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• How to Enrol
• 2010 Course Schedule

Accredited Jewelry Professional (A.J.P.) Diploma

DIPLOMA PROGRAMME OVERVIEW

There is a whole new way to learn at GIA: eLearning – the next breakthrough in studying gemmology.

All Distance Education enrolments will now be handled directly by our headquarters in Carlsbad, California. Please visit GIA's main website directly for more information and to apply.

For more information on the AJP Intensive in London, please click here.

Specially designed for sales professionals, GIA's Accredited Jewelry Professional (A.J.P.) diploma Programme focuses exclusively on essential product knowledge and proven sales techniques. You learn everything you need to know to sell more diamonds, more coloured stones, and more jewellery right away. There are no technical grading or identification lessons, just "real world" product knowledge you need on the sales floor. Become conversational in the language of jewellery. Develop the confidence to stand in front of a customer, provide accurate descriptions of jewellery, and deliver compelling sales presentations.

With Distance Education, you learn all the "Essential" information you need – in an environment that's convenient for you. When you earn an Accredited Jewelry Professional diploma, you enter the marketplace with practical, applicable skills – plus all the trust and credibility conferred by a GIA credential.

WHAT YOU LEARN

The A.J.P. Programme is divided into three courses:

• Jewelry Essentials course
• Colored Stone Essentials course
• Diamond Essentials course

Each "Essentials" course provides you with clear and concise information that is easily understood and put into practise. As a result you are able to increase sales, increase your earning power, and increase your confidence.

With over 70 years of experience in distance education, GIA has mastered the art of using plain language to explain key concepts clearly. The engaging, friendly text and colour photographs of the three Essentials courses bring a wealth of experience directly into your hands. Full-colour reference guides, included with the standard course material, provide additional resources you can use right at the sales counter.

JEWELRY ESSENTIALS COURSE

Powerful sales are hiding in the design and manufacture of your merchandise. Do you know where to find them? In just 5 short lessons – each specially designed for quick learning – you discover how to sell virtually any piece of jewellery by recognising and promoting the benefits that make your merchandise irresistible. Learn which metals and settings are best suited for durability, wearability, and design. Become acquainted with different manufacturing techniques such as casting, die striking, electroforming, and hand fabrication. Plus, keep GIA's Essential Jewelry Reference Guide behind the counter and have all the important information right at your fingertips.

• Turn metals and manufacturing into irresistible selling points
• Turn design, style and manufacturing features into benefits that sell
• Find out which manufacturing techniques create better "sight value"
• Discover key selling points for platinum, gold, and silver
• Understand how karat gold affects appeal and value
• Understand various cuts and stone settings

COLORED STONE ESSENTIALS COURSE

Discover some of the latest "real world" techniques that take you through every step of the sales process – right through the close. Learn how to relate quality, rarity, and colour to gemstone value. Plus, get in-depth information on the "Big Three" gemstones: ruby, sapphire, and emerald. In just 8 short lessons – each specially designed for quick learning – you get all the sales tips and product knowledge you need to sell colour like a professional. You also receive GIA's Essential Colored Stone Reference Guide, which contains helpful and interesting facts on today's most popular gemstones.

• Turn coloured stone product knowledge into "hot buttons" that sell
• Learn how to relate quality, rarity, and colour to value
• Follow coloured stones from their source to the sales counter
• Find out which market factors determine value
• Discover how to sell treated, synthetic, and imitation stones with full disclosure

DIAMOND ESSENTIALS COURSE

In just 7 lessons, Diamond Essentials gives you all the information and sales tips you need to start selling more diamonds than you ever imagined! Get moneymaking tips on turning product knowledge into sales. Apply the 4Cs to explain appearance and value. Learn which diamond shapes are the most popular, and familiarize yourself with the best-selling types of diamond jewellery. Take full advantage of the "real world" sales tips in GIA's Essential Guide to Selling Bridal Jewelry, included with your course material.

• Understand GIA's International Diamond Grading System™, how to read GIA diamond grading reports, and how to use them to close sales
• Increase sales by explaining the 4Cs (colour, clarity, cut, and carat weight) to customers
• Learn the features and benefits of today's most popular diamond jewellery
• Translate product knowledge and benefits into a convincing sales presentation
• Master the steps of a sale and overcome client objections
• Convert the allure and romance of diamonds into profit