About

The Ten Times is a place for nice things.

After what feels like decades of education and training, I have finally landed in the heart of London’s jewellery district, working as an FGA qualified Gemmologist.

“What is a Gemmologist?” you ask. Don’t worry I get this question all the time and essentially, it is a Gemmologist’s job to correctly identify different types of gemstones and gem materials, whilst being able to comment on its quality and give opinions on whether the material is natural or synthetic, give comments on treatments and provide guidance on value.

TL/DR: I play Judge Judy with other people’s jewellery.

In doing so, I’ve managed to become incredibly critical of anything that crosses my desk in a surprisingly short amount of time. I began my career as a geologist with zero concept for jewellery. Fast forward to now and I find myself cringing at the horrific “£1 Pave Set Cubic Zirconia Halo Rings” on Wish. Add to basket anyway.

The Ten Times is a place for nice things. This blog, like many aspects of the jewellery industry, is subjective and I don’t expect my readers to agree with anything thing that I write. That said, I hope that this can be a place for open discussion and sharing of ideas. So if you see something that makes you think, leave a comment! I’d love to hear from you.

I am a nice person, I promise.

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