At the GIA Carlsbad laboratory, the authors recently examined a cabochon of “bloodshot” iolite (containing red, eye-visible platelets of hematite) intergrown with a sunstone.

Copper-bearing gem tourmaline, known as Paraíba tourmaline after the location of its original discovery, is prized for its vivid blue to green color. This article explains GIA’s use of quantitative chemical analyses to distinguish samples from Brazil, Nigeria, and Mozambique.

Each level of the vertical Hidden Gems exhibit offers a different theme at the San Diego Natural History Museum.

The Hong Kong laboratory recently examined a Burmese star ruby incorporating a significant amount of bismuth glass.

X-ray computed microtomography reveals the internal features of pearls with great detail.

In the early 1960s, French ceramist and engineer Pierre Gilson succeeded in growing and producing flux synthetic emerald of commercially marketable quality.

A selection of very small akoya cultured specimens demonstrates the challenges gemologists face when determining pearl origin.

Presents the internal characteristics of natural P. maxima pearls, obtained from real-time microradiography (RTX) and X-ray computed microtomography (µ-CT) analysis of 774 samples.

A CVD laboratory-grown diamond with a fraudulent GIA inscription is submitted to the Antwerp lab.

A cordierite with a color not seen in the GIA lab is examined in New York.

An overview of the Fall 2025 Gems & Gemology content.

A 37.41 ct natural rough diamond with distinct pink and colorless zones is examined at GIA’s Botswana laboratory.