Who we are
The World Gem Foundation is a Canadian not-for-profit organization that was formed in 2015 with the mandate to provide quality and affordable gemmological training to students, jewellers and professional gemmologists. In addition to our three diploma programs, we also offer theoretical and practical courses that cover a wide range of topics from basic and advanced gemmology to gem identification, coloured gemstones, diamonds, lab-created and treated gems, and diamond and coloured gemstone grading.
Who says you can't buy experience?
Our team boasts over 200 years of experience. Quite an accomplishment. When you study with us, you not only get a wealth of information using the most up to date course materials in the market but also a lifetime of experience with our online tutors and in-class instructors.
Geoffrey Dominy - Founder / CEO - World Gem Foundation
Geoffrey Dominy is an author, independent gemmologist and jewellery appraiser who appeared on the Canadian Antiques Roadshow for four seasons. He received his F.G.A through the Gemmological Association of Great Britain (Gem-A) in 1987 passing the diploma examinations with distinction.Throughout the 1990’s, Geoff developed and taught the ‘Gemmology’ program at Red River Community College and The University of Manitoba in Winnipeg, worked for the Canadian Institute of Gemmology, was President and Founder of the Jewellery Appraisers Association of Canada and was a contributing author for the 5th & 6th Editions of Robert Webster’s ‘Gems’ which even today is considered one of the most authoritative textbooks in Gemmology. He is also the author and creator of the digital e-book 'The Handbook of Gemmology'. First released in 2013, the handbook has now been sold or downloaded in fifty-three countries, is used by numerous schools, colleges, universities and gemmological organizations as their recommended textbook and features the award winning photography of the Tino Hammid and Jeff Scovil. In 2016, Geoff created 'Gemmology Today', a quarterly gemmological digital / print publication that in 2025, adopted a brand new format called 'GT Podicles', featuring a blend of podcasts and audio articles. In 2019, Geoff published 'Gemología Para Todos', a Spanish translation of the first fourteen chapters of the Handbook of Gemmology. In 2021, he created ColourWise, a digital colour grading system now taught in the World Gem Foundation's Coloured Gemstone Grading 2 course and in 2024, he published the 5th edition of the Handbook of Gemmology in digital and print formats consisting of three volumes and 1200 pages.
Leone Langeslag
Leone Langeslag is a graduate of the Federation for European Education in Gemmology (FEEG) (2006), an independent gemmological consultant and a dedicated teacher. Her desire to provide accessible gemmological training in the Netherlands led to the formation of the Dutch Gem Academy as part of her company Sole Leone in Naarden, only 20 minutes from Amsterdam. In addition to the theoretical and practical courses and programs offered through the Dutch Gem Academy and the World Gem Foundation. Leone also offers lectures, workshops and webinars, providing solutions for individuals and small groups who wish to become professional gemmologists. She is actively involved with the Gemma Association in Holland and a frequent visitor to international symposiums, exhibitions and trade shows where she continues her own gemmological education and passion for collecting gemstones and minerals. She also serves on the World Gem Foundation Executive Committee.
Gérard Raphaël Quintin
Gérard Raphaël Quintin is born in Paris France where he studied Art and Design and graduated from Ecole Boulle. His taste for the diamond world may have been inherited from an uncle who worked in the diamond business. In 1978 he took the gemology colored stone and diamond course with GIA while he was mining diamonds in the Sewa River in Sierra Leone and where he started the first diamond cutting center in West Africa. In Abidjan Côte d’Ivoire in 1992 Gérard founded the diamond cutting formation center with a gemological laboratory 'Hardy’s', followed by the installation of the colored stone and diamond cutting facilities in the jewelry school EIBMA. Continuing his tour in the world of gemstones, Gérard went to Madagascar as an expert for a French Government project to develop the organization and skill of the gems sector. Professor of Gemology in the Jean Guehenno Jewelry School in Saint-Amand-Montrond France, he then moved to Bolivia to fund and manage the ‘Instituto Gemologico Boliviano’ where students learn gemology and the art of gem cutting. Since 1997 Gérard has been a member of the Organisation Internationale des Experts based in Geneva, Switzerland.
