Stacey Florescu receiving an I.O.U. The real certificate is in the mail
Best jewellery trade student awarded
Posted April 02, 2012 |
Made In Earth’s creative and marketing manager, Stacey Florescu, has
been recognised as the best Gemmology diploma student working in the
trade in Victoria.
Florescu was presented with the JAA-selected state award at a gala dinner in Docklands late last month after she was judged the Victorian jewellery industry’s most valuable student from the graduating class of the GAA’s Diploma of Gemmology.
Award winners from other states will be announced later in the year at the respective state ceremonies.
Florescu believes her high scores on laboratory exams, her written contributions to trade magazines and her work helping out around the school showed a drive to further her career and helped her win the award.
Juggling intensive study and work is always difficult, and Florescu had to scale back her work hours, but now Made In Earth look like they will reap the benefits of her two years of study.
“My boss was absolutely thrilled,” she said about her graduation and award win. “Made In Earth is 12 years old, and I’m the first qualified gemmologist on board, and it’s a huge help to them having that.”
Florescu signed up for the diploma, which is popular with budding jewellers, not so much to learn the craft of jewellery design and manufacturing, but to further her own knowledge about the jewellery she worked with on a daily basis.
“I took on the diploma to satisfy my own interest in gemstones and gemmology and help my career in the jewellery industry,” she said. “I think it’s really important to know what you’re talking about when your clients are gemmologists.”
Florescu said the course is predominantly made up of jewellers, as well as many jewellery retail workers and students hoping to break in to the industry. She said most jewellers should consider doing the course and would learn something new.
“It’s a course jewellers have been recommended to do, particularly if they’re setting stones other than diamonds,” she said. “It’s important to know how you can treat other stones, how you apply heat, and so much more”
Florescu doesn’t think she’s finished her time at the GAA, either.
“I’m dying to do more study at GAA,” she said. “There’s a diamond technology course later this year, and after that the valuer’s course is the big finale for any gemmologist.”
More reading:
Gemmology 101: Talk the talk