What is GIA?

“Established in 1931, the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) is the world’s foremost authority on diamonds, colored stones, and pearls. A public benefit, nonprofit institute, GIA is the leading source of knowledge, standards, and education in gems and jewelry.” - GIA.edu

GIA is the Gemological Institute of America. This organization was founded with the intention of establishing principles and trust in the otherwise broad and subjective gemstones and jewelry industry. GIA operates on three pillars: Educate, Research, and Protect. GIA teaches students all across the world the knowledge, skills, and credentials to launch successful careers. GIA is the world leader in gemological research, seeking to continually enhance worldwide understanding of gemstones. GIA protects gem and jewelry consumers and professionals by establishing global quality standards. The first GIA grading report was issued in 1953, and is still considered to be the best and most trustworthy grading of diamonds today. If you are familiar with GIA, it is likely because you have bought of shopped for diamonds and viewed these grading reports. When it comes to universally accepted calibers of rating carat weight, cut, color, and clarity of stones, GIA has the ultimate say on where these gradings fall due to their strict standards, and because this International Grading System was created by the institution.

GIA has also created many tools used by jewelers to identify and grade gemstones. In 1934, GIA patented the first triple aplanatic lens, which lead to the modern jewelers loupe, used widely by jewelry professionals and enjoyers worldwide. The first gemological microscope was patented at GIA in 1937, allowing gemologists to view the interior of gems. GIA has lead and overseen the creation of many more technologies and methods in the evolving gemstone and jewelry industry. GIA has created pearl Xrays, allowed for detection of gem treatments through use of the spectroscope, and developed the DiamondCheck and DIA iD100 tools to test and distinguish between natural and lab-grown diamonds.

GIA prides itself in becoming the foremost authority in gemology, acting as the world’s most trusted name in diamond grading and gem identification. Offering reports and services in diamonds, natural color diamonds, lab-grown diamonds, colored stones, pearls, and unknown gems, GIA utilizes the most developed tools and methods to identify and grade known stones and minerals, and to thoroughly research and explore new discoveries. GIA offers the gem encyclopedia, which lists 29 known gemstones and provides buyer’s guides to educate the public in which categories and traits are most highly valued when seeking a high-quality specimen.

GIA seeks to educate jewelry professionals in order to standardize the jewelry industry with integrity and objectivity. By sharing the knowledge and research from their wold-class laboratories, GIA teaches the valuable practical skills to influence future generations of jewelry leaders and professionals. GIA offers certifications and diplomas which carry great significance in our field. The Applied Jewelry Professional (AJP) is a professional development diploma covering the basics of diamond essentials, colored stone essentials, and jewelry essentials. The Graduate Diamonds diploma covers the technical skills necessary to grade, buy, and sell colored stones and the Graduate Colored Stones diploma does the same for identifying and grading colored gemstones. Together, these programs makeup the Graduate Gemologist (GG) diploma program. GIA also offers diploma programs in Jewelry Design, Jewelry Design and Technology, Comprehensive CAD/CAM for Jewelry, and Jewelry Design. These programs offer education and opportunity for a broad range of jewelry careers including sales consultants, bench jewelers, business owners, appraisers, wholesale buyers, and designers.