JA SCHEDULES 1996 REGIONAL CONFERENCES

The Jewelers of America Center for Business Studies has scheduled five new regional education seminars for 1996.

The conferences will be held Jan. 10-12 in Las Vegas, Nev.; March 1-3 in Dearborn, Mich.; March 29-31 in Orlando, Fla.; June 7-10 in Newport, R.I.; and Aug. 24-26 in Los Angeles, Cal. Attendance is free; a $20 deposit fee will be refunded when you arrive at the conference.

CBS sessions count as two to four Jewelers Continuing Education units toward the Accredited Jewelers Designation.

JA also will offer the Certified Store Manager exam during the conferences. Registration for the exam is separate and costs a non-refundable $25; a review class is $5.

Jewelers of America Education Department, 1185 Ave. of the Americas, 30th Fl., New York, N.Y. 10036; (800) 223-0673, fax (212) 768-8087.

GIA ARMS ANNOUNCES EXPANDED SERVICES

GIA ARMS, created to teach U.S. jewelers management theory and techniques, has expanded its commitment to client service and product support.

The organization has doubled the size of its service department, brought in consultants from Advanced Retail Management in Australia and started plans for business management seminars. The seminar program will be tailored to the everyday needs of businesspeople, says trainer Andrea Miles. It will be based on response to a list of possible topics being circulated to clients. The topics range from business analysis and stock management to sales forecasting, supplier/staff management and cash flow.

GIA ARMS, 2120 Las Palmas Dr., Suite D, Carlsbad, Cal. 92009; (800) 742-ARMS, fax (619) 930-1288.

BELL GROUP SCHEDULES MANUFACTURER EVENTS

The consumer education division of the Bell Group has announced 1996 dates for its Catalog in Motion showcase and the Santa Fe Symposium on Jewelry Manufacturing Technology.

Catalog in Motion, scheduled for Feb. 3-6 in the Tucson East Hilton, Tucson, Ariz., will give attendees a chance to see and try tools, equipment, supplies and other products offered through Bell’s Rio Grande Tools & Equipment division.

The Santa Fe Symposium, scheduled for May 19-22 in the Albuquerque Marriott Hotel, Albuquerque, N.M., will be a non-commercial networking gathering of jewelry manufacturers, researchers, metallurgists and others with an interest in jewelry manufacturing technology. More than 20 industry professionals will present their latest research findings.

Bell Group, 3820 Academy Pkwy N./N.E., Albuquerque, N.M. 87109; (505) 344-4882, fax (505) 345-0097.

NAJA ANNOUNCES PLANS FOR WINTER CONFERENCE

The National Association of Jewelry Appraisers will present its 13th annual Winter Educational Conference Feb. 1-2 in Tucson, Ariz. Here’s the schedule of topics and speakers:

· Jan. 1 &endash; “Emerald Treatment Techniques I,” 8:30 a.m., James Lytle, president and owner of J&H Ltd. in Tucson; “Emeralds, Origin to Treatment,” 10:45 a.m., Joseph Tenhagen, associate director of NAJA and president of J.W. Tenhagen Gemstones Inc., Miami, Fla.; “Emerald Treatment II,” 1:30 p.m., Lytle; “Entenmann vs. U.S. Case Review,” 2:15 p.m., Stuart Bassin of Silver Spring, Md., a senior trial attorney with the U.S. Department of Justice; “How to Appraise Seals, Intaglios and Judaic Jewelry,” 3:30 p.m., Gloria Lieberman, director of the antique jewelry department and vice president of Skinner Inc., Boston, Mass. and “Emerald Treatment III, 5:10 p.m., Lytle.

· Jan. 2 &endash; “Emerald Treatment IV,” 7:30 a.m., Lytle; “GemDialogue Color System Workshop,” 8:30 a.m., Howard Rubin, president of GemDialogue Systems Inc., Bayside, N.Y.; “Munsell Color Book System Workshop,” 10:15 a.m., Thomas Tashey, director of the European Gemological Laboratory, Los Angeles, Cal.; “Emerald Treatment V,” 1:15 p.m., Lytle; “U.S. Automobile Association Insurance Company Concepts on Insuring Jewelry,” 2:15 p.m., Ann Johnson, manager of U.S.A.A.; and “Emerald Treatment VI,” 3:10 p.m., Lytle.

Social activities will include a southwestern dinner Feb. 1 and a dinner banquet Feb. 2.

Room reservations at the Embassy Suites Airport should be made through NAJA, P.O. Box 6558, Annapolis, Md. 21401-0558; (301) 261-8270.

