SPRING 2005 AGTA GemFair Tucson RECORD ATTENDANCE MAKES FOR PREMIER EVENT AGTA GemFair Las Vegas SPECIAL SHOW DATES AND HIGHLIGHTS JUNE 2-6, 2005 Oscars 2005: The 77th Annual Academy Awards 2005 AGTA Competition Winners CUTTING EDGE AWARDS SPECTRUM AWARDS PRISM|SPRING 2005 From the Executive Director There is no doubt that as an website, designed to excite and educate practices that also organization, AGTA’s kick-off event the consumer about colored gemstones make our clients each year is the Tucson GemFair. For and cultured pearls, is visually exciting respond. Especially many of us, the success of this show and focuses on helping the consumer today, as new and DOUGLAS K. HUCKER, AGTA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR can be a clear indication of how the better appreciate the exciting world of increasingly remainder of the year will progress. gems and make good decisions when sophisticated gemstone treatments are One primary goal of our staff is to they are planning to acquire them. It being introduced, it is vital for us to ensure that the GemFair is well has also developed into an excellent reaffirm our commitment. We also attended. Certainly our efforts were tool for a retail or wholesale business to realize that the ultimate recipient of this rewarded as buyers flocked to Tucson train their entry-level people and give disclosure must be the consumer. in record numbers, resulting in our their more experienced staff a refresher AGTA has just released an updated and second-best attendance record in course on gemstones. We have had a improved version of the “Gemstone history. Much of this success can be significant number of visits to the site, Enhancements–What You Should attributed to the growing awareness and many of our retail members have Know” brochure (see page 12). within our industry of the explosive remarked that the “retail locator” is The brochure discusses common popularity of color in fashion. bringing clients to their stores. enhancements with the consumer in As part of our commitment to This year also marked the first precise, user-friendly language and has continual improvement of our show, we presence of the AGTA in celebrity proven to be an essential tool for sales introduced the expanded “Spectrum of showcase events, notably the Emmy associates. The brochure was introduced Design” pavilion in the ballroom, Awards and the Academy Awards. at the Tucson GemFair and has already showcasing over fifty of the country’s Dozens of our members participated in sold nearly a half million copies. top colored gemstone and cultured these two events by supplying us with a As consumers continue to respond pearl designers and manufacturers. By magnificent collection of colored to our products, the AGTA will devote all accounts, the pavilion was a roaring gemstone and cultured pearl jewelry. its efforts to fueling their appreciation success. Another well-received feature Most recently, AGTA hosted a suite and and to tirelessly protecting the integrity was our Member Lounge. In its second invited celebrities, agents, stylists and of the products they are purchasing. By year, the lounge provided members a publicists to peruse our beautiful continuing to strengthen the appeal of quiet, comfortable area to catch their collection. Many of these industry colored gemstones and the importance breath, enjoy some light refreshments, insiders expressed their appreciation of of the AGTA and all of its components, access email and plan their strategy for finally having a source of beautiful we are confident that you, our members, shopping the show. With all of the color jewelry to use not only for the will have continued success in your frenzy that typically accompanies the runways but continually throughout the businesses by bringing the world's most show, our members appreciated the year. Each of our members is beautiful and desirable treasures into relaxing atmosphere provided by this encouraged to participate in this the lives of your clients. ▲ lounge. The Tucson GemFair continues ongoing program, and you can contact to be the global showcase event for Elizabeth Ross at our office for details colored gemstones, and drawing more of participation. and better buyers to the event will Even as colored gemstones are remain a core part of our promotional enjoying a renaissance in popularity, it Douglas Hucker efforts throughout the year. is critical for us to remember one of the Executive Director, AGTA In our continued efforts to promote primary reasons our clients choose to our products to the consumer by purchase from AGTA members. While refining and improving our Add More the promotion of our gemstone Color To Your Life campaign this year treasures is of paramount importance to we introduced our consumer website, us, it is our unwavering commitment to addmorecolortoyourlife.com. The ethical and professional business 1 PRISM|SPRING 200 5 AGTA GemFair Las Vegas: SPECIAL SHOW DATES & HIGHLIGHTS AGTA’s GemFair Cultured Pearl & Jewelry Pavilion is