Shane McClure, director of West Coast Identification Services at the Gemological Institute of America Laboratory, received the Accredited Gemologists Association’s highest honor, the Antonio C. Bonanno Award for Excellence in Gemology, during a Jan. 31 ceremony in Tucson, Ariz.

McClure, who began his career in gemology in 1977, was honored for his contributions to the field through research, authorship, and photography. Best known for his research on gem treatments, McClure has written and lectured extensively on beryllium-diffused corundum and the fracture-filling of diamonds, emeralds, and rubies. He is also a seven-time winner of the reader-selected Gems & Gemology Award for most valuable article.

Currently, McClure is working on a source-type classification system for gem corundum. He and the GIA project team aim to establish an objective and teachable system for classifying the sources of rubies and sapphires of all colors based on their dominant inclusion features and other physical characteristics.

Named for AGA’s founding father, the Antonio C. Bonanno Award for Excellence in Gemology recognizes people in the gemological field who have had significant impact on the science of gemology. AGA recognizes the winner during its Annual Dinner Dance and Award Ceremony, held in conjunction with the AGA conference and Tucson gem shows. Previous winners include Alan Jobbins, Alan Hodgkinson, C.R. Beassley, John Koivula, Robert Crowningshield, Richard Drucker, Antoinette Matlins, and Henry Hänni.

JCK