Why This Program?

Introducing GemAccess Plus, a premier Continuing Education program designed exclusively for GIA Graduate Gemologists™. As a professional in the gem and jewelry industry, your work requires the latest and most accurate information to set you up for continued success. Stay current with industry trends and advancements through monthly content releases, including the newest findings and critical industry insights from GIA researchers in the field.

As a GemAccess Plus subscriber, you'll gain access to the current GIA Online Education course materials, which provide the most relevant information in the industry. You’ll also be able to view the complete archive of GemAccess videos, which includes 15 years of past program topics.

Finally, you’ll receive a bonus two-hour live online Continuing Education seminar of your choice, providing a unique opportunity to enhance your knowledge on a range of industry topics. Take advantage of this Continuing Education program to stay on the cutting edge of the gem and jewelry industry.

Program Highlights

  • Ten interactive modules via GIA’s online platform, featuring video, stunning photography, and online lectures from experts in gemology.

  • Access to the latest GIA eLearning courses materials including Diamond Essentials, Colored Stone Essentials, Diamonds & Diamond Grading, Colored Stones, and Gem Identification.

  • A rich multimedia library of hundreds of exclusive videos including 15 years of past program topics.

  • Your choice of a two-hour live online Continuing Education seminar.

    Note: Modules will be released on a monthly basis.

  • Wide range of subjects, from turquoise to new lab discoveries, the Hope Diamond to climate change.

How It Works?

  • All modules delivered online through Blackboard.

  • One module released at the beginning of each month.

  • Complete all module activities by December 31 and score a 75% or better on each module to receive a Letter of Attendance.

  • Receive access to the complete archive of past GemAccess modules.

  • Select a bonus two-hour live online seminar of your choice.

Topic of Interest
Additional Offerings
Ways to Learn
Self-Paced Online | Access through Dec. 31, 2023
Cost
$485 USD (GIA Alumni receive a 10% discount)
Suggested for
GIA Graduate Gemologists™
How to Register
Click on the Register Now button and create an account on the GIA Alumni Collective Community
Register Now

2023 Assignment Modules

Assignment 1: Turquoise

Turquoise, long used for adornment, has been found in the ancient tombs of Egyptians, Persians, and Native Americans. It has been associated with the sky, life, and rebirth; some even see it as a stone of protection and good fortune. Today, turquoise is still revered for its beautiful color and is one of the birthstones for December. Recently, a team from GIA attended the Turquoise United conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where they had the opportunity to speak with several turquoise experts. Join us for discussions on modern turquoise collecting, fashioning, and treatment.

photo of Turquoise gems

Assignment 2: Crater of Diamonds State Park

Crater of Diamonds State Park in Murfreesboro, Arkansas offers a unique experience to the general public. For a fee (US$13 for adults), anyone can search for diamonds or other minerals, such as amethyst, garnet, and agate, in a 37-acre field set aside for rock hounds. Any gems you find are yours to keep. This month, Dr. Aaron Palke, Senior Manager of Research at GIA Carlsbad, discusses the history and geology of this fascinating attraction.

Crater of Diamons State Park entrance

Assignment 3: Photographing Color-Change Gems with Robert Weldon

Robert Weldon, director of the Richard T. Liddicoat Gemological Library, has photographed some of the world’s most extraordinary jewelry and gem specimens. His work has graced the pages and cover of GIA’s scholarly journal Gems & Gemology as well as other periodicals and books. Gems are known for the spectacular way with which they interact with light, but how do you capture their essence when they display different hues under varying light conditions? Peer through Robert Weldon’s camera lens as he discusses the challenges of photographing color-change gemstones.

faceted octahedron gem

Assignment 4: Pearls at the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show

With their soft, glowing luster yet staggering array of shapes and colors, pearls are truly unique in the world of gems. Their endless variety means there are pearls to suit all tastes and preferences. Rare, natural pearls have been treasured for millennia while cultured pearls are a testament to human ingenuity. A team from GIA was fortunate enough to chat with pearl professionals at the 2023 Tucson Gem and Mineral Show to gain insight on the current pearl market. Join us to see what they discovered.

Pearls at Tucson

Assignment 5: Miriam Kamau: A Woman in Mining

Dusty, hot, back-breaking work is how many people envision gem mining. It has traditionally been seen as “men’s work,” but more and more women today are entering the field and working their way up to the highest levels. One stand-out is Miriam Kamau. Starting as a “tea girl” in a gem dealer’s office, Ms. Kamau has, through perseverance and pluck, learned about gems and the gem trade, cultivated connections, and founded Mimo Gem Traders, where she serves as owner/director and operates a tsavorite mine in Kenya. Along the way, she has won numerous awards and worked tirelessly to reinvest in living improvements in rural Kenyan communities. She currently serves on the Board of Directors of the International Colored Gemstone Association. Join us as Ms. Kamau gives us a glimpse into her world.

Miriam Kamau

Past Assignments

2022

  • Climate Change Matter to the Jewelry Industry

  • Discoveries from the GIA Laboratory

  • Feldman Custom Knives

  • Blue Diamond

  • X-Rays & Their Use in Gemology

  • Latoya Boyd

  • The Microworld of Gemstones

  • Unusual Phenomenal Colored Stones

2021

  • Natural Blue Diamonds

  • Montana Sapphires

  • Rubies

  • Engagement Rings

  • Somewhere in the Rainbow Collection

  • Melee Diamonds

  • Superstitions Surrounding Gems and Jewelry

  • Minerals Discovered and Named at GIA

2020

  • Geographic Origin Determination

  • GIA Field Gemology

  • Trapiche Gems

  • Interview with Susan Wheeler

  • Jewelry Manufacturing in Russia

  • Shells & Pearls

  • Advanced Analytical Equipment

  • Nigerian Gems

2019

  • Stuart Robertson: Observations on the Colored Stone Market

  • Ruby Mining in Myanmar

  • New from Tucson 2019

  • Perspectives on Responsible Sourcing and Fair Trade

  • Myanmar Gems Emporium

  • Superdeep Diamonds

  • Peridot from Myanmar

  • Russian Demantoid

2018

  • Greenland Ruby Mining

  • Dreher Animal Carvings

  • Edward Boehm: Tucson 2018

  • News From Tucson 2018

  • Ethiopian Emerald

  • Ethiopian Sapphires

  • Ethiopian Opal

  • Debbie Hiss: Selling Lab Grown Diamonds

2017

  • Natural American Freshwater Pearls

  • Diamond Jewelry Manufacturing in India

  • Getting the Most from Diamond Rough

  • Diamond Manufacturing Today

  • Mining Tanzanite

  • Natural Saltwater Pearls

  • Emeralds from Afghanistan

  • A Gem Cutter’s Perspective

Introduction to Diamonds

Indispensable knowledge for diamond professionals and collectors.

See Details

Overview of Laboratory-Grown Diamonds

Essential information for buyers and sellers of laboratory-grown diamonds.

See Details

Low Temperature Heat Treatment in Corundum

Low temperature heat treatment of certain kinds of corundum has been a major concern to the industry in the past several years.

See Details