Julia Aufenast

Professionally qualified with particular skills in gemstone identification and an intricate understanding of value factors across a wide variety of stones, I also excel at communication, negotiation and relationship building. I am passionate about gemstones and experienced in valuing jewellery for buying as individual pieces or for its metal-weight and skilled in quickly building relationships of trust to negotiate its purchase and explaining value factors to customers. I am also a trained psychologist adept in individual assessment delivering feedback of all kinds

Pawnbroking Appraiser - PRESTIGE PAWNBROKERS - Guildford, UK

(2025-01)

• Appraising jewellery, watches, handbags, artwork, cars, numberplates and other valuables and antique items
• Gemstone identification, appraisal of individual larger diamonds
• Knowledge of luxury brands in jewellery, watches and handbags
• Confident negotiation with customers to buy in at best price whilst maintaining empathic and sensitive communication to manage expectations
• Staying ahead of market trends in terms of precious metals market and trends
• Explanation of metal and gemstone market to customers
• Explanation of the difference between insurance valuations and valuations for purchase to customers
• Testing precious metals using acids and XRF machine
• Explanation and delivery of pawnbroking loan agreements
• Sales of luxury pre-owned items

Director - JOOPY GEMS - Southsea, UK

(2010-01)

Set up and operation of online business supplying precious and semi-precious stones worldwide, with responsibility for all aspects of the business

• Purchase of all gemstones across a wide range of different varieties
• Designing and ordering all custom cuts to maintain retail stock range
• Building & maintaining relationships with customers and suppliers; liaising with individual customers to supply bespoke needs
• Design, specification, project management and delivery of custom wholesale gemstone contracts, bringing them in on time and to budget
• Sourcing of high value fine stones and diamonds for individual customers, balancing ideals with budgets
• Negotiating with suppliers
• Designing, building and maintaining websites
• Design & production of marketing materials; newsletters, promotions, blog posts, social media
• Sales forecasting, budgeting & purchasing

Occupational Psychologist, Research & Development - OPP Ltd, Oxford - Oxford, UK

(2004-01 - 2009-12)

• Managing the translation of the 16PF personality questionnaire into a number of different languages including sampling, norm development and factor analysis
• Project manager of a new and comprehensive personality report for the16PF for a commercial audience, including report design and authoring the statement library; writing the supporting manual
• Writing white papers for internal and external use
• Participation in internal presentations and conference proposals
• Internal consultancy & networking providing adhoc research data and analysis to the rest of the company

Human Scientist, C2 - BRITISH ARMY – Army Personnel Strategy - Upavon, Wiltshire, UK

(2003-01 - 2004-12)

• Manager of the FutureWatch project, identifying military and social pressures likely to affect the manning of the army 20 years ahead
• Manager of project to assess benefits package for soldiers on tours of duty
• Developing and delivering training for ab initio helicopter pilots on the cognitive aspects of flying
• Assisting with the British Army suicides investigation
• Assisting with Special Forces recruitment

Project Manager & Team Leader, Business Research - EDGECUMBE CONSULTING GROUP Ltd - Bristol, UK

(2000-01 - 2003-12)

• Technical and client relationship management of employee opinion surveys for major clients including British Airways, Credit Suisse FirstBoston, Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group
• Questionnaire design – surveys and 360 degree feedback measures
• Quantitative & qualitative data analysis and interpretation of survey results including feedback to customer both in person and written

Consultant – Talent Assessment & Selection - EDGECUMBE CONSULTING GROUP Ltd - Bristol, UK

(2000-01 - 2003-12)

• Holistic career development counselling for junior doctors
• Designing and delivering NEO-PI training course
• Conducting audit of graduate recruitment programme at Centrica Plc
• Development centre assessment
• Conducting individual psychological assessments, using in depth interviews and psychometrics, and providing verbal and written feedback

Graduate Gemologist - Gemology - GIA, USA & Hong Kong (2012-01 - 2017-12)

MSc - Applied Psychology - Cranfield University, UK (1999-01 - 2000-12)

AdvDip - Psychology - Oxford Brookes University, UK (1998-01 - 1999-12)

BA - Ancient History - University of Bristol, UK (1992-01 - 1995-12)