The Gemmology program teaches you to analyze and classify a wide variety of gem materials, both natural and artificially created. The program focuses on analyzing chemical and physical characteristics of gem and gemlike materials, and identifying different gems. The gem materials are classified into categories according to their desirable characteristics, which eventually determine the value of the gems. To accomplish the identification and classification, you use a number of specially designed instruments such as microscopes, spectroscopes, refractometers, polariscopes and others.