A PASSION FOR GEMOLOGY: Hope Mouko, service coordinator at Hamilton Jewelers, has won a scholarship to the Gemological Institute of America (GIA). She is pictured with, at left, Hank Siegel, Hamilton president; and his father Martin Siegel, right, the company’s chairman. Ms. Mouko will study at the GIA while continuing her work at the Nassau Street store.

After living in New York, modeling for Donna Karan and other high-end designers, Princeton native Hope Mouko was ready to move back home and try something new. She had always been interested in jewelry and design. So when she noticed an ad last year for an opening at Hamilton Jewelers on Nassau Street, she decided to apply for the position.

It was a fortuitous move. Once hired, it didn’t take long for Ms. Mouko to realize she had found her new passion: gemology. To her delight, she recently won a scholarship to the prestigious Gemological Institute of America, where she will study the science of gemstones while continuing to work as Hamilton’s Service Coordinator.

“Initially, I just wanted to learn about jewelry and design,” said the soft-spoken Ms. Mouko, whose family has lived in Princeton for generations. “But I sat in on an appraisal one day, and I was just mystified by the science of gemology. I dove in headfirst — taking out books from the public library and our library here. I couldn’t get enough of it.”

Hamilton Jewelers is paying for Ms. Mouko’s GIA education, which she estimates will take about two years to complete. “Here, they encourage education,” she said. “They want you to be knowledgeable.”

The company’s president Hank Siegel serves on the GIA’s Board of Governors and considers it a key part of the industry. “The mission is to protect consumer trust,” he said last week. “Many people purchasing a gem don’t really know that much about it, and this gives them peace of mind. It’s about education for gemologists.”

GIA has trained more than 300,000 students since its founding in 1931. The organization has 19 locations in 14 countries, 12 campuses, nine laboratories, and four research centers. “GIA’s founder Robert M. Shipley had a tremendous impact on the world of gems,” said Hamilton vice president Donna Bouchard. “He recognized the need for a comprehensive, international approach for understanding and evaluating gemstones. Without it, confusion and distrust would reign both at home and abroad.”

Only about 15 are admitted to the GIA’s program each year. “I didn’t think I’d get it, but I decided to apply anyway,” Ms Mouko said. “I had to write a personal statement and get recommendations, one of which came from Samuel Hynes, who is a retired professor of English from Princeton University and a longtime friend of my family.”

Some other Hamilton staffers are graduates of the GIA, and Ms. Mouko is looking forward to joining them. “With that degree, you can identify stones, their treatments, and characteristics, and can grade them as well,” she said. “You can speak with authority, and that gives customers more confidence.”

A 2000 graduate of Princeton High School, Ms. Mouko has strong roots in Princeton and is happy to be back among family and friends. Her grandmother was the proprietor of Lily’s Beauty Salon on Quarry Street. “I lived in New York City, did that whole thing. I love it here now, and I want to stay,” she said. As for Hamilton Jewelers, “There is so much room for growth here,” she added. “I would love to stay and do appraisals or help clients identify estate jewelry. I feel like I’m working here with family. That’s why I love it so much.”