💎 What It Means to Be a Gemmologist – Reflections on 50 Years in the Trade 💎

Gemmology is more than just a fascination with sparkly things—it's the science, art, and mystery of the Earth’s most beautiful creations. For those drawn to the glittering world of gemstones, becoming a gemmologist is not merely a career path but a lifelong obsession with colour, structure, rarity, and value.

I passed my formal gemmology qualification in 1974—and over five decades later, I'm still utterly captivated.

🔬 Science Meets Beauty

At its heart, gemmology is the scientific study of gemstones. A gemmologist must understand the physical and optical properties of minerals, crystals, and organic gems like amber or pearls. We use tools like refractometers, spectroscopes, polariscopes, and microscopes to identify and assess each stone’s unique fingerprint.

But it's not all about lab work. To be a good gemmologist, you need a keen eye, a steady hand, and an intuitive feel for beauty. It's the blend of hard science and subtle artistry that makes this field so captivating.

💼 A Lifetime of Stones

In over 50 years, I’ve had my hands on everything from rough emeralds just out of the mine to flawless diamonds worth more than some houses. I’ve appraised heirlooms with family legends attached, advised on high-stakes purchases, and spotted fakes that might’ve fooled a lesser-trained eye.

Some days are about the meticulous joy of grading. Others, about storytelling—because every stone carries one. That Sri Lankan sapphire in a ring? Perhaps it's older than the pyramids. That opal? A pocket of ancient lightning frozen in time.

🧠 Always More to Learn

Though I qualified in 1974, the learning never stopped. Gemmology today looks very different to the 1970s. New treatments, lab-grown stones, and even entirely new minerals have changed the landscape.

But one thing hasn’t changed: the importance of experience. You can’t fast-track the instinct that comes from decades of looking through a loupe.

💖 Trust and Truth

Gemmologists are more than technicians—we're truth-tellers. We protect buyers, sellers, collectors, and sentiment. When someone entrusts me with a piece, they’re entrusting me with something that could represent love, loss, history, or hope.

That responsibility doesn’t get old.

🌍 A Legacy Cut in Stone

To the outside world, it might look like you’re just “playing with pretty stones.” But being a gemmologist means carrying the weight of trust, precision, and deep expertise. It’s a profession where beauty meets rigour.

And after half a century in this trade, I can tell you—nothing shines quite like a lifetime of looking deeper.