Timeline Jade Maya

1973	Jay Ridinger moved to Antigua Guatemala and married Mary Lou Ridinger and together they re-discovered the ancient jade sources of the Mayans
1974	The Ridinger’s built the jade factory where it stands. They sent their first jade samples to the Gemological Institute of America receiving their first confirmation that their discovery was, in fact, the most valuable type of jade.
1975	The Ridinger's first jade retail store was opened on the corner of 4th Calle Oriente #34, Antigua Guatemala.
1976	On February 4th, the factory and showroom got damaged because of an earthquake. The Ridinger’s travel for a year selling jade jewelry, to send money back to Guatemala to pay rent and keep employees paid.
1977	Tourism returns slowly.
1978	The Ridingers hire Bob Terzuola to run production and train local jewelers and increase production.
1979	They increase their retail space and start a new Company: 'Comercial Antigua' and begin to manufacture clothing and non-jade crafts and household items.
1980	The Civil War and kidnapping threats causes drastic drop in tourism.
1983	First store in Guatemala City was opened at the Camino Real Hotel.
1985	Business slowly returns.
1987	The research team discover a new source of jade in the Motagua River Valley: Galactic Gold Jade and Olmec Blue Jade. In September, National Geographic magazine publishes "Jade, Stone of Heaven".
1988	Jade Maya starts testing the international market for rough jade in the 'Tucson Gem and Mineral show'. The second and the third stores in Antigua Guatemala were opened.
1995	First Jade Museum at jade Maya was opened.
1998	We discover Rainbow/Lavender Jade, south of the Motagua River and apply for five new mining licenses.
1999	U.S. President Bill Clinton visits Jade Maya and we continue opening stores in Guatemala City, El Salvador and Belize.
2000-2009	Major expansion of Jade Maya.
2000	Jade Maya at Antigua became a destination/attraction for cruise ships docking at Puerto Quetzal.
2001	The 'Jade Gallery' was opened in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, and then the 'Jade Maya Museum-Store' at Costa Maya.
2001	Mary Lou Ridinger makes history in Guatemala by recovering a National Treasure that had been stolen from the Museo La Democracia in February 2001 and returns it to the Guatemalan government. Many more museum-stores were opened around Guatemala.
2008	The 'Pakal Jade Museum' opens at Puerto Chiapas, Mexico.
2010	We form 'The Maya Conservancy' as a 501(c) 3 in the USA to promote conferences, archaeology education, Maya ancestral wisdom and to support cultural enrichment concerning the origins of the Maya Calendar.
2012	Publication of book 'Stone of Kings - In Search of the Lost Jade of the Maya' by Gerard Helferich. Good review in The Wall Street Journal. TEDx talk by Mary Lou Ridinger: 'The Origins of the Maya Calendar'.
2013	Trips to China were made to seek a wholesale market for Guatemalan jade. Well received conference by invitation of National Gem Testing Laboratory in Beijing. Opening of the 'Maya Jade Museum' at Banana Coast near Trujillo, Honduras, where cruise ships began to arrive.
2014	On the fabled island of Roatan, off the coast of Honduras, 'Jade Maya' opened two Museum Stores to sell jade at two cruise ports.
2015	On the road to Tikal- at the edge of lake Petén Itza at El Remate, Jade Maya opened their 'Museo de Jade Maya' museum and store.
2016	Jade Maya opens their spacious new showroom: " Palenque", one block from the Central park of Antigua, and directly behind the cathedral.
2017	Beautiful new 'Piedras Negras Jade Maya' store opens in the International section of Guatemala City's La Aurora Airport.
2018	Wonderful new Jade Maya Museum store: 'Pakal' opens on 3 Calle Oriente in Antigua, across the street from 'Hotel Convento Casa Santo Domingo'.
2019	Jade Maya sponsors on September 20th the Conference for Climate Change at the Porta Hotel in Antigua and invites local school students and teachers to participate and seek for solutions to help solve the problem of Climate Change. Awards are given to the school who comes up with the best proposal for helping the environmental challenges in their local community,
2020	'The Green Wave' action group is formed to initiate projects to help the community deal with environmental problems.

A group of jade experts were selected to be part of the jury that qualified each piece of the participants. Three amazing carvers were selected as winners and received cash prizes and medals made from this precious stone. The jury was made up jade connoisseurs Robert Terzuola, Charlotte Ward, Andrew Shaw, George Schmerholtz and Deborah Wilson.

These were the results of the contest:

1st. - Juan Antonio Castellanos (Guatemala)

2nd. - Adán Pilicastro Alcázar (Mexico)

3rd. - Dante López Castillo (Mexico)