Day in the life of
Certified Gemologist – Irina Kharina
I am a certified gemologist and a gemstone and jewelry expert. I have been in the diamond, gemstone, and jewelry industry for 12 years, working in wholesale and buying roles and I now provide 1:1 consultations on luxury gemstone and custom jewelry for private clients.
After completing a Graduate Gemologist diploma with the Gemological Institute of America, it opened new doors to opportunities in the jewelry industry. It has allowed me to acquire a head office gemologist/buying position for a jewelry retailer in London and a gemologist/sales consultant position at a colored gemstone wholesale company in Toronto.
Over the years, I developed a network of very talented craftsmen and women who hold years of experience in their respective fields. There are several people who are involved in creating a custom piece of jewelry. This list includes CAD designers, jewelers, setters, polishers, gemstone suppliers, and fellow gemologists.
As the majority of them do not work directly with the public, I act as the liaison, working with each one individually to curate custom jewelry pieces.
I personally source the gemstones and carefully inspect each stone for durability issues before presenting it to my clients. I personally inspect every piece of jewelry to ensure it is produced to the highest standards. Being a gemologist allows me to educate my clients on diamonds and colored gemstones they select for their custom pieces of jewelry. I can accurately explain why some gems have a higher value than others as well as help my clients choose the best gemstone for investment. There are several factors that affect the value of each stone, as a certified gemologist I use my knowledge to select the best options depending on my clients needs as well as negotiate prices with wholesalers.
By providing a unique, private experience, my clients are able to have access to exclusive gemstones and incredible jewelers generally not available to the public.
My typical day
My typical day at work consists of providing private, 1:1 consultations on luxury gemstones and jewelry. I spend my day sourcing ethically sourced gemstones, working with CAD designers, jewelers, setters, polishers, gemstone suppliers, and fellow gemologists to curate unique, high end pieces of jewelry. I also create fun and educational gemstone and jewelry content on my Instagram page and my blog.
Depending on the career path you decide to take as a gemologist, there can be several pros and cons for each position.
Pros
- As a gemologist, being able to identify and grade diamonds and gemstones greatly helped me in my buying and selling position. As a buyer, I select diamonds to fill our stock jewelry needs as well as for custom pieces for private clients. While negotiating prices, it helps to know what you are looking at. In my sales position at a colored gemstone wholesaler, being a gemologist helped me to prepare an appropriate selection of gemstones to offer to each client as well as explain the attributes of each stone and its value.
- As a gemologist, being able to distinguish natural gemstones from their synthetic counterparts (man-made or lab-created gems) allows me to educate my clients on their existing jewelry or if they are potentially looking to buy synthetic gems rather than natural. There are possible advantages and disadvantages to purchasing both.
- While working at a gemological laboratory, I was able to grade gemstones for our wholesale clients as well as for private clients looking to appraise their jewelry for insurance purposes.
- As a gemologist, I can identify diamonds and colored gemstones as well as grade their quality. I do this by analyzing their characteristics and performing testing using gemological equipment such as a loupe, a microscope, and a refractometer.
- Being a gemologist combines my passion for gemstones with work.
- It is a dynamic environment which allows for professional and personal growth.
- As a niche career choice, you can become a sought after diamond and gemstone expert.
Cons
- Being a gemologist requires great attention to detail and a high level of concentration on a daily basis.
- If you decide to become an independent gemologist, you have to invest in costly gemological equipment.
- Some may find gemological work monotonous, especially at entry-level positions where you will be required to examine and grade hundreds of gemstones a day.
- Working as a gemologist will require you to follow a precise schedule, work under pressure, meet tight deadlines as well as work during busy holiday seasons or weekends. Because it is my own business, it is a 24/7 job! Working with busy clients all over the world means I have to be available for calls and follow ups in different time zones, be it in Toronto, LA, London, or Moscow.
- I found that searching for a new gemologist position can be a difficult task. In a tightly knit jewelry community, many companies hire from within the company or through existing connections. Gemologist positions are rarely posted online and are often found through networking.
- Most companies who already have a gemologist rarely look for replacements, people usually tend to hold on to their positions for many years.
- I found that gemologist salaries also tend to be lower than in some other industries.
