GIA London

Lets give a big congratulations to our lovely JD graduates!
Wishing you all the best in your futures ahead!

A big congratulations to our latest Diamond Graduates!
We wish them all the best in the future!

One final congratulations of the year goes to our last two classes of 2023! We'll done everyone and congratulations to our newest GG's and jewelry designers!
Wishing you all happy holidays and all the best of success in the new year!

Our last two Diamond Graduate programs of the year! Lets give them all a big congratulations and wish them the best of luck in the future! Well done guys!

Realise the career of your dreams in gems and jewellery! GIA is currently accepting scholarship applications for those who qualify, through September 30, 2023. Both U.S. residents and international students may apply, and applicants will be considered for all available scholarships. Don't wait. Dive into a world of brilliance with us at https://gia.edu/scholarships?utm_campaign=scholarships&utm_content=20230908&utm_medium=Product%2FService&utm_source=GIA+London.

Let's welcome September with the lustrous glow of its birthstone, sapphire! This gemstone is worth celebrating as traditionally it symbolises nobility, truth, sincerity, and faithfulness. Sapphires come in every colour except red, although the iconic blue colour is most well-known and is the standard against which all other blue gems - from topaz to tanzanite - are compared. Follow along this month to discover more about this gem's quality factors, history, and origins!

Courtesy: (Cut) Mayer & Watt, (Rough) Bill Larson
Photo: Robert Weldon/GIA.

This image depicts a buyer inspecting the quality of peridot at an auction in Mogok, Myanmar (formerly known as Burma). Myanmar is known for producing some of the world's finest gems, including peridot, ruby, and spinel. Image 2 displays a peridot crystal from Myanmar, along with two faceted gems from Pakistan - a 17.53 carat trillion cut and a 20.25 carat square antique cushion cut. Learn more about peridot.

(1) Photo: Wim Vertriest/GIA.
(2) Courtesy (crystal): Bill Larson, Pala International. Courtesy (cut stones): Stephen M. Avery. Photo: Robert Weldon/GIA.

GIA London open day is almost here! Come join us September 8th for a day of lectures, demos and introduction to the gem, diamonds and jewelry design industry!
Attendance is free just click here to register - https://bit.ly/3YRyY0P

Well done and a big congratulations to our recent Jewelry Design students! Good luck in all your future endeavors!

Let's celebrate August with its three birthstones! Can you name all three? One gem has extreme origins, another appears in almost every color, and the third was used as protection in battle by the Romans. Follow along all month to learn about these captivating gemstones!

Courtesy: Dr. E. J. Gübelin Collection. Photo: Robert Weldon/GIA (left spinel), courtesy of Wild & Petsch Lapidaries (peridots), gift of Susan Goldstein (sardonyx), courtesy of Roland Schluessel (right spinel)

Ever wondered how green beryl differs from emerald? Green beryl is distinguished from emerald by its lighter tone and lower saturation and typically lacks chromium (Cr) as it grows in Cr-poor environments like pegmatites. This mineral is often relatively free of eye-visible inclusions because green beryl crystals usually have ample space to grow. On the other hand, emerald needs chromium and/or vanadium for its saturated colour and is found in schist hosted contact metamorphic rocks or veins in shales. The growth of large, inclusion-free crystals is limited due to less available open space in these environments.

(Green Beryl)- Photo: Orasa Weldon/ GIA. (Emerald)- Courtesy: Mayer & Watt, Maysville KY. Photo: Robert Weldon/ GIA

Way to glow! The 127.01 carat Asscher cut Portuguese Diamond is a spectacular example of an "overblue" diamond. That means when it is exposed to ultraviolet (UV) light, its fluorescence is so strong that it looks hazy or oily under sunlight. While “overblue” diamonds aren't typically sought after, the intense fluorescence of this diamond, combined with its large size and history, make it remarkable. Harry Winston purchased the Portuguese Diamond in 1951 and traded it to the Smithsonian Institution in 1963 in exchange for 3,800 carats of smaller diamonds. Learn more about this remarkable diamond: https://bit.ly/44LM15C

Courtesy: Chip Clark/ Smithsonian Institution.

Famous Diamonds: The Portuguese Strangely enough, the 127.01-carat famous diamond called The Portuguese seems to have no connection to its namesake country. Learn more about famous diamonds.

In a world that never ceases to amaze, an unprecedented gemmological inclusion - staurolite in ruby - was recently reported. This discovery marks the first recorded instance of staurolite crystals in corundum. These striking crystals possess a distinctive bright brownish red hue. This fascinating find helps contribute to our understanding of corundum and its formation environment. Learn more: https://bit.ly/3Om90Pz

Courtesy: E. Billie Hughes/Lotus Gemology, Co., Bangkok.

