Welcome to the Story of GemCat

GemCat Home GemCat.com is a specialized online jewelry boutique owned and operated by Robert James RGA, FGA, GG, and registered in Bexar County, Texas. GemCat is a registered business with Dunn and Bradstreet #119574823, and our name, “GemCat”, is a U.S. Registered Trademark #7,769,628.

GemCat calls the historic Old Town Helotes, Texas home with our offices located in the 100 year old original U.S. Post Office building. Located next door to our Cheetahlish Ladies Fashions and Accessories store, GemCat is our online store where we sell jewelry and gemstones collected over the 50+ years that owner Robert James has been in the jewelry business. GemCat is a U.S.-based jewelry and gemstone retailer that brings many decades of experience to our products and customers. Our location is also home to the United States Gemological Institute online education organization that is headed by Robert James. The USGI is a Certified Education Provider of the Texas Department of Insurance, and we bring that commitment to quality and consumer care to every item we offer here on GemCat. Each gemstone is evaluated using professional gemological standards before being offered for sale.

At GemCat we are committed to accurate representation of every gemstone and jewelry item we offer, with full transparency in materials, origin (when known), and grading standards.

We invite you to read below to learn more about Robert James, RGA, FGA, GG, one of the highest ranking gemologists and teachers in the country. Mr. James holds the Higher Education Teaching Certificate from Harvard University, and brings his gemology knowledge and experience from around the world here to our GemCat online store.

We invite you to read below to learn more about Robert James and about the GemCat products and services.

Thank you for being here as part of the GemCat Community.

Welcome Message from

Robert James, RGA, FGA, GG – Founder of GemCat
President, United States Gemological Institute (USGI)
Professional Gemologist | Appraiser | Forensic Consultant

I want to personally welcome you to GemCat, where jewelry and gemstones tell your love story. On the website I am selling a lifetime collection of jewelry and gemstones of all types. As a GIA Graduate Gemologist with other world class credentials, I personally select and authenticate each item on GemCat. I have been in the jewelry and gemstone business for over 50 years. My experience started with working as a janitor for a Zales Jewelers store in Denton, Texas and has including owning my own jewelry stores, managing jewelry stores in the Caribbean Islands, working for the largest gemstone mining company in Brazil, and working as Senior Gemologist in the USAA Insurance Gem Lab. My work in gemology has included laboratory analysis, insurance evaluations, and forensic investigations involving gemstone identification and valuation. During my time at USAA had performed jewelry and gemstone certifications, damage evaluations, and worked closely with member of the USAA Special Investigations Unit in the investigations of jewelry insurance fraud. All of these experience and knowledge I bring to you to offer you an unmatched opportunity to shop with confidence that you are getting the very best quality and value in your purchase.

Currently, in addition to offering GemCat jewelry and gemstones here, I am also President of the United States Gemological Institute where I teach the world’s finest program in gemology and jewelry appraisal to students around the world. Additionally, based on my experience at USAA, I am a Certified Insurance Instructor and provide education courses to insurance agents, underwriters, and adjusters. These courses are certified by the Texas Department of Insurance. It is all of this knowledge, experience, and expertise that you will be shopping with when you buy from GemCat.

I also bring you the knowledge of working with Amsterdam Sauer, Brazil’s largest gemstone mining company, where I worked directly with founder, Jules R. Sauer. The education and experience I gained working with Amsterdam Sauer provides me with a unique and highly qualified expertise to share with you here on GemCat.

During my decades in the gemology industry, I have accumulated thousands of gemstones and jewelry items. It’s time to sell them. These are the wonderful gemstone and jewelry items you see for sale here on GemCat. The prices are low because I have owned these for many years and need to liquidate them. The quality is guaranteed because I operate one of the finest gemological labs in the country.

I appreciate you shopping with me today. If you have any questions please contact me. And that includes general questions about gemstones and jewelry. I love teaching and sharing the wonderful knowledge I have accumulated over the years.

I want to personally welcome you to GemCat. Where jewelry and gemstones do tell your love story, and mine too!

Robert James RGA, FGA, GG
Graduate Gemologist, GIA
Fellow, Gemmological Association of Great Britain
Registered Gemologist Appraiser, USGI
Higher Education Teaching Certificate: Harvard University
Business Law Certificate: Cornell Law School
Property and Casualty Adjuster, Texas Department of Insurance #1300433
Certified Education Provider, Texas Department of Insurance #170536