audience he was proud to be involved in changes that have made AGS responsive to members. He also cited past leaders and Shipley winners who led the effort.

Georgie Gleim, one of AGS’s most activist presidents, was honored with a standing ovation as she turned the gavel over to C. Clayton Bromberg. In addition to the gem lab and new advertising campaigns, her tenure as president included dedication of a new AGS headquarters in Las Vegas, sale of its old headquarters in Los Angeles, 60% participation of members in AGS Week to raise consumer awareness and expansion of AGS Jewelers Education Foundation programs. “AGS truly is moving ahead to an exciting future,” she said.

Bromberg, a third-generation jeweler, said his two years at the helm will be a time of “taking these ideas and making them work.” In addition to establishing the gem lab, he promised to make the AGS committee system more effective, starting with a review by committee leaders in July to establish clear goals and priorities.

Also at the conclave:

• The black-tie President’s Gala attracted about 175 people and included prizes of five 0.25-ct. diamonds hidden in the dessert cake.

• AGS announced it ended the fiscal year with a $146,000 deficit, mostly because of deficits from the 1994 conclave and the cost of a 1994 ad slick program.

• Last year, AGS shelved plans for a group health program because of costs and difficulties in arranging coverage in 50 states. This year, it announced a group health plan now is available to members who sign up with Corporate Management Group, an employee leasing and benefits firm based in New York, N.Y. (See “Passing the benefits buck” on page 292 of this issue.)

JVC CANADA TO SET APPRAISAL GUIDELINES

Jewellers Vigilance Canada Inc. has formed an appraisal guidelines committee to establish comprehensive guidelines for the appraising industry in Canada.

Represented on the committee are the Canadian Jewellers Association, the Insurance Bureau of Canada, the Canadian Gemmological Association, Industry Canada and a number of individuals within the industry.

The guidelines are being developed following the Canadian jewelry industry’s adoption of JVC Canada’s “Guidelines with Respect to the Sale and Marketing of Diamonds, Coloured Gemstones and Pearls” last year. For more information, call Carla Adams, executive coordinator of JVC Canada, at (416) 480-1452.

GIA CAMPAIGN REACHES MIDPOINT OF FIRST PHASE

Vision 2000, the major capital fund-raising campaign launched by the Gemological Institute of America in 1991, is halfway to its $12 million goal for Phase I, says Jim Littman, director of development. Eventually, GIA hopes to raise $23 million through the campaign. Goals for Phase 2 have not been defined yet.

Littman says he hopes to complete the first phase by Oct. 24, the date of a dinner in New York City honoring GIA Chairman Richard Liddicoat and Robert Crowningshield, vice president of the GIA Gem Trade Lab in New York City.

An advertising campaign is planned “to educate people about who GIA is,” says Littman, adding that a large number of people aren’t aware of the wide scope of services that GIA provides to the industry. In fact, the new theme for Vision 2000 is “Securing the Industry’s Future.”

GIA has launched a three-pronged program to support Vision 2000:

• An organization called Alumni and Associates was formed to expand membership by including industry members who have not taken GIA courses.

• The planned giving program, which includes estate planning, seeks monetary contributions.

• The Treasured Gifts Council encourages gifts-in-kind of non-cash assets. In addition to all kinds and grades of stones, GIA is looking for books, equipment and anything else that could be used in the education program. Contributors are allowed to take the fair market value of the gift as a tax deduction.

Thus far in the campaign, the biggest contributor has been De Beers, with a gift of $1.5 million. “There are many gifts of $5,000,” says Littman. Gifts of less than $5,000 are designated for the annual campaign rather than Vision 2000.

IDCA TO HONOR FRIEDMAN’S INC.

The Indian Diamond & Colorstone Association will honor Friedman’s Inc. of Savannah, Ga., as its Retailer of the Year June 9 at Treasure Island, Las Vegas.

The event begins at 7 p.m. with a cocktail reception, followed at 9 p.m. with the award presentation and at 10 p.m. with a private showing of Treasure Island’s Cirque du Soleil for members and guests. More than 1,000 people are expected to attend.

