Smith co-authored award-winning article, “Identification and Durability of Lead
Glass-Filled Rubies,” which appeared in Spring 2006 issue of Gems & Gemology
New York, NY –July 23, 2007 - The Richard T. Liddicoat Journalism Award for
Industry/Trade Reporting will be awarded to Christopher P. Smith, Vice President and
Chief Gemologist of American Gemological Laboratories, along with co-authors Shane
McClure, Wuyi Wang and Matt Hall, by the American Gem Society for the article,
“Identification and Durability of Lead Glass-Filled Rubies,” which was published in the
Spring 2006 issue of Gems & Gemology. The award will be presented on Tuesday, July
31, 2007 at the Circle of Distinction Dinner.
“It’s a great honor to win this prestigious award, along with the other authors,” says
Smith. “The article describes a new ruby treatment which has had a significant impact on
the gem industry and really highlights the importance of proper disclosure. This award is
a reflection of that.” The Gems & Gemology article, he explains, was innovative in
expanding the durability studies of the material from jewelry manufacturing processes
related to cleaning, resizing or repair to various consumer or household products.
“We were able to establish a number of methods to readily identify this treatment using
simple as well as more advanced methods and we discovered that in some instances the
gemstones were more susceptible to damage from common household products, such as
ammonia, bleach or even concentrated lemon juice than they were to jewelry
manufacturing repair issues,” says Smith. “It is essential for consumers to be aware of
this when purchasing such stones and for retailers to be properly communicating to their
clients”.
The Richard T. Liddicoat Journalism Award was created in 2002 by the American Gem
Society in memory of Richard T. Liddicoat, who was known as the Father of Modern
Gemology and was the editor-in-chief of Gems & Gemology for 50 years. Presented
annually, three categories of journalism are highlighted: jewelry industry/trade reporting;
consumer reporting in national or multiple markets; and local consumer reporting. Judges
from top U.S. journalism schools decide the category winners.
About American Gemological Laboratories
Founded in 1977 by C. R. “Cap” Beesley, American Gemological Laboratories (AGL), a
subsidiary of the publicly traded Collector’s Universe (NASDAQ: CLCT), pioneered the
development of the world’s first comprehensive Colored Stone Grading System. AGL
has also provided detailed country of origin and enhancement reports for some of the
most prestigious retailers and auction houses in the world for the past three decades.
AGL has been designated the official North American laboratory of the International
Colored Gemstone Association (ICA). In addition, the laboratory is the official colored
gemstone laboratory of the 2007 Fine Jewelry CEO Summit and the JCK Las Vegas
Shows, as well as the 2007 Platinum Sponsor of the ICA World Congress in Dubai.
About Collectors Universe
Collectors Universe, Inc. is a leading provider of value added services to the high-value
collectibles, diamond and colored gemstone markets, with the Company’s common stock
traded on the NASDAQ Global Market under the symbol CLCT. For the most recent
fiscal year, CLCT authenticated and graded over 3 million items valued at just less than
$2 billion.
Contacts:
C.R. “Cap” Beesley
American Gemological Laboratories
agl@aglgemlab.com
TEL: 212-704-0727