# PGI Is Closing Its U.S. Office After 34 Years
The New York office will close December 31 as platinum education and retailer support enter a new phase.
By Erica Diggs, GIA Graduate Gemologist November 3, 2026 • 6 min read
SHARE
Platinum Guild International will close its New York office on December 31, ending a 34-year U.S. operating chapter that began when Laurie Hudson founded PGI USA in 1992.
The decision is part of a wider restructuring. PGI is also closing offices in Japan, South Korea and Hong Kong. From 2027, the organization says its dedicated operations will continue in China and India.
What PGI says—and what remains unanswered
PGI told JCK that the change reflects a new operating structure, not a loss of confidence in the U.S. market. The organization says it will continue supporting the trade through education platforms, technical expertise, market intelligence, standards leadership and industry partnerships.
JCK also reported former PGI USA president Laurie Hudson’s view that funding may have shaped the decision. That is Hudson’s analysis—not a confirmed PGI explanation. PGI has not said funding caused the closure.
More than a marketing office
PGI USA built infrastructure around platinum. Its programs trained sales associates and bench jewelers, helped retailers explain the metal’s properties and supported product development.
JCK reported that PGI offered business-development grants of up to $500,000 per three-year cycle. It also helped introduce Inoveo Platinum, an alloy developed by Anglo American and Alloyed and distributed through Stuller, and Platinum Born, a line developed with PGI Japan and distributed in the United States by Suna Bros.
Hero image caption: Platinum Born bracelets distributed by Suna Bros. as part of a PGI-supported initiative. Photo credit: JCK / Suna Bros.
The U.S. market is still important
The closure does not mean platinum has disappeared from American jewelry cases. JCK reported that PGI’s June business review showed North American platinum-jewelry demand rose 6% in 2025 while gold-jewelry demand fell 10%.
A PGI Retail Barometer survey of 300 U.S. jewelers found that 76% planned to add platinum inventory in 2026. That is PGI-sponsored research, not an independent census, but it illustrates the tension: the U.S. market is comparatively resilient while the organization that championed platinum here is reducing its direct presence.
What jewelers lose
The immediate concern is continuity. Retailers and manufacturers will want to know which training programs, grants, technical resources and product initiatives continue after December 31.
For bench jewelers, platinum knowledge is practical knowledge: heat management, soldering strategy, finishing, repair expectations and the way the metal behaves differently from gold. For sales associates, education affects whether platinum is presented as a meaningful option or simply priced out of the conversation.
What happens next
The U.S. platinum trade will now rely more heavily on manufacturers, schools, trade associations and individual retailers to carry that knowledge forward.
PGI’s New York office is closing, but the market question it leaves behind is larger: who will keep teaching America how to sell, make and service platinum?
Author
Erica Diggs is a GIA Graduate Gemologist, bench jeweler, 3D CAD designer, micro-pavé setter and founder/editor of Drip With Diggs.
Sources
JCK, “PGI’s Exit Leaves U.S. Platinum Without Its Biggest Champion,” November 2, 2026: https://www.jckonline.com/editorial-article/pgi-platinum-void/
JCK, “Kevin Reilly Retires After 20 Years at Platinum Guild International,” July 29, 2026: https://www.jckonline.com/editorial-article/kevin-reilly-platinum-retire/
JOIN THE LIST: Get weekly jewelry-business reporting, platinum-market updates and trade-event alerts.
