GIA Hosts Seminars on the Gemstones of East Africa
Expert to deliver global perspective on colored gems in Kenya and Tanzania
CARLSBAD, Calif. – Nov. 8, 2012 – Building on its beneficiation initiatives in Africa, GIA (Gemological Institute of America) will sponsor and host educational seminars on colored gemstones in Kenya and Tanzania on Nov. 13 and 14, respectively. Robert Weldon, GIA’s manager of photography and visual communications and a noted expert on colored gems, will discuss the role of East African gemstones in the global marketplace.The discussion will center on the characteristics of East African gems, market trends affecting them and insight into the U.S. market. Weldon will also cover gem sustainability, highlighting the importance of ethical sourcing, and will demonstrate how to effectively photograph gems and jewelry for promotional purposes. GIA representatives from South Africa and the U.S. will be present to assist with questions during the sessions.
“I’ve had the good fortune to visit many gem producing countries in my travels, and it never ceases to amaze me how much work goes into finding these rare gems,” said Weldon. “East Africa produces some of the world’s most beautiful colored stones, and I can’t emphasize how much effort goes into making them available to the rest of the world. While I enjoy visiting mining sites themselves, my favorite part is interacting with the miners and with other members of the industry.”
Weldon is a GIA Graduate Gemologist, journalist and photographer. His passion and talent have led him on gem research excursions and speaking engagements across the globe including Brazil, Colombia, China, and now Kenya and Tanzania. Weldon’s works have been chronicled in GIA’s scientific quarterly journal, Gems & Gemology, and various other gem and jewelry trade publications.
GIA contributes to the industry’s expanded beneficiation initiative in Africa by developing education programs in gem source countries. The Institute has conducted classes in Botswana and South Africa and established partnerships with government agencies and universities throughout Africa including Kenya, Tanzania and Zambia. GIA’s Junior Gemologist Program™, which gives students from ages of 10-15 the opportunity to discover the world of gemology through hands-on, practical training, has also been offered at Wits Commercial Enterprise, a private company owned by the University of the Witwatersrand (WITS) in Johannesburg and at GIA’s education campus in Botswana.
For more information about GIA education in Africa, contact us.
