Joined: Thu May 18, 2006 5:08 am Posts: 481 Location: Kuala Lumpur
Hi Everyone
I am having quite a stress at the moment! I have been told for the last couple of months by the GIA that I should wait for the new gem ID book to come out before requesting it, which I did. Now they have sent me the old one anyway saying because I did the Extension course in Thailand, the old book corresponds better with that!!! Now that sounds crazey to me - Even if I did learn older methods in thailand (which I wasnt aware I was doing) I want to learn updated methods if they are available. This sounds to me like they are trying to palm some of the older books off on me. As far as I was aware, I was being sent the new book, no one called to say they would be sending the old ones! Now they are probably going to hold me to the postage to send the huge thing back! Where do I stand on this - Please help!
Joined: Tue Dec 06, 2005 11:45 am Posts: 1107 Location: Cape Elizabeth, Maine
Sounds like a misunderstanding. I would contact them to straighten it out. As far as I know, the new course requires an additional fee to upgrade from the old course - did you pay for the updated course?
Joined: Thu May 18, 2006 5:08 am Posts: 481 Location: Kuala Lumpur
Hi Snizzy!
Thanks for your reply!
I just paid for the GG course, at the time I didnt know that it was going to be updated. After I had paid, my instructor said to wait for the new Gem ID course and that would be sent when ready. I have contacted her about this since receiving the old one and she said that she had to send the old one out as it corresponds with the extension class I took in Thailand! I didnt know I was learning old stuff in Thailand, she told me originally that I was waiting for the new course, and that it what I want - for goodness sake the old one looks like it is from the 80's! well actually some of the books are as early as 1993!
Joined: Fri Jan 27, 2006 12:27 pm Posts: 764 Location: Western NY
lucy- wrote:
I didnt know I was learning old stuff in Thailand, she told me originally that I was waiting for the new course, and that it what I want - for goodness sake the old one looks like it is from the 80's! well actually some of the books are as early as 1993!
Burgendy binders, right? It sounds like the version I used. If so, yep, the pictures & some "graphics" are vintage 80's. Hey, it's "vintage" and thus more valuable, right?
I'm just trying to lighten it up a bit, not make light of your situation. I'd be quite annoyed if they did that to me. I'd probably try whatever I could to hold my instructor to her promise -- even if it meant eating return postage on that heavy book.
But if you have to use the old material, don't despair -- it is dated, but the information and technique in it are still good. There are some gaps in the old stuff (e.g., less detail on certain treatments, dated information on gem sources), but nothing you can't overcome by reading here and in periodicals.
I haven't had the chance to compare the new books with the old ones in terms of content & techinque, but there are certain things that just will not change at least in terms of the standard gemo equipment. The basics are still the basics.
The one thing that will be annoying with the old material is their occasional self-promotions on long-dead hardware like the colormaster or ads for their discontinued faceting course. Of course, no doubt the new version has plenty of self promotion of the new courses & equipment ...
Joined: Thu May 18, 2006 5:08 am Posts: 481 Location: Kuala Lumpur
Oh, no its not vintage, more antique I would say!!
Yep it's in the burgundy binders, I didnt even see that when I was doing the extension class though, and If I knew that by doing that extension class I would get the old course work then I wouldnt have done it - but of course no one told me that!!
I heard that the new one comes with a DVD and is the dogs nuts! so I am dissapointed however it is the principle more than anything - I nagged and nagged my instructor to send me the course out when I just started as I wanted to have everything to see exactly what I had to learn, she kept putting me off for 4 months saying that I should wait for the new one as it will be out soon! I presume they were just out of stock and wanted to shut me up! Like I said though, if the new one is out, I want it not the antique version.
Thanks for your reply Peter, It did make me laugh - but dont get me started on the self promotion!!!
Joined: Wed Dec 14, 2005 7:00 pm Posts: 181 Location: St Louis - Mo
I dont know why they wouldnt have sent you the newest one. I got mine a couple months back. I wouldnt think there would be any reason for it to take this long even if they shipped it by row boat. Im sure it will get to you though and I can promise you, you will love it. And yes, the DVD is , well, just as you described it…:lol: Any time I cant quite grasp something , I put the DVD in and Bobs you Uncle, I see it being done and it sinks in.
_________________ " Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime. "
Joined: Wed Jan 03, 2007 11:21 pm Posts: 120 Location: Las Vegas, NV
danielh wrote:
I dont know why they wouldnt have sent you the newest one. I got mine a couple months back. I wouldnt think there would be any reason for it to take this long even if they shipped it by row boat. Im sure it will get to you though and I can promise you, you will love it. And yes, the DVD is , well, just as you described it…:lol: Any time I cant quite grasp something , I put the DVD in and Bobs you Uncle, I see it being done and it sinks in.
What is going on here? "DVD's"? Do you know how lucky you are? I didn't get no stinkin DVD's when I was a student at the GIA. I even had to buy my own instruments! Nice to know they are giving away nice stuff nowadays!
_________________ Best Regards From,
Tom Goodwin, G.G.
"Always do the right thing. Your friends will be gratified and your enemies amazed." -Mark Twain
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 8 guests
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot post attachments in this forum