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Scholarships that will each be awarded once annually   SSEF is launching two educational scholarships in gemmology that will each be awarded once annually. They allow the scholarship winner to take a course at SSEF for free. SSEF will also cover the necessary economy flights and hotel costs required for the candidate’s participation (1 person) in the course. The SSEF Foundation aims to make gemmological education more accessible to students with a passion for the subject but with limited financial resources. These two scholarships also align with the SSEF Foundation’s commitment to fostering excellence and knowledge within the jewellery and gemstone industry since 1972.    The two scholarships have been named in honour of Henry A. Hänni and George Bosshart, both past directors of SSEF who significantly contributed to gemmological research and education.    The deadline for applications is November 15th 2024, winners will be announced December 16th 2024. ...

A service linking cut stones to the rough stones SSEF originated, using gemmological techniques The Swiss Gemmological Institute SSEF has announced the launch of GemTrack, a new service providing expert scientific opinion linking a cut gemstone to the rough stone from which it originated, thus enabling gemmologically the documentation of part of the stone's journey from mine to market. The GemTrack service involves the combination of crystallographic, structural, chemical and microscopic analyses, which allow for a detailed and potentially unique characterisation and fingerprinting of a rough stone. These same features can later be later be identified during the investigation of a resultant cut stone, following the cutting and polishing process, and documented on a GemTrack report. A GemTrack document may also be issued if a gem is later mounted in jewellery, in order to document the stone all the way from the rough state to an item of jewellery. A GemT...

Studies methods of detecting low-temperature heated rubies from Mozambique Since their discovery in early 2009, the ruby deposits near Montepuez in Mozambique have produced an impressive number of exceptional-quality stones, including iconic gems such as the Rhino Ruby (22.04 cts), the Scarlet Drop (15.95 cts) and the Eyes of the Dragon (a pair of rubies pair weighing 11.23 cts and 10.70 cts), all of which were analysed by the Swiss Gemmological Institute SSEF. But from the very beginning, there has been evidence in the market of lower-quality rubies from Mozambique that have been heated with or without a flux (borax), resulting in healed fissures with residue, and in some cases heavily-fractured material that has been lead-glass filled. In more recent years, an increasing number of fine quality rubies from Mozambique have come onto the market, after having undergone so-called "low-temperature heating" (below 1000 °C). Presumably, the aim of this treatment ...