This workshop, taught by Charles Lewton-Brain, one of the most respected teachers in the international jewelry trade, shares practical, low-cost processes for spotting fakes and making confident calls at the counter or the bench.

We’ll focus on what you can reliably identify with your eyes, good lighting, and a few affordable tools, plus what the limits are, so you know when to stop guessing and choose a different identification method.

You will learn to observe like a gem detective: gather the clues you can actually trust, stack them into a pattern, and use that pattern to rule things in or out without needing a lab setup.

We will cover:

1. What you can and cannot identify with basic tools.
2. What changes as tools get more sophisticated.
3. Fast ways to tell when a stone is glass, composite, or an imitation.
4. The observation habits that prevent common misidentifications.
5. Simple, budget friendly tool options, including a few clever workarounds and do it yourself ideas.

You will leave with a repeatable inspection process, sharper instincts for spotting red flags quickly, and a clear sense of when you can be confident and when you need a second level test.