The Gubelin Gem Lab team consists of highly qualified and experienced specialists from seven different countries; between them they speak nine different languages – not forgetting “gemmology”, one of the languages they all have in common! Each team member is trained specifically in his or her field of work, such as gemmology, the operation of analytical instruments – even gemstone photography. Every gemmologist has a degree in an Earth Science (Geology, Mineralogy, Crystallography, Geography and so forth) complemented by a degree in Gemmology. On joining the Gubelin Gem Lab team, our gemmologists complete an intensive two to three years’ internal training programme before reaching the level of expertise that enables them to append their signatures to a Gubelin report. We are proud of our expertise and our skills which, complemented with each individual’s unique personality, contribute to the strong core of our company.
Dr. Daniel Nyfeler, Managing Director
Daniel spent the fieldwork studies portion of his Master’s thesis investigating the geology of the granulites in the Limpopo belt in Southern Africa. Following that, he worked on a joint research project on superconductors at the IBM Research Lab in Rüschlikon, Zurich, together with Georg J. Bednorz (Nobel Prize in Physics, 1987). Back at the University of Berne, he completed his PhD in Mineralogical Crystallography under Professor Thomas Armbruster, looking at steric and electronic stress situations in mineral structures and their influence on reactivity and atomic ordering. After several years spent at an international management consultancy, he returned to the sciences and joined the Gübelin Gem Lab in summer 2003.
Marc Leuenberger, Management Trainee
With a background in the tourism and hospitality industry, Marc has been familiarized with the most sophisticated client needs early on. During his Bachelor's and Master's studies, he had the opportunity to both travel and study around the globe and thereby experiencing the diversity and peculiarities of the world's cultures at first hand. In April 2011, Marc graduated with a Master of Science in International Management. Combining his background in business research and management with his profound interest in the luxury goods industry, Marc joined the Gübelin Gem Lab as a Management Trainee in August 2011, assisting the Managing Director in various smaller and larger projects.
Sonia Cherchi, Head of Client Services
In her function as Head of Client Services, Sonia is in touch with our clients like no one else. She listens to their needs, supervises the planning and scheduling of the work in the laboratory and ensures the timely completion of services on the exclusive gems and jewellery our clients have entrusted us with. Her background and experience prepared her for this demanding position. She studied Earth Sciences at the University of Zurich, conducted her fieldwork in Yemen and graduated with an MSc in Geography. On leaving university, she honed her client service skills in the airline, art and tourism sectors. She joined the Gübelin Gem Lab team in 2004 after completing her gemmological training and gaining an FGA at the British Gemmological Association.
Dr. Dietmar Schwarz, Head of Research
With more than 30 years’ experience in gemmology, Dietmar is one of the most renowned and internationally acknowledged scientists in the field of gemmology and, in particular, gained worldwide recognition for his vast professional expertise in rubies, sapphires and emeralds. After his Master’s and PhD at the University of Mainz, Germany, he accepted a call from the University of Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brazil, and spent seven years lecturing as Professor in Gemmology in the heart of the gemstone mining area of Brazil. He returned to Europe in 1991 and joined the Gübelin Gem Lab in 1993, where he currently holds the position of Head of Research. Dietmar is a member of the International Gemmological Conference (IGC) and has authored and co-authored dozens of gemmological publications in scientific journals. He regularly lectures at various Asian universities, mainly in China and Thailand.
Dr. Lore Kiefert, Chief Gemmologist
Lore started studying Mineralogy in Heidelberg, Germany, in 1981 whereupon she completed her Master’s thesis on the origin of sapphires. She then moved to Australia for further scientific research and earned her PhD in 1996. Leaving Australia for Switzerland in 1994, she joined the SSEF Swiss Gemmological Institute as Deputy Director and went on to become Director of the Coloured Stones Department. During her time at the SSEF, she completed her FGA Diploma in 1996. Later, in 2005, Lore became Laboratory Director at the AGTA in New York until she decided to return to Europe to join the Gübelin Gem Lab as Chief Gemmologist in October 2009. Lore has written numerous articles in gemmological and scientific journals, as well as chapters in textbooks. She regularly delivers gemmological lectures at conferences and is also on the editorial review board of Gems & Gemology.
Susy Gübelin
Susy’s signature in Gübelin Gem Lab reports is proof that the Gübelin Lab is indeed a family business. Susy has been with the laboratory more than 25 years and has witnessed numerous developments and trends in the gemstone industry. She has vast expertise in all types of gemstones, and has had the privilege of analysing considerable numbers of the rarest and most famous gemstones over the years. Amongst many other exclusive items, she has tested a high double-digit number of diamonds above 100 carats, many of those IF and/or D colour. However, her favourite topic in gemmology is pearls, and she has had the opportunity of analysing many famous and exceptional examples, many of them of historic importance such as La Régente and the Hutton Pearls.
Anna-Kathrin Malsy
Anna has been a mineral collector since her childhood and spent many holidays in Austria’s Habach Valley searching for emeralds. As her parents cut gemstones for pleasure, she became familiar with their fascination. As a consequence, the obvious decision was to study Earth Sciences. She completed her Master’s thesis at the University of Berne looking into the crystal structure and chemistry of double-ring silicates. Anna then studied Gemmology at the German Institute of Gemmology and joined the Gübelin Gem Lab in 2005. She was responsible for preparing and customising the LA-ICP-MS system for the use in the laboratory. Since 2009 Anna has been working on her PhD on spinels and alexandrites in cooperation with the University of Berne under the supervision of Professor Thomas Armbruster.
