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Red Gemstone Buying Guide – Part 2

February 13, 2013

As passions ignite this month, a jewelry gift featuring a red gemstone is a token of love that can be enjoyed every day. While seen mostly in fashion jewelry, red gemstones are showing up as an option for the primary stone in engagement rings. Celebrities like Jessica Simpson, who sports a 5-carat ruby engagement ring, have been influential in bringing gemstones to the forefront of bridal trends. In addition to rubies, garnets and red diamonds, which we discussed yesterday, the following gemstones are more options for those looking to celebrate this Valentine’s Day with a gift of a spectacular red gem. (more…)

Red Gemstone Buying Guide – Part 1

February 12, 2013

Blame it on St. Valentine, but February is synonymous with the color red. Giving your special someone a red gemstone jewelry piece would be the ultimate token of affection to mark the upcoming holiday dedicated to romance. When considering purchasing a red gemstone such as ruby, garnet, or red diamond, there are a few key facts and considerations to keep in mind. (more…)

Print GIA’s Diamond Buying Guide – 4Cs Guide to Understanding Diamond Quality

February 11, 2013

Here is a printable diamond buying guide designed to help anyone shopping for a diamond understand the 4Cs of Diamond Quality; Color, Clarity, Cut and carat weight. Print this handy guide and take it with you wherever you need to better understand the 4Cs of diamond quality.

We hope our diamond buying guide will help you navigate and understand the relative quality differences that exist on the color, clarity and cut grading scales. Print this guide and take it with you when you visit your jeweler.

Updated: GIA report scales have been updated with the newest scales as of December 2019.

Diamond Buying Guide – Part 2

February 7, 2013

Previously we outlined four basic steps to purchasing a diamond. Today we will expand on our explanation of the 4Cs – the four factors that determine a diamond’s value. (more…)

The GIA Diamond Buying Guide, Part One

February 6, 2013

Buying a diamond can be a significant purchase both emotionally and financially, but it doesn’t have to be intimidating. This GIA Diamond Buying Guide can help you determine what is the best quality diamond for you. Here are four basic steps to ensure that the journey to find your perfect diamond is as pleasurable as admiring the diamond you finally select.

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Amethyst – A Variety of Quartz

February 1, 2013

Did you know that amethyst — February’s dazzling birthstone — is actually the purple variety of the mineral quartz? (more…)

The Various Minerals of Garnet

January 3, 2013

For most people, when they think of January’s birthstone, they think of a deep red gemstone. But did you know that garnet can also be found in shades of yellow, orange, and even green? (more…)

True Blue in Fashion

December 18, 2012

The color blue has inspired poets, songwriters and mankind for centuries. This season, it’s also inspiring plenty of fashion statements, as seen in Vogue, Elle and Los Angeles Times to name a few. It’s no surprise then that blue gemstones are some of the most coveted in the colored gemstone spectrum. (more…)

Side Stone Settings for Engagement Rings

December 13, 2012

When choosing an engagement ring, there is more to consider beyond gemstone types. We covered popular center stone settings, and now we’ll share with you a few side stone setting styles. There are many options designed to enhance the gemstone’s beauty while reflecting the personality and lifestyle of its wearer. (more…)

Diamond Carat Weight Grading

December 10, 2012

You can buy coffee by the pound. You can even buy deli meat by the pound. Even if you’ve never bought a diamond, the correlation between weight and price is a concept that we can all understand. Therefore, the general perception is that a larger diamond is more valuable than a smaller one. (more…)

The GIA Guide to Diamond Color

December 6, 2012

Even the slightest change in diamond color can affect the quality and value of a diamond. Although most diamonds are thought of as colorless (that is, not fancy-colored), most colorless diamonds actually contain hints of brown and yellow. These differences in color are often very subtle – so subtle that an untrained eye can’t tell the difference between a nearly colorless diamond and a colorless one. Yet these minute variations in what color a diamond is can have a significant impact on the purchase price of the stone. (more…)

Victoria’s Secret ‘Star of Victoria’ Fantasy Bra is on Display at GIA

December 3, 2012

The Angels may be rocking Victoria’s Secret bras at tomorrow’s 2012 fashion show on CBS, but we have two replicas of prior years Fantasy Bras at GIA in Carlsbad that you can get up close and personal with. (more…)

GIA 4Cs Diamond Blog