'Morganite' the largest kind ever gifted to GIA - view at Headquarter

01 Jun '05

3 min read

California based The Gemological Institute of America gets the crystal gift.

The unusual pink crystal, measuring about 4.5 inches long by 3 inches wide and high (12 x 8 x 7.5 cm), was given to the GIA Collection by its co-owners, Laura and Wayne Thompson, and Roz and Gene Meieran.

An important morganite crystal – the largest of its kind ever gifted to GIA – is on display in Carlsbad.

GIA will induct the Meierans and the Thompsons into its Circle of Honor, which recognizes non-cash donations of $100,000 or more, during a ceremony in New York City on Aug. 1.

Meieran, known throughout the world for his extensive collection, has also gifted important minerals to other prestigious museums. He got the idea to donate the large morganite crystal after he visited GIA's Carlsbad campus in November 2004.

“People come to GIA because they are interested in gems, so I thought it would be helpful for them to see where they come from and how they are formed,” he said.

Meieran approached the Arizona-based Thompsons – Wayne, a mineral dealer, and Laura, a dealer in fine faceted gemstones – with the idea. They, too, had previously donated pieces to important institutions and museums.

Thompson said he spoke with Laura, who is enrolled in the Institute's Graduate Gemologist diploma program. “Laura loves gems,” he said. “So when Gene mentioned donating the specimen to GIA, she and I immediately loved the idea.”

“The specimen is monster in size compared to what Wayne and I had in our collections,” Meieran said. “It's like placing the Empire State Building in the middle of a row of three-story houses – it just did not fit.”

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