Frequently Asked Questions

About Gemstones
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Colored Stones

I’ve seen peridot marketed as “unheated.” Does that make it more valuable?
Are dark veins in turquoise good or bad?
Are emeralds from Colombia worth more?
Are origins like “Santa Maria” important to the value of aquamarines?
Are sapphires from Kashmir, Burma, or Ceylon worth more?
Can I buy an untreated emerald?
Could a dinosaur be cloned from a mosquito found in amber?
Does GIA grade alexandrites?
Does GIA grade aquamarine?
Does GIA grade emeralds?
Does GIA grade opal?
Does GIA grade rubies?
Does GIA grade spinels?
Does GIA grade tanzanite?
Does GIA grade topaz?
Does GIA grade tourmalines?
Does GIA grade zircon?
Does GIA indicate whether an alexandrite is from Russia on the report?
Does GIA offer reports for amethyst?
Does a horsetail inclusion guarantee Russian origin?
Does heat treatment affect the value of ruby?
Does it matter if turquoise is blue or green?
Does it matter where an amethyst is mined?
Does jade come in pink and blue?
Does the type of filler in an emerald’s fractures matter?
How do I know if a blue spinel has cobalt in it?
How do I know if a topaz is “Imperial topaz”?
How do I know if my tourmaline is from Paraíba?
How do I know that a sapphire is a real padparadscha?
How do I know that the spinel I’m buying is natural?
How do I tell what type an individual zircon is?
How does heat treatment affect a sapphire’s value?
How does lattice diffusion affect a sapphire’s value?
How much is my emerald worth?
I have a moonstone that’s scratched: can it be fixed?
Is Baltic amber worth more than amber from other places?
Is Persian turquoise more valuable?
Is a Burma ruby worth more?
Is amber perfume made from amber?
Is any color of zircon a birthstone for December?
Is aquavit made from amber?
Is blue or purple tanzanite more valuable?
Is blue topaz radioactive?
Is faceted moonstone available?
Is it OK to have an amethyst engagement ring?
Is jadeite from Burma banned from the United States?
Is moonstone tough enough for rings?
Is opal durable enough for rings?
Is opal from Lightning Ridge worth more?
Is pink topaz from Pakistan or Brazil more valuable?
Is rainbow moonstone really moonstone?
Is tanzanite tough enough for rings?
Is there a red garnet the color of ruby?
Is there such a thing as pink or green tanzanite?
Is tourmaline from Paraiba worth more?
Is zircon radioactive?
My amber is darker than it used to be. Does that mean it isn’t real?
Should I be looking for a peridot from Myanmar, Pakistan, or Egypt?
Should I store my opal in water?
What are lattice diffusion sapphires?
What does heat treated mean?
What is AAA aquamarine?
What is AAA peridot?
What is a “created” emerald?
What is the Block Burmese JADE Act of 2008?
What is the most valuable inclusion in amber?
What is “B” jade?
What tourmaline color is best?
What's the difference between the two green garnets: tsavorite and demantoid?
What’s AAA quality amethyst?
What’s AAA quality garnet?
What’s AAA quality spinel?
What’s AAA quality tanzanite?
What’s a “created” alexandrite?
What’s a “created” ruby?
What’s an “alexandrite sapphire”?
Why are jade bangles so small?
Why are there such large price differences for turquoise that looks similar?
Why does aquamarine cost so much more than blue topaz that's almost the same color?
Why don't the aquamarine side stones in my ring match the center stone?

Treatments

What is the difference between treatment and enhancement and what are they?

Pearl

I have a strand of pearls that shows too much string: can it be fixed?
Should a strand of Tahitian pearls be black to be valuable?
What are “chocolate pearls”?
What is the difference between natural and cultured pearls?
What’s a Majorca “Pearl”?
Where are freshwater pearls found?
Why are freshwater pearls so much less expensive than Akoya or South Sea cultured pearls?
Why do pearl strands have knots in between each pearl?

Diamond

Are diamonds with a higher number of facets brighter?
Does GIA grade diamond cut?
Does GIA grade synthetic diamonds?
Does the ultraviolet component of the light used for grading affect the color grade of the diamond?
How can I be sure a diamond is conflict-free?
How can I be sure that a GIA grading report is authentic?
How do I get a GIA grading report?
I found a clear, colorless stone that I think may be a diamond because it scratches glass. How can I find out for sure?
What is ultraviolet fluorescence?
Will GIA appraise my diamond?

Trade Information

Does GIA have a wholesale price list or information about dealers or suppliers?

General

What is My GIA?

GIA Logo Usage

Can I use the GIA logo on my website, business card or other promotional materials?

