2002

Industry Mourns Dick Liddicoat; Devised GIA Grading System

Summer 2002

The Diamond Registry mourns the passing of Richard "Dick" Liddicoat, 84, chairman of the Board of Directors of the Gemological Institute of America and editor-in-chief of Gems and Gemology, and an old friend of ours and of the industry.

We fondly recall our numerous talks with Mr. Liddicoat at the Carat Club meetings. He always had knowledge about gems to share and was very generous both with time and with his information. He was a man who earned the respect of people both inside and outside the industry, as evidenced by the fact that his obituary appeared in the New York Times. In a trade that’s always concerned with profits, he was the epitome of "non-profit" — a man concerned about the scientific and ethical side of the industry.

The man known worldwide as the "Father of Modern Gemology" is most revered for creating the International Diamond Grading System for color and clarity in 1953 — now the worldwide standard for grading diamonds.