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MEMBERS: Opal Classification - Do You Know What is Changing and Why?

2020Thurs24Sep7:00 pmMEMBERS: Opal Classification - Do You Know What is Changing and Why?Free Virtual Seminar with Tony Smallwood

Event Details

What the hydrophane? Join expert Tony Smallwood for this free virtual seminar to know what is changing in the world of opals and why.

COST: FREE (member only event)

BOOKINGS: Limited spaces – advanced registration required. Contact Kathryn Wyatt with any issues: publicity@gem.org.au or phone 0412 195 964.

Who is Tony Smallwood?

Tony Smallwood
Anthony (Tony) Smallwood has been employed in the jewellery industry since 1980 beginning with what is now Gem Studies Laboratory and involved with diamond grading, gemmology and gemstone photography.
After this a progression was, made into the grading and wholesale selling of gemstones for a sapphire mining company mining in Inverell and based in Sydney, until a takeover saw a move into the retail jewellery industry at Angus and Coote. The relationship with Angus and Coote has continued until the present day.

The Angus and Coote experience progressed from a retail sales position in the Sydney CBD through some years of retail store management on a at call relief management position in to the management of the companies jewellery valuation service for many years. The culmination of which was the establishment and implementation of the Angus Coote Quality Assurance department, in the late 1990’s via the contracted company Advanced Gemmological Services Pty Ltd.

During this time further education has been an important part of life. After obtaining Fellowship of the Gemmological Association of Australia in 1980 and commencement of teaching gemmology for the NSW branch, further gemmological education was undertaken with the result of the Graduate Gemmologist diploma gained form the Gemmological Institute of America in 1983.

Then began an association with opal gemstones. The result has been the development, production and implementation of the only educational course available worldwide in the instruction of Opal gemmology, terminology and information. Notwithstanding the assistance given for the accreditation and implementation process of the opal cutting courses available through Tafe SA at the Coober Pedy Campus.

The interest in opal has seen the completion of a Masters Science degree in materials Science at the University of Technology in Sydney in 2000, and subsequently further research toward attaining a PhD degree sometime in 2008. This process, achieving the publication of several scientific papers in internationally refereed journals, as well as presentation of papers at four national opal symposia, and several material science conferences.

The academic interest in providing information, training and lecturing to the jewellery industry has seen continuous employment for lectures with the Gemmological Association and the National Council of Jewellery valuers mostly in NSW however also participating with lectures in every state of Australia.

Tony is moving toward making opal education more accessible and has digitally created the International Opal Academy establishing a centre for all Tony’s opal knowledge and databases, library of opal articles, science, photography as well as stories of the opal fields and personalities.

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Time

(Thursday) 7:00 pm AEST(GMT-11:00)

Virtual Event Details

Event has already taken place!