education

Princess Cut Secrets – REVEALED
Under store spotlights one princess can sizzle with electric white scintillation, while a second princess boils with big, colorful flashes. Others fall somewhere between. Why the differences? The secret is revealed within.
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Historic Emeralds for May Babies to adore
Since May is the fifth month of the year I thought it appropriate to visit five of history’s most notable and valuable emerald jewels, beginning with the most expensive emerald piece ever sold at auction and finishing with, perhaps, the most historic of all time. Enjoy.
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World’s richest diamond mine ‘Goes Underground’
The legendary Jwaneng diamond mine, the world’s richest by volume, will have its lifespan extended by 20 years in a joint venture by DeBeers’ and the government of Botswana. The $6 billion expansion will see more than 224 miles of tunnels created underground.
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Gem Diamonds has 2 exceptional finds in 6 days
Gem Diamonds is having a merry month of May at their Letšeng mine in the African country of Lesotho. We were excited to hear of the recovery of a beautiful 254 carat white crystal last week, now joined by a 370 carat monster.
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Emeralds Under the African Sky
For just a handful of years now, “Ethiopian Emeralds” have been appearing on the world stage. It still seems strange that we had to wait for such a long time.
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LVMH Commits to 100% Traceability by 2030
LVMH has committed to 100% traceability across their strategic supply chains by 2030. The Group is also making traceability an […]
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WIRED reports on IGI Certified Sky Diamond
WIRED, the popular tech-lovers’ magazine which coined the term “crowdsourcing,” just posted a piece about eco friendly products. “The best […]
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Jewelry Sales Super Since Summer
US jewelry sales doubled in March 2021, compared to 2020, and were up 30% compared to 2019. This continues a steady trend which actually began last summer.
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Christie’s will sell the Largest Diamond ever cut in Russia
Feast your eyes on this 100.94 Carat D Color, Internally Flawless masterpiece. The “Spectacle” diamond has been declared the largest ever polished in Russia and will be sold at the Christie’s Magnificent Jewels auction in Geneva on May 12.
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A Photo Feast of Luxurious Garnet Jewelry
Cartier, Tiffany, Harry Winston, Louis Vuitton. Those iconic names quickly conjure visions of diamond, ruby, emerald and sapphire jewelry, but […]
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Three Fancy Vivid ‘Rock Stars’ sold by Christie’s
“The Perfect Palette,” a trio of fancy vivid colored diamonds sold in separate lots at Christie’s New York Magnificent Jewels auction, amassed a total of $8.4 million, cumulatively, after their gavels had fallen.
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See Metal I.D. Performed on an Antique Etruscan Necklace
Recently the IGI Lab in Shanghai received an antique Etruscan revival style necklace from the mid to late 19th century. When the necklace was submitted, IGI gemologists immediately understood the reason it was sent for identification: It seemed to weigh less than it should and, therefore, was suspected to be made of gilt copper, rather than gold.
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IGI World’s First w/ ISO Accreditation for Lab-Grown & Natural Diamonds
The International Organization for Standardization (ISO), the world’s largest developer of voluntary international standards, has certified IGI with the ISO 17025 accreditation for lab-grown diamonds, making IGI’s laboratories the world’s first to hold ISO accreditation for both natural and lab-grown diamonds.
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IGI celebrates Pantone Color Of The Year in Gemstones
Pantone, the international color authority, previously announced its Colors of the Year. Gemologists from IGI Shanghai have provided images and information celebrating 2021’s vibrant color: Illuminating Yellow.
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Flawless purple pink Sakura could bring $25-38 million at auction
Natural pink diamonds are extremely rare. When discovered, only one in 10 weighs more than 0.20 carats. This year, as the annual cherry blossom season hits its peak, the 15.81 carat flawless, fancy vivid purple-pink Sakura Diamond will be the star of Christie’s Hong Kong’s Magnificent Jewels sale.
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Rough Diamond Sales Surge into April
April’s birthstone is diamond and her majesty, Diamond, the queen of gemstones, is having a scintillating 2021 so far. Record setting prices, climbing volume and exceptional stone sales all reflect the enduring value of diamonds.
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The Classic Chameleon Diamond
Gemologists from IGI Shanghai recently provided images and information regarding one of nature’s rare and stunning wonders, the chameleon diamond.
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RJC and WDC join forces on Sustainability and Sourcing
The Responsible Jewellery Council and World Diamond Council have signed mutual codes of conduct, entering a partnership to advance and strengthen key United Nations’ initiatives on responsible practices and sustainability.
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The Gemstones of Mars are Coming!
How exciting! After flybys, orbits and epic landings, a future mission will bring rocks home from the red planet’s surface.
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Rough Diamond Sales Continue Climbing
Lucara, Lucapa, DeBeers, now Alrosa. Improving jewelry demand in the USA and China, coupled with low stock in the midstream, is credited for continued strong sales of rough diamonds through the first month of 2021.
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DeBeers Encouraged by first sales of 2021
Citing demand ahead of the Chinese New Year, which begins February 12, and Valentine’s Day two days later, DeBeers’ reported […]
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IGI Partners with the World’s Largest Diamond Bourse
IGI has designed a series of exclusive educational courses for members of the Bharat Diamond Bourse, the World’s Largest, with more than 4,000 jewelry professionals engaged in the import, export, manufacturing and marketing of rough and polished diamonds.
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Millennials & Gen-Zs Highly Desire Diamonds
A Natural Diamond Council survey reveals diamond jewelry is the most highly desired and tangible luxury item among Americans in Generation Z as well as Millennials. Together these generations account for 38% of the adult population.
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Uplifting Lost and Found Ring Stories
It happens. People lose their wedding rings. What doesn’t often happen is to find them again, especially in circumstances like those below. Here are three of my favorite, uplifting “lost and found” stories which prove that you should never give up hope.
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