The Jeweller’s Diamond Workshop: Theory & Practice

Designed to help you save money and time when buying, designing, or working with diamonds, this one-day trade workshop provides practical information to help you understand what you may be looking at and feel more comfortable handling these popular stones.

This workshop expands on the practical insights in my book, The Jeweller’s Quick Reference Guide to Working with Gemstones. While the book focuses on how stones behave during different jewellery-making processes, this in-person session gives you the chance to look closely at loose diamonds and their imitators firsthand.

What we will cover:

• Diamond formation & history: Discover how natural diamonds are formed and look at the history of cutting styles over time.

• An introduction to diamond grading: Learn about the 4Cs (Cut, Colour, Clarity, and Carat weight) so you can better understand grading reports and what they mean for a stone's value.

• Natural vs. Synthetic diamonds: Get an overview of synthetic (laboratory-grown) diamond production and the key information you need to be aware of.

• Diamond imitations & electronic testing: Learn about common lookalikes (such as cubic zirconia and moissanite) and how to correctly use a thermal diamond tester to separate diamonds from simulants.

• The limits of electronic diamond testers: Understand what your testing equipment can't tell you—including why a standard electronic tester can’t distinguish between a natural and a synthetic diamond, and how the "blue nuance" in some laboratory-grown diamonds can produce a false ID.

• Hands-on practice: Use a 10x loupe and basic testing equipment to look at and test a selection of diamonds and lookalikes for yourself.

 Who is this for?

This workshop is open to any bench jeweller, antique dealer, or trade professional looking to build their confidence with diamonds. You don't need any prior gemmology experience—it's simply a practical, informative day focused on handling and looking closely at the stones.

The details:

• Location: Mobile / On-Site Training. I travel to you, bringing the stones and basic testing equipment directly to your workshop, shop, or venue.

• Time: 10:00 am to 4:00 pm

(Note: Looking for coloured stones? Check out our companion day: The Jeweller’s Coloured Gemstone Intensive!)