the Marketplace for Natural Colored Gemstones and Cultured Pearls Gem Day Highlights Include: • A buyer reception offering complimentary beverages and light hors d’oeuvres on Thursday, June 2nd from 2:00pm-4:00pm in the AGTA Pavilion. • Seminars focusing on color and fashion presented by industry leaders on Thursday, June 2nd. Look for the jewel next to all AGTA-related events and sessions. AGTA Pavilion Highlights Include: • SPECIAL DATES AND TIMES! June 2-6, 2005. The AGTA GemFair Cultured Pearl & Jewelry Pavilion opens and closes one day before the main show. Show dates and hours for the AGTA Pavilion are 10am-6pm Thursday, June 2nd and 9am-6pm Friday, June 3rd–Monday, June 6th. • AGTA GTC Portable Lab Facility – Document your purchases with a colored gemstone report from the industry’s premier laboratory. • Complimentary danishes and coffee each morning for buyers. • The AGTA Windows of Color Café will be open all week, including Gem Day, in the AGTA Pavilion and will Special Show Dates & Highlights feature delicious food, including Kosher selections, from June 2-6, 2005 Join Us In The AGTA GemFair the Venetian Resort & Hotel. Cultured Pearl & Jewelry Pavilion For our members that don’t exhibit at The AGTA GemFair Cultured Pearl & Jewelry Pavilion GemFair Las Vegas or have never been is the best venue to buy the colored gemstones, cultured to this show, mark these dates on your pearls and jewelry your customers can’t live without. Join calendar NOW. Advance registration us and see why the AGTA Pavilion is without question the ends April 29, 2005. To register, visit best place to discover the future and experience the best. The JCK Shows website, jckgroup.com, The AGTA GemFair Cultured Pearl & Jewelry Pavilion and complete the registration form. ▲ is located in the Venetian Hotel Grand Ballroom, adjacent to the Sands Expo Convention Center. Because the AGTA Pavilion opens one day before the main JCK Show, the AGTA wanted to provide buyers with an incentive to shop early. Once again the American Gem Trade Association will feature “Gem Day” on Thursday, June 2, 2005– giving buyers a jump-start on their buying. 2 PRISM|SPRING 2005 Jewelry Industry Converges on Tucson for AGTA GemFair SHOW CLOSES ON HIGH NOTE AS ATTENDANCE HITS A RECORD HIGH Once again proving itself as committed to delivering the most the premier trade event for creative and innovative designers in the jewelry industry, AGTA North America. The Pavilion GemFair Tucson — North provided a wide range of styles and America’s trade show for price points to meet every need. color — concluded Monday, For 2005 the AGTA also February 7th, after six days expanded the Manufacturing of intensive business. Jewelers & Suppliers of America Pavilion. The MJSA Pavilion provided the finest technology, components and packaging solutions: quality castings, chain, computer software, displays, equipment, findings, machinery, metals, mold & model making supplies, and mountings. AJM’s At The annual trade show, which the Bench Live Demonstrations, showcases the latest in natural sponsored by MJSA, AJM colored gemstones and cultured Magazine, Otto Frei and AGTA, pearls, products and trends, attracted were held near the MJSA Pavilion. retailers, manufacturers, media and Demonstrations were held buyers from around the globe. throughout the week and were Preliminary attendance figures conducted by some of the nation’s for the 2005 show indicate that over most renowned jewelers and 10,000 qualified buyers converged manufacturing experts. on the Tucson Convention Center Networking opportunities this year for AGTA GemFair Tucson. abounded off the show floor. To One major highlight of this kick things off, the AGTA hosted year’s show was the new AGTA the Annual Coyote Classic Golf designer jewelry pavilion, Spectrum Classic benefiting Special of Design. Just as the fashion Olympics. Forty-two golfers industry looks to the hottest participated in the event at Dell designers to forecast the latest Urich Golf Course at Randolph trends in fashion, style-savvy Park. The winning threesome retailers look to AGTA’s designers to included Brant Whetstone, Gem anticipate “what’s next” in colored Consultants International; Ed “Too gemstone jewelry design. Nearly Tall” Jones, former Dallas Cowboy; every buyer had something positive and Ron Harder, Jewelers Mutual to say about the new pavilion and Insurance Company. emphasized that AGTA is Nearly 400 people gathered on 3 PRISM|SPRING 200 5 Saturday, February 5th for the social highlight of GemFair, the AGTA Dinner Dance and Awards Gala. The event was sponsored by The JCK Shows and the AGS. Guests enjoyed fabulous food, cocktails and live entertainment from the band Take Time. Additionally, the 2005 AGTA Spectrum Awards winners were recognized during dinner for their outstanding achievements. The AGTA GemFair seminar FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, program proved very popular with PLEASE CONTACT: participants, with packed rooms and Mary Lou Keen hot questions.