Celebrating 90 Years of Excellence, Innovation, and Trust: The American Gem Society

In 1930, Robert M. Shipley, an experienced retail jeweler, introduced the study of gemology to the United States, starting in California. The new subject was taken up throughout the country only after years of Shipley’s diligent work and perseverance. With the aid and encouragement of a group of California jewelers, Shipley founded the GIA (Gemological Institute of America) in 1931 as an educational organization to teach this new science. At the same time, he envisioned and proposed an ethical and professional nonprofit society.

As his students gathered into local and regional study groups, some enthusiastically began to form local societies. To maintain cohesion, Shipley organized the American Gem Society (AGS) in 1934, bringing his dream of a professional association to life. Upon approval by membership committees, all student jewelers automatically became American Gem Society members. Those who completed the fundamental gemological course became Graduate Members—a title that was supplanted in 1935 by Registered Jeweler, American Gem Society. During the following years, more groups of members in other regions were organized under the supervision of the American Gem Society, and all such groups were called Regional Guilds.

Though the industry did not immediately embrace Shipley’s ideas, his original vision of both the Gemological Institute of America and the American Gem Society is alive today. Indeed, these institutions set gemological and professional standards for the jewelry industry worldwide. Over time, Shipley’s vision has ultimately been realized. He saw GIA as an educational resource for the retail jeweler and AGS as a professional organization that promotes high standards of ethics, education, and service.

The American Gem Society and the GIA were close during their early years. They were served by the same headquarters in Los Angeles and mainly by the same staff. Shipley was the President of GIA and, until 1946, was also the Executive Director of the Society. The Society conducted the educational courses leading up to its title of Registered Jeweler, American Gem Society, and GIA conducted the more advanced courses. During this period, AGS was developing increasingly higher standards for the conduct of its members.

A clearer separation between the American Gem Society and the Gemological Institute of America was desirable and inevitable, with GIA serving Shipley’s vision of an educational institute and AGS serving his vision of a professional society. In 1938, the American Gem Society was incorporated under California law as a nonprofit organization with its board of directors. Later, a committee known as the National Committee (now the International Board of Directors) was appointed to provide overall direction of Society policy. Other committees were created to deal with more specialized questions. This same year, a group of Canadian firms joined, and the Society became international in scope.

Starting in the late 1930s, AGS began making significant contributions in gem testing equipment, beginning with the Diamondscope, the first binocular gem microscope, which was designed under Society auspices. A Diamond Colorimeter was designed to color grade loose diamonds. First, a mechanical instrument, and later electronic, it provided the basis of grading and comparison by which the master color grading sets used by AGS members were assembled.

In 1937, a large group of Society members was brought together in Chicago for an intensive two-day educational Conclave. This meeting drew members from all over the United States. It provided the first opportunity for members to meet and discuss their ideas for the future of the Society and its policies.

The successful 1937 Conclave was repeated in 1938 for three days in Boston. These Conclaves contributed to the growing code for the internal government of the Society and the professional conduct of its members. Conclaves were continued annually through 1943 and then temporarily suspended because of wartime travel restrictions.

During World War II, the activities of the Society were necessarily limited, but the essential functions were maintained, the membership continued to grow, and the separation of AGS from GIA continued. The Society relinquished to GIA the fundamental scientific course in gemology, which led to the Registered Jeweler title. GIA, in turn, relinquished to the Society the title of Certified Gemologist^®. However, it wasn’t until early 1948 that the separation of the American Gem Society from the Gemological Institute of America was completed with the establishment of an entirely separate headquarters and staff for the Society.

In recognition of its vital function as the only educational organization in the jewelry industry, the members of the Society conducted a successful campaign in 1943 to raise an Endowment Fund for the GIA, which was sufficient for GIA to take over its financing from Robert and Beatrice Shipley and to perpetuate their work.

By the conclusion of World War II, the Society had completed the structure of its organization, and finances for the future had been fully formed. In 1946, dues for AGS membership were voluntarily and substantially raised to establish the Society’s financial independence. In 1947, the first true international meeting of the members was held in Chicago. More than two hundred members from all over the United States and Canada attended this meeting, patterned on the prewar Conclaves.

One of the immediate works of the post-war period was the writing of the Membership Manual of the American Gem Society, formally bringing together the history, purposes, standards, activities, organization, procedures, and Constitution of the Society. With the work of Carleton Broer, this integration was completed in July 1948.

