Hello all
My apprentice wants to get a gemmology degree, should I recommend
FGA or GIA ?Is one better than the other depending on what you want
to do ? If she wants to become a stone dealer in the future would one
of the other be better.Or for general valuing would one or the other
be better ?
Thank you very much.
Phil W
My apprentice wants to get a gemmology degree, should I recommend FGA or GIA ?Is one better than the other depending on what you want to do ? If she wants to become a stone dealer in the future would one of the other be better.Or for general valuing would one or the other be better ?
I do not know anything about FGA, but another variable to consider
is the country. If I would be doing it all over again, my choice
would be GIA in Thailand. The reason is, an exposure to treated
gemstone and synthetics.
Leonid Surpin
Hello Phil,
I have studied in GIA (Gemological Institute of America), DGemG
(German Gemological Association), and GemA (Gemmological Association
of Great Britain). Many people asked “which school is better”. I
have written my experiences, which is in the below address.
GIA was my first and I was not very knowledgable about the
Therefore I learned a lot there. I followed the courses
in DGemG because I could study in the campus and the practical side
of it was invaluable. At the same time I got carving lessons from
Hans U. Pauly.
Third was GemA where I got FGA and DGA. This school is the most
difficult of the three. Because the theory examinations are not
multipal choise questions, you have to write the answer instead of
chosing in between 3-4 answers and for the practical you have to
know all the properties etc. by heart.
There are minus and plus points to the three schools. Please read my
views in;
http://www.birdamlasu.com/gmthreeschools.htm
Kind regards,
F. Oya Borahan GG. FGA. DGA.
http://www.birdamlasu.com
Hello Phil
To answer your question, i have done both fga and gg, which was a
good experience.GIA being more commercial and fga being the more
scientific one. I think doing them both is a good decision !
Greetings
Wilma van der Giessen, fga,gg 
I think FGA is more towards colored stone and GIA towards diamonds.
Ahmed shareek
Well done, Oya, however in comparing prices, the courses you listed
mentioned fees and facts for both residence and home study courses.
And, naturally, home study is less expensive, as you have stated for
the GemA course. To do it residence is approximately $11,000.00 U.S.
I am impressed with your evaluation of the courses; they are very
good and a good read for any person interested in studying gemology
from a student’s perspective, although, you have your preference,
which I see to be the German course…
Other than that, your descriptions were well done, in FGA, which we
teach, we do have a full lab and also all the gems to examine and
identify and in our correspondence courses, since we are in the US,
we can send them out easier and also invite our home study students
to come to the school, CIJT, for instrumentation and practical.
In addition, we offer exam prep before each exam, conducted by Donna
Hawrelko GG. FGA., FCGmA, of Canada, she really great knowledge and
teaching methods for gemology and the students and they do “get it”
when she gives the class, it just is a great wrap up of the course.
They say she just pulls it all together. Our students do acknowledge
that it is “heavy” and intense but are so fulfilled with the
accomplishment of successfully passing both exams.
We too, have had students pass the foundation of FGA first and it
did take some time with the Diploma due to the theory portion, which
is indeed not simple. But it is knowledge and exciting and probably
the best way to choose would be to take the challenge of what you
want to do.
We also have several G.G.'s who do take our course for additional
Now, with all this said, CIJT was an Allied Teaching Centre for Gem
A until two years ago when we changed to teach the Canadian version
of FGA. Logistics made it a better fit for us to communicate.
In summary, the course does have some multiple choice questions, and
as stated, we are teaching the Canadian Version of FGA, offered by
the Canadian Gemmology Association, an affiliate of GemA for over 50
years, so it is all good.
All the best, Dee
California Institute of Jewelry Training (CIJT)
I was elected as a Fellow of the Gemmological Association of Great
Britain (FGA) over twenty years ago. The exam then was recognized as
being one of the most difficult in existence, not because of the
content but the amount of rote learning.
Of the starting class of 70 people only 10 took the final exam. I
think that six of us passed the first time.
Tony Konrath
Hi Tony, congratulations, yes it is tad difficult, however doable.
some GG’s really want a deeper knowledge and that is where to get it,
We switched teaching the FGA to the Canadian FCGmA with the only real
difference is that we do have some multiple choice in the exams. And
it does seem to give the student’s writing hand a bit of a rest. With
that said, we just had a class where 6 took the final exams, 4 passed
and two retook in January, will know if they passed it the second
time, but they feel pretty confident. I like the percentages, Dee
It appears that either is an excellent choice. Now that I hear about
the FGA, I would have preferred that (probably would have geeked out
hardcore and died of perfect bliss). If you have the ability to do
so, study in residence. There is no substitute for stones in hand,
knowledgeable jewelry professionals mere feet away, and a world class
library to devour.
Andrea Robinson, GG
MmeMagpie.com
Hello Dee,
Well done, Oya, however in comparing prices, the courses you listed mentioned fees and facts for both residence and home study courses. And, naturally, home study is less expensive, as you have stated for the GemA course. To do it residence is approximately $11,000.00 U.S.
Thank you. After you draw my attention, I put links to current
school fees in my website.
I am impressed with your evaluation of the courses; they are very good and a good read for any person interested in studying gemology from a student's perspective, although, you have your preference, which I see to be the German course...
I wanted to be honest with my observations of the schools. I said
being in Idar Oberstein may influance my judgement. I got the
education from DGemG on campus therefore I was able to ask and ask
and ask whenever I couldn’t understand something. I must confess I
am very very glad that I had the opportunity to follow all three
schools. I learned so much from these schools.
Other than that, your descriptions were well done, in FGA, which we teach, we do have a full lab and also all the gems to examine and identify and in our correspondence courses, since we are in the US, we can send them out easier and also invite our home study students to come to the school, CIJT, for instrumentation and practical. In addition, we offer exam prep before each exam, conducted by Donna Hawrelko GG. FGA., FCGmA, of Canada, she really great knowledge and teaching methods for gemology and the students and they do "get it" when she gives the class, it just is a great wrap up of the course. They say she just pulls it all together. Our students do acknowledge that it is "heavy" and intense but are so fulfilled with the accomplishment of successfully passing both exams.
This is great. If I folloved a practical course or if I had the
gemstones to practice I would have passed the exam the first time.
Although English is not my native language I passed the theory the
first time.
Now, with all this said, CIJT was an Allied Teaching Centre for Gem A until two years ago when we changed to teach the Canadian version of FGA. Logistics made it a better fit for us to communicate.
What is the difference between British and Canadian FGA?
Kind regards,
F. Oya Borahan GG. FGA. DGA.
http://www.birdamlasu.com/