Introduction of Gemology
Gems are a vital part of Indian culture. Since time most ancient, Indians have desired both precious and semi-precious stones such as diamonds, emeralds, sapphires, rubies and the like for their astrological significance. Gemstones were also seemed upon as symbols of power and progress. Nothing much has varied as far as the utility of these valuable materials goes.
However, the art of searching gemstones, assorting and evaluating them and processing them for the end user has varied absolutely. Gemology or the science of the learn of gems and valuable metals has developed as a new line of learn and as a new career way for job searcher.
Now-a-days everyone looks quality assurance and the gems business is no different. The owners need to possess the super of gems to showcase it to their anticipatory buyers or retailers. The retailers on their part require to give the best to the clients and outdo other fighters. Finally, the end-user also require genuine and high quality gems and gem enveloped jewellery for individual use.
The need of all these stake holders is authentic and smartly catered to by the modernistic day gemologist. A profession in gemology is not just affirmed to laboratories and organizing tests for assorting and evaluating gem stones. In fact as a gemologist you have uncounted job opportunities coming from working in a diamond mine to the owner of a top gems and jewellery brand.
Various Roles, various Names
The gems and jewellery business is one of the biggest foreign exchange earning stream in India. Moreover, this business provides livelihood to hundreds of thousands of public across the country. The main roles associated with this stream are listed as follows:
Gemmologist: Responsible for organizing a variety of tasks united with gems. Major tasks contain gem assorting and grading, testing, gem evaluation, dealing with risk stones and so on. Other vital roles include gem cutting and polishing, treatment of raw gem stones, providing gemstone consultancy, and producing of artificial gems.
Diamond Grader: A professional who has the expertise to grade diamonds appropriate to the established diamond grading norms.
Jewelry Designer: Jewelry Designer who conceptualizes new jewelry designs and styles keeping in account the changing demand of fashion, taste, time, and preference of the society at high.
Sales Personnel: They are responsible for selling gems, valuable minerals, jewelry and gemology related tools and instrument in the national and in the international market.
Gemstone Auction Manager: A individual who takes care of the all auctioning process of different gemstones in an auction house.
Market Watch
Gem cutting and treatment and polishing and grading of raw valuable and semi-valuable stones are big industry in India. This business and allied activities like jewellery designing, producing and retailing and gemstone consultancy will always retain the market hot for this professional profile.
International Focus
You may get the scope to visit foreign lands based upon the nature of your profile and the organization you are working for. You should get to travel internationally to sell or buy raw or finished gems and valuable metals or show them at international trade fairs and exhibitions.
As a famous gem consultant who caters to large profile multinational clientele, you should have to travel across the globe. Since astrology as a science has started earning recognition in the western world you can even open your own gem business there.
Positives/Negatives
+ives
- This is literally a star studded profession where you will always have to deal with valuable and semi-precious stones and minerals.
- This is a highly lucrative business and getting are sky-high.
- There is a large possibility of meeting the rich and the famous of the society mainly if you are offering gemstone consultancy services.
-ives
- It needs hard work and high-level of talent to flourish in this industry.
- You will have to spend limit less hours in gem grading and polishing laboratories to confirm your expertise in this stream.
- The starting cost of setting up your own unit is large and may oppose budding gemologists who need to establish their own self-dependent business.
Step-by-Step
To pick up a short-term certificate or diploma in any gemology related study program you should have finish you’re schooling or 10+2 level and should be minimum 18 years old. These courses offer basic information based on the identification of different gemstones. And also, principles of evaluating and assorting cut gems are a part of these study programs. Some of these short term courses are follows: Gem Identification Certificate course, certificate course in Cut Design and Analysis, Pearl Grading, Polished Diamond Grading course, Diamond Grading Certificate course.
Expection from these short-term courses, you can go for a diploma in gemology. The time period of these study programs can range from anywhere between 9 weeks to 1-year.
The syllabus of these programs incorporates the study of different techniques and equipment that are used in the gemological business. These courses also offer you with hands on expertise on gemological related tools and equipments by way of practical tests.
Although you can enter into these diploma courses with basic minimum information regarding valuable stones but the evaluation process in these collages is very stringent.
The fundamental prerequisite for applying for a diploma in gemology is that you should be a graduate in any discipline. Some art and design institutes across the nation also provide jewellery design as a part of their bachelors and masters level syllabus.
Start Early
You can either choose for a study program in gemology after the 10+2 level or after finish your graduation. Anyhow, you should have a deep attachment towards valuable and semi-valuable stones to move towards this industry for business purpose.
