
Cat’s-Eye Boulder Opal
A precious cat’s-eye boulder opal from Australia is examined in the Carlsbad laboratory.

Reconstructed Specimens and the Rise of Deceptive Practices in Pakistan
A report on the increase of artificially assembled or altered specimens circulating in Pakistan’s local gem markets.

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

Fuchsite-Bearing Dolomite Aggregate as a New Jadeite Imitation
A snuff bottle submitted to TULAB as jadeite jade is identified as a dolomite aggregate with fuchsite.


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

Fingerprint Pattern on a “Hammered” Pearl’s Surface
Spiral patterns of nacre platelets observed on the surface of a non-bead cultured pearl are reminiscent of fingerprints.

New Red Garnet Production from Northern Vietnam
GIA studies a selection of rough and cut garnet from a new source in northern Vietnam.

Fracture-Filled Diamonds Detected in Mounted Jewelry
The Mumbai laboratory reports on a jewelry submission containing fracture-filled diamonds.

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

Converge 2025 GIA Hands-On Sessions
GIA offered a variety of hands-on sessions for attendees during the Converge conference.

100 ct Cuprite with Malachite Inclusions
A large faceted cuprite is examined at the Carlsbad laboratory.

Blooming Bouquet: Thin Films in Russian Emerald
Colorful thin film inclusions are captured within a Russian emerald carving.

Converge 2025 Poster Presentations
An overview of more than 30 posters presented at the Converge conference.

“Bamboo Forest” in Colombian Emerald
Dense tube inclusions in emerald create a scene reminiscent of a tranquil bamboo forest.


Characterization of Emeralds from Zhen’an County in Shaanxi, China
Presents a comprehensive analysis of the gemological, spectroscopic, and trace element characteristics of a set of Shaanxi emerald samples based on standard and advanced gemological methods.
Intriguing Sapphire from Montana, a New Source of Emerald in Central China, and Arkansas Turquoise
An overview of the Winter 2025 Gems & Gemology content.

Quarterly Crystal: 𝛽-Quartz Morphology in Beryl
An aquamarine crystal from Pakistan contains a pseudomorphic quartz inclusion.

Converge 2025 Speaker Presentations
A summary of presentations from 24 industry-leading experts at Converge.

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