Conclave 2026

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10:15am EDT

AWCI Mobile Classroom: Workshop: Modern Watch Timing Equipment: Watch Timers and Their Use Walkway to OsceolaJason Ziegenbein Beyond Bridal: Elevating the Independent Jeweler Experience Congressional BRebecca Boyajian • Wade Clar • Mark Klein • Grant Mobley Building the Future – Platinum Education & the Next Generation of Jewelers Congressional AJenny Luker • Jennifer Markas • Joanna Joy Seetoo • Ross Wesdorp 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 BLiz Fraccaro, Esq. • Sara Yood, Esq. Luminescence – A Hugely Underrated Physical Property in Gem Testing Olympic AThomas Hainschwang SMS Marketing: The What, Why, & How for Jewelers Augusta ARhett Tingey The Anti-AI Playbook: Scaling With AI Without Losing Your Brand or Designs Colonial AMadeline Fraser Making the Call - Check List of the Defining Features of the major US jewelry periods from 1850-1950: A Systematic approach Oakmont A & BStarla Turner • Suzanne Martinez The Amazing Natural Diamond Story Royal Dublin BChristopher “Mike” Breeding, Ph.D. • Brenda Harwick The Microworld of Natural Diamonds Royal Dublin ANathan Renfro

11:45am EDT

AI's Next Role in Jewelry Design Royal Melbourne AMike Magee AWCI Mobile Classroom: Workshop: Quartz Testers: How and Why Walkway to OsceolaJason Champion Natural Carat Crushers Congressional BJessica Gylsen • Mitchell Clark • Jessica Harminson-Olson • Brian Toone 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 Turning Losses into $100M in Profits: Lessons from finding the opportunity in every setback and putting it into action Augusta BVal Katayev

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 • Emily Phillippy • Monica Stephenson AWCI Mobile Classroom: Workshop: Water Resistance: Wet and Dry Methods Walkway to OsceolaJason Ziegenbein Build Your Diamond Story: A Workshop for Modern Retailers Augusta BMadison Harvey • Constance Polamalu Colored Gem Grading and Pricing Workshop Oakmont A & 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 Membership Committee and Recruitment & Retention Task Force Meeting Royal Melbourne B 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 Introduction to Jewelry Forensics Royal Dublin AJohn Cason • Mike Magee • Al Gilbertson, CG Speaking the Pearl Language Royal Dublin BTao Hsu, Ph.D. • Lisa Kennedy

4:30pm EDT

"Classified!": Diamond Types, Let's Make This Interesting Augusta ANick Davies • Elizabeth West Colored Gem Grading and Pricing Workshop Oakmont A & BRichard Drucker Designing Jewelry for Casting Success – From Concept to CAD to Efficient Finishing Olympic AJoel Meltzer • Silas Morgan From Zero to Watch Repair: Building a Successful Watch Repair Department Congressional BJason Champion • Jason Ziegenbein • Justin Shiver, RJ Future Legends Congressional AAl Gilbertson, CG • Nicole Ahline • Christopher “Mike” Breeding, Ph.D. • Aaron Palke, Ph.D. • Nathan Renfro • Evan Smith, Ph.D. Organized Retail Crime in 2026: Evolving Threats and Practical Strategies for Luxury Retail Colonial AHoward Stone • Scott Guginsky Turning Maybe Into a Same-Day Yes Augusta BDavid Berdugo Young Titleholders Committee Meeting Royal Melbourne B