Indian Diamond & Colorstone Association Inc., 22 W. 48 St., Room 606, New York, N.Y. 10036; (212) 921-4488, fax (212) 768-7935.

ARIZONA JEWELERS DISCUSS SYNTHETICS

A spring workshop gave members of the Arizona Jewelers Association a chance to learn how to identify and become familiar with synthetic gemstones.

The workshop, held April 20 in Phoenix, included study of synthetics grown by the flux method (Chatham and Russian), hydrothermal method (Kimberley, Regency and Russian) and Czochralski method (Inamori). Samples of each were on display.

For information about future workshops, call Sindi Schloss, education chairman, at (602) 947-5866.

LEADING JEWELERS GUILD ELECTS NEW PRESIDENT

John Jensen of Jensen Jewelers, Twin Falls, Idaho, is the new president of the Leading Jewelers Guild, a nationwide cooperative of retail credit jewelers.

“This marks the beginning of a very exciting year for Leading Jewelers,” said Jensen. “For the first time in our history, three new member jewelers were simultaneously admitted to the group, bringing our membership to over 180 stores nationwide.” Jensen recalled that when his father joined the organization in the early 1960s, the main emphasis was a catalog-based advertising program. Today, “Leading Jewelers offers its members a wide range of marketing products and services, enabling the independent jeweler to remain at the forefront of our industry.”

Jensen succeeds Suzy Gengos of Kay-Finlay Jewelers, Jersey City, N.J., the organization’s first woman president. “The strength of our group and success of the member companies is a product not only of our buying power,” she said, “but also of what takes place at our semiannual meetings.” At the most recent meeting, discussion topics ranged from the basics of maintaining gross profit to the cutting-edge technology of the information superhighway.

Founded in 1958, Leading Jewelers Guild offers 15 direct mail catalogs annually. Joan Reece is the executive director. Leading Jewelers Guild, 2050 Bundy Dr., Suite 210, Los Angeles, Cal. 90025; (310) 820-3386, fax (310) 820-3530.

AGMSA ELECTS OFFICERS FOR 1995

Gene Stewart of Stewart’s Gem Shop, Boise, Idaho, was reelected president at a recent meeting of the American Gem and Mineral Suppliers Association.

Serving with him are Tom Heffron of Raytech Industries, Middlefield, Conn., vice president; Anthony Chavez of Bourget Bros., Santa Monica, Cal., treasurer; and Wendell Wright of Hi-Tech Diamond Producers, Simi Valley, Cal., secretary.

Other board members and their assignments: Loreen Haas of Crown Gems Co., Sherman Oaks, Cal., membership and public relations; Ed Johnson of Johnson Bros., Tarzana, Cal., parliamentarian; Abedin T.J. Shoba of Shoba Inc., Hong Kong, export and import reports; William W. Besse of Jewel Tunnel Imports, Baldwin Park, Cal., association newsletter; Fred Miller of Agate/Amethyst World, Van Nuys, Cal., fair trade and ethics; and Denis Brand of Denis Brand International, Gardena, Cal., trade shows. Mel Anderson is the executive director.

Also at the meeting, the association presented its Thomas S. Warren Award to Bill Schneider, a long-time member and supporter of AGMSA, for his service to the industry and the association. The award is named for the cofounder and first president of AGMSA. Warren himself attended the event and unveiled a book that he cowrote, Ultraviolet Light and Fluorescent Minerals.

Guest speaker John Latendresse of American Pearl Co., Camden, Tenn., presented a lecture/slide show on the U.S. pearl growing industry.

In addition, Tom Hicks presented a new benefits package for AGMSA members. Benefits include savings on purchases of printed promotional products, discounts on shipping services and special rates on life insurance, liability insurance, workers compensation, commercial loss and other insurance options.

American Gem and Mineral Suppliers Association, P.O. Box 1083, Yucaipa, Cal. 92399; (909) 794-1343.

IJO CHOOSES BOSTON FOR FALL EVENT

The Independent Jewelers Association will hold its fall Seminar/Buying Show Aug. 5-10 in the Marriott Copley Place, Boston, Mass.

The first day – called “Education Day” – will feature seminars by the Gemological Institute of America and a meeting of new members and first-timers.

