Intro to Gemology

Gemology is the study of gem materials, including their description, identification, origin and usage in jewelry and ornamentation. Gemstones are also used as a commodity, and being able to evaluate and identify them is focus of a gemologist’s job. In this course, we’ll look at many different specimens with a focus on the most common gemstones used in the jewelry trade: apatite, aquamarine, emerald, fluorite, garnet, quartz, ruby, sapphire, tourmaline, topaz, etc… We will also learn about different enhancements/treatments, artificial gemstones, and how to identify them with gemological tools.

 Upon completion of this practical workshop on gemstones, students should be familiar with the most common gemstones in the gem/jewelry trade in terms of name, physical properties, and optical properties.  In addition, participants will be able to describe these stone’s internal and external characteristics and identify the mineral. Students will also become familiar with  how to use gemstone identification tools such as the loupe, dichroscope, polariscope and refractometer, among others.