Past conferences
Abstracts Library
Phase transformations as important markers for heat treatment detection in corundum and other gemstones
Detection of heat treatment of ruby and sapphire and other colour varieties of corundum is a major issue for the trade and laboratories alike. Heat treatment of corundum is commonl
Effects of weathering on FTIR spectra and origin traceability of archaeological amber: The case of the Han Tomb of Haihun Marquis, China
Amber (fossil resin), known as the “capsule of time and space”, which is a complex biogenic polymer originated from ancient plants resin from different geological periods [1].
Color enhancement in yellow sapphire
Natural yellow sapphire is colored by one or the combination of two different chromophores, Fe3+ and the trapped hole-Fe3+ (h• -Fe3+) colour center. Fe3+ chromophore is typically
Baltic amber and its inclusions: an insight into the origin and nature of the trapped material
Amber is a fossilised resin from ancient trees (coniferous and deciduous), which underwent the process of fossilisation in various epochs and depositional environments. Until the p
The Banjarmasin Diamond in Amsterdam – War Booty from Borneo
The Banjarmasin diamond in the collection of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam plays a questionable role in the history of the Dutch occupation of Southern Borneo. Confiscated from the
Additional Observations on Unstable Color in Padparadscha Sapphires
For the past few years laboratories have been testing the color stability of padparadscha sapphires. It became an issue because we realized that the orange color in some pads was u
Microfeatures of Beryl Group Gems including the Newest Mineral Variety, Johnkoivulaite
Beryl group minerals often provide clues to their pegmatitic origin in the suite of inclusions contained within such gems. They regularly showcase examples of pegmatitic minerals s
Nacreous Blister Pearl Discovered in Edible Oyster (Crassostrea gigas)
A baroque pearl with a gray, nacreous appearance was discovered attached to the interior of an edible oyster while the author was enjoying a meal at home. The oyster had been purch
Overview of the “GEM” special exhibition at the NMNS
A special exhibition “GEM” was held at the National Museum of Nature and Science (NMNS), Tokyo, from February 19th to June 19th, 2022. The exhibition covered all aspects of gem
Study and investigation of garnet from Balangir in Odisha, India
n the present study investigation of almandine-pyrope garnet, found in the Khaliapali village (20.8639° N, 83.4708° E) located in Balangir Tehsil of Balangir district of Odisha s
Explanation on Yellow, Green and Brown Coloration Series of Basalt Related Bangkaja Sapphires
The basalt related Bangkaja sapphires, excluding the black star ones, commonly occur in three coloration series, i.e., the yellow, the green and the brown. Two representative sampl
A nuummite occurrence from kangerluarsuk in the Maniitsoq Region, West Greenland
K. I. Giesecke was the first to recognize the beauty of the iridescent amphibolitic gemstone Nuummite in 1810 when he collected samples from the island Simiuttat in the Nuuk area,
Geographic Origin Determination of Fei Cui: A comparison of high-quality green Fei Cui from Myanmar, Guatemala, and Italy
Fei Cui is a kind of jade that is defined as a granular to fibrous polycrystalline aggregate composed solely, or principally of any of the following or any combination of the follo
A study of nickel-bearing type Ia diamonds
We present a detailed FTIR and PL spectroscopic study (i.e. at 298 and 77°K) of a large number of colorless (i.e. color D to G) type Ia diamonds (i.e. >200), showing the presence
Low Temperature Heat Treatment of Burmese Ruby
Detection of low-temperature heat treatment (below 1200°C) in ruby and sapphire can present challenges to gemologists, as alterations to the material are often subtle. In this stu
Snapshot of rubies from 1915
In 2008 the Honourable Mary Montagu Scott oversaw the opening of a permanent exhibition at Buckler’s Hard Maritime Museum on the Beaulieu Estate about the steamship SS Persia (Fi
Purple to bluish grey chalcedony from Ethiopia
In the past 15 years, Ethiopia has repeatedly gained attention for a variety of new gem finds. In 2008, a large deposit of white play-of-colour opal was found (Rondeau et al., 2010
Opal stability: a step toward detection
Opal is a gem of captivating beauty that stems from its complex microscopic structure composed mainly of silica. In the most striking specimens, the light diffraction from a three-
Past, Present and the Future of IGC
Exactly, seventy-one years ago, in the month of October, to be precise from the 23rd to the 25th of October 1952 in Lugano, Switzerland, the inaugural meeting of the International
Investigating the Provenance signature of Tourmaline-Bearing Turquoise in the Kuh Zar Gold Deposit, Semnan Province, Iran
The Neyshabur reserve in northeast Iran is renowned for its production of Persian turquoise, yet it is not the sole deposit associated with this valuable gemstone. The Kuh Zar mine
