Gem of an idea

NO ONE really knows what attracts us to jewellery. It could be a sheer sense of beauty or an urge to groom oneself. But certainly, from time immemorial, jewels have had an immense control over markets in every part of the world.

Where do gems come from? How are they bought? How does one arrive at the correct pricing of a piece of jewellery or the quality of the gems? Gemology - the study of gems - is about all this and more.

According to Punit Srimal, Director, Sindhar Institute of Gemology, (SINGEM) Kolkata, designing jewellery is ideal for people who wish to work from their own place. "In Kolkata, we have streets where there are women almost in every house designing or making jewellery. Very little investment is involved. We provide all the start-up facilities."

Is it like learning to stitch and becoming a professional, I wonder? "If you go to a regular jeweller, your choices are restricted. You may have to compromise on design or cost. With this course, you can design jewellery to suit your purse and personality."

What does the course offer? "The course in gemology, unlike most of the other courses in designing, includes theoretical and practical aspects of the art, imparted in a scientific manner. The programme teaches techniques in designing, making jewellery (it could be gold, silver, copper or platinum), studying the quality, pricing of gems and marketing and sales."

"We have an excellent faculty. The institute, the only one of its kind in Asia, has state-of-the-art infrastructure, including a lab for jewellery-making, setting and polishing. Students from outside Kolkata are provided residential accommodation. There are several areas of specialisation depending on one's interest. At the end of the course, we provide placement or help the students establish their own units."

What about a minimum qualification? "You must have studied upto the 12th std. at least. There is an aptitude test to get a seat."

Would it help students to work and earn without sacrificing their general education? "It provides an excellent opportunity to earn even if you go abroad. Very few places offer this particular course. Besides, designing fetches a lot of money." What happens if a particular design loses its appeal or the trend changes? "There will always be a market somewhere else. Also, the prices cannot come down. Earlier, there were no fixed pricing standards. Researchers at leading institutes the world over have been trying to devise a standardised formula for pricing diamonds.

"It is universally accepted that a diamond's value is equally and simultaneously determined by its four Cs: carat weight, clarity, colour and cut. Most jewellers and diamond dealers do not possess enough know-how to grade a diamond on the basis of its four Cs, especially the cut, which is a vastly untraversed area of study."

Will our people accept the standard pricing based on design and make? Only a select few seem to be spending on design. "True. But it is changing. Of course, there are people who see a design and get it made from a regular jeweller for a lesser price."

Punit Srimal is optimistic. "While conceptualising the institute four years back, my prime objective was to infuse professionalism and set new standards of excellence in this age-old, no-norms, family-run industry. With education in this field limited to Western Europe and the U.S. and accessible only to a few, SINGEM has been formed to provide world-class education at an affordable cost and reach out to a wider target group."

He adds, "We have already started training programmes in Mumbai and Bangalore. In Kolkata, a building is coming up which will house a trading centre where jewellers can meet their clients. It will have every possible facility, including access to jewels and gems, space, brochures and promotional material."

Now, they are planning a training programme in Chennai. "My visit here is only to create an awareness about the course. Already we have 600 applicants."

The Sindhar Institute of Gemology, established in 1997, has invested Rs. 3.5 crore in a state-of-the-art production facility and two training centres in Kolkata. The aim of the institute is to "combine traditional Indian expertise in gems and jewellery with global advances and to train Indians to be on a par with their peers around the world."

For further information, contact 4757719/ 4559219 (Kolkata) or e- mail at www.sindhar.com

GEETA VARMA

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