Conclave 2026

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10:15am EDT

AWCI Mobile Classroom: Workshop: Modern Watch Timing Equipment: Watch Timers and Their Use Walkway to OscolaJason Ziegenbein Beyond Bridal: Elevating the Independent Jeweler Experience Congressional BRebecca Boyajian • Mark Klein • Grant Mobley • Niveet Nagpal Build Your Diamond Story: A Workshop for Modern Retailers Augusta AMadison Harvey • Constance Polamalu Building the Future – Platinum Education & the Next Generation of Jewelers Congressional AKevin Reilly Frontiers in Colored Stone Origin Research: Jade, Opal, Demantoid, and Peridot Royal Melbourne AAaron Palke, Ph.D. Legal & Compliance Essentials for Today’s Jewelry Professionals Augusta BSara Yood, Esq. Luminescence – A Hugely Underrated Physical Property in Gem Testing Olympic AThomas Hainschwang Pure Transparency Colonial BShreyans Dholakia The Anti-AI Playbook: Scaling With AI Without Losing Your Brand or Designs Colonial AMadeline Fraser Introduction to Jewelry Forensics Royal Dublin AMike Magee • Al Gilbertson, CG Making the Call - Check List of the Defining Features of the major US jewelry periods from 1850-1950: A Systematic approach Olympic BStarla Turner • Suzanne Martinez The Amazing Natural Diamond Story Royal Dublin BJames Shigley, Ph.D. • Brenda Harwick

11:45am EDT

AWCI Mobile Classroom: Workshop: Quartz Testers: How and Why Walkway to OscolaJason Champion Future Legends Congressional ANicole Ahline • Christopher “Mike” Breeding, Ph.D. • Aaron Palke, Ph.D. • Nathan Renfro • Evan Smith, Ph.D. Natural Carat Crushers Congressional BJessica Gylsen Sculptures of Light: The Artistry of Contrast in Fancy-Shaped Diamonds Royal Melbourne AAmanda Hawkes, CG • Lisa Kennedy The Art and Science of Why We Buy Luxury Augusta BPeter Smith The Art of Intentional Merchandising: Turning Product Into Story, Structure, and Sell-Through Colonial BNan Lung Palmer The Leader You Imagined You'd Be and the One Your Business Actually Needs Colonial AAndrea Lucille Pooler The New AGS Appraisal and Report Standards Olympic AJoel Hassler, ACGA

3:00pm EDT

Agentic AI: When Your Digital Assistant Starts Running the Store Colonial ARoss Cockerham Attracting the Sustainable Shopper with an Impact-Driven Business Model Congressional BSusan Wheeler AWCI Mobile Classroom: Workshop: Water Resistance: Wet and Dry Methods Walkway to OscolaJason Ziegenbein Colored Gem Grading and Pricing Workshop Olympic BRichard Drucker Edit to Grow: The Discipline Behind Profitable Jewelry Assortments from Concept to Retail Colonial BNan Lung Palmer From Custom Chaos to Scalable Revenue: Fixing the Custom Jewelry Sales Process Augusta AMadeline Fraser SMS Marketing: The What, Why, & How for Jewelers Augusta BNick Gurney • Rhett Tingey The Future of Fine Jewelry: What’s Changing, What’s Enduring, and What Actually Matters Congressional AJodi Riesenberg • Lana Boutros • Alexis Padis • Nadine Tacorian • Paul Tacorian The Impact of Fluorescence on Diamond Appearance Royal Melbourne AChristopher “Mike” Breeding, Ph.D. What Every Jeweler Should Know About Precious Metals Metallurgy Olympic AJoel Meltzer • Silas Morgan Speaking the Pearl Language Royal Dublin BTao Hsu, Ph.D. • Lisa Kennedy The Microworld of Natural Diamonds Royal Dublin ANathan Renfro

4:30pm EDT

A Discussion of the Status of the Global (and US) Watch Industry Congressional BJustin Shiver, RJ • Jason Champion • Jason Ziegenbein AI's Next Role in Jewelry Design Royal Melbourne AMike Magee Colored Gem Grading and Pricing Workshop Olympic BRichard Drucker Designing Jewelry for Casting Success – From Concept to CAD to Efficient Finishing Olympic AJoel Meltzer • Silas Morgan Jewelry Interior Design is Rising to the Challenge of Current Customer Demands Colonial BLeslie McGwire Organized Retail Crime in 2026: Evolving Threats and Practical Strategies for Luxury Retail Colonial AHoward Stone • Scott Guginsky Seamless Selling: Where Brands Meet Retail Congressional AStephanie Major The Fridge, the Palace, and the Diamond Machine: The Story Behind the Creation of Synthetic Diamonds Augusta AElizabeth West Turning Maybe Into a Same-Day Yes Augusta BDavid Berdugo