The International Institute of Gemology (IIG) recently conducted a two-day industrial visit to Surat for its diamond and jewellery students, an initiative carefully designed to take learning beyond textbooks and into the rhythm of real industry.

IIG has long maintained that professional confidence is not built by theory alone. It is shaped by exposure, by observing how decisions are made on production floors, how systems are structured, how time is valued, and how accountability travels from one department to another. This visit to Surat was conceptualized with that clarity.

Surat processes the vast majority of the world’s diamonds. To understand the diamond trade without witnessing Surat in action is to understand it only partially. The visit was therefore structured as a guided immersion into the full value chain, so students could connect what they study with how the industry actually breathes.

At Hari Krishna Exports, students followed the journey of a diamond from rough sourcing to planning, cutting, bruting, polishing, grading, and final certification. They observed how microscopic decisions at the planning stage determine value outcomes downstream. A guided hands-on polishing experience taught the precision and steadiness required to transform potential into brilliance.

The students also had a brief interaction with Brijesh Bhai Dholakia who shared insights with our aspiring diamond professionals.

At Lexus SoftMac, the conversation shifted toward technology. Students were warmly welcomed by Janak Bhai Mistry welcomed us warmly who shared visionary insights into how artificial intelligence and advanced technologies are transforming the diamond and jewellery industry.

Students were introduced to advanced systems integrating artificial intelligence into planning and manufacturing processes. They saw how natural color diamonds and rare stones are analyzed and processed with technological assistance that enhances precision and reduces risk.

It was a powerful reminder that today’s diamond professional must be equally comfortable with craftsmanship and data. The future of the trade will belong to those who understand both.

The second day moved into jewellery manufacturing at HK Jewels and students were guided by Praveen Bhai Tiwari, who heads the factory operations with remarkable leadership.

From CAD designing to casting, setting, finishing, quality control, and dispatch, students witnessed how structured workflows create consistency at scale. Students learned the importance of system management and how it is not a dismissal of human effort, but a recognition that structure multiplies human capability. For students who aspire to build enterprises of their own, that lesson may prove more valuable than any single technical skill.

The final visit to Jaykar Diamond where Kavith Bhai Parikh demonstrated how entrepreneurs without independent manufacturing infrastructure can responsibly access production facilities, convert rough to polished stones, and participate in the value chain with transparency and accountability. For many, this reframed what is possible early in their careers.

Rahul Desai, CEO and Managing Director of IIG, has consistently advocated that education in the gem and jewellery sector must prepare students not only to pass examinations, but to steer through industry realities.Reflecting on the visit, he stated, “When students see how leadership thinks, how production moves, how technology is applied, they begin to understand the industry as a system. That awareness cannot be simulated in a classroom. It must be experienced.”

The Surat visit forms part of a larger academic philosophy at IIG, one that integrates destination-based industry exposure into its training approach. Each visit is curated with intent: to help students observe leadership behavior, operational discipline, technological integration, and market alignment firsthand. These are the intangible dimensions of professional readiness, i.e the judgment, composure, and systems awareness that distinguish a graduate from a practitioner.

Students returned not only with technical reinforcement, but with sharper questions and clearer aspirations. They witnessed how diamonds move across departments with traceability and how large teams function within defined hierarchies.

In industries built on precision, small miscalculations carry large consequences. Exposure to such environments early in one’s training creates maturity. As one student reflected on the return journey, “We had studied every stage. But seeing it happen in real time changes how seriously you take each step.”

The International Institute of Gemology remains committed to creating professionals who are technically sound, commercially aware, and grounded in industry realities. Surat was not an excursion. It was a deliberate investment in perspective. In the end, education must do more than inform. It must prepare individuals to stand confidently within the industries they choose to serve. Through structured industry immersions such as this, IIG continues to ensure that its students do exactly that.