JVA Registered Valuer® Conference for Jewellery and Watch Valuers

Munn’s Miscellany

A light-heated, whistle-stop tour of some of the exciting discoveries that Geoffrey Munn has made in half a century of jewellery studies. It includes a cameo of Mary Queen of Scots, a brooch made to Queen Victoria’s order to commemorate her favourite John Brown, a gold watch designed by Dante Gabriel Rossetti and a silver brooch designed by the famous architect William Burges. Munn hopes to demonstrate that the jewellery trade has the same potential as an archaeological site and that great treasures come to light in the most unusual circumstances.

A History of Jewellery from Elizabeth I to Elizabeth Taylor

400 years of international jewellery design examining the changing styles from the pomp of High Renaissance enamelled gold work, to the global generic designs of today. We look at the development of diamond cutting, neoclassicism and romanticism, the language of flowers, 19^th Century Archaeological, Gothic and Renaissance Revivalism, Diamond mining in South Africa, Art Nouveau, Arts and Crafts, the impact of Platinum, and post-war Modernism.

Colour Perception in Gemmology

Colour is arguably the most important grading factor of coloured gemstones. Perception of colour, how to observe and name it have always been the essence of endless discussions in gemmology. In this talk, Dr. Lule will delve into colour science, cultural aspects of colour perception, observation of colour and colour terminology of gems with examples from the current gem market. The topic is aimed to help clarify the confusion that might have been caused by the current coloured gemstone grading systems and their application to valuation of gems.

Understanding Gemstone Cuts in 18th Century Jewellery

The presentation will provide an overview of cutting styles and influences for diamonds and coloured gemstones throughout the 18th century. We will look in detail at the latter half of the century, where we find examples that display a characteristic style emerging of the period.

Following the discovery of Brazilian diamonds in the 1700s, there was a rise in the popularity of the brilliant cut, so much that it became the preferred diamond cutting style by the 1750s, with occasional modified versions also seen. The discussion on coloured gemstones, especially for larger stones, will focus on the various facet arrangements, otherwise classified as mixed cuts.

The presentation will be illustrated by images of the Portuguese crown jewels that will be on public display at the new Museu do Tesouro Real in November 2021.

The State of the Diamond Industry - Today and Tomorrow

How has the diamond industry positioned itself out of the Pandemic? And where will it be in the near future and beyond? This presentation will cover these aspects in detail, providing an insightful analysis of the diamond industry.

Ethical Gold: Behind the Price Tag

As a proud Fairtrade licensee for over 5 years, Susi has first hand knowledge of the integrity of traceable certified gold. Whilst giving a background on the intricacies of the supply chain, including third party auditing, consumer buying trends and the power for good that ethical gold wields, Susi will give an insight into the nuances of running an ethical jewellery brand. We hope you'll come away with knowledge of what markings to look out for, a deeper understanding of all the challenges faced by our industry and what some brands, such as The Rock Hound, are doing to overcome this. 

Modern spectroscopy in Gemmology: practical applications of fluorescence spectroscopy.

New synthetics and treatments are posing serious challenges for the gem and jewellery industry. Now, more than ever, it is important that industry professionals become familiar with standard instrumentation and their gemmological applications, in order to prevent expensive mistakes.

This workshop will introduce standard instrumentation found in gem laboratories such as UV-Vis-NIR, FTIR, Raman/PL, before doing a deep dive into fluorescence spectroscopy with hands-on application.

There are limited spaces on this workshop -  to find out more email conference@thejva.org

Gemmology by Numbers - Why it Doesn't Add Up!

Gemmology is more than just numbers, it is more than one quick test such as throwing something on a refractometer, or believing that you can be a gemmologist with little or no training or experience. That would often end with disastrous results and incorrect identifications. 

In this talk Kerry will take you on a whistle stop tour through some of the howlers that she has seen as people conduct "Gemmology by numbers"-  where the numbers just don't add up. Crucially, she will run through how you can make sure that you avoid these errors with your own practical testing.

The importance of Melee in the jewellery industry and why it deserves our attention. 

Melee is a major player in the jewellery industry, but quite often forgotten when it comes to industry discussion, insight and knowledge, especially when, with some gem varieties, 90% of production becomes melee. Charles Evans will discuss the little gems that keep most mining areas alive and most of the workers in a job.

The Bold & The Brave ~ A Revolution in Form and Function of Jewellery Design

Although rocked by phases of boom, depression and war, jewellery design between the 1920’s and 1930’s continued to be both innovative and glamorous. Strong, geometric patterns, while colourful creations inspired by the Near and Far East, including heavy applications of gemstones are characteristic of Art Deco jewellery. Steve discusses some of these wonderful inspiring and creative jewellery designers of this period, such as Suzanne Belperron, Raymond Templier and Paul Brandt to name but a few