Professional Bio
 

Myriam is the Vice-President of PGSL. She is a second-generation jewelry industry veteran born in Antwerp, Belgium who has worked in different fields of the industry worldwide since the age of 18. 



Her diamond career began as a "pintler," drawing on rough diamonds to assess their wax and grain and carefully examining their inclusions to maximize the cut and weight of manufactured stones. Myriam traveled extensively from 1974 to 1979 throughout Africa, buying rough diamonds in South Africa, Rhodesia (present day Zimbabwe), Botswana, the Congo (present day Democratic Republic of the Congo), Kenya, and Sierra Leone, and sold those diamonds globally. She also bought and sold rough emeralds from the mines of Zambia and Brazil. In 1980 she moved to Los Angeles, California, where she and Thomas Tashey worked in the gemological field.



Together, Thomas and Myriam have brought many innovations to the jewelry industry. They were the first independently owned lab to do business globally. Some of the trends they brought to the jewelry industry were the diamond consultation, grading on-site at all major jewelry shows, sharing their database of graded stones online with Polygon subscribers via a "Polygon Upload" - known today as report verification - introducing the "SI3" clarity designation on reports, and editing The World of Color. From 1992 to 1997, Myriam was a career counselor at GIA's Jewelry Career Fair in Santa Monica, CA, and she continues to mentor individuals who want to further their careers in the jewelry industry. In 2008 she was presented by WJA with the "Woman Making a Difference" award for her valuable contributions to the jewelry industry. 

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Myriam is an avid social media user. You can follow all her updates on gemological trends, fashions, finds, treatments, and best business practices on her Facebook page or on Twitter, by following @MyriamT18.

Languages

English

Dutch

French

Hebrew

Spanish



Work Experience
 

2013: Co-Founded the World of Color courses with Eitan Tashey, G.G.



2012: Co-Founded the World of Diamonds courses with Eitan Tashey, G.G.



2010 - Current: Began giving workshops for the public on "How to Buy a Diamond."

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2009 - Current: Began grading and appraising on-site at various jewelry, fashion, and accessory shows in the Midwest.



2007 - Current: Began teaching and training staff of wholesalers, retailers, and pawn-brokers on diamond grading, treatments, enhancements, and best business practices of the jewelry industry.



2007: Served as expert witness on trials and pre-trial hearings (civil court).



2000: Changed Corporate name to Professional Gem Sciences, Inc. (PGS).



1998: Opened a second location of Gem Quality Institute in Chicago, IL.



1994: Incorporated business as Gem Quality Institute, Inc. (GQI), Los Angeles, CA.



1985 - 2001: Acquired the rights to operate and directed the European Gemological Laboratory (EGL), Los Angeles, CA.



1980: Started own company with partner and husband Thomas Tashey, G.G., F.G.A., Independent Gemological Laboratory and Consultants (IGL), Los Angeles, CA.



1975 - 1979: Worked as the assistant to Georges Evens, Site Holder; was in charge of sorting and buying rough and industrial diamonds, Antwerp, Belgium.



1974 - 1975: Worked as a diamond "pintler" (drawing on rough diamonds to make the best cut) at Phillipe Frank, Antwerp Diamond Bourse, Antwerp, Belgium.





Affiliations: 



Chicago Jeweler's Association (CJA)

       -- Board Member (present)
       -- Vice President (2002)
       -- organized the CJA Annual Gala (2003)
       Was the first female Vice President of the CJA, and the first female organizer of the CJA Annual Gala.

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Women's Jewelry Association (WJA), Midwest Chapter
       -- President (2007)
       -- organized two "Women in the Know" Conferences (2007, 2008)

Women's Jewelry Association (WJA), Los Angeles Chapter

       -- Vice President (1985)