iGEM: the synergy of 3 centres of excellence to identify and evaluate gems and jewellery

There are many jobs in gemmology, and you will find a relatively complete list here. By clicking on the associated images, you will learn more about the gemmology training required.

As far as salaries are concerned, it is extremely difficult to give a price range, due to the wide variety of potential jobs. These depend on the industry you are in, often on the experience you have acquired, as well as on your level of expertise.
To be a gemmologist is above all to have a set of skills and knowledge, in other words, a fine know-how. This expertise can be expressed in several ways: one can very well cut gems, set them in jewellery and sell them in one’s own jewellery store, be a gemmologist appraiser for an auction house and teach gemmology, direct a gemmology laboratory and write articles for specialized journals, etc…

In any case, there is one key word in all these gemmological professions: passion!

Certain skills and abilities are required to work in the gemmology profession. Do you have them? A good gemmologist must be serious, rigorous, precise and often patient. Discretion, integrity, and the ability to maintain professional secrecy are also required. Good concentration skills, as well as excellent eyesight are essential (whether without or with glasses, one must distinguish with precision the smallest details as well as the colour spectrum). Indeed, an evaluator must sometimes observe gems for several hours.
Good interpersonal skills are desirable. In addition, depending on the profession chosen, the gemmologist must have good physical stamina, or excellent presentation, sometimes both!