The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) has acquired a collection of 2,665 crystals, gemstones and minerals featuring rare inclusions, marking a significant addition to its gemological research and reference resources.

The collection was assembled over 60 years by John Koivula, GIA Analytical Microscopist and an expert in the identification and documentation of gem inclusions. It comprises specimens displaying foreign mineral inclusions, trapped fluids and distinctive structural characteristics. Examples include tourmaline inclusions in muscovite mica and fluorescent petroleum fluid trapped in quartz.

The acquisition is expected to strengthen GIA's education programmes, gemological research, and gem identification and origin services. The specimens have been catalogued in a dedicated database and will serve as a reference resource for training future gemologists and researchers.

Terri Ottaway, curator of the GIA Museum in Carlsbad, said, “This one-of-a-kind assemblage could not be reproduced today, not only because many of the pieces are unique, but also because specimens of comparable quality are unlikely ever to be found again. John possesses an extraordinary eye for rarity, often examining hundreds of specimens before selecting a single piece.”

Koivula joined GIA in 1976 and has contributed to the development of gemological photomicrography. His research introduced techniques such as fibre-optic illumination, which is now widely used in gemological laboratories.

GIA is also preparing a large-format book featuring photomicrographs of specimens from the collection, documenting their inclusion characteristics and microscopic features.