Skip to main content

Richard Liddicoat–Mr. GIA

In this episode, Mr. GIA . . .

Can you name one person who, during your lifetime, changed the course of your life in an extraordinary way? Was it a parent, a teacher, a historical figure, or maybe a serendipitous acquaintance? One person stands out among all others - Richard T. Liddicoat. Sunday, March 2, 2025, would have been Mr. Liddicoat’s 107th birthday. Although he passed away in 2002, his memory lives on in me.

In 1985, as a resident student at The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) in Santa Monica, CA, I was invited by Richard T. Liddicoat Jr. (then Chairman of the Board) to his office.

As a student of human nature, lover of gems, and lifetime GIA advocate, he would visit every Resident (on campus) Colored Stone/Gem Identification classroom just before each class was to graduate. He would often bring samples of unique gem materials submitted to the GIA Gem Trade Laboratory for the students to see. Or he would simply stop by a classroom to discuss industry trends, the latest developments in synthetics, or whatever the hot topic of the day happened.

I can’t remember what he spoke about the day he visited our classroom because when he asked, “Any questions?’ Everyone sat there, blank expressions on their faces, horrified to speak. After all, this was Mr. Liddicoat–who wrote the book on Gemology. A jewelry industry icon. The Father of Modern Gemology, Mr. GIA! Needless to say, our group was somewhat intimidated.

At that time, along with the Gem Identification Lab Manual, Liddicoat’s book, Handbook of Gem Identification (first published 1947), was assigned to each student as an additional reference tool for learning what to look for and what tests were necessary to prove the identification of unknown gemstones. My copy was well thumbed, and I always searched for identification clues that the "Lab Manual" simply did not provide.

In the dead silence, my hand shot up enthusiastically, “Mr. Liddicoat, would you sign my copy of your book?”

“Absolutely,” He said. “Stop by my office after class.”

So, I did . . .

I’ll never forget what he asked me that day: “What are your plans after graduation? We want you to return as an instructor. We're always looking for young people with your enthusiasm.” His uncanny ability to cultivate people was like mining for gems: He always looked for the good in others.

For those of you who knew Mr. Liddicoat–whom many GIA staff affectionately called RTL–he was our leader, friend, and patriarch for over 60 years. RTL treated everyone at GIA like his son or daughter. During his visits to the Carlsbad campus long after his retirement, he would stroll the halls, greeting students and colleagues by name and taking the time to chat and encourage each individual.

His accomplishments encompassed many aspects of gemology: Liddicoat created the internationally recognized diamond grading system, expanded GIA’s education programs, elevated the Gem Trade laboratory and research functions, developed instruments to aid gem identification, wrote ground-breaking articles and books, was Editor and Chief of Gems & Gemology, and was the visionary behind the idea of a world-class gemological library, which now bears his name: The Richard T. Liddicoat Gemological Library and Information Center.

In honor of his birthday, I hope you will take a few minutes to reflect on the values he imbued: integrity, respect, authenticity, and willingness to go the extra mile for anyone who needs encouragement and direction.

He will forever hold a special place in my heart as Mr. GIA, just as he does for millions of students around the globe.

I'm Patrick Ball, thanks for listening, see you in the next episode.

(Updated: February 22, 2025)
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Most Popular of All Time

Night Before Christmas

I n this episode, Night Before Christmas . . .  (In the spirit of Edgar Albert Guest) I’ve wrestled with the tangled lights the way I always do— With just enough patience left to see the project through. I climb the ladder carefully; the years have taught me how. To take my time with every step and keep a steady brow. We hang the faded ornaments I’ve known since I was small, the chipped, the cracked, the tilted ones—I love them best of all. Santa’s lost a bit of paint, the stars’ leaning right, but oh, it casts a holy glow across the room tonight. The kitchen hums with activity, with laughter, and with cheer, as voices drift like echoes from a long-forgotten year. The floor is strewn with paper scraps, the clock is ticking slow, As Christmas finds its own sweet pace and sets our house aglow. The hallway grows a little still; the lights are dimmed, and low, Small shoes are lined in messy pairs to wait for morning’s snow. The fire's warm, the room is full, the world is deep and wide,...
2 comments
Read more

Un-Work the Old-Fashioned Way

🎩   In this special episode. How to Un-Work the Old-Fashioned Way It’s 2026! Yes— this is the year! A different kind of start—you feel it right here? No lists! No demands! No fix-all-your-flaws! No “New You by Tuesday!” No rules! No laws! Those resolutions? Bah! Dusty and dry! We’ve tried fixing everything —so let’s ask why. Why rush and correct and improve and compare, When noticing quietly gets you right there ? So here’s a new project—no charts, no clocks, No boxes to check in your mental inbox. It’s bigger than busy and smaller than grand, It’s called Un-Working —now give me your hand! Un-Working’s not quitting or hiding away, It’s setting things down that shout “Hurry! Hey!” The hustle! The bustle! The faster-than-fast! The gotta-win-now or you’re stuck in the past! That’s the work of Un-Working— plop! —set it free! The titles! The labels! The “Look-At-Me!” The crown that kept sliding and pinching your head— You never looked comfy . . . let’s try this instead: Pick up a tel...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Thought Experiment–Revisited

In this episode. The Thought Experiment–Revisited The Boy on a Light Beam In 1895, a sixteen-year-old boy did something we rarely allow ourselves to do anymore. He stared into space and let his mind wander. No phone. No notes. No “Optimization Hacks” for his morning routine. Just a question: What would happen if I chased a beam of light—and actually caught it? That boy was Albert Einstein . And that single act of curiosity—a Gedankenexperiment , a thought experiment—eventually cracked open Newton’s tidy universe and rearranged our understanding of time itself. Not bad for an afternoon of daydreaming. Imagine if Einstein had been “productive” instead. He would have logged the light-beam idea into a Notion database, tagged it #CareerGrowth, and then promptly ignored it to attend a forty-five-minute “Sync” about the color of the departmental logo. He’d have a high Efficiency Score—and we’d still be stuck in a Newtonian universe , wondering why the Wi-Fi is slow. In a post I wrote back in...
2 comments
Read more

Boy on a Beam

In this special bonus episode, Boy on a Beam. In a world long ago, when the days moved quite slow, Before buzzes and beeps and the fast things we know, A boy sat quite still on a very fine day, Just staring at nothing . . . and thinking away. No tablets! No gadgets! No screens shining bright! No earbuds stuck in from morning till night. No lists, no charts, and no chores to be done. He just sat there thinking—that's quiet-time fun! His name was Young Albert. He sat in his chair, Thinking of things that weren’t really there. “Suppose,” said Young Albert, with eyes open wide, “I ran super fast with my arms by my side! Suppose I ran faster than anyone knew, And caught up to sunshine that zoomed past me—too! If I hopped on its back for a light-speedy ride, What secrets would I find tucked away deep inside?” “Would stars look like sprinkles, all shiny and small? Would UP feel like sideways? Would BIG feel like Tall?” He giggled and wondered and thought, and he dreamed, Till his head fel...
Post a Comment
Read more