Over several years, the Society sent representatives to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) hearings, which resulted in the FTC Trade Practice Rules for the Jewelry Industry in 1957. The Society established standards and requirements for AGS Accredited Gem Labs^®, gemological equipment requirements for Firm Members, and important new standing committees. Processes for members to vote on Society officers, members of the International Board of Directors, and members of the Executive Committee were also established.

In 1967, the most prestigious award in the jewelry industry was established by the AGS membership.

The resolution to establish the Robert M. Shipley Award^® was passed without a dissenting vote as a permanent acknowledgment and appreciation for Mr. Shipley’s vision and foresight. The resolution speaks for itself. It is reproduced in the “Awards Section” in the AGS Membership Manual. This award is presented annually to a new recipient at Conclave. Recipients of this award are listed in the Membership Directory, on the AGS website, and on a bronze wall plaque in the boardroom at AGS headquarters.

Meanwhile, standards continued to be set and raised. In 1965, the membership voted to require that firm members possess a binocular gem microscope. In 1966, after eleven years of work by the Diamond Standards Committee, the Society published a manual of proposed diamond grading standards for cut, color, and clarity.

In 1971, the possession of three Master Color Grading Diamonds was a requirement for Firm Membership. In 1975, the Diamond Grading Standards were voted on and approved by the membership as official AGS standards.

In 1979, following several years of committee discussions and much membership involvement, the Society adopted official Appraisal Standards, which are mandatory for all members who perform appraisals. In 1983, a new title was added to those that could be earned by the members of the Society: Certified Gemologist Appraiser, American Gem Society^®. The new title allowed the appraiser to specialize in and be recognized for their expertise in appraising.

While guidelines for appraisals were first published in 1969, they were updated and reissued in 1981 and 1986, with the most complete version appearing in the 1999 AGS Membership Manual.

Not even an abbreviated history of AGS would be complete without a mention of past Executive Director Al Woodill. He followed Robert M. Shipley as Executive Director of the AGS and served from 1947 through 1986. Through his leadership and unwavering focus on the ideals and purpose of the AGS, this organization remains the industry’s most prestigious association. “Big Al,” as his friends called him, is largely attributed to the success and blueprint of AGS as it is today.

After his retirement, Al stayed in close contact with the American Gem Society headquarters, advising both the management team and Presidents of the AGS International Board of Directors over the years. On August 16, 2021, Mr. Woodill passed away at 101 years old.

In his honor, the American Gem Society launched a tribute page to the man who was also nicknamed “Mr. AGS.” His legend lives on. In 2021, the AGS International Board of Directors implemented the Al Woodill Award for deserving AGS staff members who excel in their service to the Society and its community.

On August 15, 1993, the American Gem Society began serving its members from a new headquarters in Las Vegas, Nevada. The new Robert M. Shipley Building was completed the following year and became home to the AGS staff.

In the mid-1990s, the first website of the American Gem Society was launched, providing an instantaneous resource for members and the jewelry consumer.

In 1996, AGS took a major stand in the industry by opening the American Gem Society Laboratories^®, a diamond grading lab offering numerous gemological diamond grading reports, including the Diamond Quality^® Document, which was recognized for its emphasis on Cut. The Lab earned a solid reputation within the industry, and its reports are recognized internationally. The AGS also developed a new classification of membership known as the Certified Sales Associate^® (CSA). This classification of membership is awarded to a member firm associate who has completed and passed the CSA Course.

The beginning of the 21st century was another milestone for the Society. In 2000, the $4 million Partnership for Excellence Capital Campaign commenced, with the objective of funding the expansion of the AGS campus in Las Vegas. In the fall of that year, the AGS’s first annual Circle of Distinction gala dinner was held in New York as prominent jewelry industry members gathered to honor and recognize the achievements of their peers with the bestowal of the Lifetime Achievement and Triple Zero^® awards.

Later that year, a groundbreaking ceremony was held to expand the existing AGS headquarters building into a campus, including a new structure designed to house the growing AGS Laboratories. In June 2001, the new AGS Laboratories building opened its doors, and by the end of that year, the campus was nearing completion.

In September 2004, the AGS announced the new performance grading of round brilliant and princess cut diamonds. Using ray tracing technology, a proprietary software, and the skills of the diamond grader to evaluate finish, the new AGS Cut Grading System revolutionized how to grade the cut and overall light performance of diamonds.

