The American Gem Society will host Confluence 2026 online on April 22, 2026. The half-day program brings together industry experts to deliver practical insight—without pulling professionals away from their stores or offices.
Running from 10:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Pacific Time (PT), the virtual event centers on three core themes shaping today’s trade: artificial intelligence, responsible business practices, and real-time market conditions. For AGS members, registration is free, supported by presenting sponsor, the Gemological Institute of America (GIA).
AI Moves from Curiosity to a Daily Tool
In “Beyond the Prompt: What’s New in AI Design for 2026,” Michael Magee takes on a topic that’s quickly shifting from experimental to essential.
Magee is Senior Subject Specialist in Jewelry Manufacturing Arts Research & Development at GIA. An award-winning CAD designer, he brings more than 25 years of industry experience and over 15 years teaching CAD/CAM.
After earning his degree from Cornell University, he trained as a goldsmith and operated a custom jewelry studio before joining GIA in 2013. His work spans teaching, curriculum development for GIA’s Jewelry Arts programs, and research into emerging design and manufacturing technologies, including AI-driven jewelry design. He has published in Gems & Gemology, Gems & Jewellery, and MJSA Journal, and was honored with the 2025 Jewelry Technology Leader Award at The Jewelry Symposium.
The session looks at what generative AI can—and just as importantly, cannot—do for jewelry professionals right now. Expect a practical walkthrough of 2D tools for concepting, merchandising, and client communication, along with a closer look at the regulatory side of AI, including emerging labeling requirements and the legal boundaries now being shaped by ongoing lawsuits around digital inspiration.
For retailers and designers, this is less about theory—and more about what’s usable today.
Responsibility, Explained in Plain Language
If AI is about new tools, responsibility is about how the trade communicates value.
In “Communicating Responsibility with Clarity and Credibility,” Brandee Dallow of Grandview Klein Diamond Group focuses on a challenge many businesses are still working through—how to talk about sourcing, sustainability, and ethics without drifting into vague or overreaching claims.
Dallow is Chief Communications and Sustainability Officer at Grandview Klein Diamond Group, founder of Fine Girl Communications, and Board President of Community for Ethical Jewelry. With more than two decades of experience across the jewelry and luxury sectors, she advises companies—from independent retailers to global brands—on how to translate sourcing, ethics, and impact into language consumers can understand and trust.
Her work centers on helping businesses ask better questions of their supply chains, avoid overclaiming, and communicate responsibility in ways that are clear, credible, and aligned with brand values. Grounded in a practical, human approach, she emphasizes that transparency and progress—not perfection—are what build long-term consumer trust.
Rather than leaning on certifications alone, the session outlines how to evaluate sourcing, ask better questions of suppliers, and translate those answers into language customers can understand and trust. It also addresses a growing issue in the marketplace: identifying claims that sound good, but don’t hold up under scrutiny.
The takeaway is practical—clearer communication that supports trust, without overcomplication.
Turning Knowledge into Sales
Education has long been part of the diamond business—but how it’s delivered is changing.
Grace Isley of the Natural Diamond Council presents “Turning Diamond Knowledge into Sales,” a session built around the Diamond Learning Center, a free, on-demand platform designed for working professionals.
Isley is Head of Retail Strategy & Partnerships at the Natural Diamond Council, where she leads retail initiatives including co-op advertising, education through the Diamond Learning Center, and strategic programs designed to support and elevate natural diamond retailers.
Over the past five years, she has worked closely with independent and specialty retailers across North America, helping drive category growth and strengthen long-term consumer confidence in natural diamonds.
The focus here is usability—short-form videos, modular learning, and tools that can be applied immediately, whether for onboarding new staff or sharpening the skills of experienced teams. The goal is straightforward: better storytelling, stronger customer conversations, and ultimately, more effective natural diamond sales.
The State of the Industry—In Real Time
Rounding out the program, Rob Bates of The Jewelry Wire moderates “Hot Topics in the Jewelry Industry,” a panel discussion focused on current conditions across retail and wholesale.
Panelists include:
- Johanna Levy (GIA), Vice President of Environmental, Social, and Governance Programs
- Morgan Waters (Stuller), Vice President of Sales and Marketing
- Sara Yood (Jewelers Vigilance Committee), CEO and General Counsel
- Abe Sherman (BIG), CEO
Together, the group will examine market trends, global pressures, and the economic factors currently influencing the trade—offering a broader view to complement the session-based deep dives.
Confluence 2026: More Than a Webinar
What sets Confluence apart is its format. While sessions are pre-recorded for clarity and pacing, speakers are present live for Q&A—creating a hybrid experience that combines prepared content with real-time interaction. Attendees can also engage directly through live chat, adding a layer of community conversation often missing from traditional webinars.
Additional bonus content will expand on sustainability topics, alongside the debut of AGS’s new Members Teaching Members series, where professionals share working strategies from their own businesses.
For those looking to stay current without stepping away from day-to-day operations, Confluence offers a concentrated look at where the trade is heading—and how to respond.
Tap here to register and see the full program at ags.org/confluence.
