So, I'm almost ready to sign up for the diamond course.
For those who have done it, how about some opinions. Specifically, best teachers, detailed day to day experience, how much knowledge did you pick up?
How many different diamonds do you get to look at?
What is this about measuring angles? Any significant math involved?
For someone who spends conservatively an hour a day on another diamond forum which shall remain nameless but rhymes with rice dope, do you get in depth training?
Any pros? cons? Probably going in 2009 - any excuse to go back to Bangkok is a good excuse.
And since I'm there what about the colored stone price and grading. I've already done gem id. Well, let me know. I'm saving my pennies and looking forward to going back. keemoog99
Well, no one has reponded yet. Didn't anyone take the diamond course from AIGS?
When I was doing colored stones I saw them in the next classroom, but they never really said much other than measuring angles, so wondered if it was worth the money.
AIGS is going up next year around $400 dollars more for same course. But then again there is a lot you can do in Thailand.
Joined: Sun Oct 16, 2005 12:22 pm Posts: 21602 Location: San Francisco
Hi.
Although it is always interesting to get the feedback from previous students, I believe most of your questions can be answered directly by asking AIGS.
Best teachers for diamonds may be the exception, perhaps you can ask how many instructors are teaching the diamond course and what sort of experience they have had.
I presume you look at an adequate number of diamonds.
Ask if they use a Sarin to determine measurements and angles or if it is done by direct measurement.
The math involved in diamond calculations is basic, adding, subtracting, multiplying, dividing...no matrices, vectors, etc.
Diamonds are not difficult to master. One needs the proper tools and the skills to use them.
I'm confused...the other forum you spend time with daily: ice.com? Do they offer diamond grading classes?
hey barbara:
the other forum was pricescope.com; wasn't sure if i could mention their name on this forum. i was being funny "rhymes with rice dope"
glad there's not a lot of math. their website says about 100 diamonds to work with i believe. don't know what they have for equipment, but i'm more interested in being able to pick out the good ones, cut color and clarity with just my loupe. For some reason, i think they were doing direct measurement. some of the guys would come out of class complaining about measuring all those angles.
by the way, thanks for all the work on your forum. nice group of people here. nina keemoog 99
by the way, going to central america. any good gemstones to pick up over there, and i'm not thinking emeralds...just a small souvenir from my vacation. bye....
Havent checked this forum for a long time...
Ive done diamond course and color stone course at AIGS this year.
I absolutely loved the diamond course. I learnt alot from it (though I wouldnt deny that even know I still need to learn more abt diamond).
Basic math (we use calculator), simple tools (microscope & loupe), and beautiful stones. what else could you ask?hehehe
I was taught by Jayes Patel, and I quite like the way he teaches..
I was quite fortunate (at least I like to think it that way) that the class I joined was quite small in number (6ppl at most) so it gives us more times to ask questions and interact with each other.
we looked at approx. 100stones, which I think is still inadequate.
as for the colored stones, I think there are still more room for improvements in regards to the course program. the materials are alot but we covered them all pretty quickly, and on the contrary to diamond grading, we looked at way alot more stones. maybe because we only used loupe for the grading and the grading system is simpler than the diamond's one.
we got to look at some really really expensive and big stones (like 5ct royal blue sapphire, some really nice emeralds, and heaps more).
Im goin back again in 2009 to finish the rest of the course (gem id and syntetics). hopefully we would be able to meet each other im hana btw
thanks hana, that is exactly the feedback i was looking for. now need to see if jayesh will be teaching the diamond course at that time. not sure about colored stones and grading but will probably do it if i can get the class.
so now that i have some direction, back to work to save enough money to go for the three months. thanks, keemoog
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