The following day begins with a general session for all members, followed by more seminars and workshops. On Aug. 7-8, the schedule includes team clinics, GIA labs and individual store conferences. GIA exams and a members meeting with the board of directors will be held Aug. 9.

The IJO Buying Room will be open Aug. 6-9. Social activities will include a welcome reception Aug. 5, a dance party Aug. 7, a banquet Aug. 9 and a golf tournament and tour of historic Boston Aug. 10.

The Marriott Copley is in the heart of Boston, within walking distance of many attractions. It’s built on top of the Copley Mall, with more than 200 shops, boutiques, restaurants and theaters. A five-night package rate of $132 is available to IJO members. Special travel rates are available also through IJO, Two Railroad Place, Westport, Conn. 06880; (800) 624-9252, fax (203) 454-4371.

Gredinger now CEO: In other news, IJO appointed its president, Jack Gredinger, to the additional post of chief executive officer. As CEO, Gredinger will be responsible for creating major programs for IJO members similar to the IJO-Gemological Institute of America Title Program, the Master IJO Jeweler Program, the Antwerp Diamond Broker Program and new overseas gem-buying activities in Australia and the Far East.

He also will be responsible for helping IJO member jewelers to improve their store operations by conducting a series of three in-depth business courses at IJO’s semiannual buying shows.

Gredinger and IJO owner Bill Roberts will continue to lead intensive two-day seminars on improving jewelry-store profitability at the IJO Business College in Westport, Conn.

Gredinger joined IJO 18 years ago as director of merchandising and was promoted to vice president of merchandising in 1979, executive vice president in 1984 and president in 1990.

NAJA COVERS ARRAY OF TOPICS AT CONFERENCE

The National Association of Jewelry Appraisers held its 11th annual conference in January in Tucson, Ariz.

Speakers covered such topics as appraisal writing, synthetic gemstone valuations, unusual materials in antique and period jewelry, how to value jadeite jade and pearls, and how to recognize original vs. reproduction jewelry.

David Atlas of Philadelphia, Pa., associate director of NAJA, spoke about the importance of disclosure and description in writing appraisals. With the increase in the numbers and types of stores selling jewelry, people more often buy jewelry one place then go somewhere else for an appraisal. For this reason, he said, disclosure and description have become increasingly important. He offered these observations:

• The appraiser’s purpose shouldn’t be to discredit the jewelry or disappoint the customer, but to describe the jewelry properly and to determine its market value appropriately for the intended purpose of the appraisal.

• Appraisers should be careful to use the proper language, words, spelling, grammar and syntax so nothing can be misinterpreted later.

• Appraisers should always determine the purpose and function of the appraisal, then perform the appraisal to fit its intended use.

• Fiduciary responsibility is to the customer. Appraisers shouldn’t give any information about an appraisal to an insurance company without the customer’s permission.

• To make customers feel confident and to protect themselves, appraisers should describe and document all measurements of a piece of jewelry at take-in. They should note the construction, finish, trademark, hallmark, karatage, provenance, weight and approximate age, etc.

Christie Romero of Anaheim, Cal., a collector of antique and vintage jewelry, spoke about the art of describing a piece of jewelry with words. She gave a list of several basic words and suggested starting by describing the basic shape and then expanding on the attributes of the jewelry.

Romero also presented “How to Assess and Value Unusual Materials in Victorian Jewelry.” She said that while regular jewelry appraisals are built around the Four D’s – disclosure, description, documentation and dollar amount – antique and vintage jewelry valuations are built around the Three C’s, Two D’s and Two S’s – craftsmanship, condition, color, design, demand, scarcity and size.

James Jolliff, executive director of NAJA, spoke on documentation. He distributed information on writing different types of appraisals and outlined what each report should contain. The main message was that all steps should be documented properly. While the process may seem lengthy, he said, it’s necessary and becomes easier with a methodical approach.

Joseph Tenhagen of Miami, Fla., associate director of NAJA, discussed finding the appropriate market for a product and then evaluating the piece accordingly. He also addressed diamond price guides, saying the Rapaport Diamond Report is the most widely accepted. In addition, he presented “How to Assess and Value Fracture-Filled Diamonds.” Participants could view more than 25 diamonds under a microscope to identify the flash of color associated with fracture-filled diamonds.

