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Pearl
Perfect shining spheres. Lustrous baroque forms. Seductive strands, warm to the touch. Pearls are simply and purely organic.
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Research
Microscopic Shells in Natural Pearls from Pinctada radiata
Two pearls from Bahrain containing minute shells are examined at GIA’s Mumbai laboratory.
Two Black Non-Nacreous Bead Cultured Pearls from Pinctada margaritifera
A Partially Hollow Natural Blister Pearl Filled with Foreign Materials
A very large baroque white pearl is further examined in the Mumbai laboratory due to its suspicious heft.
Never Stop Innovating: Gem Artist Chi Huynh
Profiles a groundbreaking gem artist on a quest to bring new concepts, techniques, and products to the industry.
Internal Structures of Known Pinctada maxima Pearls: Cultured Pearls from Operated Marine Mollusks
A selection of 74 non-bead cultured and 12 bead cultured pearls grown in cultured pearl sacs and harvested directly from operated mollusks were collected and their internal structures examined using real-time microradiography and X-ray computed microtomography analyses.
Detection of Color Treatment and Optical Brightening in Chinese Freshwater “Edison” Pearls
Analyzes a group of 23 freshwater “Edison” pearls (a trade name referring to near-round freshwater cultured pearls, usually shell bead cultured) using various gemological and advanced instrumental techniques.
Pearl Classification: The GIA 7 Pearl Value Factors
Provides a visual guide to GIA’s approach to classifying and describing pearls.
How to Calculate Color from Spectra of Uniaxial Gemstones
Presents a method for accurately predicting the color of a gem material when viewed in any direction as long as the polarized spectra and the viewing angle relative to the c-axis are known.
Internal Structures of Known Pinctada maxima Pearls: Natural Pearls from Wild Marine Mollusks
Presents the internal characteristics of natural P. maxima pearls, obtained from real-time microradiography (RTX) and X-ray computed microtomography (µ-CT) analysis of 774 samples.
A Study on Improving the Surface Appearance of Low-Quality Pinctada maxima Bead Cultured Pearls
In this study, the Bangkok laboratory examined five low-quality bead cultured pearls sourced directly from a local pearl factory and characterized their features before and after processing.
Vietnam: Shell Nuclei, Pearl Hatcheries, and Pearl Farming
Reports on a visit to a shell nucleus manufacturer and two pearl farms in northern Vietnam, which is emerging as a notable producer.
Clam Chowder with a Side of Pearl
Recently, GIA’s laboratory in New York had the opportunity to examine a fascinating pearl find and hear about an even more fascinating story.
