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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…)

GIA Celebrates Birthstones – Tanzanite, Tanzania’s Treasure

January 28, 2013

Tanzanite, December’s birthstone, is found in the shadows of the majestic Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, the only commercial source for the gemstone. (more…)

GIA Celebrates Birthstones – Forget Me Not With Turquoise

January 25, 2013

Turquoise, the December birthstone, has a distinct blue or greenish-blue color because it contains copper, and is most commonly found in China and the U.S. southwestern states Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado and Nevada. (more…)

GIA Celebrates Birthstones – Topaz, the Golden Gem

January 24, 2013

Topaz, November’s birthstone, is a mineral species that naturally occurs in a range of color, including various reds, pinks, purples, yellows, oranges, browns, and more rarely, pale blue. Topaz in yellow and reddish brown are commonly heated to create more desirable pink gems. (more…)

GIA Celebrates Birthstones – The Citrus-Colored Citrine

January 23, 2013

November’s birthstone, citrine, comes in the colors of citrus fruits, ranging from deep reddish orange, reminiscent of Madeira wines, to pale and saturated yellow hues. In fact, its name is derived from the French word “citron,” which means “lemon.” Citrine’s optimistic colors bring to mind the warmth of mid-day sunshine. (more…)

GIA Celebrates Birthstones –Tourmaline, the Chameleon of Gemstones

January 22, 2013

Tourmaline, the October birthstone, comes in almost every color of the rainbow. The most popular varieties range from rich reds, pinks and peach colors, to emerald greens and yellows, to blues and violets. (more…)

GIA Celebrates Birthstones – Opal’s Fiery Play-of-Color

January 21, 2013

Opal, October’s birthstone, is a captivating gemstone because of its unique optical characteristics. Opals often exhibit a spectrum of colors called “play-of-color,” when viewed from various directions. The Roman naturalist, Pliny the Elder, referred to opal’s play-of-color in the 1st century AD when he wrote: “For in them you shall see the living fire of ruby, the glorious purple of the amethyst, the sea-green of the emerald, all glittering together in an incredible mixture of light.” (more…)

GIA Celebrates Birthstones – Sapphire, Token of Loyalty

January 18, 2013

September’s birthstone, the sapphire, is known for its various shades of blue, however, these gemstones come in every color of the rainbow. A red sapphire is actually a ruby, the September gem’s sibling. Both of these gems are made from the durable mineral corundum. The rare pink orange variety known as padparadscha is especially prized, named after the color of a lotus flower. (more…)

GIA Celebrates Birthstones – Peridot, the Gemstone Born From Fire

January 17, 2013

Peridot, the August birthstone, is the gem variety of the mineral olivine. Instantly recognizable with its distinctive lime green color, peridot is known as the “extreme” gem because it is only found in harsh conditions. It is mined from rocks created by volcanoes and even found in meteorites that fall to Earth. (more…)

GIA 4Cs Diamond Blog