NAJA is the National Association of Jewelry Appraisers to and will hold its 34th Annual Mid-Year Conference this summer on antique jewelry ‘Facts vs. Myths’. The program has in mind offering continuing education and networking opportunities for professional appraisers.

Few seminars listed on the program:

• “Dating and Authenticating Through Gems,” led by Rui Galopim de Carvalho, FGA (Fellow of the Gemological Association)
• “The Value of Time: The Language and Fundamentals of Evaluating Wristwatches and Pocketwatches,” led by Edward Faber
• “Arts and Crafts vs. Art Nouveau: Similarities and Differences”
• “A Better Understanding of Precious Metal Content.”

Speakers will include a line-up of experienced graduate gemologists, jewelry designers, authors and curators. If you want to take part of the event,  visit the NAJA Web site, NAJAAppraisers.com, click on “Conferences” and then download a brochure and registration form.

More than 60 jewelry companies, including Sears, Herff Jones, and Tiffany & Co., have committed to purchase cleaner sources of gold by endorsing the Golden Rules, a set of principles for more responsible mining. These companies are calling on the mining industry, one of the world’s dirtiest, to move away from current practices that harm local communities and generate millions of tons of toxic waste.

These retailers, which represent 22 percent of the U.S. jewelry market and $14.5 billion in sales, are urging the mining industry to end practices that harm local communities, pollute drinking water, and generate millions of tons of toxic waste. The production of a single gold ring generates about 20 tons of mine waste, which can release acids and toxic pollutants.

Gold demand for jewelry represents the equivalent of 90 percent of gold mine production , making jewelry the single largest market for gold. Despite growing pressure from jewelers and consumers, the mining industry is dragging its feet on implementing the kinds of changes needed. Mining companies have yet to make measurable and verifiable progress towards applying the Golden Rules, which call for more responsible practices, including:

• respect for human rights and workers’ rights;
• free and informed consent from local communities before mining;
• staying out of protected natural areas;
• an end to dumping mine waste into rivers, streams and coastal waters;
• guaranteed payment for the costs of closing and cleaning up mines.

*EARTHWORKS and partners from around the world launched the “No Dirty Gold” campaign in 2004 to educate and motivate consumers and jewelry retailers to push the mining industry towards more responsible practices. Since then, over 60 jewelry companies have committed to switching to cleaner gold sources when available, and more than 100,000 consumers have joined the effort.