Get a Certificate in IGI Appraisals
If you want to learn more about appraising diamonds for your own collection or because you sell diamonds and diamond jewelry, you can study for a certificate in IGI appraisals. Since this certification and the skills you learn in the courses are recognized around the world, it could boost your career in this area as well.
The vast majority of diamond appraisal institutes, such as EGL loose diamonds and GIA diamond rings, have a team of gemologists on staff who perform appraisals on diamonds sent to them. Although there is a cost associated with taking appraisal courses, if you handle large quantities of diamonds, you can save money by being able to do your own appraisals.
The courses offered in IGI appraisals are in the areas of:
– polished stones
– Rough diamonds
– colored stones, and
– Sorting jewelry
The course leading to the certificate known as IGI Polished Stone Grader from IGI Appraisals is comprehensive and takes place over the course of 5-8 days depending on where you take the course. In the introductory lessons of the course, you will learn about the 4 C’s of diamonds and learn all the terminology associated with this field. In the first week, you will learn how to classify the clarity of diamonds using a high powered microscope and magnifying glass.
The next part of the course will teach you how to determine the color of the diamond, after which you will proceed to learn how to determine the cut of the stone. This includes a basic understanding of the different elegant cuts for better value diamonds. Diamond making involves learning the steps that go into taking a rough diamond and turning it into one that is ready to be set into a piece of jewelry.
Along with plenty of practice in applying what you’ve learned throughout the course, you’ll need to take and pass a written and practical exam to receive your diploma. The IGI rough diamond appraisal course lasts one week. In this course, you will gain valuable information about non-conflict diamonds and how to determine whether or not diamonds come from conflict areas of the world.
The study of the different diamond mines and their practices is an important part of this section of the course. The main part of the course is about teaching you how to grade diamonds by clarity and color and rough diamond markings. Then you will learn how to evaluate them and practice using the computerized estimating technology used by IGI. At the end of the 7 days, you must take and pass the exam to receive your “diamond diploma”.
Although IGI appraisals specialize primarily in diamonds, other colored stones are sent to the institute for analysis. You can also get certified in grading and evaluating other types of colored stones, such as rubies, sapphires, emeralds, and pearls. This course lasts for 10 days and will teach you how to identify a stone and know if it is natural or synthetic and treated or untreated.
As part of the course, you will receive instructions on how to use specialized instruments such as a refractometer, polariscope, and dichroscope. At the end of the course, when he passes the written and practical exam, he will receive a diploma certifying him as an IGI Colored Stone Appraisal Specialist.
You can easily find out the cost of the courses and the places where they are held at various times of the year by checking the website of the International Gemological Institute. Courses are held at various facilities around the world, allowing you to take one in your home country or travel to an exotic part of the world.