Diamond Digging in Ghana
Author: Russell Shor, GIA , Jun 13 Topics LocalitiesGhana’s Birim River was once a prime source for diamonds. These days thousands of independent miners still work the deposits by hand.
Read MoreExamining a Rough Sapphire
Author: Vincent Pardieu, GIA , Jun 4 Topics Gemology, Identification, InclusionsGIA’s field gemologist shows how to examine a sapphire crystal for cracks and inclusions.
Read MoreCVD-Grown Synthetic Diamonds, Part 2: Properties
Author: Robert Linares, Integrated Diamond Technologies, LLC , May 21 Topics GradingThe physical properties of CVD synthetic diamond fall well within the range for natural diamonds in terms of hardness, thermal conductivity, strength, and so forth. Therefore, CVD synthetics are as hard and durable as natural diamond and display the same brilliance and fire when cut as a gemstone.
Read MoreVery Large CVD Synthetic Diamond
Author: Wuyi Wang, Kyaw Moe, Siau Fung Yeung, and Ulrika D’Haenens-Johansson , Apr 30The CVD process is quite different from natural diamond formation. It produces diamond from a heated mixture of a hydrocarbon gas (typically methane) and hydrogen in a vacuum chamber at very low pressures.
Read MoreInfrared Microscopy Applications
Author: Ren Lu, GIA , Apr 30An infrared microscopy equipped with a microscope provides spatial resolution that allows study of micrometer-scale features such as inclusions and zoning, providing valuable insights into a gem’s formation or treatment history.
Read MoreBargaining for Gems in Chanthaburi
Author: Russell Shor, GIA , Apr 30Bangkok may be the financial hub of Thailand’s gem industry, but its heart lies in Chanthaburi, where most of the stones are still cut.
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