International Colored Gemstone Association

What International Colored Gemstone Association does

The International Colored Gemstone Association (ICA) is a non-profit trade association founded in 1984 in New York and headquartered at 132 W 31st St, with a second office in Hong Kong. It is the only worldwide body created specifically to serve the colored gemstone industry, with ~600-700 member entities spanning miners, gem cutters, suppliers, retailers, gemological laboratories, trade associations, academia, and museums across 47 countries. ICA's product surface centers on the Accredited Ethical Member (AEM) accreditation program, the ICA GemLab gemological services, the InColor quarterly magazine, biennial ICA Congresses hosted in member countries, ICA Pavilions at major trade shows (Tucson, Hong Kong, Las Vegas, Munich, Singapore), and social receptions at industry events; it also incubates the Gems Keep Giving 501-C3 charitable initiative supporting artisanal mining communities. The underlying technology is conventional association infrastructure (Novi AMS platform, member portal, website, and event operations) with no disclosed AI, API, or proprietary software products.

ICA's revenue model is a mix of recurring membership dues (annual, across Regular, Associate, Corporate, Founding, Honorary, Junior, Senior, and Student tiers, all Board-approved), one-time Congress and trade show participation fees, and publication/advertising revenue from InColor magazine and the InColor Bookcase, supplemented by charitable donations routed through Gems Keep Giving. Its go-to-market is event- and community-driven: biennial Congresses, pavilions at seven-plus major trade shows, country ambassadors in 47 markets, ambassador reports, newsletters, and active social channels (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn) drive both member acquisition and engagement.

Name

International Colored Gemstone Association

Legal name

International Colored Gemstone Association

Website

https://gemstone.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

The International Colored Gemstone Association is a non-profit trade association founded in 1984, serving ~700 members across 47 countries spanning the global colored gemstone value chain from miners to retailers through accreditation, events, publications, and gemological services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Gemstone Industry Trade Association

NAICS

Business Associations (813910)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Colored Gemstone Identification & Certification Laboratories (CRAKAJAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Traceability, Provenance & Compliance Services (e.g., origin, AML/KYC, sanctions) (CRAKAJAL)

Keywords

• Colored gemstone trade
• Gem industry association
• Gemstone ethical accreditation
• Gemstone industry events
• Trade association membership

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: ICA generates revenue through membership fees from industry professionals including miners, gem cutters, suppliers, retailers, trade associations, gemological laboratories, academia, and museums across 47 countries.
2. Congress and Event Fees: Revenue from biennial ICA Congress events, ICA Pavilions at trade shows, and networking receptions at global jewelry events.
3. Publications: Revenue from InColor magazine subscriptions, advertising, and the InColor Bookcase.
4. Gems Keep Giving Donations: Charitable initiative supported by ICA that raises funds for artisanal gemstone mining and cutting communities, with donations being tax-deductible.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

The International Colored Gemstone Association (ICA) is a non-profit trade association that represents the global colored gemstone industry through paid membership tiers (Regular, Associate, Corporate, Founding, Honorary, Junior, Senior, Student). It delivers value to members through biennial ICA Congresses, exhibition pavilions at major trade shows worldwide, the quarterly InColor Magazine, ethical accreditation via the Accredited Ethical Member (AEM) program, ICA GemLab gemological services, and the Gems Keep Giving charitable initiative supporting artisanal mining communities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• InColor Magazine: ICA's quarterly publication dedicated to colored gemstones
• Accredited Ethical Member Program (AEM)
• ICA GemLab

