My first three months at G.F. Williams has been a steep learning curve. It was clear, the knowledge gained through working with jewellers, a trip to Ratnapura and my Gem- A studies were only the tip of the iceberg. I bounced into this new field with an over-enthusiastic, if not slightly greenwashed view of the industry. I have a lot to learn, but like an Ethiopian Opal- I’m soaking it up.

If it isn’t the abundance of stock that I find almost overwhelming, the collective knowledge of my three other colleagues is. When a new stone is brought into the office, the team huddles round with loupes and tweezers and discussions of carat price, stone quality and origin fly from the walls at a speed that rivals one of Jason’s sports cars.

Not only am I rapidly getting fit with the daily four floor hike to the ‘penthouse’ at the top of our building (I have now quit my gym membership) but I’m beginning to learn tips and skills of the trade. For example; how to distinguish a Fire Opal and a Spessartine Garnet with simply a magnet, how the polish on the girdle can give insight to where it is cut. I’ve learnt that gemmologists all have their own language that makes the stone varieties like ‘Paddy’ (for a Padparadscha), sound like familiar friends rather than gemstones and I have learned what the perfect blue of a Paraiba is (it’s a Hollywood swimming pool if anyone’s wondering.)

I have had an amazing start at G.F.Williams, inspecting new stock from Bangkok in my first week. In the company of these gemstones, I am slowly becoming a gem snob and developing exceedingly expensive taste. Not only do I get the joy of working so closely with high value and beautiful stones I am beginning to appreciate each customer’s individual tastes and requests. These are multifaceted, and I revel in the challenge of completing the most complex and diverse requests as it often means delving deep into the stock.

The intricate stock system never fails to amaze me with thousands of stones to navigate. When challenged, Annette, Amanda and Jason, (who boast 100 years at the company combined), pull out a weathered packet of gems with faded writing, stored away at the back of the safe. It always turns out to be exactly what I am after. It seems to be a bit like knowing the short cuts in the Matrix.

A prerequisite at G.F. Williams seems to be not only a well-organised stock base but also a well-formed customer base, all who have been a pleasure to meet. I look forward to meeting those of you who I haven’t yet met and hope you will follow my journey as the most recent gemmologist at G.F Williams.

Hannah