Key takeaways
• Tom Moses, GIA’s executive vice president and chief laboratory and research officer, is leaving the Institute after nearly 50 years of service.
• Moses played a pivotal role in GIA’s international expansion, helping establish 10 laboratories and 7 schools across 10 countries.
• Following his departure in May, Moses will be honored with the title of Chief of Gemological Research, Emeritus, for his extensive contributions to the field.
(CARLSBAD, CALIF)– The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) announced today that Tom Moses, executive vice president and chief laboratory and research officer, has decided to leave the Institute after almost 50 years of service. Moses will remain with GIA through May to ensure a seamless transition, for which he and the Institute have been preparing for the past few years. To honor his contributions, he will be named Chief of Gemological Research, Emeritus.
Over the next few months, Tom Moses will work closely with GIA research and laboratory teams to further enhance the Institute’s industry-leading research efforts, support its clients, and advance its mission.
“The rigor Tom brought to grading, the discipline he brought to science, the unwavering focus he brought to our customers, and the humility he brought to leadership reflect the very best of what we aspire to be,” said GIA President and CEO Pritesh Patel. “Fifty years is not simply a measure of time — for GIA, it has been a period of remarkable growth driven by Tom’s commitment, curiosity, and leadership. His lasting legacy lives in the standards he helped shape and the generations of professionals he guided and inspired.”
“I have been extremely privileged to work with the two greatest gemologists and have them as my mentors,” said Moses. “I will always be grateful to Richard Liddicoat for hiring me and for his selfless guidance, and to Robert Crowningshield, with whom I worked closely for 20 years, for sharing his extraordinary knowledge and for his friendship. There is no better way to honor their legacy than through continued research that advances our understanding of Earth’s treasures.”
Moses joined GIA’s Santa Monica laboratory after earning his Graduate Gemologist diploma in 1976. He later moved to New York City to work under his mentor, Robert Crowningshield, one of the world’s most respected gemologists. He has held numerous leadership roles at GIA and co-authored over 100 technical articles for Gems & Gemology and other peer-reviewed journals. Tom was the driving force behind the Institute’s international expansion, transforming GIA into a global leader in gemology and education, with 10 laboratories and 7 schools across 10 countries. Tom’s leadership was further recognized in 2002, when he received the Richard T. Liddicoat Award for Distinguished Achievement, and in 2013, when he was elected to the GIA Board of Governors.
For press inquiries, please contact Stephen Morisseau at smorisse@gia.edu.
About GIA
An independent nonprofit organization, GIA (Gemological Institute of America), established in 1931, is recognized as the world’s foremost authority in gemology. GIA invented the famous 4Cs of Color, Clarity, Cut, and Carat Weight and, in 1953, created the International Diamond Grading System™, which is recognized around the world as the standard for diamond quality.
Through research, education, gemological laboratory services, and instrument development, the Institute is dedicated to ensuring public trust in gems and jewelry by upholding the highest standards of integrity, academics, science, and professionalism. Visit GIA.edu.
