Event AGS Guild Meeting
starts on
Aug 23, 2026, 9:30:00 AM
(US/Eastern)
Metal Testing with XRF
Location: Waverly Kennesaw Ballroom
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8/23/26, 9:30 AM
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8/23/26, 10:30 AM
(US/Eastern)
(1 hour)
Mike Magee
Sr. Subject Specialist in Jewelry Manufacturing Arts
at Gemological Institute of America
Mike Magee
Sr. Subject Specialist in Jewelry Manufacturing Arts
at Gemological Institute of America
Mike Magee is a Sr. Subject Specialist in the jewelry manufacturing arts at GIA.
An award-winning CAD designer, Mike has spent more than 25 years in the jewelry industry and over 15 years teaching CAD/CAM and digital jewelry design.
After graduating from Cornell University, he trained as a goldsmith and ran his own custom jewelry business before joining GIA in 2013.
Today, he divides his time between teaching, leading curriculum development for GIA’s Jewelry Arts programs, and researching emerging technologies shaping the future of design and manufacturing.
This program provides a focused introduction to X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) and its role in jewelry metal analysis.
The session begins with a clear explanation of the underlying scientific principles of XRF, demonstrating how it detects and identifies elements based on their unique atomic signatures.
Participants will then explore how XRF is applied in the jewelry industry, including typical use cases for both retail environments and laboratory settings. The discussion will cover the advantages of XRF testing—such as speed and non-destructive analysis—as well as key limitations and considerations when interpreting results.
Throughout the session, real-world examples and guided discussion will help participants connect theory to practice, equipping them with a deeper understanding of how XRF supports accurate metal identification.