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GIA 4Cs Diamond Blog

GIA 4Cs Diamond Blog

Famous Birthstone: Pearl – La Peregrina

Many of us share a timeless attraction to pearls— it’s a deep admiration that extends across cultures and continents. Maybe it’s because pearls are associated with water, a fundamental element of life. Or maybe it’s because this June birthstone comes from a living thing. Natural pearls are highly sought after due to their rarity. For those who prefer cultured pearls, you’re in luck: cultured freshwater and saltwater pearls are widely available, and in so many colors and shapes that there are pearls to suit a variety of tastes. (more…)

How Light Affects a Diamond’s Appearance

“Shine bright like a diamond,” is a phrase that can be understood in a variety of ways, depending on the diamond light source. In fact, there’s often a noticeable change in how a diamond appears in sunlight, in candlelight, and under artificial light. This change proves the importance of understanding how light affects a diamond’s appearance.

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How to Sell Your Gemstones and Jewelry

Are you looking to sell a gemstone or a piece of jewelry? Then you’re in luck, because GIA has created an informative guide with all the facts and tips that you need.

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Secret Messages in Jewelry – The Lover’s Eye

Jewelry always sends a message about the wearer, but sometimes the message is meant to be a secret one. Such is the case of the Lover’s Eye – the name for a miniature portrait of a single eye often painted on ivory.

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Zodiac-Inspired Jewelry: Gemini

The constellation Gemini, the twins, is one of the easiest to see in the night sky, and its celestial charms have inspired designers to make jewelry that celebrate it.

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Five Tips to Organize Your Jewelry

Fill in the blank: “I can’t leave home without _______________.” If that blank is jewelry related, we’re on the same page. When you forget to put on your favorite everyday necklace or ring, you feel as though you’re missing something all day. That is how much of an impact precious and significant jewelry pieces have on us.

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The Sunken Treasure of the Atocha

It’s a pleasant September morning in the year 1622 and a majestic Spanish galleon sits in the port of Havana, along with 27 other ships of the combined fleet, their crews awaiting orders.

The Nuestra Señora de Atocha sits low in the water, weighed down by 964 silver bars, 161 gold bars or disks, 255,000 silver coins, and uncounted chests filled with undeclared (and untaxed) emeralds. Smugglers be warned: punishment is 200 lashes and ten years spent in chains, rowing a galleon.

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GIA Reports: Decoding Diamond Clarity Diagrams

You probably already know about the importance of a diamond’s 4Cs (color, clarity, cut, carat weight) in defining diamond quality and ultimately determining its value. You may also know that a diamond grading report from an independent grading laboratory like GIA is your best way to be sure that your getting an unbiased assessment of your diamond’s quality. But in addition to the 4Cs, a diamond grading report also contains a wealth of information that tells a deeper story about your diamond. (more…)

Mother’s Day Jewelry: Birthstones, Lockets, and Charms For Mom

While you may not have the chance to say ‘thank you’ or ‘I love you’ to mom every day, Mother’s Day gives the perfect opportunity to show your gratitude. We’ve gathered inspiration for thoughtful gift giving she’ll fall in love with. (more…)

Jewelry Fit for A Princess (or Prince)

With the birth of Charlotte Elizabeth Diana, proud parents Prince William and Kate Middleton, and the royal house of Windsor celebrate a beautiful new addition to the royal family.  As we congratulate them and welcome Her Royal Highness Princess Charlotte of Cambridge to the world, many of us just might be fantasizing what it would be like to be a royal. Luckily, jewelry has a special power to turn even the homeliest frog among us into a prince or princess.  And so we searched for some special jewelry pieces that can help you or your beloved feel like a royal – not just for a day, but for a lifetime.  Enjoy!

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Famous Birthstones: Emerald – The Crown of the Andes

Emerald, widely regarded as the definition of green for hundreds of years, is the perfect color for spring. From the poetic description of Ireland as “the Emerald Isle” to the vibrant green of the famed gemstone itself—the May birthstone emerald has captured hearts and minds through the ages. (more…)

Gemstones: Natural Treasures to Celebrate Earth Day

Happy Earth Day!  How grateful we are to the Earth for the basic elements that sustain our lives and the natural beauty that makes life worth living.  Among Mother Earth’s many wondrous gifts are rare rocks and gem crystals  – treasures that form deep beneath her surface. When fashioned and polished, they become the strikingly beautiful gemstones that have captivated mankind for millennia. Gemstones in their rough, unpolished form have an intrinsic beauty of their own, hinting at the potential of what they can become.

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