For Immediate Release
September 13, 2002

LANSING — The Michigan Jewelers Association (MJA), a division of the Michigan Retailers Association (MRA) will present a professional education seminar in Lansing for area jewelers.

Colored Gems 101: Handling the realm of color in your store
Date: Tuesday, October 8
Time: 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. (lunch included)
Place: Clarion Hotel and Conference Center, Lansing

In this hands-on seminar, Roger Dery, founder of Spectral Gems, Inc. will take attendees through the basics of colored gems, analysis of the jewelry market and look to improve general gemstone product knowledge. To help attendees learn more about the value of different gems, they will be handling rough, uncut stones as well as finished gems. Cost: $35 for members and $45 for non-members.

This seminar is part of a series of professional development courses being offered throughout the state this fall by MRA's Michigan Retailers Academy. The Michigan Retailers Association is the unified voice of retailing in Michigan and the nation's largest state trade association of general merchandise retailers. MRA's more than 5,700 retail business members operate more than 12,000 stores across the state.