The National Association of Jewellers’ Institute of Registered Valuers (IRV) has announced the speakers and topics that are new for 2022 ahead of this year’s Valuers’ Conference, due to take place at the NAJ Summit at Staverton Park Hotel, Northamptonshire, UK, from June 10-12, 2022.
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Now in its 33rd year, the IRV Valuers’ Conference is one of the longest-standing educational and networking opportunities for independent valuers, designer-makers, retailers, and jewellery professionals in the UK. Now under the umbrella of the NAJ Summit, the 2022 edition is preparing to host new speakers, as well as returning speakers with a fresh topic to discuss.
Gemmologists Pat Daly and Juliette Hibou, both of the Gemmological Association of Great Britain (Gem-A), are joining this year’s workshop schedule to discuss visual optics and identifying synthetic coloured gemstones, respectively. Experienced coloured stone dealer, Amanda Good, who now works for G.F. Williams & Co. in Hatton Garden, will also host a workshop to share her views on valuing coloured gemstones from an experienced dealer’s perspective.
Kerry Gregory of consultancy service, Gemmology Rocks, will present a practical workshop titled “Take the Test!” designed to help valuers, sales professionals and retail managers assess their own skills and find the gaps in their knowledge. This can be paired with a talk by experienced gemmologist Tracy Jukes, who will use her 10th Valuers’ Conference appearance to deliver a new talk titled, “Fake or Fortune – a Gemmological Perspective”. Attendees will have the opportunity to separate ‘real’ gemstones from ‘fake’ and treated material using a loupe, while also being taught about price differences among the samples on display.
Those with an interest in biogenic gemstones can benefit from two new entries in this year’s NAJ Summit schedule, notably Gem-A’s Auroe Mathys and Mehdi Saadian, director of the London campus of the Gemological Institute of America (GIA). Mathys will discuss “The Elephant in the Room” and will share her advice on identifying ivory and its simulants, while Saadian will focus on “The 7 Value Factors of Pearls,” as outlined by the GIA and more than 60 years of research.
New workshops and masterclasses of historical interest are also set to inspire attendees at the NAJ Summit 2022, including Steven Jordan, Managing Director of Hawksworth Valuations, who will discuss historic silver items associated with the drinking of chocolate, coffee, and tea. Freelance metals conservator and gemmologist, Jo Whalley, will focus her talk on the history of gemstone mounting and setting from the Renaissance to the 21st century, while Alexander Davison of Alex John Jewellers, in Southend, will share the inspirational story of Emily Wilding Davison, his great-great-great aunt and an important figure in the Suffragette movement, through jewellery from the period.
Valuer Rosamond Clayton will share her experiences as an expert witness in various court proceedings in her masterclass, which will also discuss the safety net that the NAJ’s Institute of Registered Valuers provides when things go wrong. Her talk, “Danger Zones,” will make valuers aware of the pitfalls so they can pre-empt any challenges in their work. Finally, independent valuer, Michael Inkpen, will provide a workshop dedicated to Quantum Leap II – new software designed by valuers for valuers to support their business growth and administration digitally.
IRV administrator, Sandra Page, says: “Keeping the Valuers’ Conference fresh for over 30 years has been no easy task, but I am especially pleased to share so much newness with attendees in 2022. The topics we will address this year are a great mixture of practical, informative and historical, which means there is something for everyone in the jewellery trade. To make the most of the NAJ Summit 2022, attendees must plan their visits in advance and express their interest in workshops and masterclasses in advance to secure seats.”
The Valuers’ Conference 2022 will welcome 34 guest speakers across 36 workshops and masterclasses. The event is accompanied by a welcome BBQ on the evening of Friday, June 10, and the three-course Conference Dinner on the evening of Saturday, June 11. After dinner, the David Wilkins Trophy will be presented to this year’s winner as part of an informal Presentation of Awards Ceremony. The ceremony will also recognise new Members of the Institute, those that have achieved Fellow status, and recent CAT graduates in attendance.–
Final deadline for NAJ Summit 2022 tickets: 1st June 2022
Friday-to-Sunday tickets for NAJ Members are priced at £425 + VAT and £285 + VAT for the Retail Jewellers’ Congress on Monday, June 13. Further savings are available for Institute of Registered Valuers Members/Fellows (IRV) and JET Business Network Group Members. Attendees are also encouraged to secure accommodation on site as soon as possible by calling 01327 220676 and quoting the code NATI090622 to receive the agreed discounted rate (£93 per night).
Further information is available online. Pre-registration is critical to secure seats at popular workshops and seminars.
Register interest in the NAJ Summit 2022
Further information can be found here: naj.co.uk/summit-2022
