Anderson and Webster named as ‘Most Influential’ by French Association of Gemmology
New York, NY (PRWEB) October 01, 2013 -- Seven graduates of the Gemmological Association of Great Britain (Gem-A) have been named in the French Association of Gemmology’s 50 Most Influential Gemologists of all time.
The list, comprised as part of the French Association of Gemmology’s 50th anniversary celebrations at the Paris Chamber of Commerce & Industry, details 50 gemologists that have had a lasting impact on the study of gemstones throughout history.
Starting from Aristotle, the list names history’s best-known gemologists from Anselme Boece De Boodt to René Lalique – tracking the masters of gems from as early as ancient Greece, until the modern day. Compiled by an international panel of well-known gemologists, the list details the evolution of gemology over 2,000 years.
From the 50 gemologists named, seven are Gem-A graduates with particular mention made of Basil Anderson and Robert Webster, two of the founding fathers of Gem-A and pioneers at the helm of the Gem Testing Laboratory of Great Britain.
As one of the most well-known gemologists of his time, Basil Anderson was not only a tutor for Gem-A’s Gemmological Diploma for many years, but also worked at the head of the British Gem Testing Laboratory from 1924 to 1975. During his time in these two roles, Anderson became the co-inventor of the Chelsea Colour Filter – which he developed in conjunction with C. J. Payne and students at the Chelsea College of Science and Technology. Alongside his teaching and research, Anderson became head examiner of the Gem-A after Dr Herbert Smith relinquished the role in 1951 and was later voted in as Vice President of the Association in 1976.
Robert Webster has become one of the most recognized and distinguished voices in the history of Gem-A. He joined the British Gem Testing Laboratory after receiving a distinction in the Gemmology Diploma in 1934. Working alongside Anderson, Payne and Farn, Webster not only managed to produce lengthy and detailed guides to testing and identification, such as his 1962 book Gems: Their Sources, Descriptions and Identification, but also engaged in teaching of Gem-A’s flagship Diploma in Gemmology.
Along with Basil Anderson and Robert Webster, well-known Gem-A graduates such as Eduard Gübelin, Kurt Nassau, John Koivula, Henry A Hänni and Richard Hughes were all named on the list.
Reacting to the dominance of Gem-A members and graduates amongst the ‘most influential’ list, Gem-A CEO James Riley commented: “Firstly we’d like to congratulate the French Association of Gemmology for 50 years of dedication to the study of gemology. We’re currently celebrating 100 years since Gem-A’s first Gemmology Diploma was awarded and 50 years since the first Diamond Diploma was awarded, so we found the celebration of the world’s 50 top gemologists a great way to memorialize this occasion. We’re glad so many of our members have been named as part of the French Association of Gemmology’s 50 year celebrations. For Gem-A it just goes to show how influential our courses are across the world of gemology, from the beginning of ‘modern’ gemology, right until this very day.”
For more information about Gem-A and their history, please visit http://www.gem-a.com.
About Gem-A:
The Gemmological Association of Great Britain, or Gem-A, a London-based educational charity, is the world’s longest established provider of gem education and a membership organization that forms an international community of gem professionals and enthusiasts. Gem-A seeks to serve the best interests of the gem and jewellery industries worldwide through its commitment to supporting gemmological research and high educational and trade standards. For information see http://www.gem-a.com. Please direct any further media enquiries to [email protected]
To find out more about Gem-A in general, please follow us on Twitter: @GemAofGB or via Facebook: fb.com/GemAofGB
Olga Gonzalez, Gem-A USA Ambassador, Pietra PR, http://www.pietrapr.com, +1 212-913-9761, [email protected]
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