Third valuers’ virtual event to provide preview to September Summit

19 Mar 2021

Jewellery valuers and enthusiasts are invited to attend a third virtual conference featuring Craig O’Donnell and Mehdi Saadian, speakers who also form part of the valuers’ conference programme at the NAJ Summit later this year.

Craig O’Donnell, Mehdi Saadian, Carla Goodfellow and Rupert Huddy will speak at the third Valuers’ Virtual Conference which takes place at 1pm on Thursday 8^th April 2021.

The half-day event is again hosted by the Institute of Registered Valuers, who will also be hosting a quiz as part of the event.

Speaking about the third virtual conference, Barry Sullivan FIRV Chair of the IRV said,

Demand amongst the IRV community has been strong to return with a third event before lockdown eases in mid-April.

This time we wanted to provide a preview to the speakers that form part of the programme in September at the NAJ Summit. I’m delighted to be able to invite all in the industry to join us next month and hear from Craig, Mehdi, Carla and Rupert.

I’m also particularly looking forward to the quiz, which I’m sure will be as informative as it will be entertaining.

Register for the Valuers’ Virtual Conference

Attracting more than 300 registrations for the previous two virtual events combined, the third Valuers’ Virtual Conference arrives at a time when many in the industry will be looking ahead, positively, with what’s to come.

Craig O’Donnell recently announced as a speaker at the September “in person” Valuers’ Conference, part of the NAJ Summit weekend, will give a talk entitled The Midlands Arts and Crafts Jewellery – Surprisingly Expensive!  And will encompass a brief outline of the Arts and Crafts movement and illustrate some key names – some, such as the Gaskins will be universally known, others will be less so – but achieve surprising amounts at auction and are housed in major jewellery collections worldwide.

Mehdi Saadian will deliver a presentation on coloured diamonds, no doubt referencing his duties as Director of the GIA’s London Campus where he holds responsibilities for gemstone buying, working with jewellers and designers in handmade jewellery production and teaching gemmology classes. Mehdi also provides a preview to the September summit where he’ll host a workshop for attendees.

Diamonds can be found in many rare and exotic colours that make up the rainbow of what are often called ‘fancy-colour diamonds’.  Highly specialized GIA gemmologists grade these exceptionally rare coloured diamonds according to GIA’s Coloured Diamond Grading System, which ranges from Faint to Fancy Vivid.  This presentation introduces the fascinating world of coloured diamonds and provides insight into the GIA Coloured Diamond Grading System.

Carla Goodfellow from the Birmingham Assay Office also features in the line-up for the virtual event and will talk about how the AnchorCert Gem Lab works, a UK Centre of Excellence for Diamond, Gemstone and Pearl Reports. Carla will also talk about how businesses and individuals in the sector can take advantage of the services and expertise on site. 

Rupert Huddy is senior valuer at the Goldsmiths’ Hall, London. After starting his career at the Sir John Cass school of Art in January 1976 studying silversmithing and the allied trades, Rupert’s career has included working in the family businesses and the Loss Management Group, and more recently for the Guild of Valuers and Jewellers. Over this time Rupert has built up extensive knowledge of UK and foreign hallmarks, and will share some of his knowledge through the virtual session.

Updates from the Institute and a quiz (by popular demand) also form part of the event, the latter a new addition to the virtual proceedings after a similar activity was hosted by Patricia Law at the second virtual Conference. The event is open to members of the IRV, NAJ and wider jewellery community free of charge.

View the Summit

Source: The National Association of Jewellers