The Gemological Institute of America said it will offer free diamond cut grading seminars for round brilliant cut diamonds in selected cities. The seminars are part of GIA’s effort to communicate the essentials of its new diamond cut grading system to the industry.

Attendees will gain practical experience in estimating cut grade; judging brightness, fire, and pattern; assessing a diamond’s proportions; and grading polish and symmetry to estimate its cut grade. Learning the cut grade system firsthand will allow participants to be better able to explain this system to their customers. Previous diamond grading experience or training is required. All attendees must also have a working knowledge of GIA’s International Diamond Grading System.

Seminars will be held at GIA’s campuses in Carlsbad, Calif., Los Angeles, and New York, as well as in cities throughout the United States. For a complete seminar schedule, visit http://www.gia.edu/education/32564/diamond_cut_grading_seminars.cfm. Seating is limited and registration is required. To register, call 800- 421-7250, ext. 4001.

Since Jan. 1, 2006, the GIA Diamond Cut Grading System has been implemented on every GIA Diamond Grading Report and GIA Diamond Dossier® for standard round brilliant diamonds on the GIA D-to-Z color scale and Flawless-to-I3 clarity scale. The cut grade system has also been incorporated into GIA Education curriculum.

JCK