The National Association of Jewelry Appraisers (NAJA) is announcing their 64th Annual ACE©It education conference on August 9 & 10, 2025!
This is a VIRTUAL event in which you can LIVE STREAM in Your Home!
Conference Program: When
The program runs from noon to 4 PM EST, Saturday, August 9, and noon to 4 PM on Sunday, August 10.
Recorded
The Conference Program will be recorded and available until midnight on Sunday, August 17, 2025
Cost
Only $150 for the webinar and recording for NAJA members
$200 for the webinar and recording for NON-members
Saturday’s Conference Schedule
August 9, 2025
Noon: Duncan Parker, FGA, Presenting:
Jewels Before the End of a Fixed Gold Price: The 1960s
In the 1960s, gold was on a fixed price per ounce, and this was an important factor that contributed to the styles, forms and size of jewels in the period. However, many other social and demographic factors contributed to the jewels that people designed, built, and chose to wear 50 or 60 years ago. We will explore the styles, designs, designers, materials and factors that contributed to the jewels we still see in collections that come to us for appraisal.
1 PM: Deborah Finleon, GIA GG and Sherlene Bradbury, GIA GG, Presenting:
Cash and Contracts
We will be discussing the ins and outs of fees and contracts, including a brief discussion of setting up a fee structure that works for your business and for you. We’ll cover the basics of contracts, engagement agreements, and retainers – when you need them and when you don’t, as well as what to include to cover yourself and make sure you get paid. Then, we’ll look at some concrete examples to get you started!
2 PM: Michael Johnson, GIA GG, Presenting:
Swiss Luxury Watches, Understanding the History, Assessing the Value
This class will begin with a brief tour through Swiss Watch Making History. This history will help you understand why the Swiss Watch Making Industry is where it is and give you great talking points to share with your clients. We will next take a deeper dive into several important Swiss watch companies including, Rolex, Tudor, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Ulysse Nardin, Cartier, Louis Moinet, IWC Schaffhausen, and Parmigiani. Finally, we will learn how to identify authenticity, assess condition, and assign values for appraisals or purchasing. If you Appraise, purchase, or sell watches this class will help you increase your confidence and give you confidence as you communicate with your clients about watches.
3 PM: Al Gilbertson, GIA GG, Presenting:
Jewelry Forensics
Many jewelry trade professionals already go through a process to identify, analyze, and assess an item’s quality and nature. Is it comprehensive and systematic? Does it help determine if the item is ‘fit for purpose?’ A ‘forensic’ approach that involves asking 12 questions about the piece that encompasses its materials (metals, gems), method of construction, and ultimate quality, focusing on the risk of failure when worn, provides a great framework to operate from. This can be invaluable to anyone who assesses jewelry—buyers, appraisers, manufacturers, designers, retail staff, intake specialists, or bench jewelers responsible for repairs. Many know only certain aspects of manufacturing and can only recognize a narrow range of specific make traces. You may recognize a die-struck jewelry finding (such as a six-prong die-struck setting) but not when a mold was used to recast the finding to construct a piece of jewelry. Do you understand why that matters? This short introduction to jewelry forensics overviews GIA’s two-and-a-half-day hands-on class, identifying hand-fabricated components, cast components, CAD/CAM manufactured components, and cast-in-place gemstones as examples.
Sunday’s Conference Schedule
Sunday, August 10, 2025
Noon: Scott Papper, GIA GG, Presenting:
Trademark Identification for Jewelry Appraisers
This presentation explores practical methodologies for identifying jewelry trademarks and maker’s marks. Attendees will learn how to recognize, research, and accurately share best practices to help appraisers avoid potentially costly missteps. Real-world examples will highlight effective research tools, red flags, and documentation techniques essential for professional reporting.
1 PM: Linda Koslof-Turner, GIA GG
What it Took to Write this Book ‘Women of Jewelry’ Stories from the Author
This is a series of stories about how I started, what inspired me, what were some of the obstacles? and how I finished! I have gained so much knowledge from all of the women I interviewed. Having seen and handled a significant volume of the world’s finest jewelry and gemstones for over 10 years, including 7 years of being a guest at Couture, I learned about the women’s pricing, and the sources of their inspiration. This immense education has also supported my appraisal career. My years of research on each artist has given me extraordinary insight into the world of jewelry manufacturing and production which I currently use in nearly every appraisal I do.
2 PM: Lauren Abramovitz, GIA GG Presenting:
Peeking into the Blue Box
This presentation will go over current events that have taken place with merchandise selection, merchandise quality, new stones, and the change of ownership to LVMH. Included will be ways to identify faux, imitation and genuine T&C merchandise.
3 PM: Gary Roskin, FGA, Presenting:
Appraising, Your Valuable Time & Expertise: How to Improve your Worth by Sharing Your Knowledge
If you are wondering how you can justify increasing your income without starting a second job, then this session is for you. We will look at your typical jewelry appraisal and discuss the many ways in which you can expand the sharing of your expertise and therefore justify your added value.
Tap here to check out the NAJA Website and to register for the upcoming conference!
