A hot issue then and now: the history and future of synthetic coloured stones
The human desire to replicate and create ‘perfect’ gemstones stems from a long history of curiosity about how these beautiful materials form.
Unheated Pink Sapphire from Madagascar with OH-related 3232 and 3185 cm–1 FTIR Bands
The alluvial gem deposits of Ilakaka in south-western Madagascar have been known for more than two decades as an important source of corundum, mainly producing pink to purple stones, but also blue, yellow and padparadscha varieties.
Visit of the Letšeng diamond mine in Lesotho
In November 2025, Dr. Michael S. Krzemnicki and Dr. Michael Mintrone, Head of the Diamond Department at SSEF, were invited to visit the Letšeng diamond mine in Lesotho as part of a collaboration project. The Letšeng diamond mine is known for its large diamonds of exceptional quality and is the highest diamo
SSEF on-site testing in Hong Kong, 26 February – 08 March 2026
We will be in Hong Kong 26 February – 08 March 2026 offering our on-site testing services. Equipped with our mobile instruments and spectrometers, we will be testing coloured gemstones (no diamonds or pearls) at the Asia World Expo (02 – 06 March, booth no. 7-J30) and at the Convention & Exhibition Cent
New insights on Paraíba tourmaline origin determination
Determining the geographic origin of Cu-bearing tourmaline poses a significant challenge in gemmology, particularly when traditional microscopic methods yield inconclusive results. This study applies a combined analytical and computational approach using 469 gem-quality samples from Brazil, Mozambique and Niger
SSEF at Tucson AGTA show (02 – 06 February 2026)
SSEF is honoured to take part in the upcoming edition of the AGTA show in Tucson (AZ, USA). We will be offering coloured gemstone express testing services at our booth in the East Galleria. SSEFAGTA Booth in the East Galleria02 – 06 February 2026Tel: +41 79 219 72 38 (only during AGTA Tucson show) We [&he
SSEF Scholarship recipients 2025
We are delighted to announce the recipients of the inaugural SSEF Educational Scholarships in Gemmology, awarded annually to individuals with a passion for gemmology. These scholarships, established by the SSEF Foundation to make gemmological education more accessible, allow recipients to take an SSEF course fr
SSEF closed 20 December – 2 January
Our whole team would like to thank you for your confidence in our services and for following us on our social media accounts. We wish you peaceful holidays and look forward to working with you in 2026. We would like to inform you that the SSEF laboratory will be closed for the holidays from December 20th [&hel
Effects of Gamma Irradiation on Corundum: Towards a Potential Detection Method
Corundum, encompassing the highly prized ruby and sapphire varieties, stands as a cornerstone of the global gemstone market.
HFSE-enriched sapphires of gem quality: A combined FTIR and trace element study and implications for heat treatment detection
Gem-quality sapphires containing ‘exotic’ elements such as Sn, Nb, Zr, Ta, W, are of special interest in gemmological research, as the concentration of these so-called high-field- strength-elements (HFSE) often correlate with detectable traces of naturally incorporated beryllium (Whatanakul et al. 2004, Par