Richard Drucker, president of Gemworld International, Northbrook, Ill., spoke about assessing and evaluating pearls. His presentation included a hands-on training session where participants used his Master Pearl Grading Set to establish value.

Gloria Leiberman, director of the antique jewelry department and vice president of Skinner Inc., Boston, Mass., spoke on valuing jadeite jade and assessing and valuing original jewelry vs. reproductions. Slides and a hands-on session gave participants a chance to examine the differences between original and reproduction pieces and between good and bad reproductions.Synthetics: Representatives of four companies discussed their synthetic gem operations. Allan Buck, U.S. representative for Kyocera Corp. of Japan, and four Kyocera representatives from Japan discussed their Inamori product line of synthetic emeralds, rubies, alexandrite, black opal, padparadscha sapphires, alexandrite cat’s-eyes, star rubies, blue sapphires and white base opals. They elaborated on the stones’ gemological properties and the company’s decision to market finished jewelry using the stones in the U.S.

Tom Chatham of Chatham Created Gems in San Francisco, Cal., explained how and why a Chatham product is nearly identical gemologically to a natural gem. He also discussed how to market and sell his products.

Steve Ruyle of Kuruvinda Inc., Dallas, Tex., discussed the Kashan ruby manufacturing company that he bought in 1993. He said Kashan rubies possess chemical, physical and optical properties very similar to those of fine natural rubies. He also described how to tell the difference when looking through a microscope.

Jerry Manning of Manning International, New York, N.Y., who markets Czochralski crystals, says synthetics meet a growing demand for gems that can’t be met by natural material alone. He also says producers continually experiment to make synthetics so realistic that it would be difficult to distinguish them from natural.

ASA ANNOUNCES PLANS FOR DENVER CONFERENCE

The 1995 American Society of Appraisers Conference will be held June 19-21 in the Adam’s Mark Hotel in Denver, Colo.

The event will offer more than 50 educational sessions about cutting-edge developments in the appraisal field, resources to help you in your business and tips on managing an appraisal practice.

Preconference activities will include committee meetings June 14-18, ASA “Principles of Valuation” Level I courses June 15-18, family activities June 17 and Assembly of Delegates, New Governors’ Orientation, Membership Luncheon, Chapter Officers’ Orientation, New Candidates’ Reception and President’s Reception June 18.

In addition to the education program, a Past Presidents’ Breakfast and Get-Acquainted Party at the Museum of Natural History are scheduled for June 19; exhibits, June 19-20; Board of Governors’ Reception, ASA Banquet and New President’s Reception, all June 20; and Instructor Training Program, June 21.

Separately, the ASA Board of Governors has approved the nomination of the following international officers for 1995-’96: Max G. Koeper of Los Angeles, Cal., president; Richard A. Southern of Pontiac, Mich., senior vice president; John E. Bakken of Denver, Colo. and Richard-Raymond Alasko of Chicago, Ill., vice presidents; James T. Job of Kansas City, Mo., treasurer; and Richard C. Amoling of Norwood, Mass., secretary.

American Society of Appraisers, P.O. Box 17265, Washington, D.C. 20041; (800) ASA-VALU.

JA NAMES COUNSEL IN WASHINGTON, D.C.

Jewelers of America has named Timothy M. Haake as legal counsel in Washington, D.C. Haake, an attorney with Wunder, Deifenderfer, Cannon & Thelen, specializes in tax, trade and health law.

Haake formerly headed the tax department in the Washington, D.C., office of O’Connor & Hannan, a law firm based in Minneapolis, Minn. Previously, he specialized in estate and gift taxation at the International Revenue Service and served as tax counsel to members of the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance and the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Ways and Means.

He earned a juris doctor degree from Syracuse University College of Law and an advanced degree in taxation law from Georgetown University Law Center.

APPRAISERS ASSOCIATION PLANS SUMMER TOUR

“The Artistic Treasures of Russia and Stockholm” is the theme of a trip the Appraisers Association of America will sponsor Aug. 24 to Sept. 6.

