Tom Moses Departs GIA After Nearly 50 Years of Service

The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) has announced that Tom Moses, Executive Vice President and Chief Laboratory and Research Officer, will be leaving the Institute in May after an extensive career spanning almost 50 years. Moses will remain with GIA through May to ensure a smooth transition, a process that he and the Institute have been preparing for over the past few years.

To acknowledge his significant contributions, Moses will be honored with the title of Chief of Gemological Research, Emeritus. In the coming months, he will collaborate closely with GIA’s research and laboratory teams, focusing on enhancing the Institute’s leading research efforts, supporting clients, and advancing its mission.

A Legacy of Rigor and Global Expansion

GIA President and CEO Pritesh Patel lauded Moses’s dedication, stating, “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.” Patel added, “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.”

Moses began his GIA journey in 1976 at the Santa Monica laboratory after earning his Graduate Gemologist diploma. He later moved to New York to work under his mentor, Robert Crowningshield. Throughout his tenure, Moses held numerous leadership positions and co-authored over 100 technical articles for Gems & Gemology and other peer-reviewed journals.

Moses is credited with being a driving force behind GIA’s international expansion, transforming the institute into a global leader in gemology and education. Under his leadership, GIA established ten laboratories and seven schools across ten countries.

Honoring Mentors and Continuing Research

Reflecting on his career, Moses expressed his gratitude, saying, “I have been extremely privileged to work with the two greatest gemologists and have them as my mentors. 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’s leadership and impact were recognized through several accolades. He received the Richard T. Liddicoat Award for Distinguished Achievement in 2002 and was elected to the GIA Board of Governors in 2013.