JNA Jan/ Feb 2021

創新科技 JNA Jan/Feb 2021 | 25 JNA: Please walk us through the process of having a gemstone tested using this new rating system. How does it work exactly? Raphael Gübelin: There are two ways to acquire a gemstone rating. You can either get it in combination with a Gemmological Report or order it as a stand-alone service. Experienced and trained gemmologists perform the rating following a highly standardised assessment procedure. Factors such as quality, rarity and salience are examined. The main factor, quality, consists of different parts: Colour, clarity/transparency and cut/brilliance. Colour is further divided into hue, tone, saturation and homogeneity. Rarity comprises the type of gemstone, the absence or presence of treatment, the type of treatment, and the size of the gemstone. Finally, salience addresses the level of exceptionality of a gemstone and how it is able to attract the attention of the observer. The overall result of the rating is expressed in easy-to-understand numbers: The Gübelin Points. This rating is done in our Lucerne laboratory. The client will receive the rating document, including the Gübelin Points as well as the matching designation. To perform the rating, the identity (species, variety), the weight, the presence and type of treatment, and possible gemmological phenomena and presence of a trade colour need to be determined. This information can come either from the accompanying Gübelin Gem Lab report, or, if absent, it gets determined in the lab by means of an informal assessment. Once these factors are known, the remaining eight parameters of the quality and salience domain get assessed by gemstone experts, applying a highly structured procedure based on the data of several tens of thousands of gemstones we have seen over the decades. The individual rating parameters are then weighed and consolidated into their respective group and domain rating, and finally expressed in the total Gübelin Points. JNA: Could you expound on the rating system's digital component? Raphael: The Gübelin Gemstone Rating provides a novel system that expresses beauty, rarity and exceptionality of a gemstone in a single number. This will enable a new and convenient way of communication, and as such, contribute to the feasibility and acceptance of digital trading and retailing. The Gübelin Points will provide a way to assess the gemstone, especially when it will be sold online. JNA: The coloured gem sector is highly fragmented, with no universal testing standards. How is the response to this new service? Raphael: We expect that a significant share of the trade will recognise the advantages of having key features of a gemstone expressed in a single number, comparable to Parker’s wine rating system. These early adopters will be better positioned to offer their products digitally to their clients in the industry and ultimately, the end consumer. End buyers expect to make autonomous and informed purchasing decisions, and to rely less on experts. The Gübelin Gemstone Rating will help end consumers understand and value coloured gemstones better, so they feel more comfortable to buy them. This will popularise coloured gemstones and help the entire gem and jewellery industry. So far, we have received a lot of positive feedback. Many people appreciate more orientation, trust and comparability in purchasing coloured gemstones. The most enthusiastic reactions we received came from Asia, and from younger stakeholders. JNA: Which gems fall under the high-value group? Raphael: The rating is offered for most coloured gemstones of higher value, including ruby, blue and Padparadscha sapphires; emerald, spinel (red-pink), alexandrite, chrysoberyl, Paraiba tourmaline, rubellite, indicolite, tanzanite, aquamarine, morganite, heliodor, demantoid, tsavorite, mandarin garnet, imperial topaz and red-pink topaz. These types of gemstones qualify for the Gübelin Gemstone Rating as long as they are natural, transparent and faceted or polished. JNA: Does it also cover provenance? Raphael: Origin is not taken into consideration. The country of origin, and its meaning and relevance for the end consumer is a highly controversial topic, and difficult to address in a general rating. For this reason, country Raphael Gübelin, president of the House of Gübelin 古柏林總裁 Raphael Gübelin Gübelin Gemstone Rating and Gübelin Points 古柏林寶石評級及古柏林評分