Gems in Greenwich

I like visiting Greenwich, on the river in south-east London. Its maritime and scientific heritage permeates the air and is immediately detectable when one alights from the London commuter train. The grand buildings of the Queen’s House, Greenwich Hospital and the Royal Observatory, all within walking distance of the station, are the finest examples of the English interpretation of Baroque architecture.

Not quite of that epoch is the modern hotel venue of my latest one-day diamond grading course arranged by the NPA for pawnbrokers. A dozen attendees from Eastern England learnt more of diamond identification, particularly how the loupe, when utilised correctly with a sceptical and enquiring mind, is a more powerful aid than a so-called ‘diamond tester’.

Judging quality and size of diamonds were considered with emphasis on the benefits of using a millimetre gauge to estimate carat size as a superior means than the ‘hole gauge’plates still made use of by many pawnbrokers. One of the intentions of these short workshops is to demonstrate to pawnbrokers that there is more to establishing diamond values than guessing stone weights.