The first gemological conference in Switzerland, GemmoBasel 2005, will be held in Basel from April 29 to May 2, 2005. The occasion for the conference is the celebration of Prof. Henry A. Hänni’s 60th birthday. Hänni, director for the Swiss Gemmological Association, has played a key role in gem identification over the past few decades.

So far, famous gemologists and industry leaders such as John Koivula, Richard Hughes, Alice Keller, Ken Scarratt, George Bosshart, Dr. Karl Schmetzer, and Tay Thye Sun as well as Prof. Wilhelm Stern, Manfred Eickhorst, and Bruno Bolli have agreed to participate in the event.

For initial information and all following updates, please visit the conference Web site at www.gemmobasel2005.org, or call Dr. Lore Kiefert, FGA, director of coloured stones, SSEF Swiss Gemmological Institute, Basel, Switzerland; (41-61) 262-0640.