Gemological Institute of America

3-1-11
I am preparing a post about Carlsbad, California, for my blog.
While going through my pictures I noticed that I had none of the Gemological Institute of America.
The Institute is only a mile from where we live.
It is their world headquarters and they have a beautiful campus, overlooking the Carlsbad Flower Fields and the Pacific Ocean.
Students from all over the world study here to learn about diamonds and other precious stones.
I called yesterday and they had two openings for today’s tour of the facility.
This is the second time Doreen and I visited the GIA. We always learn something and the displays of those beautiful stones are fascinating.

In the tower is a giant diamond made of glass. Unfortunately the sun did not shine much and the colors are not visible. It is a fantastic sight with sun.
























The figures on this chess board are made from solid gold.












This machine has four pistons and heating elements to compress and heat carbon to high temperatures.
It was used for making synthetic diamonds.











These pictures are magnifications of precious stones. One cannot see the colors and shapes with the naked eye.












This is a diamond magnified.












These are the flags of the nations the GIA has campuses or offices.











Posters, explaining the composition of valuable gem stones, are on the walls of the hall ways.
















Those items were recovered by Mel Fisher from the Spanish Galleon Alocha.











Posters taken by GIA photographers are displayed throughout the buildings.













This coffee table is using a giant geode as support. It is a beautiful piece of furniture.











Doreen and some large crystals which are on display in the GIA museum.











This post is too large to incorporate it in my Carlsbad post, so I keep it separate.