NEW CLASSES FOR 2024

Download the full program here

 

PREVIOUS CLASSES IN 2024

 

OTHER SEMINARS

"Diamonds: in science, history and jewellery trade" is a 4-session online seminar with lots of diamond stories in science, history and in the jewellery trade. Discover diamond’s fascinating and long geological history that is behind its remarkable properties as a mineral that has been used by mankind for more that 2,000 years both as a tool and as a gemstone. Learn about the history of diamond mining, occurrences and diamond cuts and their impact in jewellery. Understand what are diamond grading systems, how diamond reports are read. Find out about the treatments that may modify the visual appearance of a diamond. Get an update on synthetic diamonds (aka laboratory-grown diamonds) and engage in a discussion on their current sales/marketing narratives.

The sessions were specially crafted to provide tools and product knowledge for sales associates in story telling but are also of interest to jewellery, antiques and gemmology student or professional looking for diamond-related info.

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"Marine Gemstones", the gem materials formed by marine species that have been prized by mankind since the early days of adornments, are the protagonists of this online “live” training. This program includes four one-hour sessions on “Natural Pearls”, “Cultured Pearls”, “Precious Corals” and “Tortoiseshell” where we’ll cover the varieties, nomenclature, conservation, history and the main gemmological aspects of these biogenic gem materials as seen in jewellery and decorative arts. The sessions were made to serve a wide audience not only wishing the gems & jewellery industry but also the art history community, as well as jewellery and gemmology students. 

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"The Big Four: Diamond, Ruby, Sapphire & Emerald" is a series of talks focusing on the four gemstones that have enjoyed a special status in the high-end of the jewellery spectrum. Diamonds, rubies, sapphires and emeralds are indeed major players and sometimes seen as traditional choices by fine jewellery makers. In this seminar, each of the four sessions is dedicated to these gems, exploring their historical background, popular cutting styles, terminology, major occurrences, modern gemmological challenges, including treatments, geographic origin determination and substitutes, all illustrated with examples of famous gemstones and jewellery masterpieces.

The workshop is suitable for the sales and retail professional as it provides tools and background knowledge for romancing the stone and story telling.

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"Other Coloured Gemstones" is a series of talks focusing on  four important gem families that have been offering numerous gemstone varieties to the fruition of jewellery lovers through the creativity of designers and gem & mineral collectors: the jades, tourmalines, opals and the vast quartz family. In this seminar, each of the four sessions is dedicated to one of those gem groups, briefly exploring their varieties, historical background, terminology, major occurrences and their treatments and substitutes in plain and simple language accessible to all.

The workshop is suitable for the sales and retail professional as it provides tools and background knowledge for romancing the stone and story telling. 

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"History of Gemstones" is a series of talks that briefly cover the history of the use of gemstones in the decorative arts from the period preceding the Portuguese discoveries in the late 15th century until the industrial revolution in the second half of the 19th century. It includes four one-hour sessions: “Antiquity to Renaissance”, “The Age of the Discoveries, 16th and 17th centuries”, “The 18th century and Brazilian Diamonds”, “The Gemmological Revolution of the 19th century”. These talks are accessible to gem, jewellery and museum professionals and antique dealers, and also to gemmology, jewellery and history students or merely enthusiasts.

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“Applied Gemmology for Jewellery Designers” introduces the challenges  for decision makers in choosing stones for jewellery beyond aesthetics, fashion and budget that can be tackled with gemmological knowledge. It includes four one-hour sessions “Durability and Stability in Gemstones”, “Preventing Damage”, “The Quantity Factor”, “Planning a Diamond Ring”. This workshop is catered specially for jewellery designers, artists and bespoke jewellery makers as well as for beginners and students in the fields of jewellery and gemmology, but as an entry-level approach is it quite accessible to most viewers.