It had been a long, busy day for John at his new jewelry store. It was his first day at the job as an assistant manager. He had recently earned his gemologist diploma and was working at his first management post in this store. Just five minutes before closing time of the store, a well dressed man walked in. He had a engagement ring in his hand. My fiance just broke up with me, he said. This ring cost me a great deal of money. I don't want to keep it anymore. Brings back too many sad memories. Holding the ring out to John, he said, give me a good price for this!



John looked at the ring. A large, impressive affair, the ring had a big white stone in the center surrounded by small, colored stones. The mounting seemed to be of a good quality. But something about the stone did not quite feel right. John noticed that the facets did not quite look sharp enough, and that the stone had an almost imperceptible, greenish tint. Meanwhile, the man was growing impatient. How long does it take for you to evaluate a 1 Carat diamond, he asked.

John remained calm and answered matter-of-factly, Sir, it is not easy to judge the quality of a stone in few minutes. I am going to have a closer look. And he picked up his loupe. He picked up the ring close to the eyes. He caught a glimpse of two facet reflections through the side of the gem's crown, where there should have been only one.

Right away, John knew that that stone was not a diamond. Can't you come up with a figure now, the man pressed on. After double checking and carefully thinking, John finally answered, I am sorry sir, I won't be able to buy this piece. The stone is not a diamond. Without a word, the man took the diamond and hastily exited from the shop.

One of the sales associates walked up to John and congratulated him, after observing this. You know, I would not have known. I would have asked him to leave the ring with us. John sighed. Maybe, even the customer had no idea about it either, but I doubt it. And if he had left the ring with us, he would come back the next day and could accuse us of changing his diamond from the ring.

That day, John's product knowledge, quick thinking and confidence had saved the reputation of the store and had protected it from making a loss. It is in situations like these that the practical experience of identifying gemstones can really come in handy. Observation is the key to determining if a gemstone is real or fake. Sometimes a skilled eye and a loupe is all it takes to make sure of a stone's authenticity.

Here are a few tips which will help you while you practice to become a successful gemologist:

-Always carry your loupe or lens with you wherever you go. You never know when you may need it.

-Make a habit of studying every gemstone with your loupe, even if it is a common gemstone like a citrine or an expensive gemstone like an emerald. Just observe the stone with your loupe. This is the best method to learn about the important features of the gemstones like the fractures, the feathers, the inclusions, the color etc.

-when assessing a gemstone always make it a habit to judge the weight(specific gravity) of the stone by hand. Guess the weight and check it by measuring the stone's weight on a scale. This is a great way to be able to accurately guess a stone's weight.

-If you are not sure of the identity of a stone, then do not guess. Just tell the client that it needs more testing and you cannot know that with just the loupe. It is better to avoid making a wrong assessment.

-While you are going to a friend's house, to the market or anywhere, never ever leave an opportunity to see a gemstone.

-Always keep yourself updated about the latest news about synthetics, treatments and gemstone enhancement techniques in the market.

And most of all, observe and be careful in all your dealings. Keep your wits about you and follow these tips and you will soon have the makings of a good gemologist.