Presenter Spotlight – Fundamentals of Jewelry Appraisal

The American Society of Appraisers will be offering a new 1-day Fundamentals of Jewelry Appraisal class designed to provide students an introduction to the core competencies that every appraiser needs to know to accurately value gems and jewelry for scheduled insurance coverage. Everything from ethics, vocabulary, research and report writing is covered in the class. Video modules will teach how to recognize manufacturing and stone setting techniques, judge the quality of repairs, stone setting and overall workmanship, as well as techniques to measure and grade mounted gems and diamonds.

Two separate offerings of the class will be held: Monday, February 3, 2020 at the Tucson Marriott University Park in Tucson, AZ and Monday, March 2, 2020 at the GIA World Headquarters in Carlsbad, CA.

Instruction for two classes will be provided by two ASA Master Gemologist Appraisers® with over 3 decades of appraising experience: Mary B. Reich, G.G., FGA, ASA, MGA® and Mark T. Cartwright, G.G., ASA, MGA®.

Mary B. Reich, G.G., FGA, ASA, MGA®

Mary B. Reich, GG, FGA, ASA, MGA, is the Principal of Gemologically Speaking in Albuquerque, NM. Mary has been working in the jewelry industry since 1982, including work as a showroom manager for a wholesale gemstone dealer, a manager or buyer for fine family-owned retail jewelry stores and as an independent jewelry appraiser since 2007.

Mark T. Cartwright, G.G., ASA, MGA®

Mark T. Cartwright, G.G., ASA, CMA, ICGA, is the President of Sapphire Sky, Inc. and director of The Gem Lab, ICGA in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Mark has earned the highest appraisal designations of the American Society of Appraisers, the International Society of Appraisers, the American gem Society, and the National Association of Jewelry Appraisers. He began cutting gemstones at age 12 and started crafting jewelry at age 20. Since 1981 he has at various times owned a jewelry design studio, worked as an in-house jewelry designer and has been an independent jewelry valuer since 2001.