The engagement ring’s romantic traditions resonate through time. The Romans first introduced the betrothal ring as a plain, iron hoop. Among the gentry, the iron ring was worn while indoors and replaced with the more valuable gold band when outdoors. As early as the 4th century AD, inscriptions, elaborate or as simple as “honey,” embellished the inside of the band.

All diamonds are rare and no two diamonds are alike. A diamond’s quality and rarity is determined by its unique combination of characteristics of Color, Cut, Clarity and Carat Weight.  The International Diamond Grading System™, used around the world since its invention by GIA in the 1950s, is based on the Four Cs.

No matter what you think of the awards ceremony itself, the Golden Globes are always a red carpet spectacular. Here are some great pix of the jewelry worn by celebrities who attended from the show.

GIA does more than set the integrity standards in the gem and jewelry industry. We provide research, lab services and educate gemologists from around the world. In this 6-minute video, Bev Hori, GIA education director, explains the global impact of GIA, giving you a broader view of what we do in Carlsbad, CA.

There are a lot of guys looking for the perfect diamond engagement ring right now. Essentially, you’ve got a month until Valentine’s Day, right? We’ll be putting together some buying tips to help you through the process.