The 75th Swiss Gemmological Society (SGS) Conference and 6th European Gemmological Conference (EGC) were held together in Zermatt, Switzerland, June 30–July 1, 2017. Set at the Grand Hotel Zermatterhof, the conference featured 24 renowned speakers delivering a diverse, high-quality program.
Following the welcome address from SGS president Hans Pfister, the first presentation was from Klemens Link (Gübelin Gem Lab, Lucerne, Switzerland) on a new system for age determination of emeralds using laser ablation–inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS). This system provides useful geographic origin information for the gemstone’s owner and high-quality data for scientific research. Ulrich Henn (German Gemmological Association, Idar-Oberstein) surveyed gems from central Namibia, starting with the discovery by German tin miners of tourmaline in Usakos in the early twentieth century. Bernhard Berger (Cartier, Paris) gave a 170-year history of Cartier, with special reference to the 1,800 pieces in the Cartier Collection. Alan Hart (Gem-A, London) delivered an illuminating talk on the Koh-i-Noor diamond from the British Crown Jewels, including its original cutting style prior to recutting in 1852.
Martin Rapaport (Rapaport, New York) was in typical energetic form for his keynote lecture on the state of the diamond industry, in which he highlighted the role of the gemologist. He suggested that gemologists create great value for the trade and should charge twice as much for their services, drawing applause. Vincent Pardieu (VP Consulting SPC, Bahrain) presented on gemstones from East Africa. The challenge and opportunity for the future, he said, would be to balance gem discoveries and conservation, especially with new finds in and around Africa’s national parks. Thomas Hainschwang (GGTL Laboratories, Balzers, Liechtenstein) spoke on GGTL’s initiative to characterize treated diamonds. The aim is to create the most complete data set of natural-color versus treated-color diamonds. Alan Hodgkinson (Scottish Gemmological Association, Edinburgh) pondered the underappreciation of zircon, quoting Basil Anderson’s description of them as “the most mysterious of gemstones.” Henry Hänni (GemExpert GmbH, Basel, Switzerland) presented “sannan skarn,” an ornamental gemstone from Pakistan that resembles maw-sit-sit and was introduced at the September 2016 Hong Kong show. Guillaume Chautru (Piaget, Geneva) spoke on the importance of gemological testing from a jewelry and watch manufacturer’s point of view. Michael Krzemnicki (SSEF, Basel) detailed SSEF’s inclusion research and their new laser ablation–inductively coupled plasma–time of flight–mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-TOF-MS) capability. Michael Hügi, scientific committee chairman of SGS, presented the gems of Switzerland, especially the quartz that became works of art in the hands of European lapidaries from the 14th century onward. The guest of honor at the gala dinner, former Swiss president Adolf Ogi, gave an amusing talk on his career in politics.
The next morning, Hanco Zwaan (Netherlands Gemmological Laboratory, Leiden) discussed the characterization and formation of Sri Lankan metamorphic sapphires. Andrey Katrusha (New Diamond Technology, Russia) detailed the impressive results NDT has achieved in only three years of commercially producing large gem-quality synthetic diamonds. Raquel Alonso-Perez (Harvard Museum, Cambridge, Massachusetts) offered insights into the new emerald deposit in eastern Madagascar, based on her fieldwork there in September 2016. Bruce Bridges (Bridges Tsavorite, Kenya) looked back on 50 years of tsavorite with a video from the famous Scorpion mine and a moving tribute to his father, Campbell Bridges. Wuyi Wang (GIA, New York) updated the conference on synthetic gem-quality diamond and its identification, detailing GIA’s research into this area. Daniel Nyfeler (Gübelin Gem Lab, Lucerne) addressed gemstone traceability and GGL’s work to increase transparency in the colored stone supply chain.
Helen Molesworth (Gübelin Academy, Lucerne, Switzerland and Hong Kong) offered a historical perspective on the gem market using record auction prices and comparing values at different periods using a soldier’s annual salary as a benchmark. Emeralds again came under the microscope in Laurent Cartier’s (SSEF, Basel) talk detailing their history from ancient Egypt to modern Ethiopia. We were treated to the photography of Jeff Scovil (Phoenix, Arizona), who showed how he captures minerals, gems, and jewelry. Joseph Taylor (PT Cendana Indopearls, Indonesia) demonstrated how the Balinese philosophy of Tri Hita Karana is applied to his company’s pearl farm in Indonesia. Willy Bieri (GRS, Meggen, Switzerland) spoke on the identification of the new sapphires being mined near Ambatondrazaka, Madagascar, and their differentiation from Kashmir sapphires. Thomas Hainschwang delivered a talk by Franck Notari (GGTL Laboratories, Geneva) on polycrystalline boehmite needles in corundum, and his proposal to rename these “Rose’s channels” in homage to Gustav Rose, a nineteenth-century German mineralogist.
The next morning, following a trip on the famed Gornergrat Railway, a geological master class was held at an elevation of 3,100 meters. Kurt Bucher (University of Freiburg, Germany) detailed the geology of the Zermatt region.
The SGS 2018 Annual Meeting will take place May 7–8 in Lugano, Switzerland.
