October JF&A Show Highlights

Daily Seminars at the October 21 - 24, 2010 JF&A Show:
Thursday – Sunday, 11:30 a.m. & 1:30 p.m.
1 FREE appraisal will be raffled off at each session!

Diamond Jewelry - A Buyer’s Guide:

In today’s fast-paced world, there is a lot of misinformation and disinformation about diamonds and jewelry. This session aims to filter out that background noise. It will guide you through the beauty and rarity of each type of stone – be that top-white or off-color; flawless or included; a round-brilliant or a fancy shape; an ideal-cut or a fish-eye. This topic will include an interactive demonstration on color, clarity, cut, and carat weight (the four C’s), bringing together the value of a stone. Ultimately, knowing a stone’s true value will better prepare you to be a confident consumer.

You do not buy a house without a reputable inspection. Similarly, it is advisable to have purchase verification for your gems and jewelry by a knowledgeable, un-biased third-party. As such, this session will bring to light the importance of a diamond certificate and of a thorough appraisal. These will better protect you in case of loss, damage, or theft. This session will also clarify the differences between laboratories, and the reasons why there are price variations between stones. An informed and knowledgeable buyer is an empowered buyer.

 Myriam Tashey is a native of Antwerp and is a second-generation member of the diamond industry, where she worked for seven years for a sight-holder during that time she traveled extensively through Africa buying rough diamonds. In 1980 she opened a gem lab in California with her husband Thomas E. Tashey, GG, FGA. In 1998, they opened a second office in Chicago. Myriam has been an active career counselor at the GIA career fair; a past co-president of the Women’s Jewelry Association in Los Angeles and president of WJA in Chicago; organized the first “Women in the Know” conference in the Midwest through WJA. She was a multiple-time delegate for the World Federation of Diamond Bourses.