GIA RECEIVES GIFTS FROM CHRISTIE’S, TIFFANY & CO.

Two venerable names in the jewelry industry have approved donations to help a third.

The first gift is a major donation from Christie’s auction house to help underwrite GIA’s “Diamond Grading” course. (Suberi Bros. Inc. and the Swiss company Boghossian cosponsor GIA’s diamonds program.) All donations were made under the auspices of GIA’s Vision 2000 program, which seeks industry support for education and research projects. All three companies will be noted on the cover of every GIA “Diamonds” and “Diamond Grading” course and in GIA publications.

“Christie’s is delighted to participate in this valuable project,” says Simon Teakle, vice president of the auction house. “We support GIA’s services to the industry and feel encouraged by the initiative they are taking in this increasingly complex field.”

The second gift &endash; gemstones valued at $50,000 &endash; is from Tiffany & Co. and was made to GIA’s Treasured Gifts Council, also part of the Vision 2000 campaign.

Tiffany’s donation comprises opals, tanzanites, ametrines, spinels, tourmalines and chrysoberyls. “Gemstones of known origin, synthetics and faceted and rough stones all play a key role in providing students with the knowledge and skills needed to face the challenges of a dynamic industry,” says Jeanne Larson, who chairs the council.

Adds Jim Littman, GIA’s director of development, “Given the rush of synthetics and treatments that have reached the market in the past few years, we know the challenges facing the industry are sure to outstrip our resources. The Treasured Gifts Council has been established to help meet these important needs and ensure our commitment to excellence and the industry’s sustained growth.”

All donations to GIA are tax-deductible. GIA will work with a donor’s financial adviser to achieve the maximum philanthropic value of any gift. Gemological Institute of America, 1660 Stewart St., Santa Monica, Cal. 90404-4088; (800) 421-7250 or (310) 829-2991, ext. 208; fax (310) 829-2269.

ASA SCHEDULES TUCSON COURSE

The American Society of Appraisers will present its “Introduction to Personal Property Valuation” course Jan. 27-30 in Tucson, Ariz. The course, with a focus on precious gems and fine jewelry, will be held in the Inn Suites Hotel.

The agenda includes general valuation theory and principles, three approaches to estimating value, economic principles that influence value, historical antecedents of modern appraisal practice, appraisal terminology, functions of appraisals, the function of identification in the appraisal process and factors affecting the valuation of personal property. The course is designed for anyone who specializes in gems, jewelry, silver, porcelain, ceramics, glass, antiques, sculpture, furniture, prints, drawings and paintings.

Instructors are Nancy Frey Stacy, ASA, GG, Master Gemologist Appraiser, president of Jewels by Stacy Appraisals in Walnut Creek, Cal., and Sharon Smith Theobald, ASA, president of Appraisal Associates International in West Lafayette, Ind.

The fee is $375 for ASA members, $475 for others. Register by Dec. 15 to receive $50 credit toward your next ASA course or seminar.

The American Society of Appraisers, 555 Herndon Pkwy., Suite 125, Herndon, Va. 22070; (800) ASA-VALU or (703) 478-2228, fax (703) 742-8471.

TYLER SCHOOL OF ART OFFERS ASSISTANTSHIPS

Three assistantships are available for the “Metals/Jewelry/CAD-CAM” master of fine arts program at the Tyler School of Art, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pa.

Three assistantships provide $7,750 in stipends and full tuition remission each and will be awarded to qualified applicants for fall 1996. Recipients will be assigned teaching and teaching support duties.

In addition, Temple University invites minority candidates to apply for the Future Faculty Fellows Program. These fellowships carry annual stipends up to $8,000 and full tuition remission.

Contact Professors Stanley Lechtzin or Vickie Sedman, Tyler School of Art, Temple University, Beech and Penrose Aves., Philadelphia, Pa. 19027; (215) 782-2863.

JEWELRY HISTORIANS SCHEDULE SPEAKER

Gertrud Seidman, an expert on engraved gems, will be the guest lecturer at a meeting of the Society of Jewelry Historians Dec. 7. The meeting is scheduled for 7-9 p.m. at Phillips, 406 E. 79 St.

Seidman’s lecture is titled “Tassie and Tassies: Intaglios and Cameos Made of Glass.” She is a research associate at the University of Oxford Institute of Archaeology, a fellow of the Society of Antiquarians of London and the Royal Society of Art, and a founding member of the Society of Jewellery Historians of Britain.

To reserve space, send a check for $10 to Elyse Zorn Karlin, Society of Jewelry Historians, Box 103, 1B Quaker Ridge Rd., New Rochelle, N.Y. 10804; (212) 535-2479.