American Gem Society (AGS)

The American Gem Society is the country’s preeminent jewelry trade organization dedicated to consumer protection. Formed in 1934, they have been holding jewelers, appraisers and suppliers to higher standards through training and testing. It’s a process raises the bar for the jewelry industry in American and beyond.

The AGS was founded by Robert M. Shipley, who also founded the Gemological Institute of American. Where GIA is a college to train jewelers with the tools of the trade, AGS is a professional society to apply the ethical standards.

They created and maintain the prestigious Certified Gemologist Appraisal credential and, more recently, the Independent Certified Gemologist Appraiser credential — the top credential in the industry.

There are other societies within both the jewelry and appraisal industries, but AGS is the only one that covers both. Both CGA’s and ICGA’s require annual recertification training and testing, and have a specific and signed code of ethics.

The American Gem Registry and Neil Beaty have been part of the American Gem Society continuously since 2006.