The 75th Swiss Gemmological Society (SGS) Conference and 6th European Gemmological Conference (EGC) were held together in Zermatt, Switzerland, June 30–July 1, 2017. Set at the Grand Hotel Zermatterhof, the conference featured 24 renowned speakers delivering a diverse, high-quality program.
Following the welcome address from SGS president Hans Pfister, the first presentation was from Klemens Link (Gübelin Gem Lab, Lucerne, Switzerland) on a new system for age determination of emeralds using laser ablation–inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS). This system provides useful geographic origin information for the gemstone’s owner and high-quality data for scientific research. Ulrich Henn (German Gemmological Association, Idar-Oberstein) surveyed gems from central Namibia, starting with the discovery by German tin miners of tourmaline in Usakos in the early twentieth century. Bernhard Berger (Cartier, Paris) gave a 170-year history of Cartier, with special reference to the 1,800 pieces in the Cartier Collection. Alan Hart (Gem-A, London) delivered an illuminating talk on the Koh-i-Noor diamond from the British Crown Jewels, including its original cutting style prior to recutting in 1852.
Martin Rapaport (Rapaport, New York) was in typical energetic form for his keynote lecture on the state of the diamond industry, in which he highlighted the role of the gemologist. He suggested that gemologists create great value for the trade and should charge twice as much for their services, drawing applause. Vincent Pardieu (VP Consulting SPC, Bahrain) presented on gemstones from East Africa. The challenge and opportunity for the future, he said, would be to balance gem discoveries and conservation, especially with new finds in and around Africa’s national parks. Thomas Hainschwang (GGTL Laboratories, Balzers, Liechtenstein) spoke on GGTL’s initiative to characterize treated diamonds. The aim is to create the most complete data set of natural-color versus treated-color diamonds. Alan Hodgkinson (Scottish Gemmological Association, Edinburgh) pondered the underappreciation of zircon, quoting Basil Anderson’s description of them as “the most mysterious of gemstones.” Henry Hänni (GemExpert GmbH, Basel, Switzerland) presented “sannan skarn,” an ornamental gemstone from Pakistan that resembles maw-sit-sit and was introduced at the September 2016 Hong Kong show. Guillaume Chautru (Piaget, Geneva) spoke on the importance of gemological testing from a jewelry and watch manufacturer’s point of view. Michael Krzemnicki (SSEF, Basel) detailed SSEF’s inclusion research and their new laser ablation–inductively coupled plasma–time of flight–mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-TOF-MS) capability. Michael Hügi, scientific committee chairman of SGS, presented the gems of Switzerland, especially the quartz that became works of art in the hands of European lapidaries from the 14th century onward. The guest of honor at the gala dinner, former Swiss president Adolf Ogi, gave an amusing talk on his career in politics.
The next morning, Hanco Zwaan (Netherlands Gemmological Laboratory, Leiden) discussed the characterization and formation of Sri Lankan metamorphic sapphires. Andrey Katrusha (New Diamond Technology, Russia) detailed the impressive results NDT has achieved in only three years of commercially producing large gem-quality synthetic diamonds. Raquel Alonso-Perez (Harvard Museum, Cambridge, Massachusetts) offered insights into the new emerald deposit in eastern Madagascar, based on her fieldwork there in September 2016. Bruce Bridges (Bridges Tsavorite, Kenya) looked back on 50 years of tsavorite with a video from the famous Scorpion mine and a moving tribute to his father, Campbell Bridges. Wuyi Wang (GIA, New York) updated the conference on synthetic gem-quality diamond and its identification, detailing GIA’s research into this area. Daniel Nyfeler (Gübelin Gem Lab, Lucerne) addressed gemstone traceability and GGL’s work to increase transparency in the colored stone supply chain.
Helen Molesworth (Gübelin Academy, Lucerne, Switzerland and Hong Kong) offered a historical perspective on the gem market using record auction prices and comparing values at different periods using a soldier’s annual salary as a benchmark. Emeralds again came under the microscope in Laurent Cartier’s (SSEF, Basel) talk detailing their history from ancient Egypt to modern Ethiopia. We were treated to the photography of Jeff Scovil (Phoenix, Arizona), who showed how he captures minerals, gems, and jewelry. Joseph Taylor (PT Cendana Indopearls, Indonesia) demonstrated how the Balinese philosophy of Tri Hita Karana is applied to his company’s pearl farm in Indonesia. Willy Bieri (GRS, Meggen, Switzerland) spoke on the identification of the new sapphires being mined near Ambatondrazaka, Madagascar, and their differentiation from Kashmir sapphires. Thomas Hainschwang delivered a talk by Franck Notari (GGTL Laboratories, Geneva) on polycrystalline boehmite needles in corundum, and his proposal to rename these “Rose’s channels” in homage to Gustav Rose, a nineteenth-century German mineralogist.
The next morning, following a trip on the famed Gornergrat Railway, a geological master class was held at an elevation of 3,100 meters. Kurt Bucher (University of Freiburg, Germany) detailed the geology of the Zermatt region.
The SGS 2018 Annual Meeting will take place May 7–8 in Lugano, Switzerland.