Pierre Hardy
Having a passion for minerals, Pierre moved from France to Australia and studied Geology at the Curtin University of Technology in Perth. On completing his thesis, he worked as a mining and exploration geologist for various mining companies, among them Argyle Diamonds, Rio Tinto and BHP, during which time he gained valuable experience in the mining industry. In our team, which he joined in 2008, Pierre is in charge of the diamond grading and analysis, both for commercial and fancy colours. He diligently pursues trends in the area of diamond treatments and synthetics.
Alessandra Spingardi
At the beginning of her academic training at the University of Pavia, Italy, Alessandra focused on historic ceramics and graduated with a Bachelors degree in archaeometry, applying geological techniques and methodologies to archaeology. Later, she moved to gemmology, writing her Master thesis on charge-transfer and colour-centre in thermally treated gemstones. Further research addressed the treatment of cordierite and quartz. In virtue of her accumulated knowledge on gemstones, Alessandra decided to further concentrate on this subject and opted for the gemmological training at the Gemological Institute of America (GIA). She joined the Gübelin Gem Lab in 2008, focusing on coloured gemstones and their origin determination.
Dr. Stefanos Karampelas, Scientific Researcher
Stefanos studied Geology and Mineralogy at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece working on garnets and tourmalines during his diploma. He then relocated to the University of Nantes in France to complete his master’s in Geosciences, where he focused on the differentiation of natural from synthetic amethyst. His PhD studies in the colour of pearls and its treatments were undertaken in collaboration with the two aforementioned universities under the guidance of Professor Emmanuel Fritsch. 2007 saw Stefanos earn his advanced gemmological diploma (DUG) from the University of Nantes, working on diamond infrared spectroscopy. He has authored and co-authored numerous articles in scientific journals and he is frequently delivering lectures to scientific conferences and gemmological meetings. Since 2007 he has represented Greece in the International Mineralogical Association’s (IMA) Commission of Gem Materials.
Beryl Huber
Dr. Leonhard Klemm
Gem laboratories are steadily improving their plant and equipment by incorporating highly sophisticated analytical tools that allow gemmologists to answer the market’s questions. One recent example is Laser-Ablation Inductively-Coupled-Plasma Mass-Spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS), high-end technology that requires a professional, highly experienced operator to yield meaningful results from it. At the Gübelin Gem Lab, this is Leo Klemm. After his Master’s in Geology at the University of Basel, he completed his PhD at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETHZ) as part of the group under Professor Christoph Heinrich, where he used LA-ICP-MS technology on fluid inclusions in quartz from porphyry-type copper, molybdenum and gold deposits. It was during this time that he became a noted expert in this technology, gaining the level of practical and theoretical experience needed to operate this system in our laboratory. Before joining the Gübelin Gem Lab, he spent two years as an exploration geologist with Rio Tinto in Guinea, West Africa.
Mingling Zheng-Cui
Mingling grew up in Wuhan, China, and studied Material Sciences at the Huazhong University of Science and Technology. On moving to Switzerland, she worked as a researcher at the Institute of Metallurgy of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETHZ). Mingling joined the Gübelin Gem Lab team in 2006 and is in charge of the spectral analysis of all types of gemstones as well as the maintenance of the laboratory’s analytical and technical equipment.
The colour photographs in Gubelin Gem Lab reports are the work of Corinne, who does her utmost to show the stones in their best light. Aside from gemstone and jewellery photography, she undertakes various administrative duties such as the complete documentation of each and every item that we test in our laboratory. Other responsibilities include organising the laboratory’s business trips, as well as assuming all its administrative and secretarial functions. Corinne joined the laboratory in 2011.
Isabelle Bucher
Safe, fast and reliable shipment of gemstones between the laboratory and the clients is a vital part of the service we offer. This is the responsibility of Isabelle. She interfaces with the logistics service providers, ensuring that items arrive safely at the laboratory, and – on completion of the analysis – are returned to the owners, securely and efficiently. In addition, Isabelle ensures that gemstone and jewellery certificates are present correct and supervises the content management of our website. Isabelle joined our team as Administrative Coordinator in January 2011. She worked as a customer service administrator for a telephone conferencing company in London before launching her career with us.
Martina Gügler
The maintenance and development of our laboratory management information system is Martina's duty. Fast and reliable handling of client items along with a smooth and efficient information flow between the Gübelin Gem Labs in Hong Kong and Lucerne is what Martina is assuring with her work. With almost 10 years of experience, she is equipped with a broad know-how of the daily lab business and has become a reliable source of information, not only for her Administrative Coordinator colleagues but for the entire team. Martina received her business administration training at the Gübelin Group and joined the laboratory back in 2002.
Bonita Kwok
Bonita Kwok holds a bachelor degree in Earth Sciences and a master degree in Material Sciences, both from the University of Hong Kong. She has completed both the FGA and GG training programmes and holds a Certified Gemmologist diploma for Fei Cui and Diamond from the Gemmological Association of Hong Kong. Bonita worked as a gemmologist at the Hong Kong Gems Laboratory for over six years. In 2006 she became a gemmologist and later Chief Gemmologist at China Gems Laboratory Limited, part of the Luk Fook Jewellery Group. Bonita began working for the Gübelin Gem Lab in Hong Kong in February 2011, where she holds the position of Gemmologist.
Angela Ip
