Who We Are

Eric C. Emms FGA DGA Limited is a Hatton Garden area based company offering relevant, useful, impartial gemmological knowledge to the trade and the public. The company is led by Eric Emms, well known in the gem industry.

Why We Are Different

You are looking for more information and advice on diamonds, coloured stones and natural pearls. “Is it real?”, “What’s its quality?”,”How much it worth?” We supply that information through short, value-for-money courses, seminars, corporate training sessions and other gemmological services.

We believe acquiring gem knowledge should not be about learning mathematical and scientific concepts but enjoying why gems are beautiful and rare and how to judge their quality and value. Above all gem learning should be fun!

We are well known in our industry, well trusted and well positioned to deliver our services. In addition to this, we seek feedback from our course attendees (see our Testimonials page) and react to their comments to improve our offer.

So please explore our website to learn more and if you have any questions please do contact us on:

ericemms@aol.com

07973 725 266

Biographies

Eric C. Emms FGA DGA

Eric Emms is well-known in the diamond and precious stone industry through his many years work at the Gem Testing Laboratory of Great Britain and the London Precious Stone Laboratory and his teaching of gem courses at the Sir John Cass College, the Gemmological Association, the National Association of Goldsmiths, Holts Academy of Jewellery and The National Pawnbrokers’ Association.

He has taught the practical skills of diamond grading since the early 1980s and he has presented gem courses in Hong Kong, mainland China (Wuhan and Beijing) as well as throughout the UK. Eric has given gem lectures in the UK, in Europe, the Far East and the US.

During his career he has had the privilege of examining some of the most famous and largest gems including the Moghul Emerald and the Cullinan I, Cullinan II, the Koh-i-Noor, and the Agra diamonds.

In 1979 he started diamond grading at the Gem testing Laboratory in London, his experience in diamond grading is unrivalled. In 1980 he established the CIBJO diamond grading service in the UK and in 1989, following further laboratory grading experience in GIA in New York, he initiated the GIA diamond report service in London. In 1995 he established the London Precious Stone Laboratory in Hatton Garden and sold it to the Birmingham Assay Office in 2004.

Eric teaches practical gem skills, emphasising gem beauty, quality and value, to the gem and jewellery industry and to consumers and offers talks on gem and jewellery matters. His gem articles are published regularly on-line and in print.

Eric interviewed by the BBC

Eric interviewed by Reuters

Ana Isabel Castro IGE(dip) FGA DGA

Ana Isabel was attracted to gemmology when working in Spain. She studied at the Instituto Gemológico Español (IGE) in Madrid where she was awarded her gemmological diploma in 1987. Moving to London to further her gemmological knowledge, Ana Isabel gained the Fellowship (FGA) diploma of the Gemmological Association in 1988 and their DGA diamond qualification in 1989.

Employment as gemmologist at the Gem Testing Laboratory in London, from 1989, provided the start to her well respected experience and knowledge in gem work, particularly her expertise in fancy coloured diamonds and natural pearls. In 2000 she became senior gemmologist at the London Precious Stone Laboratory and in 2008 a director of Eric C. Emms FGA DGA Limited.