Happy 2018, my darlings!! It’s late January, and you know what that means: time to get pumped for AGTA GemFair!
Why I can’t wait for AGTA GemFair 2018
From January 30th – February 4th, many of the US and Canada’s finest colored gemstone and pearl dealers will gather at the AGTA’s 2018 GemFair to offer their glimmering, shimmering, lustrous wares. The event is only open to members of the jewelry industry…but I’m going to share it all with you!
Here’s why that’s so exciting:
The delectable jewelry.
My primary mission at the AGTA GemFair 2018 will be simple: to track down the best colored gemstone and pearl jewelry in a room filled with the crème de la crème and share all that gemmy goodness with you!
Instagram lets you follow hashtags now, so you can follow along with the whole GemFair on both the AGTA Instagram account and the #AGTAGemFair18 hashtag to make sure you don’t miss a thing.
I’ll be doing a takeover of the AGTA IG account for two days, so you can find my fabulous finds there or on my own Instagram page, as well as nonstop coverage in my Instastories!
Detail of a stunning Erica Courtney pendant.
The GEMBASSADORS are now a triple threat!
Last year, Hannah Becker and I had the pleasure of serving as AGTA GemFair’s inaugural Gembassadors. It was an honor and a genuine thrill to bring you an insider’s view of this legendary event.
This year, we’re going to give you even more access by expanding the Gembassador team! For the AGTA GemFair 2018, Hannah and I will be joined by Instagram superstar and beloved jewelry industry personality, Benjamin Guttery of Third Coast Gems.
Each Gembassador will be focusing on slightly different aspects of AGTA GemFair 2018, so be sure to follow all three of us, the AGTA Instagram account, and the #AGTAGemFair18 hashtag to make sure you don’t miss anything!
Two brooches by the fabulous Naomi Sarna Designs; colored sapphires, amethysts, and diamonds and a freshwater baroque cultured pearl.
Ethical sourcing everywhere.
Every exhibitor at the AGTA GemFair 2018 is an AGTA Member, which means that their business practices satisfy the organization’s rigorous code of ethics. In this day and age, with sustainability and ethical sourcing in the forefront of our industry’s concerns, it’s vital to know that every dealer in the AGTA GemFair has been evaluated and approved.
One of my favorite moments of the 2017 GemFair was talking to Columbia Gem House about their commitment to Fair Trade practices and how they not only hold themselves accountable, but actively participate in charity efforts to enrich the communities who mine the gems they sell.
Leon Mege earrings with rubies and diamonds in platinum, sterling silver, and 18k rose gold.
The gemstones and pearls.
Many designers will be at the AGTA GemFair to source world class stones that will become world class jewels by this summer’s Jewelry Market Week. It’s incredible to get behind the scenes of another section of the fascinating pipeline of discovery and design that keeps the jewelry industry running.
My fellow Gembassadors, Hannah and Ben, are both Graduate Gemologists, so they’re going to take the lead on showcasing the unset goods of GemFair while I focus on finished pieces.
The Gembassadors on parade at the 2017 AGTA Spectrum Awards Gala.