Vijay Golecha, Owner and Jewellery Designer, Golecha’s Jewels was the chief guest  

GIA Jewelry Design students with their certificates

L-to-R (seated): Aneri Raichada, GIA Instructor; Sriram Natarajan, Managing Director of GIA India; Vijay Golecha, Owner and Jewellery Designer, Golecha’s Jewels; Rajesh Lakhani, General Manager and Head India Sales of Kiran Gems Pvt. Ltd. and Apoorva Deshingkar, Senior Director – Education and Market Development, GIA India 

GIA India held the graduation ceremony of Jewelry Design students at its Mumbai campus. Vijay Golecha, Owner and Jewellery Designer, Golecha’s Jewels was the chief guest. Also present at the ceremony were Sriram Natarajan, Managing Director of GIA India, and Apoorva Deshingkar, Senior Director – Education and Market Development, GIA India. 

Addressing the students, Vijay Golecha shared some personal life lessons and valuable insights into the gem and jewellery industry. He said, “The best thing that has happened to you is that all of you have earned your credential from GIA. All you now need to do is follow your dreams. Equipped with the knowledge gained from GIA, go ahead and pursue them.” 

He added, “There are many designers in the industry with far better resources than you, which will give them easy access to precious gemstones and materials. At the end of the day, it is your knowledge and the finesse of your jewellery design that will set you apart.” He encouraged students to “compete with yourself.”

Speaking at the event, Sriram Natarajan said, “GIA education prepares students for their journey in the gem and jewellery industry. I am glad to see these students embark on a career in jewellery design. I wish them the best of luck.” 

Apoorva Deshingkar said, “All GIA students go through intensive training in jewellery designing. Empowered with the GIA credentials and now with Vijay Golecha-ji’s words of encouragement, I am confident our students are ready to create their mark in the gem and jewellery industry.” 

The GIA Jewelry Design programme is a comprehensive, nine-week certificate course that offers students an in-depth understanding of jewellery design theory and artistry, teaching them the professional skills to illustrate their ideas. Students also learn about advanced gemmological techniques to illustrate the shape, form, and texture of metal and render faceted gems, pearls, coloured metals, etc. They also create a portfolio of class projects and custom designs that is ready for presentation to potential clients and employers. In addition, students from the graduating batch visited the jewellery manufacturing facility of Vishal Metallurgical Works, Mumbai. 

Preksha, GIA Diamonds Graduate and student of Jewelry Design certificate course, said, “GIA is the best place to study. The faculty is very good and the GIA credential holds a lot of value. I particularly enjoyed the factory visit and it was a great learning experience. The visit gave a chance to see how a piece of jewellery is manufactured from scratch to the final product. As I am keenly interested in jewellery manufacturing, the factory visit helped me understand the nuances of jewellery making better. ” 

Deepali Madan, GIA Diamonds Graduate and a student of Jewelry Design certificate course, added, “I do not have a background in the gem and jewellery industry. Studying at GIA has helped me understand the importance and intricacies of manual jewellery design. I had a great learning experience.” 

For press inquiries, please contact Shivprasad Hiremath at shivprasad.hiremath@gia.edu.