Kimberley Process

What is GIA's position on the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme?

Graduate Credentials

How can I locate a GIA graduate or verify that a jeweler is a GIA graduate?
I am a GIA graduate. How do I properly list my credentials on business cards and other materials?

Alumni Chapters

How do I start an alumni chapter in my area?

Stone Submission

Can I use my FedEx account to return my item?
Do I need an appointment to submit my items in person?
How can I add or remove an authorized representative to my GIA account?
How can I get a copy of my invoice, view my account balance or make a payment?
How can I update the contact information on my GIA account?
How do I pay for analysis and grading services?
How often do I need to update my Client Agreement?
What if I suspect gem material I'm submitting has been treated or is a product of gem synthesis?
What is GIA LabDirect?
Which analysis and grading services are offered at each laboratory location?

Diamond Reports

Do you grade branded specialty cuts?
Do you grade filled diamonds?
Does GIA certify or appraise diamonds and other gemstones?
How does GIA grade D-to-Z diamonds?
How is diamond carat weight rounded?
Is there a cut grading system for fancy shaped diamonds?
Why does a diamond have to be loose for the Diamond Grading Report and Colored Diamond Grading Report?
Your site is featuring the new report format. When will it become available?

Other Services

Are my gemstones insured while they are in the lab?
Can I order rush service for items submitted for analysis and grading?
Can someone other than me to pick up my items once the servicing is complete?
Do you translate your grading reports into other languages?
Does GIA unmount and remount stones?
How do I change my current GIA report format into another GIA report format?
How do I replace a lost, stolen, or damaged GIA report?
How will I know I will get my same gemstones back?
What should I do if my diamond has been lost or stolen?

Colored Diamond Reports

How does GIA grade colored diamonds?
How does the colored diamond grading system differ from the D-to-Z diamond grading system?

Pearl Reports

Can I put multiple pearls or items on one pearl report?
How does the GIA Pearl Classification Report address nacre thickness?
What does “Predominantly natural” mean on a pearl report?
What if I don’t want or need every pearl in a group or item tested?
What pearl grading system does GIA use?
Why would you X-Ray pearls and how does GIA do it?

Colored Stone Reports

Can I submit a mounted colored stone for analysis?
Does GIA grade sapphires?
How does GIA test colored stones?
On a Laboratory report for a treated emerald, what does F1, F2 and F3 mean?
What types of stones qualify for country-of-origin reports?
Why doesn't GIA issue grading reports for colored stones?

Treatments

What treatments does GIA test for?

Diamond

How can I learn more about the GIA Cut Grading System?
What is the GIA Facetware Cut Estimator?

Synthetic Diamond Reports

How does GIA grade synthetic diamonds?
Why does GIA provide fewer grade categories for color and clarity for synthetic diamonds?

Programs and Courses

Are the on-campus Graduate Gemologist diploma and distance education diplomas the same?
Does GIA teach appraisal courses?
My employer has agreed to pay my tuition at GIA. How do they do this?
Where can I learn to cut diamonds?
Will GIA certify me as a gemologist?

Distance Education

Am I required to take either my lab class or eLearning classes in a certain order?
Do I have to go to a GIA campus to take my exams?
How does GIA’s gem lending system work?
What is the deadline for enrolling in eLearning?
What is the difference between a GIA lab class and the Student Workroom?
Where can I get the instruments needed to complete the Gem Identification eLearning course?

On Campus

Is there a difference between what is taught on each GIA campus?
What is the deadline for enrolling in on-campus programs?

International Students

As a non-U.S. citizen, how can I study at one of GIA's campuses in the U.S.?
Can I change my status from a nonimmigrant visa to the M-1 visa?
How do I apply for my M-1 Non-immigrant visa to study at GIA?
When is the I-20MN sent to me?

Financial Assistance & Scholarships

Can I use my financial aid funds for living expenses as well as tuition?
How do I receive my financial aid funds to pay for my educational expenses?
How soon after I submit my financial aid application will I hear from GIA about my eligibility?
I am a veteran of the United States Armed Services. Can I use my GI Bill benefits to attend GIA?
I am eligible for vocational rehabilitation funds. Can I use this money to help pay for my educational program at GIA?
I have been selected for federal verification. What does this mean, and what do I next?
I have received a scholarship from an outside organization. Can I use it towards my tuition for GIA?
What happens if I receive financial assistance and I do not complete my educational program?
Will financial aid pay for my entire tuition as well as my living expenses?

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800 421 7250 • 760 603 4001
New York
800 366 8519 • 212 944 5900
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Frequently Asked Questions

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