Graduate Gemologist or Canadian Gemological Association diploma?

[BigToque]

The Canadian program costs $2800 CDN and the GIA program is 3x as expensive at $8300 CDN.

They both take roughly 2 years to complete.

Will either be any more beneficial in the long run if I wanted to be a business owner or even an appraiser?

I'm 24 right now and have just finished my B.A, so I'm looking at something that I can help turn into a career and I honestly feel like I would love to be in this industry.

I'm Canadian BTW

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

The GIA will teach you more salesmanship and business useful things.
The Canadian is more like the british and Australian course and will teach greater depth in synthetic detection and the science of gemmology etc.

Hope that helps.

 

[Richard Sherwood]

Even though the GIA has more name recognition, I think in your situation the Canadian school would be the way to go. Especially if you''re going to live and practice in Canada.

Both organizations make you a gemologist, and the rest is up to you from there. If you are practiced, knowledgeable, well equipped and competent, it will make little difference to most people what country or organization you got your degree from.

 

[denverappraiser]

It depends on what you’re trying to accomplish. The CGA program is the cheapest track in the world leading to an FGA diploma but it’s not very marketable by itself. The FGA program is a wonderful credential but it requires an additional year of study, some significant fees to Gem-A and sitting for the FGA exam, which can be administered by the CGA for an additional fee.

If you’re looking to get employment as an expert in the gem business, or you wish to get into the appraisal business, you will need to start with either a GG or an FGA to get the job or to get customers. If you’re just looking to learn the material, the CGA program is excellent or try www.schoolofgemology.com. It’s an inexpensive program that does a good job although it doesn’t really result in a saleable credential…. yet

The tuition you quote is just the first part of the GG program. You also need to take several of their lab classes which involves additional fees as well as travel costs, hotels, time off from work, etc. For most people the GG costs considerably more than that.

Neil Beaty
GG(GIA) ICGA(AGS) NAJA
Professional Appraisals in Denver

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

Date: 10/25/2006 5:38:57 PM
Author: Richard Sherwood

Both organizations make you a gemologist, and the rest is up to you from there.

the esteemed guy who handed me my bit of paper for my FGAA told us all that we now had a drivers licence - but how we drove from here on was really up to us, and how well we were able to keep abrest of new and constantly evolving new treatments and synthetics meant that in 5 years time the paper and prior learning would be no real reflection.

That was 31 years ago!!!!
Our 2 years course in Oz is now 4 to 5 nights / afternoons a week in 2nd year - and they will probably make it a 3 year course.
After that there are 3 additional modules, a diamond grading course and a Dip of Diamond Technology

And these days most of us know we need to send stones to a lab with high end spectrascopes, laser dodads etc

 

[CaptAubrey]

Date: 10/25/2006 2:26:05 PM
Author:BigToque
The Canadian program costs $2800 CDN and the GIA program is 3x as expensive at $8300 CDN.

They both take roughly 2 years to complete.

Will either be any more beneficial in the long run if I wanted to be a business owner or even an appraiser?

They''re really apples and oranges. I got my GG a few years ago, and I''m roughly 2/3 of the way through my FGA. I like to tell people that a GG is like a semester of beginning earth science study in college; the FGA is mid-to-upper level work. They build on each other nicely, if you have the time and money to do both.

If you''re serious about the business aspect, you might consider one or more of GIA''s jewelry business courses. The FGA teaches you nothing about that, and the GG alone is good for selling at a counter but not pushing papers in the manager''s office. I''ve not taken any of those myself, though, so I can''t speak to what they''re worth in the long term.

For appraisal work, a GG or FGA is a prerequisite.

 

[RockDoc]

Date: 10/25/2006 7:39:15 PM
Author: CaptAubrey

Date: 10/25/2006 2:26:05 PM
Author:BigToque
The Canadian program costs $2800 CDN and the GIA program is 3x as expensive at $8300 CDN.

They both take roughly 2 years to complete.

Will either be any more beneficial in the long run if I wanted to be a business owner or even an appraiser?

They''re really apples and oranges. I got my GG a few years ago, and I''m roughly 2/3 of the way through my FGA. I like to tell people that a GG is like a semester of beginning earth science study in college; the FGA is mid-to-upper level work. They build on each other nicely, if you have the time and money to do both.

If you''re serious about the business aspect, you might consider one or more of GIA''s jewelry business courses. The FGA teaches you nothing about that, and the GG alone is good for selling at a counter but not pushing papers in the manager''s office. I''ve not taken any of those myself, though, so I can''t speak to what they''re worth in the long term.

