Fine-color, large, and eye-clean (lacking visible inclusions) rubies like this 11.01carat (ct) stone from Myanmar (formerly known as Burma) are extremely rare and valuable. – Photo: Robert Weldon/GIA.
Established in 1931, the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) is the world’s foremost authority on diamonds, colored stones, and pearls. A public benefit, nonprofit institute, GIA is the leading ...
Because diamonds formed deep within the earth, under extreme heat and pressure, they often contain unique birthmarks, either internal (inclusions) or external (blemishes). Diamond clarity refers to ...
Cultured pearls come in different sizes, shapes, and colors. Perhaps the best-loved gems of all time, pearls—both natural and modern cultured pearls—occur in a wide variety of colors. The most ...
Opal can range from 5 to 6.5 on the Mohs hardness scale. Hardness and toughness Gem and mineral hardness is measured on the Mohs scale. The numbers are based on the relative ease or difficulty with ...
Although individual companies might create their own quality descriptions, like AAA, AA and A, to denote the range of quality of their goods, no standard quality-grading scales exist for garnet.
As a consumer, you will regularly encounter in the marketplace gems that have been treated to change their appearance. A topic that often comes up is whether a particular gemstone is or isn’t treated.
Few people outside the gem industry realize the true nature of a gemstone’s journey from the mine to the counter of a store. Whether the gem is being offered to consumer’s at a traditional jewelry ...
Diamond is available in a range of sizes and qualities to fit every consumer's tastes. One of the first things most people learn about diamonds is that not all diamonds are created equal. In fact, ...
Diamonds have a long history as beautiful objects of desire. In the first century AD, the Roman naturalist Pliny stated: “Diamond is the most valuable, not only of precious stones, but of all things ...
Online courses and Lab classes required to earn your online credential offered via the GIA Online Division are listed below. Click here to download the requirements ...