From September 2024 there will be a series of important innovations and we will offer a wider range of courses. All courses will be held in our new school and prices will include full board accommodation. Courses are held in English and Italian languages. Each course participant will have to take care exclusively of the plane tickets to reach Bologna, we will take care of everything else, including your transfer to and from the airport.
In addition to the beginner and advanced cutting courses, which will last 10 days each, there will be some workshops for those who want to delve deeper into certain topics such as: professional gem photography, re-cutting out badly cut precious stones, creating hybrid gems, and much more.
Below is the list of courses and some information for each of them. Please contact us via email ( rtgemartsrl@gmail.com ) or whatsapp ( +393282613172 ) for further inquiries and pricing information. The calendar with available dates is at the bottom of this page.
BEGINNERS COURSE
Anyone can participate in this basic course without needing any experience or basic knowledge. During the first day of the course we will give you the basic notions of optics and physics to understand the background of the cutting process. In just 10 days course you will be able to cut perfect gems thanks to the use of innovative techniques. Each student will have their own professional digital cutting machine (ULTRA TEC V5) and all the other tools and materials necessary to carry out the course. We will explain to you, step by step, all the phases of the cutting process and in 10 days you will be able to cut 2 to 4 gems extremely precisely.
Two half days will be dedicated to recreational activities which can be chosen from: a guided tour of the city of Bologna, a guided tour of the Bolognese chalk park, quad bike trip, short Italian cooking course, and other fun activities.
At the end of the course you can order by us (at the same factory price) your Ultra Tec cutting machine that will be delivered directly to your home (we are OFFICIAL REPRESENTATIVES of UltraTec factory).
ADVANCED COURSE
The advanced level gem cutting course is suitable for all those who already have minimal experience in managing the gem cutting process. As for the beginners course, the total duration is 10 days with 2 half days dedicated to recreational activities. Given the extreme heterogeneity in the experience of each participant in this course, the first part of the training path consists of an interview with each student to understand the level of preparation, the methods and techniques used, the critical issues and training gaps. Based on the interview, each individual student will receive a different advanced training course. The advanced level gem cutting course is practically tailor-made for each student.
This course teaches cutting and polishing techniques for very hard materials (hardness between 8 and 9 on the Mohs scale). A complete overview of the different polishing discs on the market and their use in relation to the materials will be illustrated. Particular attention will be paid to techniques for obtaining perfect meeting points. Other topics addressed are: the use of software for designing new cutting diagrams; how to photograph gems; how to capture captivating videos of our gems using artificial and natural light.
GENERAL INFORMATION The NEW GEM-CUTTING SCHOOL is located at 400 mt over sea level in the regional chalk park on the hills close to Bologna (the down town is only 19km (12miles) from our school while the international airport is at 24km).
The Bologna Chalk Park recently became an UNESCO heritage site.
Included in the course price is a full board accommodation of 11 days (we plan your arrival the day before the course starts and your departure the day after the course ends). Water and soft drinks are included with every meal. If you are planning to come with a partner, please let us know and we can provide you with a double room quoting apart the stay of your travel partner.
All recreational activities are included. Picking up and dropping off to the airport is included (in the time range 7:30AM to 10:30PM). Outside this time range, transport to and from the airport will be the responsibility of the participant.
All rooms are non-smoking. Each student has their own private room with a shared bathroom (we have men's bathrooms and women's bathrooms).
COURSES AVAILABILITY| COURSES DATES | CHECK-IN DATE | CHECK-OUT DATE | AVAILABLE SEATS |
| BEGINNERS 24.09.24 - 03.10.24 | 23.09.24 | 04.10.24 | 2 |
| BEGINNERS 15.10.24 - 24.10.24 | 14.10.24 | 25.10.24 | FULL UP |
| ADVANCED 12.11.24 - 21.11.24 | 11.11.24 | 22.11.24 | 1 |
| BEGINNERS 21.01.25 -30.01.25 | 20.01.25 | 31.01.25 | 2 |
| ADVANCED 25.02.25 - 06.03.25 | 24.02.25 | 07.03.25 | 3 |
| BEGINNERS 25.03.25- 04.04.25 | 24.03.25 | 05.04.25 | 4 |