Message from the CEO - September 2024

September is the time of year in which summer releases its sweltering grasp upon us and we can once again move into the outdoors, if only for a brief moment before seriously applying ourselves to the most important commercial time of our business.  It is the kickoff for Fall, a season filled with holidays, family gatherings, sporting events and holiday shopping.  It is also a time for our industry to prepare for the final push of the year and begin looking forward to 2025.

With that in mind, we look forward to welcoming our clients and colleagues to visit with ICA members at the remaining two important shows of the year.  The first, Jewellery & Gem World, held at the Asia World Expo at the Hong Kong Airport, from September 16th to the 20th.  With 40 companies exhibiting in the ICA Pavilion you can be assured of a broad selection of gemstones that you can purchase with total confidence.  Next up will be the JA New York Show at the Javits Center in Manhattan.  Scheduled from the 27th through the 29th of October, it is a perfect time to replenish inventories as we enter the selling season.

The excitement will continue into the first quarter of 2025 with the Facets of Sri Lanka, held in Colombo January 4th, 5th, and 6th, followed by the Tucson Gem Shows where you will find ICA members exhibiting in several shows, foremost of which are the GJX Show and the AGTA GemFair, both of which will be operating on a new day and date pattern, with the GJX opening on Monday, February 3rd and finishing on Saturday February 8th, and the GemFair opening on February and ending on Sunday, February 9th.  Stay tuned to our website, www.gemstone.org, to locate your favorite ICA members in each of these show venues.

Last and certainly not least, please keep an eye out for our latest issue of InColor magazine arriving in your mail!  Issue #52 celebrates the magical gemstone community of Idar Oberstein and its legacy of gemstone artistry, wonderful glimpses of the old in Ioannis Alexandris’ estate review, and the inescapable march of the future of gemstones as machine learning debuts in our industry in the Gemtellegence article and so much more.  Many thanks to all our contributors, our members who support us with their ads, and the great staff and committee members who make this publication possible.  If you don’t currently receive our InColor magazine and would like to please contact us at info@gemstone.org.  You can also read the digital version of #52 issue and all back copies at www.gemstone.org/incolor-bookcase .

In closing, I want to wish all our members, colleagues and friends the greatest happiness, a successful season, and I look forward to seeing each of you wherever our paths may cross