The forthcoming GIA (Gemological Institute of America) Gemstone Gathering in Bangkok will host a seminar entitled “Pearl Matters: Conch, Pen and Computerized X-Ray Micro-Tomography machine (CT machine).” The talk will be delivered by Nicholas Sturman, GIA supervisor of Pearl Identification. The focus would be on the conch and pen pearls and the state-of-the-art CT machine as used in pearl identification.

Sturman, professional with over 23 years dedicated to examining pearls, has been gemological advisor to the Bahrain Government’s Gem and Pearl Testing Laboratory and authored gemological publications, presented talks on gemology in the Middle East and several other countries, including the U.K., Switzerland and Thailand. He obtained his Fellowship (FGA) and Diamond Membership (DGA) from The Gemmological Association of Great Britain.

The GIA Thailand’s Gemstone Gathering is a free event and is slated on July 27, 2011 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel (formerly known as the Pan Pacific), Lumpini Park, Bangkok.