The Emerald Course: Online. Video-based. All-inclusive.
Whether you are a gem professional or a gemstone enthusiast, immerse yourself in the world of emeralds and learn from leading experts about their formation, history, identification, quality factors, and trade terminology. From gemmology to jewellery design, history to laboratory testing, this course provides a
SSEF on-site testing in Hong Kong, 10 – 20 September 2026
Have your coloured gemstones tested by SSEF right here in Hong Kong. From 10 to 20 September 2026, our gemmologists will be present, ready to analyse your stones on the spot. You’ll find us at two shows: Asia World Expo, 14–18 September, booth 6Q00 Convention & Exhibition Centre, 16–20 September,
Applications now open for the 2026 Education Scholarships
We are delighted to announce that applications are now open for the SSEF Education Scholarships. Each year, SSEF awards two education scholarships to support the next generation of gemmologists. The scholarships give the recipients the opportunity to join an SSEF course free of charge, with flights and accomm
SSEF in Bangkok 12 – 21 August 2026
Get your gemstones tested by SSEF without leaving Bangkok. From 12 to 21 August 2026, our experts will be in town to offer you on-site testing. No appointment is needed. Just walk in whenever it suits you. Please note that we’ll be closed on the weekend of 15–16 August. Your results will typically be re
New source of Paraíba tourmalines reportedly discovered in Ethiopia
Copper-bearing tourmalines — widely known in the trade as Paraíba tourmalines — have captivated gem dealers, collectors, and enthusiasts around the world since they first appeared on the market in the late 1980s. The Swiss Gemmological Institute SSEF has received credible reports from trade sources that in
Fraudulent filling of fissures in emeralds after they have been laboratory tested
Trade Alert: June 15, 2026 Based on a number of recent cases, the Swiss Gemmological Institute SSEF is issuing a trade alert concerning a fraudulent practice that has resurfaced in the emerald market. It concerns the filling of fissures in stones after they have been tested, with the emerald stone being offered
SSEF in Bangkok 27 May – 05 June 2026
We will be in Bangkok 27 May – 05 June 2026 offering our on-site testing services. The office will be closed on May 30th and 31st. Our office is in the gem trade district at the Silom Road. Equipped with our instruments and spectrometers, we will be testing coloured gemstones. Our local phone number during [&
The Hidden Gem Podcast – Episode #5 with Prof. Dr. Henry A. Hänni: On a life in gemmology, curiosity, and the courage to question
Recorded in the summer of 2024, this episode is a conversation with Professor Dr. Henry Hänni, who served as Director of SSEF from 1990 to 2009 and whose work helped shape modern gemmology.
The Hidden Gem Podcast – Episode #4 with Hussain Alfardan: On a lifetime with natural pearls
Hussain Alfardan, one of the world's most influential collectors of natural pearls, joins Michael Krzemnicki and Laurent Cartier at GemGenève to share a lifetime spent with pearls.
The Hidden Gem Podcast – Episode #3 with Joanna Hardy: On gems and being custodians of what the earth provides
Jewellery historian and Antiques Roadshow specialist Joanna Hardy joins Laurent Cartier at Goldsmiths’ Hall in London to talk about a career built on curiosity — from a childhood spent surrounded by her godmother’s mineral cabinets, to sorting rough diamonds at De Beers in the 1980s, to writing definitive