Books or taking the GIA e-learning: Colored Stone Essentials?

[Kashmira]

I''d like to learn a lot more about coloured gems and have been looking if I could find some good books or a training course. I don''t intend to start to work with gems but would like to educate myself a little. Has anyone attended the training course (e-learning): "Colored Stone Essentials" arranged by GIA? If yes, what was your opinion of it? Would it be better to get a few good books on coloured stones and if yes, what books would you recommend for a "newbie" like me?

 

[nwphew]

I just finished taking colored stones essentials and diamond essentials through GIA. They course was very helpful, but I''m sure that it has the same content that any other gemstone book would have. You don''t have to purchase the book for the course because each lesson comes in pdf file so you can save it. I brought the book and saved the files.

 

[Kashmira]

Date: 9/9/2009 3:03:54 AM
Author: nwphew
I just finished taking colored stones essentials and diamond essentials through GIA. They course was very helpful, but I''m sure that it has the same content that any other gemstone book would have. You don''t have to purchase the book for the course because each lesson comes in pdf file so you can save it. I brought the book and saved the files.

Thanks for your reply

Is the book just a hardcopy of the pdf-files or does it contain some other information too?

 

[Deia]

I haven''t taken the colored stones essentials but I did take the diamond essentials earlier this year. It was a good course but very geared towards people who hold sales assistant jobs within the jewelry business, imho. I think the colored stone essentials is pretty much the same. If the colored essentials course is planned out the same as the diamond one, then you do not need any books. All the study material can be found online once you register for the course.

For me it was helpful printing out every chapter (plus there are some pretty pictures). There is a test at the end which is open book.

I am planning on taking the colored stone essentials soon, as I eventually want to get my GG degree.

Hope that helps!

 

[nwphew]

The hard copy and pdf file contains the same information.

 

[Sagebrush]

Kashmira,

First question, what is it that most interests you? Lore, connoisseurship, history, crystallography, inclusion study, mining, gem id? There are a lot of good books that consider one or more of these topics in greater detail than Colored Stone Essentials, but none that covers all. Colored Stone Essentials is, as one poster mentioned, a very good down and dirty introduction for the sales associate. I am not sure why it is now a prerequisite for the GG course, but there you are.

The best way to introduce yourself to a subject is to learn about that which most interests you. There are some excellent bibliography''s available and most of the best books on the subject have been published in the last twenty years.


Best,

 

[Kashmira]

Date: 9/9/2009 8:40:00 AM
Author: Richard W. Wise
Kashmira,

First question, what is it that most interests you? Lore, connoisseurship, history, crystallography, inclusion study, mining, gem id? There are a lot of good books that consider one or more of these topics in greater detail than Colored Stone Essentials, but none that covers all. Colored Stone Essentials is, as one poster mentioned, a very good down and dirty introduction for the sales associate. I am not sure why it is now a prerequisite for the GG course, but there you are.

The best way to introduce yourself to a subject is to learn about that which most interests you. There are some excellent bibliography''s available and most of the best books on the subject have been published in the last twenty years.


Best,

First of all- thank you all for your replies!

I''d like to know more of what I as a consumer needs to know about gems. I just ordered your book Richard (from a Swedish webshop) and I also realized that there will be a training (during 6 evenings) at the university where I live starting as from October, 1. I just called the university and was granted admission!!!!!