Northwest Gemological Institute

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Faculty

The success of Northwest Gemological Institute lies in the outstanding faculty assembled. Each NGI instructor is highly respected in the jewelry industry and actively engaged in their field, usually as a business owner, offering keen insights into the industry. It is our philosophy to not only utilize the most qualified instructors, but those who enjoy teaching and take the extra time to make your education enjoyable.

Our past and present instructors include:

Evie Chung teaches Pearls and Pearl Stringing. She is an owner in two importing companies which furnish pearls, jade and manufactured jewelry to the trade.

Ted Irwin, G.G., I.C.G.A., A.S.G, N.A.J.A., is the director of NGI and teaches the gemological courses. He has taught at NGI since 1981 as well as appraised over 175,000 articles through affiliate Northwest Gemological Laboratory (NGL), a certified laboratory through the American Gem Society.

Bob Jackson has published several rock hounding guides and conducts field trips world-wide through his business Geology Adventures. Under Washington combines NGI's small group classroom approach with Bob's own brand of "field education."

Karen Lorene, I.S.A., N.A.J.A., is the owner of Facèré Jewelry Art and teaches classes in the Antique Jewelry series. She is a national authority on antique and period jewelry appearing regularly in the media and is the author of "Buying Jewelry: Skipping the mistakes."

Ron Rogers, is a master watchmaker and the owner of Rogers Fine Timepieces since 1983. Ron is on the Technical Advisory Board of the Watch Technology Institute at North Seattle CC. and member of the National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors. He teaches our fine timepieces class.

Christie Romero was a preeminent historian of antique, period, and vintage jewelry, as well as an author, lecturer, instructor, consultant and collector. She was the director of the Center for Jewelry Studies and participated as an appraiser of antique and period jewelry on PBS’ Antiques Roadshow. Christie passed away in 2009.

Rosie Sayyah is Seattle's "Rhinestone Rosie" with a shop of the same name. She teaches Costume Jewelry and has provided lectures and in-costume presentations throughout the region.

Peter Shemonsky has a storied career in the industry from being a designer/bench jeweler and gemologist to directorships at major auction and buying houses for antique and period jewelry. Peter is recognized as one of the field's top experts and is the curator for understanding-jewelry.com, an informational website for the trade and collector. He currently heads our program in Vintage Jewelry.