Jack Ghazalian
Jack Ghazalian started in the jewelry industry in 1980. He is a graduate gemologist through the Gemological Institute of America (1992), was an instructor for GIA (1993) and was officially Certified-by-the-State of California Education Code 94311(a) to teach Gemology & Jewelry Manufacturing-Arts (1993). He is currently the owner of Isometric Gemological Appraisal Services in Southern California: IsometricGems.com, speaks five languages and is passionate about education. His list of achievements include 1. Honored by the International Distinguished Scholars, Academic Honor Society (2015). 2. Honored & Certified by the Honor Society based in Washington D.C.(2016). 3. Officially granted membership on July 27th of 2017 to the ‘Kappa Delta Pi’ and was awarded 'TEACHER OF HONOR'. 4. Honored by the San Diego Chamber of Commerce (2013) (Given a Certificate of Recognition). 5. An official member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. 6. An official member of the National Space Society, which is affiliated with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). 7. An official member of the Planetary Society. 8. An official member of the Geological Society of America. 9. Certified Online Instructor (Online Teaching Certification).
Dr. Laurent Massi
Dr. Laurent Massi completed his PhD studies on ‘Atomic-scale Defects in Brown and Hydrogen-rich Diamonds’ at the Department of Physics at Nantes University in France under the direction of Professor Emmanuel Fritsch. During his studies he also taught gemology in Paris at the French National Gemological Institute. Dr. Massi subsequently taught gemology and gave presentations at conferences in numerous countries all around the world. During his career he has also had the opportunity to publish a variety of scientific and educational articles on color-change corundum, hydrogen- and CO2-related optical centers in diamond, chameleon diamonds, clinohumite, color-change bastnäsite and on a new gem mineral: hibonite, one of the rarest gems on Earth. Dr. Massi was the Director of the Asian Institute of Gemological Sciences (AIGS) Gem Laboratory and Gem School based in Bangkok - Thailand. He subsequently completed his Graduate Gemologist (GG) studies at the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) headquarters in Carlsbad, USA and then became the Director of the new GIA Thailand Campus located in Bangkok - Thailand. With more than 20 years of experience in the Gems & Jewelry industry, Dr. Massi is now the head of both the new international gem academy AGAT (for ‘Academy of Applied & Technical Gemology’) as well as the co-founder of the French-Swiss Gem Academy (from the World Gem Foundation), both housed in the Majestic building - a former palace from the Belle Epoque - located on the French Riviera, in Nice - France.
Salomon Lutumba
Salomon Lutumba is an alumnus of Birmingham City University where he graduated with a Bachelor in Science with honours in Gemmology and Jewellery studies in 2016. He also holds a Diamond Diploma and Gemmology certificate from Gem-A. He is originally from the Democratic Republic of Congo, where in fact, the subsoil is one of the richest in the world in terms of geology and mineralogy. Since the country has gold in respectable quantities, he joined his uncle, a jeweller in 1995, as a business partner in buying and selling jewelleries, scrap and rough gold at the big city market of Kinshasa. Sometimes the pieces would be set with fascinating and attractive coloured stones. Unfortunately, since their priority was gold and they lacked knowledge regarding gemstones, they could not deal with them. However Salomon was fascinated and captivated by the beauty and mystery of those mounted stones. As a consequence, he developed a passion for gemstones and in the process discovered that his own country contained a wide variety of mineral species with many having a high aesthetic and monetary value. Sadly there were no colleges or training centres offering a gemmology program in the Democratic Republic of Congo that allowed him to pursue his interest, only abroad. In 2002 he relocated to England where, ten years later, he found the opportunity to fulfil his dream of studying gemmology at the Birmingham City University. In 2012, he started his High National Diploma in Gemmology combined with Gem-A’s Diamond and Gemmology program which led to a degree program, introduced for the first time in 2015, at the BCU. Today, by embracing the World Gem Foundation’s concept and philosophy of gemmological education, and through the Gem Academy of DRC, he would like to share his passion and knowledge of gems with his fellow Congolese; particularly jewellers, aspiring gemmologist and gemstone lovers. His personal ambitious goal is to promote the science of gemmology in his country, by providing information and support to empower people in the jewellery business and those trading in stones.
Nina Zolotukhina
Nina Zolotukhina (aka Nina Gold) graduated as an Expert Gemmologist through the Moscow State University, is an independent gemmologist, now based in Bulgaria, founder of Gemlab Europe Project, researcher, gem expert and author of reviews and articles about gemstones, research methods and gemmological equipment. She is an avid mineral and gemstone collector and photographer of minerals and inclusions (photomicrography). She has become a regular contributor to Gemmology Today and is currently translating all the World Gem Foundation courses into Russian.
World Gem Foundation Executive Council
The World Gem Foundation's Executive Council consists of five members, elected by the World Gem Foundation Board of Directors. To review the Executive Council Charter and learn more, please click here.