Hi and no worries about the pearl class. I’m happy to share any free education info I can find.
Are you referring to the GIA Graduate Gemologist diploma? To be honest, I’m not in the jewelry industry at all, but I love jewelry and gems (colored stones are very interesting!). I only found out about GIA’s classes last year and dreamed about taking their courses and possibly getting a GG. But I’m also willing to leave the door open to look at getting into the field (though things are pretty unpredictable, considering the pandemic).
I may consider taking more classes, especially while having more free time in quarantine. But like you said, the classes aren’t cheap and I’ve heard the higher level courses assign far more reading. You’ll also have to attend some in-person labs too if you’re interested in the diploma.
If I do go that route, most likely I’ll take one class at a time doing their monthly payments. I’m on the fence about it...but even if nothing pans out job-wise, it’s still a pleasure to study.
A cheaper alternative would be to read books and seek out other free classes. There are various websites with more information and even some college sites with old posted lectures.
Definitely do some research if you’re curious about going farther and feel free to keep in touch if you have any more thoughts on this.
If there are any GIA GGs here, I’d love to hear from you too