Line of sight
In our profession, arrogance is a deadly sin. Trust me, none of us is infallible. You’re going to make some mistakes, and believe you me, some will be doozies. In our circles, sight identification of an unknown gemstone in front of a client is by far the worst sin we can ever commit.
I say this because our goal as retail gemmologists is not just to identify a stone, but to instill confidence in the manner in which we do that. As such, we need to project the image of a knowledgeable and professional gemmologist. Sight identification is lacking in that respect, as the gemmologist fails to do the required scientific tests to be able to determine what the subject stone really is.
Our first task is to create an appropriate work area that is equipped with all the tools required to do the job. You also want to be able to set up your space to allow the customer to sit across from you while you test the stone right in front of them. Don’t hide in the back—instead, be out front with clients on a daily basis.
When examining a piece, keep in mind the importance the customer may have placed in their jewellery. Yes, it may be inexpensive and possibly not the prettiest ring you’ve ever seen, but to your customer, it may have been handed down through the generations and means more to them than the Hope Diamond.
Allowing your client to watch you test their jewellery silently communicates you are indeed taking the time to carefully and scientifically examine their prized possession. You might also consider describing to them what you are doing and why you are doing it. And before you begin, reassure the client you are not going to conduct any destructive tests on their item.
This might sound like pretty basic stuff and you may not even feel as I do about sight identification. I am reminded of a time, however, when I saw a gemmologist sight-identify a tsavorite garnet as a lab-grown synthetic emerald. The customer knew exactly what they had and called the gemmologist out on it. Losing face in front of a client when you fail to do your due diligence can be quit embarrassing and instantly humbling, too.
