Spring 2024 G&G Available Now
May 3, 2024
To celebrate Gems & Gemology ’s 90th anniversary, our spring issue kicks off this milestone year with a variety of discoveries. With three feature articles, the latest installment of Diamond Reflections, our recap of the 2024 Tucson shows, the annual G&G Challenge quiz, and an inside look at an extraordinary platinum and garnet necklace, there’s something for everyone inside.
Mineralogy and Geochemistry of Turquoise from Tianhu East, Xinjiang, China
A team led by Ling Liu reports on turquoise from the Tianhu East deposit in northern China. The authors cover the area’s geology and the results of their studied samples, identifying a geographic origin indicator to distinguish Tianhu East turquoise from other Chinese sources.
“Ice Jade” from Guatemala
A translucent variety of jadeite jade from Guatemala has become popular in the Chinese market in recent years. Zhaoying Huang and coauthors share their study characterizing the pale green material known as “ice jade” from the Morales mine.
Nanoscale Techniques for Characterizing Gemstone Coatings: A Case Study on Synthetic Moissanite
Tsung-Jen Wu and fellow researchers study coated synthetic moissanite, using it as a basis for analyzing colored coatings on a variety of polished gemstones. The authors characterize the colored coatings and offer methods for identifying techniques used in the coating process.
Lab Notes
GIA’s global laboratory staff present their latest findings in the Lab Notes section, including a large CVD-grown diamond resubmitted after HPHT treatment, an iridescent imitation pearl resembling a pen pearl, and the first submission of a rare titanoholtite.
Micro-World
The Micro-World section, dedicated to the inner world of gemstones, features a striking cluster of trigons in diamond, pink and red epidote crystals in quartz, an exceptional iris effect in Brazilian watermelon tourmaline, and more.
Diamond Reflections
The Diamond Reflections column returns in this issue to investigate the journey of superdeep diamonds to the earth’s surface.
Gem News International
The Gem News International section starts with our coverage of the 2024 Tucson gem shows, compiling interesting finds, handcrafted designs, popular trends, and more from the shows. The GNI section continues with regular content, including a report on new beryl and emerald specimens from Newfoundland and updates on rubies from both Liberia and Mozambique.
In the Spotlight
Lastly, we spotlight an incredible collaboration from Mary van der Aa and Todd Wacks: “Garanatus: From Rough to Cut.” This AGTA Spectrum Award–winning platinum necklace features 28 of the world’s rarest garnets, totaling more than 77 carats.
Gems & Gemology Challenge
The spring issue also offers the 2024 Gems & Gemology Challenge quiz. Score 75% or better and you’ll receive a certificate of completion; earn a perfect score and your name will be listed in the Fall 2024 issue. Entries for the Challenge must be submitted online by September 1, 2024.
Erica Zaidman is associate editor of Gems & Gemology at GIA in Carlsbad, California.