The Regional Guilds are an important aspect of membership. In 2010, there were only six Regional Guilds. The Guilds Committee led an assertive campaign in 2011 to grow the number of Guilds and make them a viable force within the membership. Their efforts paid off, and by 2015, the Regional Guilds had expanded to thirty-five and included a Commonwealth Guild and a virtual Guild for members in rural locations. Virtual meetings for all the Guilds are also common, with highly-regarded speakers presenting on topics important to the membership’s ongoing learning. The Guilds are a thriving culture within the Society and provide one of the core benefits of membership: networking and camaraderie with fellow jewelers.

The Young Titleholders program gained traction in 2012 and has been an ongoing success for the AGS.

The Young Titleholders hold monthly meetings and plan networking events. They notably established the AGS Mentor Program, which helps advance professional growth among the Society’s future leaders.

The Young Titleholders are paving the way for future generations of jewelers to succeed. They have their own social media presence, host webinars and virtual meetings, and are passionate and engage new members, both young and old, in new technologies and business strategies for an up-and-coming generation of jewelry consumers. Their Trivia Night has earned a reputation as one of Conclave’s most fun and sought-after events.

By 2011, the Society website (AGS.org) had become a wealth of knowledge for consumers. However, total visits to the site were under 400,000. That year, the Society launched an aggressive marketing campaign to grow that number. The Society created web-savvy content, began a public relations (PR) campaign reaching out to consumers and journalists with a call-to-action to learn more about the AGS by visiting the website, and cross-promoted the website and the AGS to its growing social networks.

Integral to the plan for AGS.org was a new idea designed to help members connect with consumers: Find a Jeweler (FAJ). The tool, launched in November of 2011, made it easy for consumers to find an AGS-credentialed jeweler in their area. It was an instant hit on the site, attracting thousands of new visitors.

Coinciding with the plan to grow the website, the AGS also began an aggressive social media program that same year. The goal was simple: grow the AGS brand by promoting the beautiful jewelry our suppliers create and retailers sell. The first target point of the plan was to grow the Society’s Facebook and Twitter pages. The American Gem Society Blog was launched in January 2013. Since then, the Society’s social media presence has grown. The social media and blog presence has allowed the AGS to reach more consumers and actively engage them with shareable pictures and news from within the AGS membership.

AGS has also made great strides in the area of mainstream media attention. Today, the Society reaches millions of consumers through the website and Find a Jeweler, social media, and media outreach. 

AGS offers a variety of marketing opportunities to the membership, both paid and value-added. To learn how you can leverage your marketing with ours, click here.

In late 2022, AGS and GIA (Gemological Institute of America) announced they would dramatically advance their long-standing collaboration in pursuit of their shared consumer protection missions. GIA created an endowment to support AGS and its membership through education and credentialing, furthering the Society’s efforts to develop the next generations of educated, ethical professional jewelers and industry leaders. The sibling nonprofit organizations founded by Robert M. and Beatrice Shipley combined their gemological research efforts, integrating AGS Laboratories’ unique expertise, intellectual property, and technology to develop new GIA products and services to protect consumers and support the trade.

The strategic collaboration between GIA and AGS was designed to advance the Society’s retailer programs and support more member education at the annual AGS Conclave and throughout the year.

At the end of 2022, AGS closed AGS Laboratories to focus solely on its mission of consumer protection and membership. In recognition of the significant contribution AGS Laboratories had on the industry and consumer trust, GIA launched the AGS Ideal^® Report as a digital-only supplement to GIA diamond reports for D-to-Z natural and laboratory-grown round brilliant and fancy shape diamonds.

AGS and GIA now work closely together to reimagine and extend the Shipleys’ vision. This important next chapter in the storied history of AGS and GIA strengthens the organizations’ collective effort to meet the complexities of a dynamic and changing industry, ensuring relevance for today’s world and business environment while upholding the organizations’ joint consumer protection missions and independence.

The American Gem Society stands unique in the jewelry industry—an elective professional organization whose international membership is comprised of individuals and jewelry firms who support and embody the objectives of the Society. It continues to improve and expand upon its efforts to educate consumers, promote high industry standards, and provide profitable services for its members.

Today, AGS offers its members solutions and tools that help them save time and money and take their business to the next level. AGS is more than an association, however. AGS is a community of jewelry professionals passionate about fine jewelry, who enjoy the camaraderie of their fellow members, and who are committed to improving themselves, their business, and their customer’s shopping experience.