Speakers at Danish Gemological Society Symposium 2024
Robert Weldon
Robert Weldon is a renowned photographer and gemologist whose career has combined his passion for gemstones with his talent for capturing their beauty through the lens. As a skilled gemologist, Weldon possesses extensive knowledge of gemstones, enabling him to document and present them uniquely in his photographs. His work as a photographer has brought gemstones to life in a way that captures their colors, brilliance, and beauty exceptionally. Robert Weldon’s exceptional ability to combine his expertise in gemology with his artistic eye has made him a prominent figure in the world of gemstones and gemstone photography.
Edward Asscher
Edward Asscher: A member of one of the diamond industry and Amsterdam’s well-known families, Edward Asscher was elected President of the World Diamond Council in June 2020 and has served for three years, and served a second term as WDC President, having led the organization from 2014 to 2016. Elected as Vice Chair of the Responsible Jewellery Council in 2022. He worked his whole life for Royal Asscher Diamond Company in Amsterdam which he now passed on to his children Lita and Mike.He is past President of the International Diamond Manufacturers Association (IDMA) and the International Diamond Council (IDC), a diamond standards-setting organization affiliated to IDMA and the World Federation of Diamond Bourses (WFDB). In public life Mr. Asscher has also served in functions outside of the diamond industry. A past President of the Liberal Party in Amsterdam, he was elected Senator for this party in the Dutch parliament, serving in the upper house.He was founder and Chair of a large organization for mentally handicapped people in Amsterdam, and served on the board of the Jewish Historical Museum.He was president of Jumping Amsterdam, an international horse jumping concours.
Kenneth Scarratt
Kenneth Scarratt: Prior to joining GIA as Director of Research in 2005, Ken served as the Laboratory Director at the American Gem Trade Association (AGTA) Gemological Testing Centre in New York; Director of the Asian Institute of Gemmological Sciences (AIGS) in Bangkok; and Chief Executive and Director of Laboratory Services at the Gemmological Association and Gem Testing Laboratory of Great Britain (GAGTL) (the forerunner of Gem-A) in London. He was appointed Managing Director of GIA Southeast Asia in 2008, in which role he set up and ran GIA’s Bangkok Laboratory, helped setting up GIA Laboratory Hong Kong and GIA Laboratory Japan as well as overseeing GIA’s coloured stone and pearl operations globally. He retired in 2015 but in 2016 became a consultant to Mumtalakat (the Sovereign Wealth Fund for Bahrain) focusing on expanding the capabilities of the Gem & Pearl Testing Laboratory of Bahrain which he had helped set up 25 years previously. Having set up a new entity (DANAT) to take over the functions of GPTLB and lead it to a global leadership in pearl testing between 2016 and 2019, Ken returned to Bangkok leading the ICAGemLab.
Over his career, he assisted in the setting up of pearl and gem laboratories in Bahrain, Qatar and Dubai and consulted for the Bombay Pearl Association to improve their testing facilities. He has been involved in many projects, not the least of which was the examination of the British Crown Jewels; here he detailed every stone in such notable items as the Imperial State Crown, St. Edwards Crown, the Queen Mothers Crown, and the Sceptres. He detailed and graded both the Cullinan I and II diamonds and the Koh-I-Noor, three diamonds that represent the largest and most historically significant.
In addition to his passion for diamonds, rubies and sapphires, Ken also has a strong interest in pearls and has visited many of the cultured pearl farms around the world and natural pearl producing areas.
Having retired from laboratory operations, today Ken focuses his time on his various roles within the World Jewellery Confederation (CIBJO) were he is currently the Dean of the CIBJO Academy as well as being a Vice President of CIBJO, President of CIBJO’s Sector A, President of CIBJO’s Pearl Commission, and Vice President of CIBJO’s Coral Commission.
