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Anyone inspired by PS to pursue GIA Graduate Gemologist Cert?

ksluice

ksluice

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
May 26, 2009
Messages
537
Just curious if anyone has gone this route, and if you did, why and what did you think about it?

TIA!
 
Also curious...
 
GIA was offering classes online last year for free at the beginning of the pandemic. Spring/summer of 2020. I took all three offered. Diamond Essentials, Jewelry Essentials and Colored Gemstone Essentials. I got my AJP. It was fun.
 
How cool is that Missy! Sorry I missed the opportunity! Did you learn unexpected things, or did PS have you half there already?
 
Son and I were going to take the first intro-ish "colored stones" course together and then life got in the way. I had planned to see how far I could go. Some of the skills overlap with elements of my day-job.

I want to know more. And I would like to be able to speak to wholesalers as a member of the trade. Although I can probably just make a bogus website for that -- everyone else seems to! :mrgreen2:
 
I've been tempted to take classes at GIA. They would undoubtedly lead me to want to buy/horde more gems, so I will not be furthering my education at this time.
 
ksluice said:
How cool is that Missy! Sorry I missed the opportunity! Did you learn unexpected things, or did PS have you half there already?
Click to expand...

I hope they offer this opportunity again for those who want to take it.
Some of it was very basic that most of us know already but there were things I learned and for the most part if was an enjoyable experience. I think most PSers would find most of it easy but enjoyable too. After all we share a love of diamonds and gems and all things sparkly.
 
I have my AJP as well. Always want to learn more!
 
I am coming toward the end of my studies to become a GIA Graduate Gemologist.
I have earned my Applied Jewelry Professional (AJP) credential, have earned Diamonds Graduate and Pearls Graduate, completed the Colored Stones course, the Colored Stones Grading Lab, the Gem Identification Lab, and am now seeing the end in sight for the Gem Identification course.
Upon successful completion of that course, I will have earned Colored Stones Graduate which, together with my Diamonds Graduate diploma, I will be deemed a Graduate Gemologist.
But, as the saying goes, the last leg of the race is the longest and the final exam of the Gem Identification course is the 20 stone proctored exam with 100% accuracy required to pass.
I am trying to prepare myself for the real possibility of having to retake it, which many have to do (about 35% of students), some multiple times.
This has been extremely challenging yet rewarding. It also has been extensively time consuming in the most intense way. Not to be taken lightly, it is very expensive, and gets increasingly so as one progresses.
I definitely had no idea what the time commitment, challenge, intensity, and fiscal impact this would have. I had pursued this for personal enrichment. It also just started out as taking a few courses but one thing led to another and before I knew it I was in deep and figured I should go all the way.
I have high anxiety about passing tbe exam… to have done all this - the time, money, and stress - and to not reach the goal would be devastating. But if I make it the reward and exuberance will be indescribable.
 
Good luck @headlight! Wishing you a very successful and rewarding journey!
 
missy said:
GIA was offering classes online last year for free at the beginning of the pandemic. Spring/summer of 2020. I took all three offered. Diamond Essentials, Jewelry Essentials and Colored Gemstone Essentials. I got my AJP. It was fun.
Click to expand...

Me too, I wish I had the time to do more.
 
autumngems said:
Me too, I wish I had the time to do more.
Click to expand...

It’s definitely a huge time commitment. I have been extremely fortunate to not have much else going on at this time providing the luxury to make it my major focus. But people do it with the other obligations… they just need to take a little longer to complete but GIA provides a generous time period to complete it, knowing students have their lives.
 
headlight said:
I am coming toward the end of my studies to become a GIA Graduate Gemologist.
I have earned my Applied Jewelry Professional (AJP) credential, have earned Diamonds Graduate and Pearls Graduate, completed the Colored Stones course, the Colored Stones Grading Lab, the Gem Identification Lab, and am now seeing the end in sight for the Gem Identification course.
Upon successful completion of that course, I will have earned Colored Stones Graduate which, together with my Diamonds Graduate diploma, I will be deemed a Graduate Gemologist.
But, as the saying goes, the last leg of the race is the longest and the final exam of the Gem Identification course is the 20 stone proctored exam with 100% accuracy required to pass.
I am trying to prepare myself for the real possibility of having to retake it, which many have to do (about 35% of students), some multiple times.
This has been extremely challenging yet rewarding. It also has been extensively time consuming in the most intense way. Not to be taken lightly, it is very expensive, and gets increasingly so as one progresses.
I definitely had no idea what the time commitment, challenge, intensity, and fiscal impact this would have. I had pursued this for personal enrichment. It also just started out as taking a few courses but one thing led to another and before I knew it I was in deep and figured I should go all the way.
I have high anxiety about passing tbe exam… to have done all this - the time, money, and stress - and to not reach the goal would be devastating. But if I make it the reward and exuberance will be indescribable.
Click to expand...

I earned my Gemologist Diploma back in 1989 passing the Diamonds, Diamond Grading, Colored Stones, Colored Stone Grading, Gem Identification, and a comprehensive final.
Yes the Gem ID course was intense but I did pass the 20-stone exam on the first try.

To earn my GG, I would have to go back and take the 3 lab courses which are quite expensive now.

Never worked in the industry (retired VP Software Engineering) and just took the classes for fun.

Good luck with Gem ID, you will do fine.
 
@headlight I think you’re awesome! Good luck with your exam!!
 
I hope to do it when life allows it. I did complete the AJP when the courses were offered (thanks to PS posters for alerting me to it). When I eventually retire from teaching I would love to make working in jewelry a full time career!
 
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