“Colour Gemstone Sales: Are you Compliant or at Risk?”- is the seminar being presented by the Jewelers Vigilance Committee (JVC) and sponsored by American Gemological Laboratories at the JA/NY Summer Show. The event will take place at Jacob Javits Convention Center, Monday, July 28, 2008.

Issues pertaining to the legal aspects, disclosure of treatments etc will be discussed. - disclosure of gemstone treatment to consumers, current legislation and initiatives on gemstones from Burma, updates on irradiated gemstones, including selling current inventories and legal compliance obligations on the part of manufacturers and retailers to disclose treatment of colour gemstones. Knowledge of these obligations will avoid exposure to expensive lawsuits.

A group of industry personalities will comprise the panel - Christopher Smith, vice president and chief gemologist, American Gemological Laboratories (AGL), and Cecilia Gardner, JVC’s president, CEO and general counsel. Robin Spector, attorney for the Federal Trade Commission, will appear on video with comments she made previously regarding the federal regulations governing gemstone disclosures. Smith and Gardner will talk on the challenges including supply hurdles faced in the coloured gemstone industry and the conditions in which the coloured gemstones are produced and distributed. Ms. Gardner will review material that was presented by the Federal Trade Commission at a colour gemstone seminar JVC presented earlier this year. Seminar attendees will receive “The Essential Guide to the U.S. Trade in Irradiated Gemstones” brochure, co-authored by JVC and the American Gem Trade Association (AGTA).

Said Christopher Smith: “Proper representation during the sale of gems is essential to be fully compliant with FTC guidelines. This relates to the proper identification of the gem, as well as the disclosure of gemstone treatments. Today, gemstone treatments are more extensive than ever before and they are becoming more and more complicated in terms of the techniques applied, means of identification and terminology for full and accurate disclosure. As a result, accurate gemological authentication and disclosure from independent third parties is becoming increasingly more important.” The seminar is a free to attend platform.