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Three smaller cameos show the progression of craving a cameo from rough shell. They sit in sand alongside a shell with a fully carved cameo on it.

Cameos: Timeless, Miniature Carvings for Jewelry Lovers

Sharon Bohannon, June 23, 2017

The rich history and lore of cameos make them a fascinating avenue into the world of collecting for history, mythology and jewelry buffs.

Large open mussel shell with pink interior

Freshwater Pearling in Tennessee

Tao Hsu, Chunhui Zhou, Artitaya Homkrajae, Joyce Wing Yan Ho, Emiko Yazawa, and Pedro Padua, October 7, 2016

Natural pearl identification is one of the critical problems in pearl research. The DNA study of pearly mollusks and oysters facilitates solving this problem. To fulfill this goal, GIA sent a group from both research and education to Tennessee to sample the freshwater mollusks for DNA bar coding. Come with us to Camden, Tennessee, to see how we dive for pearly shells.

The Lure of American Freshwater Pearls: Revisiting the Latendresse Family

Tao Hsu, Chunhui Zhou, Artitaya Homkrajae, Joyce Wing Yan Ho, Emiko Yazawa, and Pedro Padua, May 18, 2017

John Latendresse is known as the father of American cultured pearls. He was also a great natural pearl collector and left his family a remarkable natural pearl collection. The Latendresse family is well recognized in the American pearl industry and has long supported GIA pearl research. Come with us to revisit this family and their pearl collection.

Queensland Opal Fields: Home of the Unique Australian Boulder Opal

Tao Hsu, Andrew Lucas, and Vincent Pardieu, January 24, 2017

Boulder opal is becoming more and more popular. Australia’s central Queensland is the home of more than a dozen of sources of this stone. Come with GIA field gemologists to find out more about this unique gem.

Sapphire Mining Along the Upper Missouri River

Tao Hsu, Andy Lucas, Shane McClure, Nathan Renfro, and Kevin Schumacher

A GIA team from Education and Lab Services visited the upper Missouri River sapphire deposits in Montana. The first sapphire discovery in the Treasure State, these deposits have been mined for over 150 years. The team witnessed the mining at the richest source, Eldorado Bar, and purchased a mine run to enrich GIA’s corundum collection.

Green nephrite man’s ring on a beaded chain

The Nephrite Jade Road: Evolution of the Green Nephrite Market

Tao Hsu, October 26, 2015

Along with the skyrocketing price of white nephrite, there is also a developing market for green nephrite in China. However, limited local supply has forced the Chinese to seek outside resources, opening the door to imports of green nephrite mined in British Columbia, Canada, and Siberia, Russia. This has created the well-developed and well-maintained nephrite jade road that connects the three countries, and which is described in this article.

Peer Reviewed Article

The Wittelsbach Blue

Rudolf Dröschel, Jürgen Evers, and Hans Ottomeyer, December 1, 2008

This article describes what is known about the Wittelsbach Blue since it was first reported in 1666, and the gemological information released to date on this diamond.

Leaf Motifs: Timeless Beauty for All Seasons of Jewelry

Sharon Bohannon, June 17, 2016

The humble leaf has captivated jewelry designers for centuries and they’ve transformed it enduring pieces of beautiful jewelry.

Good Luck Charms

March 11, 2016

Gems and jewelry are often used as good luck charms because they can evoke power and positivity. Check out these lucky charms used around the world.

Jewelers to the Maharajas of Jaipur and Modern-Day Moguls

Andrew Lucas, March 18, 2016

Enter a world not well-known in the West—the world of the maharajas and their jewelry, coveted by the modern-day moguls of business, entertainment, and royalty. See the fantastic works of art made today in the form of enameled Kundan meena jewelry and the regal look of polki diamonds.