This seminar will show how you can entice the affluent customer to visit your store more often and feed their quest for the unique. You will also explore how you can use Natural Color Diamonds to ad excitement to your shopping experience at the Show!

Speaker(s): Diane Warga Arias, Natural Colored Diamond Association

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As issues and commercial opportunities have changed the gemstone world, the industry's labs have responded. In this session, learn from representatives of some of the leading laboratories about their lab's practices regarding descriptive statements and grades for colored gemstones and pearls, including issues such as origin, irradiation enhancement, and more.

Speaker(s): Gary Roskin - Senior Gemstone Editor, JCK Magazine [Moderator]
Cap Beesley, AGL [Panelist]
Branko Deljanin, EGL-Canada and GHI India [Panelist]
Richard Hughes, AGTA-GTC [Panelist]
Shane McClure, GIA [Panelist]
Nicholas Del Re, EGL USA [Speaker]

Keeping your clients by building a relationship with them is the goal of a loyalty program. This session details elements of a loyalty program suited to jewelry clients with stories from retail jewelers who have actually implemented them.

Speaker(s): Kirsten Darrow - Marketing Director, Fred Meyer/Littman Jewelers [Speaker]

For most stores, the challenge is to teach technically competent salespeople to step up to the fashion driven sale. In this session, Kate Peterson helps you develop a strategy for expanding the focus of your seasoned sales associates while capitalizing on the enthusiasm of those new additions to your team. Learn simple techniques for training your staff to recognize a fashion-driven sale, identifying what's important to the client and building incremental business by connecting client interest to the season's silhouettes, fabrics and colors.

Speaker(s): Kate Peterson, Performance Concepts [Speaker]

In this informative and practical session, you'll learn how standard gemological instruments can help you to identify the most important commercial diamond treatments. You'll get up to speed on the latest diamond treatments hitting the marketplace. Cost: $145. Maximum of 30 people. GIA will process enrollments, call 800-421-7250, ext. 4001. If seats available, GIA will enroll at the door.

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Synthetic (a.ka. "lab-grown," "man-made," and "cultured") diamonds are being seen increasingly in the market. In this session, you'll hear from producers of synthetic diamonds who will give you tips on deciding factors to consider before including them in your inventory mix.

Speaker(s): Rob Bates - Senior Editor, JCK Magazine [Moderator]
Tom Chatham, Chatham, Inc. [Panelist]
Clark McEwen, The Gemesis Corporation [Panelist]
Bryant Linares, Apollo Diamond Inc. [Panelist]
Cecilia Gardner, Jewelers Vigilance Committee [Panelist]

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Description: Profit margins are very available for your colored gemstone department when you buy wisely. In this session, Richard Drucker brings the latest information regarding colored gemstone availability and pricing, including what gemstones are favored by both supply and fashion. For jewelers who offer custom design, for astute retailers who stock color, for manufacturers who are interested in trends forecasts for strategic planning, this session is full of detail building to insight.

Speaker(s): Richard Drucker, Gem World-The Guide [Speaker]

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No longer can you wait for customers – sometimes they aren’t coming. You have to create business. In this fun and motivational seminar Brad Huisken shows how salespeople can build their individual businesses and thus grow the business of the entire store. Learn how your salespeople can draw more people coming into the store than ever before and how to sell more to the people already coming in. Most salespeople believe the goal is to make a sale – Huisken says the goal is to make a friend. Salespeople will learn how to increase personal trade, repeat business and refer business through building relationships with your customers. Huisken details how to constantly and substantially increase your customer base.

Speaker(s): Brad Huisken - President, IAS Training [Speaker]

Join this panel of fashion experts and learn how to turn trends on the runway into cash in your register. By satisfying the fashion fanatic's sweet tooth, you can expand your customer base and keep your existing clients coming back for more.

Speaker(s): Michelle Orman - President, Lup [Moderator]
Emmy Kasten - Fashion Editor/Producer, "The Little Black Dress" [Speaker]
Laura Hughes - Editorial Director, Elite Traveler [Speaker]
Randi Molofsky - Fashion Blogger, Portero [Speaker]
Mark Montano - Television Host, Designer, Author, and Artist [Speaker]

Become up-to-date on rubies, sapphires and emeralds. This three-hour lab gives you the opportunity to learn about new ruby synthetics and the latest treatments (including fracture filling.) Learn how to detect treated sapphires and synthetics, and the importance of treatment disclosure. Receive up-to-date information on emerald treatment and synthetics. Cost: $145. Maximum of 30 people. GIA will process enrollments, call 800-421-7250, ext. 4001. If seats available, GIA will enroll at the door.

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