Pratt Institute

Education

Graduate Gemologist, Gemological Institute of America
B.A., State University of New York at Albany

Biography

Michael Coan has been involved with the Jewelry Industry for over 30 years; his training, both formal and informal, includes bench work, sales, design, manufacturing and production, including business management and ownership. His work career includes Bloomingdale’s in the Glass, Silver and China department; in the fine jewelry department at Christie, Manson and Woods, under the direction of M. Francois Curiel, as a staff gemologist, catalogue production and client relations; Fred Leighton, an emporium specializing in antique, period and fine jewels, as sales assistant manager and gemologist.  This was a private salon-based establishment in the “old school” style of “salon” retail founded in 1954 with an exclusive national and international clientele. In 1986, Michael opened his own consulting and appraisal operation, Michael S. Coan, GG. Inc, a firm which specializes in price and business structuring and the appraisal of jewelry and objects du vertu.  In that same year, he accepted a position of adjunct Assistant Professor in the Jewelry Design Department at the Fashion Institute of Technology, NY and is currently the Chair of the Jewelry Design Department, as well as conducting courses in Gemology, Diamond Grading, Principles of Appraising, Cost Estimation and Changes and Tend, and being avidly active in program development.  Mr. Coan has also organized and participated in specialized seminars and workshops for various trade organizations including JA and MJSA and various mineralogical societies.  He is a member of these associations and also the ISA, WJA and GEM-A. 

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