Staurolite in Ruby | Gems & Gemology

Gemmologists found evidence of heat treatment in a 6 carat ruby from Mozambique that was said to be untreated. The presence of spall marks was the most obvious feature proving this ruby was heated. Spall marks are solidified droplets of material on the surface of a gem that melted or were dissolved during heating. Spall marks across this ruby show it was heated after cutting and not repolished after it was treated. Learn more: https://bit.ly/44nlPP3

Courtesy: Richard W. Hughes.

Ruby: An Expensive Mistake | Gems & Gemology

In Mozambique, nearly all of the ruby mining is focused on the secondary deposits, which are in layers of weathered gravel. Rubies are washed out of the gravel and concentrated. In some larger mines, the gem material is fed onto a conveyor belt where teams of sorters handpick the rubies. Learn more about ruby mining in Mozambique: https://bit.ly/3Q4Ralq

Courtesy: GemRock. Photo: Wim Vertriest/GIA.

Mozambique's Ruby Mines | Gems & Gemology

All eyez on this ring! Tupac Shakur's iconic ring is heading to auction at Sotheby's New York tomorrow and is estimated to fetch US$300,000. This 14K gold ring was designed by the rap legend himself and is set with rubies and nearly five carats of diamonds. Who will be the next to own this piece of history?

Courtesy: Sotheby's

From tourmaline in Maine and California, to emerald in North Carolina, to peridot and turquoise in the Southwest, the United States has many productive coloured stone deposits. Rubies, however, are rarely found. North Carolina and Montana have produced a few rare examples. GIA scientists recently analysed several rubies from Rock Creek, Montana, and found that they showed inclusion scenes similar to those of Montana sapphires. Common inclusions include crystals surrounded by halos and angular bands of particles, needles and/or reflective platelets. Learn more: https://bit.ly/3MptcN4

Courtesy: Jeffrey R. Hapeman, Earth’s Treasury. Photo: Kevin Schumacher/GIA.

Rubies from Rock Creek, Montana | Gems & Gemology A study on American ruby and sapphire from Rock Creek, Montana, unveils a few geochemical mysteries.

Congratulations to our recent Diamond Graduates!
Well done everyone!

Fissure filling of gemstones is an age-old treatment that can improve a stone’s clarity. By introducing oil or other fillers, such as resin, into the stone, the treatment can minimise the appearance of fissures. Observe fissure filling up close in an apatite cabochon before and after treatment. Read more: https://bit.ly/43c77sW

Courtesy: Billie Hughes/Lotus Gemology

Fissure Filling of Gemstones | Gems & Gemology

Unlock your career potential at London Career Fair Powered by GIA! Meet recruiters, gain valuable career coaching, and attend lectures from industry experts. See you on July 14 at The Goldsmiths' Hall! Register now:

London Career Fair Powered by GIA

Mogok, Myanmar's famed ruby valley, holds a storied past as the source of many magnificent rubies. Burmese rubies' vibrant red colour, soft translucence and glowing fluorescence set them apart from the rest.

Courtesy (ring): Christie’s Images Limited. Courtesy (crystal): Bill and Jeanne Larson. Photo: Robert Weldon/GIA.

A rare sight: a star chrysoberyl! While cat's-eye chrysoberyl is common, this four-rayed gem submitted to GIA's Tokyo laboratory is unique. Its two sets of needle-like inclusions create perpendicular bands of reflected light, forming the mesmerising star. Discover more:

Star Chrysoberyl

Did you know natural pearls come in various colours? Some of the rarest hues are found in pearls from Pinctada radiata mollusks in the Arabian (Persian) Gulf. Colours normally range from white and cream to yellow, but unusual hues are occasionally discovered. A pearl's desirability depends in large part on its colour – reflecting the beauty of these exceptional gems. Learn about pearls: https://bit.ly/3JsulDQ

Courtesy: Ahmad Abdullah Alomaish Alajmi. Photo: Robert Weldon/GIA

Pearls | GIA

The AbdulRazak Graduation is a seven-row graduated pearl necklace comprised of 779 round to near-round natural pearls from Bahraini waters. The perfectly matched white to light cream-coloured pearls with pink overtones range up to 12.9 mm in size. It took three decades of diligent effort to collect, sort, and assemble these pearls into this stunning necklace.

Courtesy: Al Mahmood Pearls. Photo: Robert Weldon/GIA

GIA London Career Fair registration is now LIVE 🎉 the event is *free* to attend so come, share , bring your collogues and friends for a day full of activities at the Goldsmiths' Hall.
click here: https://bit.ly/43x3E9l and don't forget to submit at the end
See you July 14th!