Participants will visit two cities in Russia. In Moscow, they will tour the Terem Palace and the large Kremlin Palace (both normally closed to visitors), the Armory Museum, the Melnikov House, the Pushkin Museum, the Kuskovo Palace, the Ostankino Palace, the Izmailovo flea market, the Ryabushinsky Mansion, the antique gallery in the 18th century College for Noble Ladies, the Tretyakov Museum and the Arbat with its new antiques stores.

In St. Petersburg, they will visit the Yussoupov Palace, the Petrodvoretz Palace and Gardens, the Lomonosov Palace, the Pavlovsk Palace, the Pushkin Palace, Smolny Cathedral, the Kirov Ballet and the Hermitage Museum, complete with its special exhibition of Impressionist paintings from German collections.

In Stockholm, participants will visit the Fine Arts Museum and the Royal Palace.

The cost will be $3,200-$3,600. A brochure will be available soon.

In other news, members may order the ADEC ’95 price guide at a $15 discount through a special arrangement with ADEC/International Art Price Annual. The guide, which is considered to be the most complete listing of fine arts auction prices available, is $170 plus $5 for shipping for association members. In addition, members may order the 1994 edition of the guide for $170 and the 1991-’93 editions for $100 each.

Also available are unedited videotapes of lectures presented by association members. Among them are Artist Designed Jewelry by Gloria Lieberman and Appraising Edwardian and Art Deco Jewelry by Joyce Jonas. The tapes are $35 for members, $45 for non-members and $40 for friends, student affiliates and candidates, plus $2.50 per tape for postage and handling.

Appraisers Association of America Inc., 386 Park Ave. S., New York, N.Y. 10016; (212) 889-5404, fax (212) 889-5503.

TENNESSEE JEWELERS SCHEDULE CONVENTION

The Tennessee Jewelers Association will hold its 1995 convention Sept. 8-10 in the Crown Plaza Hotel, Nashville.

The theme will be “Painting the Town Red with TJA.” Judith Reiss, a professor of jewelry and silversmithing at Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, N.Y., will speak on design techniques for the non-designer. Entries for the 1995 TJA jewelry design contest are due at association headquarters by Sept. 1 so they can be displayed and judged at the convention.

TJA also reminds members that its security-alert network is now in operation. Members pay $10 to register, then receive a fax within minutes of any security alert reported by another member.

Tennessee Jewelers Association, 73 White Bridge Rd., #115, Nashville, Tenn. 37204-1444; (615) 352-0593, fax (615) 353-1489.

BRITISH JEWELERS ELECT WOMAN AS VICE CHAIRMAN

For the first time in its 108-year history, the British Jewellers’ Association has elected a woman as vice chairman.

Carole Mason, sales director of Acme Jewellery, a mass-producer of 9k gold jewelry, was installed in the position at the association’s recent annual meeting. She is now in line to become chairman in 1996 when the current chairman, Lawrence Brewer, steps down.

Mason, 33, also is thought to be the youngest person to hold the post. A member of BJA’s national committee since 1993, Mason says she would like to help members increase business and become more marketing oriented, as well as study the feasibility of offering management training seminars.

She has been a member of BJA’s national committee since 1993.

THE GOLD INSTITUTE NAMES NEW CHAIRMAN

Ronald C. Cambre, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Newmont Mining Corp., New York, N.Y., is the new chairman of The Gold Institute.

Before joining Newmont in 1993, Cambre was a senior executive of Freeport-McMoRan, a major natural resources company. A native of New Orleans, La., Cambre received a degree in chemical engineering from Louisiana State University and attended the Harvard Business School Program for Management.

“I look forward to working with the executives of our member companies in addressing the many public affairs issues the industry faces,” says Cambre. “Their input is invaluable in focusing the institute’s efforts.”

John Lutley, president of The Gold Institute, says Cambre’s 30 years in the natural resource business have given him a broad understanding of issues now facing the gold industry. “We look forward to his leadership of the industry for the next few years,” says Lutley.

The Gold Institute is a worldwide, non-profit trade association representing gold miners, refiners, fabricators, banks and bullion dealers. It’s located at Suite 240, 16th St. N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036; (202) 835-0185, fax (202) 835-0155.