Every Gem Carries A Story– We Uncover It.
Join us at AGTA to explore how GIA’s research, field gemology, and expert gemologists uncover the stories behind colored stones—from geographic origin and treatment to identity. Experience this work firsthand through interactive exhibits, educational insights, and trusted reports that help you build confidence with clients.
Lab Setting
Show Service Laboratory

GIA’s team of on-site gemologists offer convenient access to colored stone identification and origin lab services. Must be a GIA registered client.

Onyx Suite
February 1 - 5
9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Submissions and pickup available

February 6
9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Pickup only

Please provide your GIA client number with your submission.

Don’t have a GIA client number?

Learn how to open a laboratory service account here. →
More at AGTA 2026
Complimentary Report Conversion
Complimentary Report Conversion

For this exclusive at-show promotion, GIA is offering complimentary reprints of current colored stone reports using our new GIA Colored Stone Report design with same-day turnaround time. Available Monday, February 2 to Friday, February 6.

Submission Details:

- Must have current physical report with you.
- Only Identification or Origin reports dated January 1, 2025, or newer are eligible.

Visit the GIA booth for more information.

Night at the Museum
Night at the Museum

GIA Alumni Collective® invites you to join us for a very special Sapphire Anniversary celebration! Gather with friends, fellow alumni, and industry professionals to explore the museum collections and have a memorable evening in honor of five years as the GIA Alumni Collective.

We will also announce the finalists and recipient of the Gianmaria Buccellati Foundation Award for Excellence in Jewelry Design.

February 6
7:00 – 10:00 p.m.
Alfie Norville Gem & Mineral Museum

Tickets are $75 for general admission.

GIA Instruments
GIA Instruments

Science and innovation meet modern design to provide the technology you need to protect your customers and business.

GIA Gemolite® NXT
Discover GlA’s most advanced gemological microscope, featuring LED lighting, high-clarity optics, and ergonomic features designed for optimal performance and customization.

GIA iD100®
Use advanced spectroscopic technology to distinguish natural diamonds from non-natural diamonds and diamond simulants in less than two seconds with easy “Pass” or “Refer” reading results.

Interactive Colored Stone Exhibit

Experience the beauty and science of colored stones like never before.

Each day at AGTA, our microscope stations will feature a rotating collection of specimens tied to key industry topics—including treatment detection and geographic origin determination for ruby, sapphire, and emerald. As you explore these stones under magnification, you’ll uncover the “chapters” of their stories: their origins, their treatments, and the features that define their identity.

Across the booth, discover curated specimen cases displaying exceptional rough, polished, and mounted gemstones, each paired with its newly issued GIA Colored Stone Report—demonstrating how GIA verifies the true story behind every stone.

Engage with the content through our daily quizzes, offering the chance to win newly designed GIA Colored Stone Reports.

Not attending in person? Participate from anywhere through our virtual quiz, and win prizes from the GIA Store.

GIA Lab Classes at AGTA
GIA Diamond Grading Lab Class

Gain hands-on diamond grading skills and practice with professional gemological equipment in a GIA Lab Class. Offered at the historic Alfie Norville Gem & Mineral Museum in Tucson, AZ, these classes satisfy your lab class requirements for GIA Online Diplomas.

Lab Class
Continuing Education Seminars
Ruby & Sapphire
(UN)natural Beauty: Treatments in Ruby & Sapphire
February 5 | 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. | Alfie Norville Gem & Mineral Museum

It is increasingly rare to come across ruby and sapphire whose beauty and appeal is entirely due to natural processes. During this hands-on seminar, GIA experts provide an in-depth understanding of their various artificial treatments and how to identify them. Through close examination of specimens, participants will learn practical tips and gain a better understanding of why these stones were treated at all.

Register →
Turquoise
Don’t Sleep on These Beauties: An Overview of Turquoise
February 7 | 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. | Alfie Norville Gem & Mineral Museum

Discover a true Arizona gem! Participants in this hands-on seminar join GIA experts on a tour through historic turquoise mines in the US and important sources abroad. Learners will also have an opportunity to identify treatments, synthetics, and imitations through specimen analysis. From its role in jewelry and culture to cutting-edge testing techniques, explore the beauty and complexity that turquoise brings to the trade.

Register →
Expert Insights
Dr. Shigley
The Science of Origin Determination for Colored Stones
Dr. James Shigley, Wim Vertriest, and Aaron Palke
Wednesday, February 4 at 11:00 a.m., AGTA - Meeting Room 201-203

Demand for colored stone origin determination has grown significantly in recent years. This service is grounded in comparing a client’s gemstone to samples of known geographic origin. Since 2008, GIA researchers have conducted more than 100 field expeditions worldwide to collect reliable rough colored stone samples used for research and reporting.

During this presentation, researchers will take you through GIA’s scientific approach to origin determination.

Aaron Palke
Behind the Scenes of the Gemological Laboratory: Practical (and Impractical) Gemology in the Modern World
Aaron Palke
Wednesday, February 4 at 3:30 p.m., AGA Conference, Tucson Marriott University Park; Room: Madera-Canyons

Join this talk to understand how laboratory testing has become a critical partner to traditional gemological training. Determining beryllium diffusion, low-temperature heat treatment, and geographic origin requires advanced instrumentation found only in modern laboratories. This presentation explains today’s testing landscape, demonstrates procedures inside GIA’s lab, and offers guidance on when gemologists should rely on lab-based analysis.

Wim Vertriest
Field Gemology: A Foundation to Better Understand Gemstones
Wim Vertriest
Tuesday, February 3 at 3:00 p.m., AGTA - Meeting Room 201-203

Join this talk for an inside look at GIA’s field gemology work. For more than 15 years, GIA teams have traveled to mining regions worldwide to collect highly reliable samples for scientific research, a foundation for strong gemological data. Field gemology also offers insight into how gems form, how they are mined, and what they mean to local communities. This perspective helps gemologists understand the full context of a gemstone and address the complex challenges facing today’s industry.