On February 15, 1931, a former retail jeweller named Robert M. Shipley and his wife, Beatrice, cashed in their savings to establish the Gemological Institute of America.

When most jewellers knew little about the gems they traded, Robert Shipley decided to professionalise the industry through education, research and gemmological instrumentation. The institute, initially based out of their home, offered mimeographed mail-order courses and provided gem-testing services using borrowed microscopes and other equipment.

From these modest beginnings GIA has become an institution with more than 300,000 graduates across 14 countries, with 12 schools, 4 research centres, and 7 prestigious laboratories grading the world’s most important diamonds and the creators of the 4Cs and the International Diamond Grading System – the worldwide standard for evaluating diamond quality.