January 24 Through February 4—TUCSON, ARIZONA: Annual show
Welcome to the GemologyOnline.com Forum
A non-profit Forum for the exchange of gemological ideas
It is currently Thu Mar 28, 2024 4:35 pm

All times are UTC - 4 hours




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 13 posts ] 
Author Message
 Post subject: GIA Diamond Graders-No experience needed!
PostPosted: Sun Sep 30, 2007 10:21 pm 
Offline
New to the Forum or The Quiet Type

Joined: Sun Sep 30, 2007 10:07 pm
Posts: 1
I thought this was a joke at first but it is not. Why not just create a computer to randomly generate diamond grades? And some wonder why that GIA SI2 costs much less than some other SI2's. See everyone at the GIA/EGL/IGI picnic this year!


check out this address:

_________________
"There all D / Flawless!"


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Oct 01, 2007 2:16 am 
Offline
Gemology Online Übergod
User avatar

Joined: Mon Oct 17, 2005 2:39 pm
Posts: 3528
Location: San Francisco Bay Area, CA
Well, they give an intensive 3-6 month training course and it's not as if these "rookies" are making final decisions without further oversight. Maybe I don't get what the big deal is... if everyone required prior experience, where would anyone get it?


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Oct 01, 2007 11:25 am 
Offline
Site Admin
User avatar

Joined: Sun Oct 16, 2005 12:22 pm
Posts: 21602
Location: San Francisco
I know people who have worked as diamond graders.
They claim to have learned 100x more from taking the GIA's training courses for grading than they did in the GIA courses!


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Oct 01, 2007 2:02 pm 
Offline
Valued Contributor

Joined: Fri Sep 08, 2006 8:20 pm
Posts: 354
Location: Texas
which begs the question; if the training is so good then why isn't it part of the course material as well? Or is it? I don't think the graders get paid as much as the GIA tells graduates that they can expect to make. Perhaps the pay is partly in "prestige". I was always surprised that the GIA doesn't require their own courses as a prerequisite for employment. My roommate at the GIA worked in the grading lab, back in the 80's, but not for long.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Oct 01, 2007 8:34 pm 
Offline
Site Admin
User avatar

Joined: Sun Oct 16, 2005 12:22 pm
Posts: 21602
Location: San Francisco
I think the graders get a "hand-on" intensive to philosophy and techniques used within the GIA's lab environment.
Top equipment.
Top environment.
Learning a very calculated and methodical routine that would be hard to duplicate in the general world.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Tue Oct 02, 2007 7:43 am 
Offline
Gemology Online Veteran
User avatar

Joined: Fri Sep 08, 2006 7:03 pm
Posts: 605
Location: Sweden
Yeah, sounds nice to me, do you know if it is possible to apply as a foreigner?

_________________
If it sounds good, then say it again!


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Tue Oct 02, 2007 12:25 pm 
Offline
Site Admin
User avatar

Joined: Sun Oct 16, 2005 12:22 pm
Posts: 21602
Location: San Francisco
You'd have to live by a lab.
Contact the GIA and ask them.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Tue Oct 02, 2007 9:00 pm 
Offline
Active Member

Joined: Sat Aug 11, 2007 8:37 pm
Posts: 60
Location: Las Vegas
Well I am sure glad labs hire people with no experience or I would not have a job. I am in my second week with a lab and the only solid experience I had was Colored stones and diamond essentials.

So far I dig the job.

_________________
Good Times


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: GIA Diamond Graders-No experience needed!
PostPosted: Thu Oct 23, 2008 5:42 am 
Offline
Established Member

Joined: Sat Aug 23, 2008 8:01 pm
Posts: 16
Location: Houston, TX
[quote="Gandalf the Gemologist"]I thought this was a joke at first but it is not. Why not just create a computer to randomly generate diamond grades? And some wonder why that GIA SI2 costs much less than some other SI2's. See everyone at the GIA/EGL/IGI picnic this year!

Just a little curious as to where your finding a "GIA SI2" that costs much less than "some other SI2's" and are there any left?

I have bought many diamonds from many different sources, I have yet to hear someone say "I'll sell you this 'equal quality' stn. for 10% less, but it has a GIA cert" It's usually the exact opposite!

Please let me know if I'm mistaken in the assumption that GIA is more stringent on their grading standards than most if not all other gem labs.

Thanks,
Rod

_________________
Changing the perception of the pawn industry one customer at a time!


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Thu Oct 23, 2008 9:55 am 
Offline
Gemology Online Royal Princess

Joined: Mon Oct 17, 2005 10:56 am
Posts: 6461
Location: The frozen north prairie :-/
When I went through the hiring process (wasn't hired, but turned out for the better :) ) it was explained to us that the "rookie", having gone through the intense 3-6 months of diamond grading courses, is the first to clarity grade a diamond. It then goes to someone with a few years of experience; then on to someone with even more years of experience. If there is a disagreement as to the grade, it goes on even further.

They do have a good deal of turn-over of diamond graders ... seems the working environment -- low lighting, sitting for hours, staring in a microscope -- gets to people after a while. :shock:

_________________
IIJA Registered Gemologist
GIA Graduate Gemologist


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Thu Oct 23, 2008 10:41 am 
Offline
Valued Contributor

Joined: Sun Mar 11, 2007 10:03 pm
Posts: 341
Location: San Diego
While taking my GG course at the Carlsbad location, the inevitable question about working in the lab came up in a class discussion. However, once the salary was disclosed I do not think it ever came up again... I do not even know how someone could live in Southern California for the salary provided by GIA.

My first job in retail jewelry sales after attending GIA paid roughly double the amount graders start out. This was with zero prior experience as well. I am not surprised at the turn-over, I think that many people go just for the initial training.

_________________
Paul Mattlin
Senior Manager, Online Education Division

* My posts are my own and do not reflect the opinions or policies of my employer


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Thu Oct 23, 2008 11:01 am 
Offline
Site Admin
User avatar

Joined: Sun Oct 16, 2005 12:22 pm
Posts: 21602
Location: San Francisco
I have pointed out before, that if one checks GIA's job listings, if is rather sad that many of the employers advertising are offering salaries below a living wage is in the area of their business.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Thu Oct 23, 2008 12:11 pm 
Offline
Valued Contributor
User avatar

Joined: Thu May 18, 2006 5:08 am
Posts: 481
Location: Kuala Lumpur
I agree Barbra, as someone who is on the lookout right now, I don't know why the GIA even bother listing some of these positions. Its very disheartening. Right now there are so many "internships" some for companies that are one man bands making wire wrapped jewelry!!! or companies that want a GIA grad sales person in NYC for $10 an hour. I really wanted to apply for the GIA diamond grading position, but once I figured out travel costs to the city and other expenses, it just wouldn't work.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 13 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 4 hours


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 6 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

Search for:
Jump to:  
Powered by phpBB © 2000, 2002, 2005, 2007 phpBB Group
Gemology Style ported to phpBB3 by Christian Bullock