Be a Gemologist Shine Bright

The past few years have seen a huge growth in the Gemstone industry. More and more people are buying gems now. The consumers like to be specific about their desires and demands when it comes to the selection and purchase of gems. This demand has given rise to the profession of Gemology.

Gemology involves locating, identifying, studying and evaluating all kinds of gems, precious stones and semi- precious stones. It had begun as an art but in today’s day and age, it has culminated into a Science and a profession. It is a branch of Mineralogy and is considered to be a kind of Geoscience. People involved in Gemology are referred to as Gemologists.

Gemologists are of great value to the Jewelry Industry. They discover new gems, study their properties and calculate their exact worth; this proves to be of great help to the Jewelry Designers and Jewelers.

The job of a gemologist encompasses conducting meetings with retailers in which the latest gems are studied and assessed. It involves preparing and finalizing stock itineraries, dealing with customers and itemizing the stocks that are available. A Gemologist has to keep examining the global trends in gemology at regular intervals. This can be done online or through hard copies of Manu scripts.

A Gemologist must possess not only a deep knowledge of the gems that they assess, but also of the machinery, tools and equipment that are required to fulfill the same. They must be well- versed with all the techniques involved in the study and pricing of gems and also with the current and upcoming trends in the market and the jewelry industry. They must be genuinely interested in precious and semi- precious stones and their properties. They must possess good communication skills so as to enable them to deal with retailers as well as customers. A gemologist must have a sense of integrity and honesty so as to be able to conduct deals fairly and impartially. An eye capable of gauging even the minutest of details in gems is a requisite as it is essential in determining the quality, grade and worth of a stone.

Institutes like the Gemological Institute of America, Carlsbad, USA, the GIA, Mumbai and the International Gemological Institute, New Delhi offer the degree of Graduate Gemologist (GG) to those who go for this course. A student needs to pass a practical as well as theory based course to be eligible for this credential. A student can also apply for a degree in Gemology fresh after completing class XII but the number of reputable institutions that offer such degree courses to school graduates is very less. The tuition fee for a typical six-month course in Gemology if taken up abroad is between 4,00,000 INR and 8,00,000 INR. In India, it can cost around 1,00,000 INR.

The pay scale of a Gemologist depends not only on the amount of training, skill and expertise that they possess, but also on the employer. A beginner can earn up to 10,000 INR to 20,000 INR on a monthly basis. If you have a good experience and/or an advanced level of training, you can get paid anything between 30,000 INR and 50,000 INR per month.