SUMMIT PROGRAM
In addition to the numerous exhibitors from the jewelry and precious stone scene, as well as minerals and fossils, the HardRock Summit presents exciting special exhibitions and talks. Find here all information and the schedule for the panel talks!
The Royal Reunion
The most famous Rhodochrosite Specimens of the world, the Alma Queen, the Alma King and the Alma Rose can be viewed exclusively and for the first time together at HardRock Summit at the Colorado Convention Center. We thank the Houston Museum of Natural Sciences, the Rice Northwest Rock and Mineral Museum and the Denver Museum of Nature & Science for allowing us to put these fine specimens on display at one location, the Colorado Convention Center.
The Hamlin Necklace and its famous Tourmalines
The Hamline Necklace – A treasure of the Mineralogical and Geological Museum from the 19th century at Harvard University. This dazzling piece with eighteen removable pendants, primarily colorful Maine tourmalines set in gold was commissioned by Augustus Choate Hamlin during the 1890s.
Trilliant Cuts: Gene Meieran and his fine gemstone collection
This very impressive collection is owned by the Meieran Family and does not only contain many traditional gems such as quartz, aquamarine, and sapphire, but also stones that are rarely seen as cut gemstones, like a rare orange clinohumite.
Famous meteorites from the Main Museum
There are hundreds of Mars rocks here on earth, but the largest Mars rock “Toaudenni 002” will be displayed at the HardRock Summit. The Maine Mineral &Gem Museum is on top of that lending six different meteorite specimens, three different chondrites, three meteorites from the Moon, and even one touchable meteorite to this exhibition at the Colorado Convention Center.
“Please don’t cut us!” – Exceptional Mineral masterpieces from Gene and Roz Meieran
An outstanding collection of collectible fine minerals from the Gene and Roz Meieran collection that are presented as a brilliant example of how these natural crystals are formed and what they can look like at the highest level of fine minerals. Included in the group are examples of aquamarines, emeralds, tourmalines, amethysts, tanzanites,topazes, kunzite and ruby. You can find this exhibition in our Sparkle&Joy section.
PANEL TALKS
In addition to the numerous exhibitors from the jewelry and precious stone scene, as well as minerals and fossils, the HardRock Summit presents exciting special exhibitions and talks. Find here all information and the schedule for the panel talks!
EDUCATIONAL SESSIONS – EVOLUTION
Thursday, September 16
• 11:00 am – Jeff Scovil, “The World’s Most Colorful Mineral-Fluorite”
• 12:00 pm – Lou Taylor, “Colorado Fossil Discoveries: Old and New”
• 1:00 pm – Ryan Bowling, “Fantastic Fluorite Finds of the Alps”
Friday, September 17
• 11:00 am – Peter Megaw, “Mexican Fluorites”
• 12:00 pm – Virgil Lueth, “Exploration into the Cause of Color in Fluorite”
• 2:00 – 3:30 pm – “The Earth and Stars” panel discussion featuring: Dr. Terry Wallace, “Geology of The Solar System”; Pete Modreski, “Minerals in Geologic History”; Matt Morgan, “Reshaping the Earth’s Surface” and a Q&A facilitated by Dave Waisman.
Saturday, September 18
• 11:00 am – Dave Bunk, “Colorado Fluorites”
• 12:00 pm – Phil Simmons, “New Mexico Fluorite”
• 2:00 – 3:30 pm – “Rhodochrosite – Colorado’s State Mineral” panel discussion featuring Bryan Lees, Collector’s Edge Minerals; George Sparks, President – Denver Museum of Natural and Science; Aurore Gilguet, Executive Director – Rice Northwest Museum of Rocks and Minerals; Gail Spann, President, Board of Directors – Rice Northwest Museum of Rocks and Minerals; Renata Lafler, Excutive Director, Colorado School of Mines; Joel Bartsch, President – Houston Museum of Natural Science and followed by a Q&A facilitated by Dave Waisman.
Sunday, September 19
• 11:00 am – Robert Carnein, “Phenomenal Fluorite: Luminescence Phenomena in a Collector Favorite”
• 12:00 pm – Jared Freiburg, “Illinois Fluorite”
• 2:00 to 3:30 pm – “Colorado: Its Mines, Minerals and Men” panel discussion featuring Mark Ivan Jacobson, “Mineral dealing and collecting in CO: 1859-1910”; Steve Zahony, “The Sylvanite Silver Mine, Gunnison County, CO”; Ed Raines: “The Sphalerite Problem”
EDUCATIONAL SESSIONS – SPARKLE & JOY
Saturday, September 18
• 4:00 pm – “The Hamlin Necklace, from art to science”
Presented by Raquel Alonso-Perez, PhD. Curatrix of the Mineralogical and Geological Museum, Harvard University
Sunday, September 19
• 11:00 am – “Colored Gemstone & Design Trends for Fall and 2022”
Presented by Women’s Jewelry Association featuring Brecken Branstrator, National Jeweler; Nan Lung Palmer, Facets Jewelry Consulting; Erica Silverglide, Gemology Geek and moderated by communications consultant Jen Cullen Williams.
• 4:00 pm – Once Upon a Jewel
Presented by Cynthia Renée-Marcusson, Gem mine Geologist and Jewelry Artist
Monday, September 20th
• 11:00 am – Shelly Sergent, Collection Manager of the Somewhere in the Rainbow gemstone and jewelry collection