2019 started with good news we are proud of. The Accredited Gemologists Association has chosen Alberto Scarani and Mikko Åström, co-founders of IGR (Italian Gemological Review) and MAGILABS as the recipient of the 2019 “Antonio C. Bonanno Award” for Excellence in Gemology.
The Bonanno Award, which this year has recognized also gemologists Donna Hawrlenko and Karl Schmetzer, is a honor assigned to personalities who have made significant contributions to education, research, testing methodologies in the gemological field, after a selection by a majority vote of the AGA membership. Alberto Scarani is the first Italian to receive the Award.
Alberto Scarani and Mikko Åström are considered key figures in computerized spectroscopy. Developing a wide range of spectrophotometry facilities including wide libraries for reference, they made advanced gem testing accessible to the broader gemological community. Thanks to their work the gap between accurate but accessible gemological instruments and advanced equipment typically only available through universities and major laboratories has been significantly reduced. The production of gemological equipment was complemented by an intense activity in the field of advanced education courses that MAGILABS organized in Antwerp and Marcianise as well as contributions on the specific techniques of spectrometry and spectrophotometry investigation published in many issues of IGR.
AGA President Stuart Robertson explained that the decision to assign the awards to 4 recipients is due to the necessity to cover a larger variety of different fields in which gemologists work, including education and training, production of gemological equipment and determination of standard procedures for the industry. Other Bonanno Award recipients are Donna Hawrelko, former AGA President, gemologist and teacher at the Vancouver Community College for his contribution to gemological education and her commitment in training generations of students and Dr. Karl Schmetzer, gemologist and researcher honored for his 50 years dedication to studies of mineralogy.
Previous Bonanno winners include many prominent figures who generously contributed to our magazine such as Dr. Thomas Hainschwang, winner in 2015 and author of “An overview of the properties and detection methods of synthetic diamonds currently in the market”, Stuart Robertson, awarded in 2011, author of “An approach to color stone grading” and Richard W. Hughes, awarded in 2010, author of “Madagascar sapphire: Crystal Blue Persuasion”.