Is it the Right Career ?
Gemology is a science and art come into one. To pick up gemology as a profitable career you want to have interest in the study of different valuable and semi-valuable stones.
You ought to have apposite knowledge about the way these materials enhance in the depths of the earth. You should have a far-seeming eye such that you can spot even the minute changes in the constitution of various gems and stones. This quality enormously helps the gemmologist to assort and evaluate gemstones.
Next, you should be prepared to employ for long hours in gemological laboratories and treatment of gems takes place or units where cutting and polishing. Other important qualities for this profile are good communication talent, huge knowledge of technological advancements in this stream and individual integrity when making high profile business in the gem market.
Pay Packet
As a gemologist, your pay criteria will largely be governed by your eligibility in this stream and by the status of your worker. A basic course in gemology can attract you a salary in the range of Rs 10,000 to Rs 18,000 per month. On the other side a higher eligibility can help you tell a Rs 25,000 to Rs 30,000 package.
If you are running your own self-dependent unit then the profits you get can easily run into crores of rupees annually based upon the criteria of business.
What would it Cost ?
Like treasured gems the course in gemology is equally expensive in spite they being short-term courses. A 6-day short-term course from the Gemological Institute of India (GII), Mumbai costs is almost Rs 25,000.
The 3-and-a-half month (regular) Diploma in Gemology from the same collage costs is almost Rs 72,000 and the same program can be done through a 1-year correspondence costs is almost Rs 57,000.
Another short-term certificate and diploma programs cost is range between Rs 25,000 to Rs 60,000 approximately depending upon the preferred course.
The Indian chapter of the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) provides the following courses in Gemology:
- A 7 weeks Graduate from Diamond Diploma that costs is almost Rs 2,13,000.
- A 19 weeks Graduate Colour Stones Diploma with a cost of around Rs 3,78,000.
- A 26 weeks Graduate Gemologist Diploma fee is Rs 5,71,000 approximately
- A 9 weeks Jewellery Design Certificate with a cost of Rs 1,70,000
The cost of other short-term programs from GIA are in the range between Rs 7,500 to Rs 60,000.
Funding/Scholarship
HDFC Bank extends education loan facilities to candidates who are liked in seeking admission to different study programs of GII, Mumbai.
Job opportunities
The job opportunities for a gemologist are plenty. You can search for employment in a vast variety of places. You can join the mining or the gem exporting industry. Then there is the chance to work in the jewellery designing and jewellery retailing industry.
You can also find a lot of opportunities in industrial units specializing in gem cutting and polishing and treatment of hard gems. In fact, the diamond polishing business in India is one of the biggest foreign exchange earning streams in the country.
Other choices include opportunities in gem and valuable metal evaluating and examine laboratories and gem certifying bodies. Furthermore, you can search for a job in units manufacturing gemological tools and equipments and those producing artificially created gemstones.
Last but not the least you can pick up a teaching assignment in any of the collages offering courses in gemology or even set up your own self dependent unit.
Demand and Supply
There is a large demand for trained gemologists in these days. The improvement in demand for these professionals is especially propelled by the needs of people who want to buy genuine gem stones.
Moreover, the gems and jewellery business has gone through a sea change in the neoteric past. Buyers and retailers have become more quality aware and as a result, there is all the more require for expert gemologists.
On the supply side, different institutions across the country are trying their top to meet the demand for professionals in this stream. Being a comparatively new discipline, gemology is slowly but regularly gaining coin in the society.
What is more interesting is the fact that gemology in our country is complicity associated with astrology. In this situation gemology will never ever lose its brightness and will continue to remain a successful career path for job aspirants.
Tips for Getting Hired
- Certification from a famous institution is basic to get a good start in this industry.
- You should have adequate information on the new trends and technologies in this industry.
- You should possess good communication talents to effectively perform with dealers, retailers and customers.
- It is better to focus a particular area of gemology like grading, jewellery designing, cutting and polishing, gem consultancy and so on to better.
- If you ready to become a gem consultant then knowledge of gems regarding with their astrological importance is a must.
Top Companies
| Top notch goldsmiths | Industries manufacturing synthetic or artificial gems |
| Antique and art auction houses | Jewellery making and designing units |
| Jewellery shops and showrooms | Gemstone and precious metal grading and quality certifying agencies |
| Mining industry | Manufacturers producing gemmological instruments and gem cutting and polishing tools |
| Various gem evaluation and testing laboratories | Diamonte Jewels |
| Gem exporting organisations | Units specialising in the cutting and polishing of gemstones |
