38th IGC 2025 • Athens, Greece
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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
Fingerprint differences between Emeralds from two main zones of production in Colombia in response to input from their host rock
Although there is information about techniques to separate Colombian emerald material from that of other countries, not much information is available on how to differentiate Colomb
Blue shortwave luminescence of gems: the role of titanate groups
The purpose of this study is to describe Blue Shortwave-UV excited Luminescence (BSL) in gems and related materials, and demonstrate the role of titanate groups in a number of gems
Sulfur-based species induced photochromism in sodalite
Sodalite Na4 (Al3 Si3 O12)Cl is a natural aluminosilicate mineral that contains sulfur or sulfur-related defects, known as chromophores (Reinen et al. 1999; Fleet et al. 2010). Hac
Causes of color in brown mammoth ivory
The mammoth species were once the largest terrestrial mammals in the world during the late Pleistocene (approximately 350,000 to 10,000 years ago), inhabiting the northern hemisphe
Rose Quartz: Journey Into the Nano-Jungle
Massive rose quartz is a readily available mineral ranging in colour from pink to salmon- or lavender-pink (Figure 1). Given its popularity in the market, it might be assumed that
A study of Chikayama’s gem and mineral collections and building a gem museum
Based on the belief that “a gemstone is art and science,” Mr. Akira Chikayama devoted his life to gemological research and study for the benefit of people involved in gemstones
Violet Diamonds from Argyle: New Insights into the Cause of their Unique Color
Until its recent closure, the Argyle mine in Australia has been the only source of uniquely colored violet diamonds produced during the 35 years of its operation. These diamonds th
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
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-
Proposed New Filler Type for Emerald Fracture Filling: Design, Detection, Differentiation, Disclosure
Fracture filling is common in gem trading to enhance gemstones’ beauty and / or durability. Common textbook examples are (lead) glass filling of rubies and diamonds, polymer/resi
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
Applications of Python for Spectroscopic Data Processing, Analysis and Machine Learning Modeling in Gemmology
Python, a powerful programming tool with extensive scientific computing capabilities, is being increasingly utilized in gemmological science. It is particularly well-suited for pro
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
Analysis of Myanmar golden-lipped cultured pearls using X-ray radiography, EDXRF, UV-Vis-NIR and Raman spectroscopy
Myanmar golden-lipped pearl oysters (Pinctada maxima) are well-known to be found at the Myeik Archipelago – formerly also known as Mergui Archipelago – in the Andaman Sea in so
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
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
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
A Review and Synthesis of the Geology and Gem Resources of Granitic Pegmatites in Southern California, USA
Gem-bearing pegmatites in Southern California are hosted by the Peninsular Ranges batholith, and occur in ten districts in San Diego and Riverside counties (Figure 1a and Table 1).
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