The International Gemological Institute (IGI) – the world’s largest independent gemological laboratory – is offering online seminars for jewelry professionals on a variety of topics. From introductory 4Cs education, to diamond sourcing and origins, to the newest developments in lab-grown diamonds, IGI is actively educating trade organizations and sales professionals in several sectors, including leading luxury brands.

“IGI has always focused on protecting consumers,” said IGI North American President Avi Levy. “Last June, we started training retail jewelers as an extension of that protection. There’s a lot happening in our industry right now. Those who know the latest developments are going to serve their clients best.”

The standout feature of the seminars is customization. The course components don’t change, but IGI adds context and messaging designed for the target audience. “We suggest different talking points for a luxury brand than we do for an e-commerce seller,” Levy explained. “We want to emphasize information they can use in-store immediately.”

Over the past eight months, IGI has curated and delivered a sequence of ongoing, customized training seminars for one of the world’s best-known designer jewelry brands. Similarly, Jewelers of America tapped the Institute to deliver the last seminar of 2020 to its membership: Lab Grown Diamonds: New Talking Points yielded some of the highest attendance results of the year, and garnered positive testimonials regarding IGI’s ability to deliver knowledge in a clear and understandable way.

As the first Institute to fully grade lab-grown diamonds, IGI has undeniable authority on the lab-grown topic, yet Levy says it’s one of many. “We do everything from the 4Cs to colored stones, to sustainability, to a 100-year overview on how diamond cutting has evolved and changed. We’re constantly developing new sessions.”

For 45 years, IGI has instilled confidence in shoppers with its world-class evaluation and grading of fine jewelry, gemstones, and natural and lab-grown diamonds. Consumers worldwide are aware of the importance of the 4Cs – Color, Clarity, Cut and Carat Weight. With this focus on educating sales professionals, the Institute continues building the “Fifth C” – Confidence. For more information on IGI and its offerings, please visit www.igi.org and gemblog.igi.org.