GIA is the world's foremost authority on diamonds, colored stones, and pearls

First thing, GIA is an international school. So I probably should have convinced my dad to let me go to their Bangkok or Belgium location but we will save that for another blog. 

GIA has a range of different class from their 1 week Diamond Break down class to their 12 month become a Gemologist course. Learning everything from Pearls to Computer Aided Jewelry Design courses ( my step-sister is currently enrolled in this class I'll interview her and write a blog about it when she's done! ) and also classes for becoming a bench jeweler and jewelry design classes as well. 

Basically the one and only school for our industry, lets be real. 

I took all the Diamond classes and then moved on to colored stones and ended up finishing everything and taking the BIG TEST to become a Gemologist. 

One thing I loved was having students from all over the world in my classes and getting to hear all about their backgrounds and personal experiences in the industry. I will never forget one of the guys in my class was always bragging that his dad was a De Beers Sightholder. ( Meaning his dad was the equivalent of a diamond God! ) Just kidding, ill explain what a sightholder is later on but just know its a very high status in the jewelry industry and there's only like 8 in the world. 

 Also, when I graduated they took the whole class on a little tour of the secret and very secure under ground stone grading lab. Lets just say.. I saw some EXXXXTRA large Diamonds and some color hues I didn't even know existed in sapphires. 

But back to class!

First we learned the basics AKA what is a diamond and where do they come from? 

Well let me tell you.. 

A Diamond is literally just pure carbon. 

Wait what? JUST Pure carbon .. Please explain! 

OK I will

Check out my next blog, THE DIAMOND BREAKDOWN 

Written 2021