Stone Set for Students?

I am currently working through the IGS “Pro” course, and have a complete set of equipment ; 10x loupe, microscope, refractometer, spectroscope, polariscope, dichroscope, Ruby& Chelsea filters, UV lamps long& short wave, etc.

What would really like to have now is a RELIABLY SOURCED, COMPLETE, TRUSTWORTHY set of stones (i.e. of known species, and exhibiting all the phenomena I need to examine in the coursework) I could use in conjunction with the course.

I have, of course, bought a few stones from places like ebay, but (no surprises here) some of them do not appear to be genuine, and others are not crystallized well enough to be useful.

Looking around on the 'net, even the GIA store, I have not seen any offerings of this sort.

Anyone know of a source for such a set?

What are you looking for?

A (preferably) reasonably priced set of stones that would exhibit all the optical and physical properties a student would need to deal with in the IGS Pro course. It’s difficult for me to give exhaustive details because this is a teaching aid, and I’m the student.

But, for example, I think would need at least one biaxial stone, a uniaxial, and a cubic specimen. You’d want, I think something with high dispersion, and another with low dispersion, and similar for other properties like pleochroism, & double refraction. It’s likely some stones would have more than one of these properties, so I’m not sure the set would have to be as large as it might seem.

The stones would need to be well-enough crystalized that isochromes and brushes could be seen with a polariscope.

I suppose for high dispersion, sphene or sphalerite; high pleochroism, maybe andalusite; high double refraction, one of the carbonates perhaps…

Visit a local trade show. Most dealers will be very helpful in assisting your endeavors. Join a local Gem & Mineral Club. Lots of help there.

I understood a test kit was part of the IGS study program. Are you studing thru IGS?

Yes, The IGS “pro” course.

I have not seen anything re a"test kit". Where did you see this?

I have thinking of starting a course with IGA. Reading a lot about the course and maybe for one of the exams they provide a test kit. It said if you deside to kept the kit after the test it would be $50.00.

Yes, that test kit I did read about i n the course description, but I am looking for a set of stones to use while taking the course, not one for the final exam.

Then as suggested clubs for stone hunters, my help. Do you know any jeweler that would lend you stones? I was once a senior center director as many of the lapidary students knew lots about stones. Maybe that might be a source.

I was under the impression that the stones were sent as soon as you complete the first exam.

Hmm… I don’t recall reading that anywhere, and I did finish the first exam a while back, no stones were received.

Try putting together a specific list of the stones you desire. I have an extensive collection, am highly knowledgeable in Gemology and stayed at a Holiday Inn Express last night (joke).
Seriously - I specialize in phenomena stones such as color change, color shift, asterism, and etc. I have all the above in various stone species and some most people aren’t familiar with, ie. Axinite. I have several Andalusite under 1ct but above .50ct. Beautiful coloring and nothing below vs and more vvs. I run a tight ship for quality and authenticity. ABSOLUTELY no synthetics, or otherwise nefarious crap.
I will soon be listed in the business area on this sight with contact info. I have special rates for students and my retail rates are already “phenomenally” low because…
I’ll post again when I’m listed in the business section. I’m in the infancy of a new start up but have years (40+yrs) experience in the industry. My wife of as many years is a GIA grad ca1979.
cheers,
Toby

HI
hope you are having great time ,this Riaz a geologist and currently doing Professional Gemologist Certification Course form “IGS” as a professional and business man in gemstone
I deal in all types of gemstone mostly precious to semi precious ,i m from Afghanistan and i can provide you the reliably sourced stone from Afghanistan like tourmaline,spinal, afghanite ,iolite, an many more ,
here are my contact details

whats-app: 00923432942645
Email: riazsafi1@yahoo.com
fb : afghanite gems and minerals
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Look forward to hear from you soon
thanks in advance
Regards
Riaz

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JTV sells a myriad of different stones, and you would know what you’re getting.

I just did this last night, the stones order is accessible after passing the second exam. Beware, on my iPhone the submit button is invisible but if you fill in the fields (shipping address) and tap randomly to the lolwer left of the second text bix, you’ll likely hit.

Agree. I have the stone set associated with the “pro” co8urse.

One thing that I think could be done better is to have that sort of detail a little more clearly laid out in advance.

Does anybody do a set of glass or CZ stones that would fill the role of the old GIA/Pantone “Gemset”?

What Id’ also really like to have is a few sets of stones that would go above and beyond the “pro” course of stones set : “Refractometer Toughies”; “Polariscope Toughies”; “Difficult Separations” (pairs of different species of stones, hard to tell apart); “Natural/Synthetic” pairs… etc, so that I’ve already done something harder than the course-supplied set by the time I need to deal with it.

As things are, you sort of “get the test first and the lesson afterward”.

You receive the stones after you complete the second exam successfully. I received my stones a few days ago.

I do not know your locality but if you have the equipment you state then you are the person in demand within any gem and mineral club where people have a myriad of different minerals but few people who can identify them. I suggest you contact such a club in your area and help its members. These people should generally be able to identify sources of minerals you need or donate samples to you for helping them. This has been my experience in Australia.