C.R. “Cap” Beesley of American Gemological Laboratories has won the Antonio C. Bonanno Award for Excellence in Gemology. The award was created by the Accredited Gemologists Association to honor Bonanno and others who are dedicated to the field of gemology.

In 1974, Antonio Bonanno (Dec. 19, 1916-March 28, 1996) founded the Accredited Gemologists Association, an independent nonprofit organization dedicated to gemological education and research; identification and evaluation of gem materials; and the development of professional standards of analysis, practice, and ethics. “This award recognizes and supports those striving to advance the science and integrity of the gemological field,” says Antoinette Matlins, Bonanno’s daughter and honorary chair of the event, who presented Beesley with a plaque and badge of honor. In addition to Beesley, this year’s nominees included John Koivula (Gemological Institute of America) and Dr. Henry Hänni (SSEF, the Swiss Gemmological Institute).

Beesley is the second person to receive the honor. The first was Alan Hodgkinson, who received the Bonanno Award in 2000. This year’s presentation took place Feb. 1 at the annual AGA dinner-dance, held at the Marriott-University Park Hotel in Tucson. According to Matlins, “Beesley has demonstrated relentless effort and vigilance in the area of gemstone treatment, treatment detection, and dissemination of information about treatments.”