Aiming to provide the trade with next-level gemstone traceability, Gemfields has become the first company to offer coloured gemstones with Gübelin Gem Lab’s Provenance Proof Blockchain technology.

Through this technology, buyers will gain comprehensive information about the gemstone that they are purchasing, including its place of origin as well as an encrypted record of its journey from mine to consumer.

“At year-end emerald and ruby auctions, several schedules of Gemfields’ high-value emeralds and rubies will be offered at the company’s closed-room auction with complete blockchain records, providing customers with next-level transparency of gemstone history,” revealed the gemstone specialist. 

The move comes amid heightened consumer interest in gemstone origin stories and “mindful purchasing.” 

In 2017, Gemfields pioneered Gübelin’s Emerald Paternity Test, which uses unique DNA particles that remain within an emerald’s fissures to identify its origin. Gemfields is now combining this technology with Gübelin’s blockchain capabilities, further improving transparency.

“This new technology allows traceability along every stage of the value chain and provides seamless documentation for peace of mind. Information is encoded and  backed up on multiple servers to prevent the data from being altered, deleted or manipulated, and to ensure that the individual history of each gemstone, from the mine to the final customer, is stored permanently and securely,” the company said. 

In another development, Gemfields recently presented its installation “A Story in Every Gemstone” at the 7th Art021 Shanghai Contemporary Art Fair in Shanghai, China. The display, which featured a larger-than-life ruby and emerald structure, allowed visitors to immerse themselves in the world of rubies and emeralds where informative videos captured at Gemfields’ mines were shown for the first time. Viewers were taken to a visual journey of the gemstone discovery process. Images of some of the exceptional gemstones newly discovered last year were also included.

According to the company, the Shanghai art fair is an effective tool to reach out to the Chinese market where there is rising interest in Zambian emeralds and Mozambique rubies.