New ‘GIA GemPassbook™’ for Colored Stone Services Offers Affordable Access to Identification and Origin Reports

CARLSBAD, Calif. – Sept. 4, 2009 – The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) today introduced a new “GIA GemPassbook™” for the advance purchase of two of its colored stone identification services: the GIA Identification Report and the GIA Origin Report.

Each passbook contains 50 pre-paid GIA GemPasses™ redeemable for identification or country-of-origin services. Identification GemPasses will be priced at US$50 each, while passes for country-of-origin services will carry a fee of US$100. Each GIA GemPass is valid for one service per stone, regardless of gemstone size. Passbooks may be purchased and redeemed at GIA Laboratories in New York, Carlsbad or Bangkok.

“We hope our new GemPassbooks will make GIA identification services more affordable and accessible to the colored stone industry,” said Tom Moses, senior vice president, GIA Laboratory and Research. “GIA GemPasses are also transferable, meaning our clients can extend these savings to their customers.”

GIA Identification Reports provide a detailed assessment of any type of gem material, and include identifying characteristics such as color, transparency, shape, cut, dimensions, weight, and a color photo of the gem. A report also states whether the material is natural or synthetic, and whether it has been treated to enhance its appearance.

A GIA Origin Report, available only for ruby, sapphire, emerald and tourmaline, includes all the details of a GIA Identification Report, plus an opinion on country-of-origin.

For more information, please contact Shwe-war Yee or call (212) 221-5858 ext. 3145.