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Gemstones have been a source of fascination for millennia. But what are gemstones, how and where are they formed and how can we establish and verify their identity, authenticity and origin? Gübelin has been working on the answers to these questions for the last century.
For six generations, the Gübelin family has been passionate about gemstones. Its members have notably created the gemmology laboratory, the Gübelin Academy and Provenance Proof. The company recently opened the multi-faceted Gübelin Gem Museum, where visitors can learn more about the birth, origin and fascinating character of coloured gemstones, as well as the history, pioneering spirit and innovations of the Swiss family business founded in 1854.
In the museum, visitors can found out more about the innovations of the gemmological laboratory and it also presents the technology of the Provenance Proof start-up. With the first blockchain for coloured gemstones, Provenance Proof enables greater transparency throughout gemstone and jewellery industry.
The museum combines innovation and tradition. It visualises the House of Gübelin’s pioneering achievements – from its founding to the present and into the future. In doing so, the exhibition offers exciting glimpses into the work of the Gem Lab from its beginnings up to the latest analytical possibilities and the development of Gemtelligence, which employs artificial intelligence and deep learning to analyse gemstones in order to further heighten the consistency of the results.
The Gem Lab’s reference collection is considered the most complete of its kind in the world and is absolutely unique, currently comprising more than 28,000 gemstones from all commercially relevant mines as well as stones from long-since exhausted sources. In the Museum, visitors can discover 174 selected gemstones from the reference stone collection which have been put on display and individually explained. The reference stone collection is the very heart of the exhibit, captivating aficionados as well as researchers.
Selected watches and jewellery creations set the scene for key style-defining moments in the history of jewellery and culture. Thomas Gübelin, who ran the House from 1988 until 2007, started early on to expand the company’s own collection of watches and jewellery, of which more than 50 objects are on display to the public.
The museum is also the new home of the Gübelin Academy. The institution offers courses amid the inspiring atmosphere of the museum. The objects on display and multi-media information make the contents of the classes immediately tangible.
The Gübelin Gem Museum is located in the very heart of Lucerne. The imposing building is located at Schwanenplatz 7 and fittingly named “Haus zum Stein” (The House of Stones). It is aimed at both Lucerne residents and visitors who wish to learn more about gemstones and gemmology.
August 31, 2023