For appraisal work, a GG or FGA is a prerequisite.

Agreed in part disagreed in part, Capt.


While it is necessary to understand quality and identification about gem, the gemological schools do not teach valuation. Being a GG or FGA is necessary to do the grading and quality analysis portion of an appraisal, but the valuation is another subject entirely.

ISA, ASA,NAJA and AGS have those courses, which are strictly about valuation, advanced and separate from the gemological training.

Rockdoc

 

[Richard Sherwood]

Date: 10/25/2006 6:38:34 PM
Author: denverappraiser

The CGA program is the cheapest track in the world leading to an FGA diploma but it’s not very marketable by itself. The FGA program is a wonderful credential but it requires an additional year of study, some significant fees to Gem-A and sitting for the FGA exam, which can be administered by the CGA for an additional fee.

Neil Beaty
GG(GIA) ICGA(AGS) NAJA
Professional Appraisals in Denver

Ah, I didn''t realize that. I thought the CGA was equivalent to the FGA.

In that case I retract my answer, and recommend either the FGA or GG if you (Big Toque) think you''re going to get serious in the gem business.

Thanks for the info Neil.

 

[Modified Brilliant]

Date: 10/25/2006 8:06:54 PM
Author: RockDoc

Date: 10/25/2006 7:39:15 PM
Author: CaptAubrey

Date: 10/25/2006 2:26:05 PM
Author:BigToque
The Canadian program costs $2800 CDN and the GIA program is 3x as expensive at $8300 CDN.

They both take roughly 2 years to complete.

Will either be any more beneficial in the long run if I wanted to be a business owner or even an appraiser?

They''re really apples and oranges. I got my GG a few years ago, and I''m roughly 2/3 of the way through my FGA. I like to tell people that a GG is like a semester of beginning earth science study in college; the FGA is mid-to-upper level work. They build on each other nicely, if you have the time and money to do both.

If you''re serious about the business aspect, you might consider one or more of GIA''s jewelry business courses. The FGA teaches you nothing about that, and the GG alone is good for selling at a counter but not pushing papers in the manager''s office. I''ve not taken any of those myself, though, so I can''t speak to what they''re worth in the long term.

For appraisal work, a GG or FGA is a prerequisite.

Agreed in part disagreed in part, Capt.


While it is necessary to understand quality and identification about gem, the gemological schools do not teach valuation. Being a GG or FGA is necessary to do the grading and quality analysis portion of an appraisal, but the valuation is another subject entirely.

ISA, ASA,NAJA and AGS have those courses, which are strictly about valuation, advanced and separate from the gemological training.

Rockdoc

Agreed. It''s a huge misconception that being a GG makes one qualified to perform appraisal work. GG alone does not equal appraiser.
Consumers sometimes ask an appraiser if they are a "Graduate Gemologist" which is fine...but as Rockdoc mentions..there is alot more to know.
Our industry does not always do such a great job in getting this type of information out to the public.

www.metrojewelryappraisers.com

 

[BigToque]

I''m quite tempted to do the FGA in London (I''d love to get away from home for a while). If I were to complete this course, where would I go to become an appraiser afterwords? I was looking at the AGS website and it says you need a GG diploma. It doesn''t say (that I can see) that an FGA is acceptable.

What other societies or associations offer membership to people who are FGA?

 

[denverappraiser]

Excellent beginning appraisal training is available from:

National Association of Jewelry Appraisers www.najaappraisers.com
American Gem Society www.americangemsociety.com
American Society of Appraisers www.appraisers.org
International Society of Appraisers www.isa-appraisers.org
Master Valuer Program www.mastervaluer.com

As mentioned above, appraising is not the same as gemology and it’s not taught by any of the well known gemology schools, and visa versa. Any of these coupled with a GG or FGA will give you a good basis to start. Plan on spending some time in a store, auction house or some similar venue to get some ''real world'' type experience and then practice practice practice.

Neil Beaty
GG(GIA) ICGA(AGS) NAJA
Professional Appraisals in Denver

 

[RockDoc]

I would suggest you look for members of the American Gem Society in Canada (yes, there are some). Contact the stores that are members and chat with them about your career goals.

See what their gemological preferences or requirements are and whether they offer educational reimbursement or funding if you work there, maybe in a lesser capacity at first, but maybe they will help educate and fund the education.

I''d suggest doing that before signing up for any courses. Also probably is wise to get the required color hue discrimination testing in advance, to make sure you have the visual ability to do the job as well.

Rockdoc

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

I Oz you must have a minimum of 5 years relevant jewel trade experiance to become a Registered Valuer (as we call em)