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Gem ID for Life!

Gem ID for Life!

£2,000.00
£2,000.00
Clearance On Appro - Email us if you want it!
Tax included.

Gem Kit: £750

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Title: Gem ID for Life!

Do you need to be able to identify gemstones quickly and easily? Want to be able to recognise stones when with clients? But no time or money for the full gemmology diploma?

This course is for you!

With five, hands-on, practical day classes, we will teach you the key skills to enable you to accurately identify common and commercial gemstones.

We will teach you the theory of gemmology so you understand the concepts, but mostly you will be learning through doing; handling hundreds of gemstones, and being taught by experts who have tested thousands of gemstones for decades.

Have questions? Join us on 4th August at our Open Day to ask us anything!
Sunday 4th August, 11am - in Person at Maidstone or on Zoom

Course Dates:  Tuesdays 09:00 (for 09:30 start) until 16:30
    • 3rd September
    • 10th September
    • 17th September
    • 24th September
    • 1st October

Overview: 

This is a practical course for practical people. There is no writing and exams. There is skills and doing. The real skills you need to do what you want, and quickly.

Each day commences with coffee and chat, followed by a lesson and hands-on learning. By the end of each day, you will have mastered a new tool and the skills necessary for identifying different aspects of gemstones. On the final day, we bring all these skills together and identify gemstones like a real gemmologist!

  • Day One: Obligatory Observation
  • Day Two: Practical Polariscope
  • Day Three: Successful Spectroscope
  • Day Four: Rule the Refractometer
  • Day Five: Total Testing
See full details of each day below.

Price: £1250 (inc VAT) 

This includes: 
  • 5 days tuition
  • Refreshments all day
  • Lunch
  • Use of all stones and equipment
  • Resources and hand outs (Handy to keep for when you go solo!)
The course programme and schedule have been carefully put together, so there is enough time to cover all we need, as well as time in between for the knowledge to sink in, for you to practice and for it to become long-term learning. We have also tried to make sure no classes are during school holidays!

Full Schedule

  • DAY ONE: Obligatory Observation - how to really look at gems, paying attention to minute details and features that will not only help you to recognise what they might be, but can tell you what they definitely are not. As well as informing what tests you need to do next to positively identify the stone.
  • DAY TWO: Practical Polariscope - after the second day you will have mastered the basic use of the polariscope and will be able to separate many common and commercial stones with this tool alone. Tell morganite from kunzite, sapphire from kyanite, topaz from aquamarine and most stones from CZ, synthetic spinel and glass
  • DAY THREE: Successful Spectroscope - some stones cannot be identified using a polariscope and refractometer alone, but mastering the spectroscope will mean you can use this to identify many stones when you are not able to use a refractometer. By looking at the patterns in a rainbow you can identify Zircon, Spessartine Garnet and even some natural Diamond.
  • Day FOUR: Rule the Refractometer - by far the most useful of all the gemmologists tools in coming up with a positive ID. On day three we will teach you how to use it properly, efficiently and accurately, without decent training it can be a real struggle to use this bit of kit. By the end of the day, you'll be able to use this alongside what you learnt on the first two days to positively identify many common and commercial stones (with a bit of practice!)
  • DAY FIVE: Total Testing - This is the day we pull it all together, and show you other tools that you can use to assist your ID as well as going over the methodology of gem testing and the process that will allow you to ID most common and commercial stones you see. This day you will get the chance to identify a range of unknown stones to prove you can do it!

Payment Plan

Can't make this course?

Skills Required

This course is perfect for the complete beginner!
You just need a passion for gemstones and learning, perseverance to try new instruments and patience with yourself as you learn.

About Us

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