American Gem Society
Encyclopedia
The American Gem Society (AGS) is a trade association of retail jewelers, independent appraisers, suppliers, and selective industry members, which was founded in 1934 by Robert M. Shipley, who also founded the (GIA
). Members are held to a high code of ethics with emphasis on consumer protection and education.
The Society is based in Las Vegas, Nevada
, along with the affiliated American Gem Society Laboratories (AGSL) (founded in 1996) and the American Gem Society Advanced Instruments Division (founded in 2004).
The Society trains and certifies jewelers, gemologists, and jewelry appraisers. Diamond
grading is the specialty of the American Gem Society Laboratories and the Society has developed its own cut, color, and clarity standards.
Gemological Institute of America
The Gemological Institute of America, or GIA, is a nonprofit institute dedicated to research and education in the field of gemology and the jewelry arts. Founded in 1931, GIA's mission is to protect all buyers and sellers of gemstones by setting and maintaining the standards used to evaluate...
). Members are held to a high code of ethics with emphasis on consumer protection and education.
The Society is based in Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
, along with the affiliated American Gem Society Laboratories (AGSL) (founded in 1996) and the American Gem Society Advanced Instruments Division (founded in 2004).
The Society trains and certifies jewelers, gemologists, and jewelry appraisers. Diamond
Diamond
In mineralogy, diamond is an allotrope of carbon, where the carbon atoms are arranged in a variation of the face-centered cubic crystal structure called a diamond lattice. Diamond is less stable than graphite, but the conversion rate from diamond to graphite is negligible at ambient conditions...
grading is the specialty of the American Gem Society Laboratories and the Society has developed its own cut, color, and clarity standards.