Tracy Hayes Bio

Tracy Hayes

Graduate Gemologist (GIA)

Certified Gemologist Appraiser (AGS)

Tracy Hayes believes in the power of jewelry. She entered the jewelry industry in 2008 and earned her BFA from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in 2005. She started working at Jewelsmith in 2014, the same year she became a GIA Graduate Gemologist, and loves the variety that custom jewelry brings. Between custom designs and appraisals, there is never a dull or monotonous day. She loves challenges like finding the perfect gemstone, creating the perfect design, discovering how grandma's ring was made, or anything else that comes her way.

She became an AGS Registered Jeweler in 2015 and completed her AGS Certified Gemologist Appraiser exam in 2017, milestones she counts among her proudest moments as a gemologist, alongside completing GIA's gemstone identification coursework. She enjoys that the annual AGS recertification keeps her gemology and appraisal knowledge sharp, and has continued her education through Countersketch 3D design software training (2022), GIA Jewelry Forensics (2023), and GIA's course on differentiating natural and laboratory-grown diamonds (2024). She is a member of the GIA North Carolina Alumni Association since 2014 and the AGS North Carolina Guild since 2015.

She has a passion for diamonds and gemstones, but on the side, she also enjoys crafting, decorating, and yardwork.

Her favorite design is the floating bezel ring, because of its sleek modern-ness and versatility with stacking bands.

Book an appointment with Tracy to get your jewelry appraised or design a custom creation just for you, or email her with your questions.