Gem-A Conference 2024

Wim Vertriest, GIA GG, FGA, Manager, Field Gemology, GIA-Thailiand (Thailand), graduated from the Catholic University of Leuven (KULeuven) in Belgium. He obtained a masters in Geology, specializing in ‘Geodynamics & Geofluids’ and also gained his FGA and GIA GG diplomas. Since joining GIA in 2015 at the Thailand laboratory, Wim has participated in GIA Field Expeditions on different continents focusing on ruby, sapphire and emerald mining areas.

Richa Goyal Sikri is an accomplished journalist and a digital storyteller specialising in gemstones, diamonds, vintage and contemporary jewellery. She has a bachelor’s degree in commerce, a master’s degree in business administration and has completed several courses with the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), including ‘Colored Stone Grading’ and ‘Gem Identification’.

Dr. Michael S. Krzemnicki FGA is director at the Swiss Gemmological Institute SSEF, internationally reputed as leading laboratory for the testing of coloured stones, diamonds and pearls. Apart from working at the SSEF since more than 25 years, he is lecturer at the University Basel and is supervising gemmology-related research projects in collaboration with Swiss universities and international research facilities. In 2017, he was awarded the Gemmological Excellence Award of the Swiss Gemmological Society.

Michael Hügi, M.Sc. Mineralogist, FGA, Director of the Swiss Gemmological Society, Delegate of the International Gemmological Conference IGC (Switzerland),  was born on 12 October 1960 in Bern, Switzerland. After finishing school, he studied mineralogy and geology at the University of Bern. After receiving his Master’s degree, Mr. Hügi worked as a research assistant at the Institute of Isotope Geology at the University of Berne and simultaneously completed the diploma course of the Gemmological Association of Great Britain.

Carina Hanser, M.Sc., FGA, DGA studied geosciences at the University of Freiburg, Germany. Her bachelor thesis on spinels from Vietnam and her master thesis on imaging techniques on pearls were both supervised by Dr Michael Krzemnicki, director of the Swiss Gemmological Institute (SSEF). She attended gemmological courses at the University of Basel, Switzerland and at SSEF, as well as at Gem-A later on. Carina is currently a PhD student at the University of Mainz, Germany. In the course of her PhD project, she investigated emeralds from the Chitral Region, Pakistan and was awarded the prize by the Foundation for the Promotion of Gemstone Research at the University of Mainz in 2023 for the Chitral emerald publications.

Jim Clanin, JCMining, has 50 years of experience in mining or consulting for gemstones and mineral specimens, mining in 11 different countries that include: Madagascar, Kenya, Tanzania, Nigeria, Mozambique, the US, Mexico, Brazil, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and the United Kingdom.

With this experience, Jim published, “The Fundamentals of Mining for Gemstones and Mineral Specimens,” a practical handbook on the art of collecting gemstones and mineral specimens.

Boris Chauviré, DUG, is passionate about the mineral kingdom, which led him to earn a PhD in geology and mineralogy from Nantes University, where he received the 2016 Haüy-Lacroix Prize from the SFMC. He also holds a University Diploma in Gemmology from Nantes University and now oversees this program. His research focuses on opals, their global formations, and the geological conditions behind them. As a lecturer and researcher at GeoGems, which he co-founded, he collaborates closely with the academic world on various gemmological topics, sharing his knowledge with all who are interested.

Michael Bycroft is a historian of early modern Europe with a particular interest in France and the physical sciences. He is writing a book that retells the history of the Scientific Revolution through the lens of precious stones. He studied at the University of Cambridge and the Max Planck Institute for the History of Science in Berlin, before becoming Assistant and then Associate Professor at the University of Warwick.

Brecken Branstrator GIA GG is the editor-in-chief of Gemworld International’s GemGuide publication, the industry leader for gemstone pricing and market information and trends. She has written about gems and jewelry for a decade and has dedicated herself to covering the colored gemstone sector in depth, from topics like supply and pricing to responsible sourcing developments and other issues of interest. She has traveled extensively across the United States and internationally to attend trade shows and conferences or visit brands and source markets firsthand. She is also a GIA Graduate Gemologist.

Richard Drucker is the founder and president emeritus of Gemworld International, Inc. in Glenview, Illinois. His credentials include: Graduate Gemologist of the Gemological Institute of America; Honorary Fellow of the Gemmological Association of Great Britain; Senior Member of the National Association of Jewelry Appraisers; Senior Gemologist, Accredited Gemologists Association.

Kat Weymouth, GIA Diamond Graduate, is a third-generation jewelry veteran with over 25 years of experience and expertise in the industry. She currently serves as the Director of Sustainability Rated Diamonds program at SCS Global Services, a global leader in third-party environmental and sustainability verification, certification, auditing, testing, and standards development.