I am Mariya Ivanova
GIA Graduate Gemologist
Confucius wrote: ‘Better a diamond with a flaw than a pebble without’ and the ability to see real quality in gemstones became a quest in life for me. As a child I always had a fascination for gems, so it was a natural development for me to take my love for diamonds, colored stones and jewelry design and enhance it with science knowledge and practical experience. In doing so, I pursued and fulfilled my dream to become a gemologist.
With an eye for quality in gemstones, my employment at International Diamond Laboratories and my work as a gemologist and diamond grader in Dubai and Turkey gave me the best hands-on practical experience in the business. I met with and overcame numerous problems and challenges common in the industry today: the mistrust of clients, non-disclosure of treatments, synthetic stones and imitations and lack of gemstone knowledge among jewelry retailers. Along my professional journey, honing my skills in identifying quality in gemstones, I’ve been privileged to gain practice in rough diamond planning, cutting and polishing under the mentorship of experienced diamond cutters, as well as be able to interact with some of the most renowned rare diamond dealers.
My mission is to pass on the wisdom I took from Confucius’ words, to share my professional and unbiased experience as a gemologist and offer consultation tutoring in gemstones. I sincerely believe that significant positive changes can be brought about in our industry only with knowledge sharing and providing the customer with the information they need to make the right choices.
