A new traceability project has been piloted by Ressigeac Gems with the assistance of leading gemological laboratory Swiss Gemmological Institute SSEF, to document the journey of rubies from mine to market.  

Legitimacy, transparency and integrity are values at the heart of the Gemfields business. Coloured gemstones, as a wonderful material for many jewellers, should be sourced with these values in mind. End consumers want to know where their products come from and initiatives such as this are important ways to test the physical traceability of gemstones from a miner to the jeweller, says Jack Cunningham, Sustainability, Policy & Risk Director of Gemfields.

The collaboration aimed to document the journey of a coloured gemstone from mine to market – a procedure resulting in a new type of document provided by the Swiss laboratory. Ressigeac Gems purchased one of the finest lots of rough rubies at Gemfields’ latest auction in Singapore this June. Each stone was characterized and documented step-by-step from the rough state to the cut state until the stones were resubmitted to SSEF for final examination and issuance of a gemstone report for each individual cut ruby.  

“We believe traceability can be achieved by a joint effort of the industry and that each step can be important to create a new standard” says Mariaveronica Favoroso Ressigeac, Director of Ressigeac Gems, and “we are proud to have cooperated with a leading lab like SSEF which has committed its best resources to the creation of this new type of project”.

“It was a very interesting project for us, as we have the mission to carry out research initiatives that support the trade and ultimately contribute to maintaining consumer confidence by promoting disclosure and transparency. This new service will be available for brands and dealers,” says Dr. Michael S. Krzemnicki, director of SSEF laboratory.