Editor’s Note
This article explores the enduring fascination with gemstones and the century-long scientific pursuit to understand them. It highlights how Gübelin’s gemmological laboratory, founded in 1923, has dedicated itself to answering fundamental questions about these natural treasures. As the lab marks its 100th anniversary, the house is opening a new space to share its accumulated expertise with the public.
Gemstones have always fascinated mankind. But what are they? How and where are they formed? And how are their identity, authenticity, and origin determined and verified?
For a hundred years, the watch and jewelry retailer Gübelin has been dedicated to these questions. In 1923, the House of Gübelin founded its gemmological laboratory to learn more about gemstones…
To mark the centenary of this laboratory, the retailer has created a space where the house intends to share its knowledge about gemstones as well as the history of the family business founded in 1854.
For six generations, a pioneering spirit has inhabited the Gübelin family. Its members notably created the gemmological laboratory, the Gübelin Academy, and Provenance Proof. Today, the museum unveils the innovations of the gemmological laboratory.
It also presents the technologies used by the startup Provenance Proof, including the first blockchain for colored gemstones, which aims to ensure greater transparency across the entire gemstone and jewelry industry.
Furthermore, this museum offers insight into the original research of Eduard Josef Gübelin (1913–2005). The Lucerne-based gemmologist is considered one of the fathers of modern gemmology. He is particularly known for his research into the inner world of gemstones and their inclusions.
These allowed him to determine their identity, authenticity, and origin. Under the leadership of Eduard Josef Gübelin, the laboratory became one of the world’s most renowned institutions in the field of gemmology. Today, the laboratory continues to be a benchmark in gemstone research.
The pioneering work of the House of Gübelin is presented, from the founding of the family business to the present day, including its projects for the future.
Thus, the exhibition offers a fascinating glimpse into the work of the laboratory, from its beginnings to its latest analytical achievements, which include the development of “Gemtelligence.” This aims to combine artificial intelligence with deep learning models to improve the consistency of analysis results.
The exceptional reference stone collection of the Gübelin Gemmological Laboratory is the most comprehensive of its kind worldwide.
It now comprises over 28,000 gemstones from all commercially significant mines and also includes stones from long-depleted deposits.
It is precisely on this rich database that Gemtelligence is based. The Gübelin Gem Museum presents its visitors with 174 gemstones selected from this reference collection.
Each is displayed and explained individually. The reference stone collection is the backbone of the exhibition and attracts both gemstone enthusiasts and researchers.
A selection of watches and jewelry revisits central and defining moments in the history of jewelry and culture. Thomas Gübelin, who led the house from 1988 to 2007, began developing the company’s watch and jewelry collection very early on. Over 50 creations are now on display and accessible to the public.
The museum now also houses the Gübelin Academy. The Academy offers its seminars within the inspiring atmosphere of the museum. The exhibits and multimedia information allow for practical discovery of the seminars’ theoretical content.
The Gübelin Gem Museum is located in the heart of Lucerne. The splendid building is at Schwanenplatz 7 and logically bears the name “Haus zum Stein,” the house of stone.
The museum, located on the first floor, the noble level of the house, is aimed at both Lucerne residents and visitors to Lucerne who wish to learn more about gemstones and gemmology.
The exhibition has been organized to appeal to anyone interested in gemstones, regardless of their level of knowledge on the subject.
A multimedia exhibition invites you to discover the world of gemstones and deepen your knowledge in an exciting way.
It is precisely the digital and interactive elements that enable inspiring experiences within the museum’s limited space, which was designed and equipped with great attention to detail.
The museum exhibition was organized by the House of Gübelin in collaboration with jewelry expert Beatriz Chadour-Sampson and staged with the assistance of Atelier Ingold Raschke. Beatriz Chadour-Sampson works notably for the Swiss National Museum in Zurich and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.
Edward Boehm, grandson of Eduard Josef Gübelin and also a gemmologist, also contributed to the design, implementation, and furnishing with exhibition pieces. The exhibition is constantly being enriched and thus promises new exciting experiences.
