It was in July that the world came to know about a ruby discovery in the Zahamena National Park in Madagascar and subsequently confirmed by GIA’s field gemologist who visited the area. Now, Vincent Pardieu, GIA’s senior manager of field gemology in Bangkok, will discuss the field expedition to the Zahamena ruby deposit during GIA’s (Gemological Institute of America) next Gemstone Gathering in Bangkok on Oct. 28. 

The upcoming GIA’s Gemstone Gathering, a free event, begins at 6 p.m. on Oct. 28 in the “Crowne Room 1-3” on the 21st floor of the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Lumpini Park in Bangkok. 

As far as Pardieu’s presentation is concerned, it will cover the similarities between Zahamena rubies and those from the nearby deposits East of Andilamena and East of Didy. He will also discuss conservation efforts in Madagascar, some challenges surrounding the new discovery and features of these rubies. Special video footage of the field expedition will be shown during the Gemstone Gathering. 

 It may be recalled that Pardieu specializes in the origin determination of gemstones and has visited numerous gemstone-producing areas in South East Asia, Central Asia and East Africa and particularly the Ilakaka–Sakaraha sapphire deposits of southern Madagascar over the past decade. He has spent his career in leadership positions with gemological laboratories around the world, including in Thailand and Switzerland.