Martin Steinbach
Martin Steinbach: As a teenager, I sought crystals in mines and old pits. In the early 1980s, I left university and opted to explore real life, traveling around the world. In 1983, while in Bangkok, I became captivated by the passion for cut and rough gems. I completed my education at AIGS, the Asian Institute of Gemological Sciences.
Upon returning to Germany, in Idar-Oberstein, one of the oldest gem cities globally, I earned degrees as a graduate gemmologist from the German Gemmological Society and as a diamond expert.
In 1984, I founded my own gem trading and gemological consulting company. After over 30 years of dedicated work, my first book, “Asterism-Gems with a Star,” was published in 2016. With 900 pages and weighing over 4 kgs, it is already hailed as a “classic,” covering every conceivable aspect of gems with a star.
In 2023, my second book, “Star Gems-A Fascinating World,” was published in American English. Presented in a modern square format with 440 pages and featuring around 700 pictures, graphs, etc. Importantly, this compendium includes full gemological data for each gem, about 300 references for further studies, and over 1000 keywords.
Dr. Lore Kiefert
Dr. Lore Kiefert is well-recognized in the world of gemstones. She began her career in 1994 when she joined the SSEF Swiss Gemmological Institute, where she later became the director of the colored stone department. In 2005, Dr. Kiefert moved to New York to lead the AGTA Gemological Testing Center, and in 2009, she returned to Europe to serve as Chief Gemmologist at the Gübelin Gem Lab. In 2020, she established her own consulting business. With nearly 30 years as a professional gemologist, Dr. Lore Kiefert’s extensive experience in gemstone testing, research, and education from three significant gemological laboratories places her in a highly privileged position. The deep knowledge she possesses, especially regarding rubies, sapphires, and emeralds in terms of origin and treatments, she now offers through the establishment of her own Gemmological Consulting Firm, Dr. Lore Kiefert Gemmology Consulting.
Racula Anghel
Racula Anghel is Head of Europe and Global Head of External Affairs and Industry Relations at the Natural Diamond Council and is responsible for global external engagement and public affairs, while also spearheading communication and marketing efforts in Europe. With an extensive 11-year tenure in Brussels, she now resides in the UK. Anghel coordinated Microsoft’s European storytelling agenda before transitioning to the European Parliament. There, she led PR campaigns and crafting policies related to vital areas such as social affairs, education, SME growth, and technology. Prior to joining the Natural Diamond Council, Raluca held the role of Spokesperson for the Romanian Presidency of the EU Council.
Natural Diamond Council is the authority and resource on natural diamonds for consumers and the industry. Originally formed as the Diamond Producers Association, our mission is to advance the integrity of the modern diamond jewelry industry and to inspire, educate and support consumers.
Professor Albert Gilg
Professor Albert Gilg specialized in industrial mineral and metal deposits as well as clay alteration in vulcanicand hydrothermal systems. He leads an analytical lab and includes microscopy and X-ray diffraction and fluorescence analysis. Another research interest is focus on the caracterization and provenance determination of gemstones in historical objects.
Rui Galopim de Carvalho
Dr. Emmanuel Fritsch
Justin Prim
Justin Prim A well-travelled and highly experienced self-starter, Justin has lived all over the world. He has worked in the arts, the jewelry trade, technology, graphic design, counseling, fashion design, audio engineering, customer service, and more. Justin considers himself a modern-day Renaissance man, a jack of all trades, who is interested in everything and wants to learn it all!
Justin has been working in the gem trade since 2013 as a gemcutter and teacher. He has trained around the world in various traditions of gemcutting and is currently working on several books about the history of colored stone faceting in America and Europe. Justin did his gemology training at GIA in London and Bangkok as well as AIGS in Bangkok. He taught gemcutting at the Institute of Gem Trading and taught Gemology at AIGS Bangkok before founding his own gemcutting school, Faceting Apprentice. He published his first book, The Secret Teaching of Gemcutting, in 2021. He also writes articles, produces videos, and gives talks about gemcutting history.