The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) is offering a free GemFest seminar on July 11 to Tokyo audiences. GIA’s laboratory manager Dino De Ghionno will talk about topics such as gem identification and the challenges it involves. GIA’s senior research scientist Dr. Ahmadjan Abduriyim will also do a presentation about identification services available at GIA’s Tokyo laboratories for gem identification and grading. New services such as red spinel origin, ruby and sapphire inscription for stones of 0.50 carats or more, were also introduced in Hong Kong, Bangkok, Carlsbad and New York along with the Tokyo laboratories on June 30.
De Ghionno, senior manager of West Coast identification services, will share the institute’s laboratory services and discuss gem identification further, with examples of stones submitted to the laboratory. He will expand on topics such as black opaque stones and diffusion-treated corundum. De Ghionno has over 35 years of experience in the area, who started as a coloured stone and gem identification instructor in 1978.
GIA’s Tokyo GemFest will take place at 5 p.m. at Aurum, Higashi Ueno 1-26-2, Taito-ku, with seats available on a first-come-first-serve basis. CJ
