Billions Of Years In The Making: Why Natural Gems Still Reign Supreme

Forbes

22-07-2025

When Maisie Plant, the young wife of the American industrialist, Morton Plant, was seated next to Pierre Cartier at a dinner party in 1917, she was said to have marveled over two strands of pearls so exquisite and perfect in its graduation that she wasn't surprised at its $1 million dollar price tag. However, feeling trepidation about spending that amount of money on jewelry, Cartier proposed a trade. In exchange for the necklace, the Plants could offer their newly completed neoclassical townhouse her husband had built at the corner of Fifth Avenue and 52nd Street. The Plants were eager to leave the area as it was becoming more commercialized. The exchange was made, and Cartier established his New York flagship boutique, a cornerstone of the brand's global presence.
Two decades later in 1937, movie star Hedy Lamarr quietly escaped her first husband, an Austrian arms dealer, taking with her the wedding jewelry from Cartier. Disguised as a maid, she found her way to Paris and eventually London. When she heard that the head of MGM studio, Louis B. Mayer, would be on board the SS Normandie bound for NY, she sold her jewels to secure first-class passage to meet him and negotiate a contract. She eventually met Mayer and befriended his wife during the transatlantic journey, and thus began her life in Hollywood.
Evaluating a gemstone at GIA. Gemological Institute of America
Intrepid french traveler and gem merchant, Jean Baptiste Tavernier, was known for his self financed travels into the far east during the 17th century. His far flung adventures, well documented in his books, most notably 'The Six Voyages of Jean-Baptiste Tavernier,' were well read by the luminaries of the time as insight to understanding Persia, India, and Japan. Over the years, Tavernier found and traded gemstones during his travels and on one fortuitous journey to India in 1666, he acquired a deep blue colored 112 carat diamond from the Kollur mine in Golconda. Tavernier would eventually sell the stone to Louis XIV, who would induct the jewel into the French Crown Jewels. Its mysterious journey of becoming part of the French Royal Family to being recut, bought, stolen, found and sold would find its final resting place at the Smithsonian as the iconic Hope Diamond, one of the largest blue diamonds in the world.
Such a discovery brought Tavernier not just wealth, but a barony, estates, and a place in history, a reminder that gemstones, in the right hands, can alter fortunes entirely. They have provided passage, negotiated futures, and held value when other assets could not. Their small scale allows them to move silently through history, yet their impact is often considerable. Whether in a private collection, a royal treasury, or a discreet safe deposit box, natural gemstones remain among the most concentrated and enduring stores of wealth.
'I think it truly ties to this magical and mystical value that people have always placed on gemstones,' explains Susan Jacques, CEO of the Gemological Institute of America (GIA). 'We often talk about jewelry that's been around for millennia, from the first shell with a little hole in it that somebody on a beach tied some twine around and put it around their neck as a first piece of adornment all the way through different civilizations. There has been such tremendous value ascribed, whether it be political power or personal emotional power. There were talismans.'
The Gemological Institute of America is at the heart of establishing and preserving that value of gemstones. Since its founding in 1931, GIA has built its global reputation for impartiality, consistency, and scientific rigor. Its grading reports have become the definitive benchmark in the trade and its documents not only certify a gemstone's attributes but also offer assurance in a marketplace where provenance and precision matter.
GIA's grading system for diamonds, first introduced in the 1950s, is now considered the universal language for assessing quality. The '4Cs,' cut, color, clarity, and carat weight, are so widely adopted that they underpin virtually every gem transaction. Behind the standard lies a commitment to neutrality, with the Institute operating as a nonprofit entity, free from the pressures of commercial interests.
GIA diamond grading lab. Gemological Institute of America
A recent visit to GIA's offices and laboratories, guided by Tom Moses, Executive Vice President and Chief Laboratory and Research Officer, revealed the sophisticated blend of advanced technology and exacting human expertise that sustains the Institute's reputation as the gold standard in gem grading and evaluation.
Among the most iconic stones ever assessed by the GIA are the Hope Diamond and the more recent Winston Red, the 5th largest fancy red diamond at 2.33 carats. Their grading reports attached to these gemstones provide more than a summary of their physical characteristics. They document rarity, origin, and detail that is meticulously observed and recorded. To own a gem with a GIA certificate is to possess not just the stone but the validation of its place in the broader narrative of gemological excellence.
Hope Diamond on Cartier necklace. Hope Diamond by Chip Clark/Smithsonian.
'If you look at the fact that the earth is only 4.5 billion years old, these were created as all that shifting heat, pressure and everything was occurring in the Earth's formation. To be able to find that treasure and then own that treasure, I think comes with such an emotional tie to it that is not replicated with man made products today,' describes Jacques of the true value of mined gems.
CEO of Gemological Institute of America, Susan Jacques. Gemological Institute of America
That trust is particularly vital in today's market, where the emergence of lab-grown diamonds introduces a new layer of complexity. Grown using high-pressure, high-temperature, or chemical vapor deposition processes, these stones are chemically and physically comparable to natural diamonds, but lack the time-bound provenance of their mined counterparts.
Lab-grown diamonds have gained traction, particularly among younger consumers drawn to their price accessibility and perceived sustainability. They offer an alternative for buyers seeking the optical properties of diamonds without the cost or environmental considerations often associated with traditional mining. As their market share grows, the industry has responded by developing clearer labeling standards and more nuanced pricing structures.
GIA has approached this shift with characteristic precision. It offers a separate grading report for lab-grown diamonds, clearly distinguishing them from natural stones while still applying the same analytical rigor. GIA's 'Lab Grown Diamond Report' is scheduled to be released at the end of Q3.
'I do believe that there is a coexistence that can happen with different gem materials. One is not better than the other. The most important factor is that the consumer understands exactly what they're buying,' explains Jacques.
Still, the distinction between the two remains meaningful. While lab-grown diamonds have found a place in the jewelry landscape, natural gemstones continue to command a different kind of reverence. Their geological origins, shaped over eons, connects them to the earth in a way that cannot be replicated. Their scarcity ensures that each remains a unique object, not just in form but in story.
The role of GIA in articulating and certifying that story is foundational. Through its laboratories, research, and educational outreach, the Institute reinforces a set of standards that both reflect and shape the values of the industry. Its work ensures that gems are not only admired for their appearance but respected for their integrity.
Amid a marketplace shaped by shifting values and constant change, the enduring presence of a natural gemstone remains. Discreet yet significant, it continues to represent permanence and meaning. That its quality and provenance can be established with precision reflects the vital role of institutions like GIA, which quietly aligns science and technology with the human appreciation for rarity.
More information and historical stories about gems can be found on GIA's website.