Italy Association to represent IGI’s robust education offerings and Italy Alumni Association to promote professional relations
(NAPLES, Italy) – The International Gemological Institute (IGI) launched two new associations in June during a one-day workshop to update attendees on the technical and commercial impact on the jewelry industry, taking into consideration the impact of synthetic diamonds in the marketplace.
The workshop was held June 14th at the renovated Centro Orafo (Jewelry & Goldsmith Center) in Caserta, which is located roughly 30km north of Naples where around 100 jewelry manufacturers operate. It was held under the banner of the International Gemological Institute (IGI) Italy Association, which gathers the five territorial districts actively involved in implementing the programs of IGI’s educational department in Italy. The Neapolitan District Custodian, Dr. Paolo Minieri, acted as master of ceremonies and patron. IGI’s Association represents the world’s largest independent certification institute focused on gem and jewelry education in Italy.
The President elect, Dr. Minieri, a graduate gemologist from Naples, was joined by Mining Technical Engineer Luigi Costantini, also a graduate gemologist, who after his 20-year post as IGI’s educational representative in Italy, has joined the Association as Honorary President and Coordinator and Liaison Officer.
Additionally, IGI’s Italy Alumni Association debuted at the workshop, which was open to not only IGI graduate gemologists, present and past students, gem cutters, gem lovers and gemstones dealers, but to all those bearing an interest in gems, gemology and related subjects. This Alumni Association promotes professional connections through devoted websites as well as through a bilingual (Italian and English) gemological review internationally distributed such as “Rivista Italiana di Gemmologia” (Italian Gemology Review).
At the conclusion of the workshop, IGI Antwerp (Belgium) C.O.O. Deborah Pienica conferred titles upon the last group of IGI graduates in a dedicated ceremony.
To learn more about IGI’s educational offerings and to see school locations, please visit www.igi.org. Seminars and courses can be organized anywhere upon request.
