UPCOMING EVENTS

Coming in Sept – Ms. Singer’s presentation will explore the role of the female in the jewelry industry. An intriguing dichotomy exists in that although women typically function as the ultimate consumers of jewelry products, most jewelry designers are, and historically have been, men.

Coming in Sept – Special 2nd Meeting Opportunity – Ms. Serras-Herman’s lecture will take a virtual tour of key mines, exploring the role they have played in the population and development of the area. Helen will also detail how the history and materials of the region have inspired her latest jewelry collections.

Ivory Workshop – Mr. Bobby Mann GG, PG, is a collector of unusual ivories tusks, teeth, skulls as well as natural and manufactured look-a-likes. He has the largest collection of natural ivories, natural and manufactured look-a-likes available for hands-on teaching. He is co-founder of the International Ivory Society (1996). Since 1996 he has been teaching ivory identification through his talks, seminars and hands-on workshops. He is also the manufacturer of Ivory I.D. comparison kits. He is a (GG) Graduate Gemologist (GIA) (1982), a (PG) Professional Gemologist Columbia School of Gemology (1983) and ivory identification specialist. Formally retired as Captain of the Washington DC Fire Department after 28 years service, he is also past president of the National Capital Area Chapter of the International Society of Appraisers and president of the Washington, DC Chapter of the Gemological Institute of America Alumni.

Coming in October – Explore both the aesthetics and the scandals of the period, through the mirror of jewelry. The era produced both masterpieces of elegant design and “masterpieces” of scandal. Design emphasized lightness, airiness, and delicacy, yet society and politics were rife with the darker arts of libel and theft. To illustrate these concepts, Dr. Forman will recount incidents such as the tale of the Queen’s Necklace and the story of how the French Crown Jewels were stolen from the Garde Meuble in September of 1792.

Coming in November – The lecture will consider amber from locations spanning the globe and will explore uses historic and contemporary. Amber has been traded for thousands of years, sought in bygone eras for supposed magical and medicinal benefits and valued today for decorative properties. A particular focus will be on treatments and imitations, including classic enhancements, new modifications used to turn ambers and copals green, and outright fakes.

Monthly Meetings are held at the Holiday Inn Rosslyn, 1900 Ft. Meyer Drive, Arlington, VA 22209, at the Virginia end of Key Bridge, 703-807-2000. Admission is free for those who have paid their 2010 meeting fees and $15.00 for all others. Meetings begin with a speaker meet and greet at 7:00 PM and meeting start of 7:30 PM.

DCGIA Application 2010 Revised – If you have an interest we invite you to participate.