Charles & Colvard, Ltd. has given a $100,000 gift to GIA to help fund the Institute’s first Gemological Research Conference, which will be held in 2006. The company will be inducted into the League of Honor next year in recognition of its generosity.

“People in our industry need to have a better understanding of how far technology has advanced and what the future holds so they can be prepared for it,” said Robert S. Thomas, chairman, president, and CEO of Charles & Colvard. “We think it’s important that scientists have a forum to come together to become aware of all the treatments and synthetics that are out there. Our gift supports this effort and also helps to demonstrate Charles & Colvard’s place in the industry.”

The GIA Gemological Research Conference will be held Aug. 26–27, 2006, in conjunction with the Institute’s 4^th International Gemological Symposium. It will highlight innovations and developments in gemology through a series of presentations that will focus on six themes: geology of gem deposits, new gem occurrences, gem characterization techniques, diamond and corundum treatments, laboratory-grown gem materials, and general gemology.

GIA will invite two guest speakers for each theme and provide the opportunity for others to share cutting-edge research findings during the sessions, said Dr. James Shigley, director of GIA Research and event co-chair.

Those who prefer not to give a lecture, but still want to participate, can present their research during the conference’s poster session.

“We expect about 60 people to give oral presentations that explore the most recent technical developments in gemology,” Shigley said. “Opening the conference to scientists from various disciplines provides a wider range of perspectives.”

Charles & Colvard, Ltd. became an innovator in the industry when it developed the process to create gem-quality synthetic moissanite in the late 1980s and began to produce it for jewelry in 1995. Today the company is the sole source and distributor of gem-quality created moissanite.

The gift to GIA is not the first for the company. In 2003, it donated synthetic moissanite valued at more than $40,000 to GIA Education, which included more than 1,200 pieces.

“As we educate the trade and consumers about moissanite, we’re creating a whole new category in the jewelry industry,” Thomas said. “We’re excited to be part of this industry, and we hope to make moissanite as ubiquitous as ruby, emerald, and diamond.”

Those who would like to present at the Gemological Research Conference should send an abstract of their research for consideration by March 1, 2006. Abstracts for presentations should be submitted to the organizing committee at gemconference@gia.edu. Abstracts for poster presentations should be submitted to Dona Dirlam.

Click here for more information about the Gemological Research Conference and here for more information about the 2006 International Gemological Symposium.

July 15, 2005