HRD sharpens your appreciation

The educational department of the Antwerp Diamond High Council is the HRD Institute of Gemmology. It offers a range of highly qualified training programmes in diamond grading and gemmology.

The courses of the Institute of Gemmology aim to train professional diamond graders, sorters and gemmologists. To meet this goal, a varied range of courses was developed, including a standard Antwerp programme, an elaborate foreign course programme and special arrangements such as courses for specific groups, in-house training, expert appraisals and private lessons. In June 2002, the HRD Institute of Gemmology was recognised by the Flemish Community as an educational institute.

	Educational and didactic material are provided for by HRD, and students are equipped with professional tools and an excellent course book. The highly trained and experienced teachers offer lessons with a sound scientific basis coupled to personal attention and follow-up in the hands-on practical lessons.
This team will make sure that you are personally guided before, during and after the courses!

The first Diamond Grading Course was given in 1982, the first course abroad took place in 1984, in Singapore. Since 1991, the foreign programme has largely expanded: to Hong Kong, Shanghai, Toronto, Yellowknife, Istanbul, Dubai, Bahrain, Mexico, Barcelona and many other cities. In 2002, a local representation was developed in the Middle East. For 2003, similar projects are planned in the Far East and North-America.

As an HRD graduate, you can become a member of the HRD Graduates Club. One of the main goals of the HRD Graduates Club is to sustain a network of industry colleagues and as such to support the professional relationships within the trade. Apart from these networking activities, members enjoy numerous extra benefits.