In terms of learning about stones, there's no better place to go than GIA. The Gemological Institute of America sits high on a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean above the town of Carlsbad, California. If you've ever purchased a diamond ring that was GIA certified, this is where your stone was inspected and graded. Most of the world's great gems pass through the doors of this place, emerging with papers that settle once and for all, their value.
But there's a school here, too, a real college, with classrooms, courses, grades, and a diploma that is one of the most sought-after documents in the jewelry industry: certification as a graduate GIA gemologist. It means that the holder is a trained specialist who knows about diamonds, colored stones, CAD (computer jewelry design), and many of the different facets of running a jewelry business. Every jewelry store would love to have a certified gemologist on the staff--they're the people who are trained to pick out the best gemstones and can tell if they're real or synthetic. A GIA-trained gemologist can tell you if that purple stone in your great-grandmother's ring is a genuine amethyst or a piece of glass. They can inspect and grade diamonds and give you a realist estimate of their value. And they can come up with custom designs for jewelry, as well.
GIA-certified gemologists are in demand in the retail end of the industry, something to think about if you love jewelry and are considering a new career. If you have a business mind, GIA offers a degree in jewelry business management. Or you can specialize in the manufacturing end, or even study to become a professional bench jeweler--the person who sits at the back of the shop, building and repairing jewelry, and setting stones.
Training to become a gemologist is not a cheap or easy shortcut, however. Depending on whether you go full or part-time, the program can take three or more years and costs as much as a college education. And the classes are not easy--you really have to work. It's not just playing with sparkling baubles.
However, it is possible to take courses at the GIA without signing up for their full program. The Institute offers intensive, week-long courses on diamond grading and colored stone identification, and I took both of these. It was a great experience which I highly recommend to anyone who is seriously interested in gems.
GIA has branch campuses around the country and the world, but Carlsbad is its home. Due to its multi-functionality, GIA Carlsbad looks like a cross between a fancy corporate headquarters--and Fort Knox. Unlike a college campus, you can't just drive in, park, and walk around. The first time my husband and I came there, we were shocked to find that we couldn't even drive into the parking lot without a special pass. Guards were posted at each of the lot entrances. But it makes sense--hundreds of millions of dollars worth of gems pass through the doors of the GIA labs (which take up half the property) to be tested by staff gemologists and issued the famous GIA certificates. So security is tight.
When you actually register for a course, however, they're going to be expecting you. Still, after you clear the parking lot and make it into the very impressive lobby, you still have to check in and get a badge which you must wear at all times. Bythe time I made it through all of those hoops, I was really curious about what went on inside the GIA, which I will talk more about in my next post.
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