Diamond industry organizations: GIA

The formation of the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), was the result of developments in both retail and the science of diamonds. The combination of a growing need to standardize information provided to consumers and deeper understanding of the gemological aspects of diamonds gave rise to the need for an unbiased third party that could fill the gap between what was available at the time and the little that was available.

The organization was formed in 1931 by Robert Shipley Sr., the man credited with establishing the standardization of diamond grading, at a time when diamonds were just becoming a mainstream consumer product for middle class America.

Shipley established the systemization and language of diamonds that remains the industry standard to this day, including some of the most basic ones, such as the color scale that runs from D to Z. Prior to forming GIA, Shipley taught a night class at the University of Southern California called, Preliminary Course in Gemology, in 1930. Around the same time, he published a book titled, Gemology, which he promoted aggressively to American jewelers. Shortly afterwards, he started offering his courses to the industry through correspondence. Within a year, over 250 jewelers had enrolled, reassuring Shipley that there was indeed a problematic lack of gem knowledge in the industry. His courses developed to include modules on sound business practices, accounting, and marketing.

 In 1931, upon establishing the GIA, the primary goal was to educate jewelers in order to achieve a standardization of knowledge. The GIA created a grading system to ensure an advanced level of gemology knowledge. One of the main aims of GIA’s early courses was to teach its students to identify diamonds of poor quality and cut.

 A few years later, in 1934, the GIA published its first issue of its magazine, Gems and Gemology, which would help establish the science of gemology and remains in print as a quarterly publication to this day. Also that year, the modern professional jeweler’s loupe was born when GIA patented a loupe with a triple aplanatic lens. Its 10X magnification became an important standard.

Over the coming years, the GIA patented the first gemological microscope, published the first Handbook of Gem Identification, and started awarding its students with an accredited Graduate in Gemology diploma.

One of the most transformative decisions made by GIA and its leadership, which by the 1940s also included Richard T. Liddicoat, and G. Robert Crowningshield, was to put an increased emphasis on grading, which led GIA to start issuing diamond grading reports in 1953.

Over the years, the education programs, research, and grading have established the organization as the world’s foremost authority on diamonds. While an important authority on colored stones and pearls as well, it is today the standard on diamond grading and identification, while training thousands of people at its schools around the world on the principals of gemology. As such, it trained, educated and prepared generations of jewelers, diamond traders, appraisers, and jewelry designers, preparing them for a career of working with diamonds and other gems. 

According to the nonprofit institute, GIA's mission is to ensure the public trust in gems and jewelry by upholding the highest standards of integrity, academics, science, and professionalism through education, research, laboratory services, and instrument development.

Today, the GIA is considered the most important laboratory for diamond grading, especially of colored diamonds, and the leading gemological education provider. Together with its research facility, which over the years developed the leading detection tools, there is no doubt that GIA is one of the most important diamond industry institutions, and an important voice of the diamond industry in the consumer sphere.