Products and services

• ICA Membership

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 700 industry leaders from mine to market across 47 countries
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• AV GlobaleminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 December 2023ICA and AV Globale partnered to launch ICA GemBureau Middle East, expanding ICA's presence in the Middle East market.
• Gems Keep GivingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGems Keep Giving is an ICA industry initiative that supports communities in artisanal colored gemstone mining and cutting communities. It has been reorganized as an independent not-for-profit (501-C3) charitable organization. ICA originated this initiative and continues to leverage relationships within ICA to support mining and cutting communities. The board includes ICA-affiliated professionals working to raise funds for colored gemstone communities guided by UN Sustainable Development Goals.
• CIBJO (World Jewellery Confederation)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCIBJO is listed as a partner organization of ICA. CIBJO President Gaetano Cavalieri received the ICA Lifetime Achievement Award. The organizations collaborate on industry standards, ethics, and sustainability in the jewelry and gemstone sector.
• IBGM (Instituto Brasileiro de Gemas e Metais Preciosos)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBrazilian Institute of Gems and Precious Metals, which served as the local host for the ICA Congress 2025 in Brasília, Brazil.
• GILC (Global Initiative for Lithium and Colored Gemstones)minorOthersICA is involved with GILC, an initiative focused on colored gemstones and related minerals.
• Jewelers of AmericaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAdvocacy organization working in Washington D.C. on behalf of the gemstone and jewelry industry alongside ICA.
• American Gem Trade Association (AGTA)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerTrade association that holds the AGTA GemFair in Tucson. ICA has an ICA Pavilion at this event and collaborates on industry advocacy.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Regional players

• Asian Institute of Gemological Sciences (AIGS): AIGS is a leading Thailand-based gemological laboratory and education institution — a regional peer operating in Asia-Pacific (where ICA also has its Hong Kong office) with comparable gemological certification and training offerings to ICA GemLab.
• Gemmological Association of Great Britain (Gem-A): Gem-A is a long-established UK-based gemological education and membership organization — a regional peer that offers gemology training, diplomas, and certification, overlapping with ICA GemLab and ICA's educational mission in the European market.
• National Association of Jewelry Appraisers (NAJA): NAJA is a US-focused professional association for jewelry appraisers — a regional peer in the broader gemstone/jewelry professional association space, with overlap to ICA's gemological laboratory and accreditation themes, though focused on appraisal rather than sourcing.

Broad incumbents

• World Federation of Diamond Bourses (WFDB): WFDB is the international umbrella for diamond bourses and a broader incumbent in gemstone trade governance. While diamond-focused, WFDB's institutional infrastructure represents the established model ICA emulates and competes against for industry authority.
• Gemological Institute of America (GIA): GIA is the dominant global gemological education, research, and laboratory institution — a broader incumbent whose services (grading, education, instruments) overlap with ICA GemLab and whose alumni populate ICA's membership. GIA's CEO Susan Jacques received ICA's Lifetime Achievement Award in 2025.

Direct peers

• CIBJO (World Jewellery Confederation): The World Jewellery Confederation is the most direct peer: an international non-profit federation of national jewellery and gemstone trade associations that works on industry standards, ethics, and sustainability — overlapping closely with ICA's mission. ICA lists CIBJO as a core partner, and CIBJO's Blue Books are referenced on ICA's site.
• Jewelers of America (JA): Jewelers of America is the US trade association for retail jewelry businesses and a listed ICA partner. Both organizations advocate in Washington D.C. on behalf of the gemstone and jewelry industry, making JA a direct peer in advocacy and member services to retailers.
• American Gem Trade Association (AGTA): AGTA is the leading US trade association for colored gemstones and a direct peer to ICA — co-locating at Tucson through ICA Pavilions. Its former CEO, Doug Hucker, recently led ICA, underscoring deep organizational overlap and shared member base.
• Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC): RJC is a global standards-setting body for ethical, social, and environmental practices across the jewelry supply chain — directly competing with ICA's AEM ethical accreditation program in defining provenance and compliance standards for colored gemstones.

Emerging players

• International Gem Society (IGS): IGS is a digital-first gemology education and community platform — an emerging player that targets hobbyist and professional gem enthusiasts online, partially overlapping with ICA's educational resources (Gem By Gem, BirthStones, Gem Secrets).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCn-XNPx6jRh1Ax9SUTKWxmg
• Facebookfacebook.com/ICAgemstone
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/international-colored-gemstone
• Instagraminstagram.com/icagemstone

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about International Colored Gemstone Association