The International School of Gemology (ISG), founded in 2004 by Robert James FGA, GG, started as an Allied Gem

Gemstone

A gemstone or gem is a piece of mineral, which, in cut and polished form, is used to make jewelry or other adornments...

 Tutorial centre for the Gemmological Association of Great Britain. It is now a completely independent institution which offers various courses in gemology.

Membership and Affiliations

The school holds membership in the American Gem Trade Association, Jewelers Vigilance Committee, Texas Jewellers Association, African Gem Society, the Gemmological Society of South Africa and several other industry associations such as the Better Business Bureau

Better Business Bureau

The Better Business Bureau , founded in 1912, is a corporation consisting of several private business franchises of local BBB organizations based in the United States and Canada, which work through their parent corporation, the Council of Better Business Bureaus .The Better Business Bureau, through...

.

The ISG is also a certified Continuing Education Provider by the Texas Department of Insurance

Texas Department of Insurance

The Texas Department of Insurance is the regulator of all Texas-based insurance companies and was founded as a result of the McCarran-Ferguson Act. The agency is headquartered at the William P. Hobby State Office Building at 333 Guadalupe Street in Austin, Texas, United States.TDI Fraud UnitThe...

, California Department of Insurance

California Department of Insurance

The California Department of Insurance , established in 1868, is the agency charged with overseeing the regulation of insurance regulations, enforcing statutes mandating consumer protections, educating consumers, and fostering the stability of insurance markets in the state of California...

, and the Florida Department of Insurance.

Programs

The school offers the Registered Gemologist and Registered Gemologist Appraiser Programs as well as various equipment gemology packages for professionals.

Research and Media Coverage

The ISG has in recent years risen to prominence in the gem industry with its strong consumer advocacy in research reports where they have tackled huge firms over dishonest selling practises. The ISG gem research reports have also been the centre of massive industry scandals after their exposure of wide-scale treatments of high profile gemstones, including Andesine and Tourmaline. The famous Jewelers Circular Keystone and Colored Stone magazine has published a series of articles on the various reports and the industry's reaction to them.

External links

• JCK
• International School of Gemology
• Colored Stone article on ISG research
• Gemmological Society of South Africa
• Open School of Gemology