SAN FRANCISCO -- In recognition of an upcoming 50th Annual San Francisco Gem and Mineral Society Show and Sale, Mayor Gavin Newsom has proclaimed August 1 through 8 as "Gem and Mineral Week in San Francisco." The nonprofit earth sciences society, one of the largest in the state, is also announcing several significant additions to its golden anniversary weekend event, August 7 and 8, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the County Fair Building, off Ninth Avenue and Lincoln Way in Golden Gate Park. Recently confirmed exhibits of rare gold will be presented along a special "Gold Row" by prominent museums and historical organizations In addition, a dealers gallery adjacent to the exhibition hall will feature a new line of handmade jewelry inspired by California First Lady Maria Shriver, launched recently to help fund the state's trade and cross-cultural initiatives. The California State Mining and Mineral Museum will display rarely seen crystallized gold and nugget specimens dating back to the late 1880s, and Wells Fargo Historical Services will provide an assortment of historic mining tools and documents from the Gold Rush era -- when Wells Fargo purchased miners' dust and nuggets. The California Academy of Sciences is also contributing a case of priceless gold specimens. Modeled after popular California landmarks and created by Los Angeles designer Jill Schiff, 25 percent of the proceeds from Shriver's collection will benefit the California Alliance, an organization that helps to host foreign dignitaries and promotes international trade. A portion of remaining profits will help fund San Francisco Gem and Mineral Society educational activities. One of more exclusive expositions of its kind in the West, display-quality minerals, jewelry, gemstones and crystals selected for the show are collectively valued at more than $10 million and will span 12,000 square feet of exhibit space. For more event details, the public is advised to contact the society at (415) 564-4230 or visit its web site at and click on the Investor Relations section where conference calls are posted. Please go to the website 15 minutes early to download and install any necessary audio software. If you are unable to listen live, the conference call will be archived and can be accessed for approximately 30 days. A recorded telephone replay of the call will also be available for approximately one week following the live call. Listeners may dial 877-687-4713 (973-341-3080 for international callers) and use the code # 4995896 for the telephone replay. Charles & Colvard, based in the Research Triangle Park area of North Carolina, is the sole source of moissanite, a created jewel used in fine jewelry. Moissanite is near colorless, with more fire, brilliance and luster than a fine diamond, but retails for only a fraction of the cost. For more information, please access . This press release contains forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are subject to a number of material risks, uncertainties and contingencies that could cause actual results to differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. Those risks and uncertainties include but are not limited to: the company's reliance on Cree, Inc. as the sole supplier of the raw materials; the cost of developing distribution channels; difficulties obtaining silicon carbide crystals from the sole supplier in desired qualities, sizes and volumes; and other risks and uncertainties set forth in the Company's 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2003, 10-Q and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.