SSEF - The Swiss Gemological Institute in Basel, Switzerland offers a free "Intoduction to Pearls" course on its website:

Learn all about pearls. Their fascinating history, how they form, where they come from. Learn about all the different sources of natural and cultured pearls, treatments and imitations. Take this course as an introduction to the wonderful world of pearls.

SSEF is a non-profit Swiss foundation whose aim it is to further the science of gemstone testing and gemmological training. They are one of the leading gem labs in the world and have scientifically tested many of the world's most prestigious gemstones.

Self-paced course: access the information you want, when you want it. Test your knowledge about pearls with a quiz at the end of this course. Please note these are short introductory courses, they are not trade qualifications nor do they give you the possibility of adding letters/credentials after your name.

Frequently Asked Questions

When does the course start and finish?

The course starts now and never ends! It is a completely self-paced online course - you decide when you start and when you finish.

How long do I have access to the course?

How does lifetime access sound? After enrolling, you have unlimited access to this course for as long as you like - across any and all devices you own.

Who are these courses for?

Access trustworthy information from one of the world’s leading authorities on pearls. Curious about pearls? Start learning more with this free course. Are you in the jewellery or pearl trade and you want to gain expert insights on topics such as quality factors of pearls, how to know what kind of pearl it is and where pearls come from? Then this course is for you.

What this course is NOT:

How to buy a pearl
How to sell a pearl
How to drill a pearl
How to certify a pearl
How to price a pearl
Learning to design pearl jewellery
Knowing what pearls to invest in

Introduction to pearls

Pearls: origins & formation

Quality factors, sustainability and treatments

The science of pearl testing

Intoduction to Pearls Masterclass - free

https://masterclass.ssef.ch/p/pearls

If you decide to take this course, I'd love to hear your thoughts about it.

It is "Maple Syrup Time in Iowa"!

I always thought maple syrup only came from official sugar maples and that one needed to live further north, but a few years ago, my daughter-in-law, Alexis informed me that even our standard maples here in Southern Iowa could produce maple syrup.

We've been enjoying it ever since.

We have several maple trees right here in our yard and I figured out by trial and error that no special spigots were needed.

You only need a clean gallon milk jug, plastic tubing and a drill.

Drill a hole in the maple tree, preferably on the south side about 2-3 feet from the ground, insert a section of tubing (1/4" works fine), and insert the other end of the tubing into the handle of the milk jug to hold it securely.

Presto - a sap gathering machine.

My grandsons, Abel and Aksel and I just put this jug out about 3 hours ago and it's already 1/3 full.

Then the sap needs to be heated and evaporated. It takes about 40 gallons of sap for 1 gallon syrup. That is a lot, but doable.

I found that using a wood fire is totally time consuming and the last time I used fire I accidentally scorched 7 batches.

Now I use hot plates or a propane deep fryer. They are slower but work fine.

I do it outside or in our greenhouse because the evaporating sap can get on your walls and ceiling.

The world is so full of fascinating things, don't you agree?

And thank you for all the lovely notes about my newsletter. I really appreciate them.