A summary of presentations from 24 industry-leading experts at Converge.

Colorful thin film inclusions are captured within a Russian emerald carving.

Dense tube inclusions in emerald create a scene reminiscent of a tranquil bamboo forest.

A semi-baroque saltwater nacreous pearl presents identification challenges in the Mumbai laboratory.

The Carlsbad laboratory reports on a rare submission of orangy red translucent friedelite.

The Mumbai laboratory reports on a jewelry submission containing fracture-filled diamonds.

A large faceted cuprite is examined at the Carlsbad laboratory.

An undrilled black bead is identified as an assembled imitation pearl made from shell fragments.

The date and topic of the 2026 Sinkankas Symposium is announced.

A snuff bottle submitted to TULAB as jadeite jade is identified as a dolomite aggregate with fuchsite.

Near-colorless heulandite crystals in an Ethiopian opal resemble the segmented bodies of worms.

Microscopic examination reveals intriguing growth tubes in a copper-bearing tourmaline.

A perfectly shaped euhedral tourmaline crystal is identified in a faceted tourmaline.

The blunt termination of a red manganotantalite inclusion displays a striking contrast against a greenish blue sapphire.

An aquamarine crystal from Pakistan contains a pseudomorphic quartz inclusion.

Fibrous mannardite crystals are observed in three colorless quartz samples.

Spiral patterns of nacre platelets observed on the surface of a non-bead cultured pearl are reminiscent of fingerprints.

An updated edition of Herbert Tillander’s book is now available.

GIA’s president and CEO Susan Jacques is honored with the Richard T. Liddicoat Award for Distinguished Achievement.