Guest Posted November 27, 2002 Report Share Posted November 27, 2002 Anyone knows where I could do it??An english course would be much better but if there's little written material(I can't read thai) I may even be willing to try it in thai. I heard about a place in Ratchadamnoen,but got no clear information yet Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
My Cow Jai Posted November 27, 2002 Report Share Posted November 27, 2002 Try the: AIGS at the JTC tower 6th floor on the Silom Road. The GIA on the Surasak. The Faculty of Science at Chulalongkorn University is home to the GIT where a lot of Thai students study. All of them have English language courses. Enrolement also entitles you to a visa. Good luck and drop me a PM if u need more details. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pattaya127 Posted November 28, 2002 Report Share Posted November 28, 2002 GIA is the most recognized institute in the world. You have basically no choice but to go there.I studied with AIGS in BKK when they were on rachadapisek eons ago, those were fun times, i made good friends studying, but make sure you are serious, this is a hobby that becomes ungrateful if you loaf around. Most teachers will speak fluent, or even native english, no fear about that. Log on the GIA site, and check everything about them. They are a big authority in the gem world,and tuitions are not cheap,neither instruments, but these days, quality comes with a price (except in thai nightlife, ahah...). See, as you said, I can come up with one everyday, and actually i believe this very one is the 5000th. A drink for you for the pain of extricating this from me (!!!),if we meet,and I'll check who's the real "5000"winner in board bar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 28, 2002 Report Share Posted November 28, 2002 Thanks guys for the answers.Just checked the GIA site,the course I'm interested in(grading of coloured gems) costs 200 000 baths for 18 weeks.Steep.Well,while I could come tomorow with this amount it's still a significant part of my savings.Anone knows wether the course is worth the money??Is it a base solid enough to start a low scale gem trade,given I had some contacts about where to buy and sell the gems(No,not i Thailand). Any links I should check?? Cheers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pattaya127 Posted November 29, 2002 Report Share Posted November 29, 2002 I'm interested in(grading of coloured gems) costs 200 000 baths for 18 weeks ----------------------------------- I think that GIA will not take you take the grading course without the "101" introductory course and the identification one. Maybe you are in BKK, not sure, and they do it differently there, but I ceratinly had to undertake the whole 3 course programs. Actually, I took a grading class at AIGS, when in BKK, because i was still going thru "identification" in SF (home sent), and AIGS allowed me to do that. though i had to show them i had started a program with GIA. As far as checking the gem business, if you have friens in it, it's the best info you can get, it is truly a special kind of craft, you are either in or out, can't really play on the fringe, as it is mostly based on long standing buildings of trust between buyers and sellers, it will take time and money to become an insider. I stopped because i realized the days of mavericks (esp. newbies)was gone in that industry too, that to start getting in and understand the pros and cons, the trends, the fashions, i would have had to work in a jewelry store for years unless i wanted to risk going alone, but then if you want to deal with quality, 50 000$ won't get you much as far as having a good presentation, and you need that to introduce yourself to the jaded and weary this profession has (they've seen a few ones come and go shirtless). Most interesting job, not always glamorous, but you need a leather skin, great patience and resilience, and steel heels, because you'll do a lot of walking too. there's a great little store i used to go on SILOM RD, operated by an old westerner, maybe it's gone now, he had tons of gravel and not so gravel on display, with a price sheet for the whole store. I just loved to hang out there, as i do love colored stones, and that would be a place to talk to students and western buyers available for a chat. Let us know about your progress. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
New Petchburi Pete Posted November 29, 2002 Report Share Posted November 29, 2002 Can you provide a link for the GIA site? Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 29, 2002 Report Share Posted November 29, 2002 "I think that GIA will not take you take the grading course without the "101" introductory course and the identification one. ?" I went to the GIA office in BKK today,it sems that they have a new curriculum.No prerequisite for the On-Campus Graduate Colored Stones program.The identification course is included in this one I think. Rather bad news is it's a 30 hours/week course with a lot of homework( the girl there said).Very few absentias are tolerated,wich means I'll need to give up part of my business besides. Good news is I'm willing to undertake that course because my current business prospects are grim so it may not be such a big loss and I'd better spend money on a serious course Here's the link giathailand.com AIGS offers a much cheaper gemological formation,but with seemingly fewer teaching hours ,and they seem softer on the regulations there.Pattaya what's your experience there?? Cheers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pattaya127 Posted November 29, 2002 Report Share Posted November 29, 2002 AIGS offers a much cheaper gemological formation,but with seemingly fewer teaching hours ,and they seem softer on the regulations there.Pattaya what's your experience there?? --------------------------- AIGS does not carry the weight in the profession that GIA does. their grading is just about 3 weeks, compare with GIA. At the time i did that course, GIA, whom i had a correspondance program with at home, had no school in BKK, now that there is, do not hesitate. I am guessing now your course is the one i took. Identification is actually much longer than grading that comes after. And I bet you still have to do the introduction to gemstones before all that, which explains the 3 months lentgh, though you can take a break in between classes. As i told you, it's serious demanding stuff, and you will only have fun studying hard if you really go into it single-mindedly with utter interest, more than the desire to possibly make a business out of it. At the time of the AIGS course, we used to joke a lot about the guys, who showed up bleary eyed in the morning, then soon, never again, having succumbed to the nightlife neons. One 17 YO was found bartending in Patpong, gee , what do you say to his mother who sent him study in BKK, ahah! Really met some interesting people, especially some who worked at the US embassy (helped a lot when i lost my green card 4 months later). Good way to start networking, as many students will be from diffrent countries. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pattaya127 Posted November 29, 2002 Report Share Posted November 29, 2002 Can you provide a link for the GIA site? ---------------------------- I bet GIA.com wil do the trick. If not, "google" gemological institute of America". They also have an alumni magazine that i stil receive after 12 years, THE LOUPE, which is probably online too, offering updates about such foreign outposts of the school as BKK. GIA is a very wealthy institution, and everyone would love to have a fund raising cast as dedicated and efficient as they have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 30, 2002 Report Share Posted November 30, 2002 Thanks for your input Pattaya(points taken) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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