Marissa McDevitt
Jeweler's Touch
Graduate Gemologist / Marketing
1997
What year did you get started in the jewelry industry?1997
Credentials EarnedAGS Certified Gemologist (CG)
AGS Registered Jeweler (RJ)
GIA Graduate Gemologist (GG)
Bachelor of Arts, Psychology
Additional Trade CoursesGIA Synthetic Diamonds
GIA Identifying Gemstone Treatments
GIA Retail Replacement Appraisals
Rancho Santiago, Antique & Period Jewelry
UCI, Appraisal Principles: Personal Property Valuations
UCI, Appraisal Principles: Personal Property Research & Analysis
Do you specialize in a particular area? If so, please tell us about your specialty.Over 25 years as a Graduate Gemologist. My main roles at Jeweler's Touch have been Diamond Buyer, Jewelry Appraiser, and Marketing. I specialize in gem identification, diamond grading, and jewelry valuation. I have advanced training in laboratory grown diamonds, identifying gemstone treatments, antique & period jewelry, personal property valuations, personal property research & analysis, and retail replacement appraisals.
How did you get started in the jewelry industry?My brother & sister-in-law own Jeweler's Touch. I was in a completely different industry but would visit the store often. I fell in love with the positive culture at Jeweler's Touch and wanted to be a part of it.
What do you love most about working in the jewelry industry?During the jewelry appraisal process, every time a client would hand me their jewelry, they would tell me the story of how they got that piece of jewelry. It was inherited from grandma, it was a graduation gift, their first Mother's Day gift, or a self-purchase for a big promotion at work. The stories were endless. I loved hearing the stories while I appraised jewelry and being a part of creating those stories as a diamond buyer.
Tell us a fun fact about you or Jeweler's Touch.I live about 400 miles away from Jeweler's Touch in Central California's wine country.