Carlsbad, Calif.– Oct. 12, 2007 – ‘Tis the season − from now through the holidays and into early spring – for many couples to begin the hunt for the perfect diamond engagement ring. For some, it can be an intimidating process.  

With this in mind, the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) – a nonprofit, gemological research and academic institution − today launched its first-ever national public awareness campaign to help better educate people about diamonds, the famous GIA-created Four Cs and GIA Diamond Grading Reports. 

The name of the campaign is “The Difference Between Wondering and Knowing” and it explains the Four Cs of diamond elements (Color, Clarity, Carat Weight and Cut), and the importance of having a diamond grading report, which will define for the consumer the exact gemological qualities of the stone he or she is intending to purchase.

Ralph Destino, GIA chairman, said, “We are a public-benefit institution and, as such, we want people to see us as a resource with tools to help them.  Our purpose in initiating this new awareness campaign is to help educate the public about diamonds and diamond grading reports so they are able to make more informed buying decisions.”

Since its founding in 1931, GIA has been setting the international standards used by the jewelry industry throughout the world. These standards have been set through continuous advances in research, education of jewelers, and through the Institute’s laboratory services, including diamond grading.

“People want more information,” Destino said, “especially now as new technologies advance and synthetics and new diamond treatments begin to emerge in the market.  Moreover, new jewelry distribution channels make diamonds more visible and available to more of the general public than ever before.  People see and hear more about diamonds, and therefore want to know more about diamonds,” he said. “This campaign will help answer their questions.”

The Difference Between Wondering and Knowing campaign has three parts: a national print and online advertising campaign targeted to audiences with an immediate need to know more about diamonds such as affluent jewelry buyers and men looking for wedding rings. Ads will run in several select, major publications in the U.S., and prominent websites.

The ads are designed to direct the public to the second feature, which is a new GIA website: www.gia4cs.gia.edu.

This website will provide a wealth of information about diamonds, the Four Cs, how GIA grades diamonds and how to read a GIA diamond grading report. It will offer basic and unbiased knowledge about diamond origins; the differences between natural diamonds, synthetics and look-alikes, details about diamond care and other diamond essentials.

The third aspect of the campaign is a kit for retailers to help them educate customers with confidence and accuracy about diamonds, the Four Cs and the International Diamond Grading System™.

“Retailers are key providers of diamond information to the public,” said Destino. “We’ve had many requests from retailers for these kinds of tools, and we’re glad to provide them and make it easy for stores to respond to their customers.”

This kit’s contents include; quantities of Four Cs brochures, a grading report tool to help explain what’s on a GIA Diamond Grading Report and a new "Grading the 4Cs" video.  The kit, and other materials, including posters, will be available mid-November on a special retailer website.