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Colored Stones Distance Education Programme

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.

Sapphires. Rubies. Emeralds. And so many more. To capitalise on growing consumer interest in the coloured stone market, a solid foundation in the grading and identification of gemstones is absolutely essential. GIA's Graduate Colored Stones diploma programme will teach you how to "deal in colour" with the sharp insight of a true jewellery professional. In this acclaimed diploma programme, you learn how to make lucrative coloured stone sales presentations with confidence. And you develop the crucial skill of identifying the common and the more unusual gemstones found in today's marketplace. Moreover, by learning GIA's Colored Stone Grading System, you discover how to judge the quality of the stones you buy and sell. And that could make the difference between a poor business year – and a great one!

PROGRAMME HIGHLIGHTS

• Learn key product knowledge for selling each popular gemstone, including rubies, sapphires, and emeralds
• Master the steps of a sale – from the greeting through the close
• Find out how external market factors determine value
• Learn how to use essential gemmological testing equipment, including: refractometer, polariscope, microscope and spectroscope
• Learn aspects of coloured stones that affect value
• Recognise characteristics and value differences among gemstones
• Learn how wholesalers, gem cutters, and miners judge and market coloured stones
• Find out what gems are made of and how gemmologists classify gems
• Learn how to relate quality, rarity, and colour to value
• Follow coloured stones from their sources to the sales counter

WHAT YOU LEARN

Learn how to distinguish between natural, treated, and synthetic gemstones and work with standard gemmological equipment. Then, train and practise grading colour, clarity, and cut, by applying GIA's Colored Stone Grading System. Discover which gems are most commercially important, and why. Then translate that information directly to your business. Acquire a comprehensive working knowledge of the Big Three: ruby, sapphire, and emerald. Plus, gain insight into how the constantly shifting trends in coloured stones supply affect gem prices – as well as your bottom line. And learn how to sell more coloured stone jewellery. Master each step of the sales process – from the greeting through the close – and discover how the industry's retail leaders turn customer objections into profitable sales.