Garnet, January’s birthstone, is one of the most diverse gemstones. It comes in an extraordinary range of color, although it’s most commonly known for its rich shade of red. In fact, the name garnet is thought to be derived from the word pomegranate, because the more commonly found deep red varieties of the gemstone resemble pomegranate seeds. (more…)
Everyone has a birthstone. Do you know what yours is?
GIA is showcasing birthstones in a big way at the Carlsbad campus with a special exhibit running through spring 2013. The GIA Museum team strives to provide incredible shows that will appeal to everyone. It is fascinating to not only learn about your own birthstone, but your friends’ and family members’ too! (more…)
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…)
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…)
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…)
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…)
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…)
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…)
Tanzanite, the December alternate to turquoise and zircon, was not discovered until 1967, so it is a relative newcomer to the list of birthstones. It is named for the one country on earth where it is currently found: Tanzania, in eastern Africa. Although discovered by others, Tiffany & Co. deserves the credit for naming the gem and popularizing it beginning with a big publicity campaign in 1968. (more…)
On November 13th, 2012 Christie’s Geneva auctioned one of the world’s most important diamonds, the Archduke Joseph, for $21.5 million. The 76.02 ct, D-color Internally Flawless cushion cut went for more than $280,000 per carat, a new record for colorless diamond. (more…)
One of the hardest of the 4Cs to understand may be a diamond’s cut. A well-cut diamond displays the unique sparkle we associate with diamond. (more…)
It has been said that few things in nature are absolutely perfect. The same holds true of diamonds. Part of what makes a diamond unique is what is commonly referred to as a diamond’s clarity characteristic. (more…)