Dallas, Texas, February 13, 2019 – The highly-anticipated AGTA GemFair™ Tucson show opened February 5, 2019 to near- record first-day attendance, and the success continued throughout the entire show. With the debut of the new Grand Ballroom deemed a hit, the buyers attending were drawn to this new and elegant space, featuring designers, manufacturers, colored diamond dealers and estate jewelers. “This was an important move for this group of exhibitors,” said Douglas K. Hucker, AGTA CEO. “We committed to making this space an inviting and upscale area and both exhibitors and buyers were very pleased with the beautiful salon-type ambiance. The traffic was very steady throughout the whole show, with some exhibitors sharing it was the best show they’d ever had.” The Grand Ballroom also included an expanded area of Tools, Technology and Supplies, the only one of its kind in Tucson.
The AGTA GemFair™ Tucson show also increased the variety of exhibitors found on the GemHall floor, adding new lapidary artists, loose colored gemstone dealers, as well as mineral dealers. The Smithsonian Institution once again brought a bevy of treasures to share with GemFair buyers as part of the special exhibits featured at AGTA GemFair™ Tucson.
AGTA continued its very successful educational program in Tucson, with over 30 speakers from around the world discussing everything from colored gemstone and cultured pearl updates to new technology and marketing strategies. The AGTA GemFair™ Tucson was also host to the third annual Jewelry Industry Summit, which was an open forum on sustainability and responsible sourcing for the jewelry industry, as well as the Gemstone Industry & Laboratory Conference (GILC) meeting.
AGTA GemFair™ Tucson also featured many special events including the Scotty Woodward Classic 5k, benefitting the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics Arizona, and the AGTA Spectrum Awards™ Gala, which honored the 2018 award winners.
The American Gem Trade Association (AGTA) is an association of United States and Canadian trade professionals dedicated to promoting the long term stability and integrity of the natural colored gemstone and cultured pearl industries. The Association pursues its goals through the combined use of educational programs, publicity, industry events, government and industry relations, and printed materials for both the trade and consumer. The AGTA is well-known in the gemstone and jewelry industries for maintaining the highest ethical standards.
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