The American Gem Trade Association (AGTA) has announced that it has resumed its membership in The World Jewellery Confederation (CIBJO) after an absence of seven years. The decision comes ahead of the 2023 CIBJO Congress, which will take place October 3–5 in Jaipur, India, a key coloured gemstone manufacturing and trade centre.

“We are delighted to welcome AGTA back into our ranks, and particularly at this most appropriate juncture,” said Gaetano Cavalieri, CIBJO President. “The upcoming CIBJO Congress will of course focus on all sectors and activities in the jewellery, gemstone, and precious metals industries, but given the fact that it is being hosted on one of the world’s most important coloured gemstone centres, there will be an added emphasis on that critically important business community. AGTA’s voice and participation will be essential.”

“There is also a poignant and emotional element to the happy announcement,” Dr. Cavalieri continued. “Just three months ago we lost our Vice President, Roland Naftule, who was responsible for creation and maintenance of the CIBJO Blue Book series of industry standards and nomenclature. Roland was also one of the three founding members of AGTA and served as its President from 1983 through 1985. AGTA’s rejoining of CIBJO would have meant a great deal to him.”

Founded in 1981, AGTA has more than 1,000 members in the United States and Canada and is considered the leading association in the world for coloured gemstone professionals.

“AGTA is pleased to rejoin CIBJO,” says John W. Ford Sr., CEO of AGTA. “CIBJO is a vital group devoted to upholding uniform nomenclature and industry standards built on the expertise of its members. These practices reside at the core of AGTA, which is delighted to realign with CIBJO’s well-respected commissions and efforts.”

AGTA Board President Kimberly Collins states, “I am thrilled AGTA is reacquainting itself with CIBJO, which was so dear to the late Roland Naftule, one of our founding members.”

To celebrate and cement the reignited partnership, Collins, Ford, and Colorado of Mines (Mines) Ph.D. Student Jenna White will provide an exclusive update on the AGTA and Mines’ Transparent & Traceable Gemstone Supply Chains Research Project at the CIBJO Jaipur Congress. The initial stage, including site visits to Kenya, Tanzania, Madagascar, Sri Lanka, and Nigeria, will have just concluded prior to the Jaipur Congress. The session will serve as an opportunity for the team to share insights prior to the full research release planned for AGTA GemFair Tucson^TM in February 2024. The goal of the project is to identify best practices specific to the colored stone industry and improve transparency and traceability, ethics, environmental sustainability, and human rights within it. Read more about that partnership HERE.