Gem Talks: The Hidden Side of Stones

Three days of Gem Talks, focusing on what’s new in the world of gemstones


These discussions offer historical and technical information provided by international experts in the industry and give professionals useful tools for presenting gemstones to their own clientele. This is the aim of Gem Talks, one of Vicenzaoro’s must-attend events, that certainly couldn’t be left out of this first edition of VOICE; because the world of gems is always evolving and there is the need to stay constantly up-to-date. This series of seminars, held, as always, in collaboration with the Italian Gemological Institute, is a highlight of the calendar, with an event each of the three days. It kicks off on Saturday with “The always fascinating world of pearls.” Rui Galopim de Carvalho, vice president of CIBJO, and Monica Odoli, head of courses for IGI, will explain the real differences between natural pearls and cultured pearls. They will also go in-depth on the most common types of natural pearls as well as unusual pearls like Melo Melo, Conch, Abalone and Quahog varieties. On Sunday, September 13, Yianni Melas, “The Gem Explorer,” and Massimo Gismondi, CEO of Gismondi 1754, will hold the “In search of gems” talk, which will cover everything having to do with purchasing gemstones. They will discuss a wide array of topics, as the need to obtain samples so that labs, which are constantly being asked to determine the geographical origin of colored gemstones, can maintain databases. Finally, on Monday, September 14, Lucia Gori, who teaches at IGI, and Loredana Prosperi, director and head of IGI’s laboratory, will talk about the understated and mysterious allure of “Gems in black and white.” This discussion will offer an in-depth look at “colorless” gemstones or those in more neutral hues. Beyond the various symbolic interpretations attributed to them, black and white gemstones have a great deal of significance, ready to be discovered.

Share this article:

Subscribe to our Newsletter

Your browser is out of date!

Update your browser to view this website correctly. Update my browser now

×