This content was first published on IGR – Italian Gemological Review no. 20 in 2025. The information provided here is therefore current as of the original publication date.
Giovanni Luca Cattaneo — known as Gianluca by his friends — sadly left us on January 31, 2025. The heartbreaking news has left an unfillable void for everyone who knew him — family, friends, colleagues and collaborators — who have shared memories and emotions on social media. The editorial team at IGR, with whom Gianluca collaborated on several articles and for which there was a deep mutual respect, as well as friendship and affection, stands in solidarity with all those who loved him. Below, we publish some memories and thoughts that have been sent to IGR.
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In memory of Gianluca. A tribute from Simona Guarino
Silently, the trees cry.
Those dense golden tears you used to collect.
Silently, I weep too, among the many who mourn you, a friend from one of the thousand pages of your life, but faithful.
Some people have too much energy, for us, to believe they are gone.
In you, forever young, fearless, radiant, there was no prison, no chain, no cage.
If I had to say what you never seemed to free yourself from, I would say enchantment.
What you knew better than anyone else was your eternal sense of wonder.
To our hearts, this is the precious, shining, and rare gem you left.
Simona Guarino
In memory of Gianluca. A tribute from Lucia
If I didn’t love the wind, the one that catches you unexpectedly, from behind, making you wonder where it comes from, I would not have so deeply appreciated, now mourned, Gianluca, “the Mexican”.
Handsome, intelligent, bold yet shy, he passed through a season of our lives, bringing with him dust, light, music, and colors from distant lands, always chasing a mysterious matter that I learned to recognize and admire through his gaze and passion.
In our small workshop, he was immediately known as the amber man (from Chiapas, of course, the finest), and on many occasions, we eagerly awaited him to show us the treasures he had gathered on his travels.
He loved life, the raw, ancient beauty of the people from those lands, who must have adored him and will wait for him forever.
For me, struck by the lightning new of his departure from this world, what remains is an indelible, radiant trace of his smile and his elusiveness, of his being always a little elsewhere, and elsewhere, and elsewhere, towards those he loved so much, always carrying a “torch” of amber in his hand.
Lucia
In memory of Gianluca. A tribute from Giovanni Lombardi
I first met Gianluca back in 1996 as a neighboring exhibitor at the Bologna Mineral Fair, in the section of “initiates” or “losers”, as Gianluca used to say while joking. From the very beginning, a bond of friendship and sympathy formed, growing stronger over time until it became not just a professional relationship but one of genuine brotherhood and shared experiences in the challenges of our work. The countless exhibitions we attended together, side by side, only deepened our connection. Gianluca’s resilient and geological spirit would shine through, particularly at trade fairs where the audience was close to zero, like in Ferrara or Baden. Every setback was a lesson and an opportunity for growth.
Together with my colleague Agnese Soave, we want to remember Gianluca, LUCA as we called him, for who he truly was: an extremely sincere, precise, and upstanding person, with a strong drive and professional dedication — bordering on obsessive — in his passion for amber and science. When I teach about organic materials in class, particularly amber, I likely convey his teachings and stories without even realizing it. His publications form the foundation of our knowledge on the subject.
He was always meticulous (not only as a scientist but as an historian and a language specialist) bringing an enviable energy and optimism. His moral strength and refusal to compromise were qualities that earned him admiration and respect. Wherever he was in the world, he always made sure to bring back a gift or a small souvenir for his friends. He taught us about his greatest passion, Chiapas amber, and honored us by sharing many of his professional secrets, trusting our silence and discretion. He even invited us to form a team for a project that was just about to take off, one that now, sadly, has been left incomplete.
He was always ready to take on challenges — sometimes just for fun — like when I, as a proud “Livornese”, teased him about being born in Pisa, daring him to find the true source of the fluorescent green Mexican hyalite. In just two years, through geological studies and field research, he not only identified the outcrops and the deposit but also demonstrated his immense talent and professional dedication, solidifying his nickname “Gianluca the Mexican”.
Gianluca, in your final moments, you honored me by mentioning my name alongside your brothers as someone to contact and trust, together with our dear friends Lucia and Simona.
I will try to carry on your legacy, your project, and your passion, ensuring that your work continues. I will do so by remembering the greatest lesson you taught me, one that we should all keep in mind amidst the chaos of modern work… To always remind myself, in moments of stress and confusion, of the words Napoleon said to his squire: «Go slow, for I am in a hurry».
Your memory and your teachings will live on in our work.
Giovanni Lombardi
