ABOUT
Jeffery Bergman
With humble roots from a non-gem trade family, as a lapidary hobbyist, Jeffery cut and polished his first gemstone at the age of fourteen launching him on a lifelong career that has taken him to more than 70 countries, and every continent except Antarctica. With 5 decades of broad-based experience in natural gemstones, diamonds, and fine jewelry, in 2020 Jeffery founded Eighth Dimension Gems (formerly Primagem) in Bangkok, Thailand, where he has lived for over 30 years.
Featured in many gem and jewelry periodicals, Jeffery has contributed 4 trade alerts, 5 book reviews, over 20 published articles, 22 published research contributions and 24 presentations related to gemology. He has appeared in interviews on the ABC, BBC, CCTV, CNA, CNN, NBC, and GEO. Jeffery has been quoted in Time, USA Today, National Geographic, Discover, GIA’s Gems & Gemology, Gem-A’s Journal of Gemmology, ICA’s InColor, Rivista Italiana di Gemmologia/Italian Gemological Review, and many other publications around the world.
A guest speaker at eight GIA Gem Gatherings as well as many gemological conferences & universities, Jeffery is a Senior Accredited Gemologist voting member of the AGA – Accredited Gemologists Association, an Honorary Professor for the AIGS – Asian Institute of Gemological Sciences in Bangkok, Thailand, and pro bono Vice President, Emeritus of the IGS – International Gem Society, an online gemological educational website with over 20,000 members.
Awards & Achievements
Jeffery's Contributions to Gemology
- Honorary Professor for The AIGS – Asian Institute of Gemological Sciences.
- Vice President IGS – International Gem Society online gemological education with over 18,000 members
PRESENTATIONS
2022 6th Mediterranean Gem and Jewellery Conference in Thessaloniki, Greece – Spinel: History, Origins, Treatments, Marketing and Pricing
2021 IIG – International Institute of Gemology, Bengaluru, India – Kashmir Trapiche Ruby from the Batakundi mine
2019 AGA Tucson Conference – Our Newest Emerald Source (Ethiopia)
2019 AIGS Seminar Hangzhou, China – Rubies, Sapphires, and Emeralds
2019 AGS Arizona Guild Meeting – Hexagons: From Passion to Obsession
2018 NAJA Tucson – Shakiso Ethiopian Emeralds
2018 First Iranian Gemological Symposium, Kish, Iran – Shakiso Ethiopian Emeralds
2018 GIA Alumni Assn. Houston – Mineral Diversity & Complexity – CoEvolution of Life & Minerals
2016 Mediterranean Gemmological & Jewellery Conference, Valencia, Spain – Phenomenal Prices – Market Value of Phenomenal Gems
2015 AGA Tucson Conference. Collector Gems: A Co-Evolution of Life, Minerals, and Technology
2015 GIA Gem Gathering Bangkok – Opal Treatments: Facts, Fears & Fairytales
2014 GIA Gem Gathering Bangkok – Geometric Passion & Obsession: How Hexagons Shape Gems and Jewellery
2014 GIA Alumni Assn. San Francisco – Tanzanite: Facts, Fears & Fairytales
2013 GIA Gem Gathering Bangkok – Tanzanite: Facts, Fairytales and Fakes
2013 JCK AGTA Las Vegas – Tanzanite rumors in the industry
2013 Italian Gemmological Conference, Naples – Tanzanite: Facts, Fears & Fairytales
2012 World of Gems Conference III Chicago – Hexagonal geometry in art, architecture, religion, biology, minerals, gemstones and jewelry
2012 GIA Gem Gathering Bangkok – A Dazzling Evolution: Co-evolution of life and minerals generating diversity and complexity in gemstones
2012 GIA Alumni Assn. San Francisco – Spinels & Opals
2011 GIA Gem Gathering Bangkok – Spinel: The Great Impostor
2011 GIA Alumni Assn. Atlanta, Georgia – Spinel: The Great Impostor
2010 GIA Gem Gathering Bangkok – Opal: Still the Queen of Gems
2009 GIA Gem Gathering Bangkok – Meteorites: Heavenly Jewels
2009 GIA Gem Gathering Bangkok – Trapiche: The Rising Star
ARTICLES
2015 The Australian Gemmologist pg. 389-402. Ethiopian Opals: Facts, Fears and Fairytales
2016 ICA InColor Spring, Cover photo and feature article – Trapiche: The Rising Star
2022 Mid East Information, April 29, The Origin, Weight And Value Of The Burj Alhamal Ruby
Misrepresented In Potential Scam
Gems & Gemology:
2015 Summer – Crimson Prince Ruby From Namya
2016 Fall pg. 288-287 – Co-author: Bead-cultured and non-bead cultured pearls from Lombok, Indonesia
2020 Spring – Jeffery Bergman Discusses Trapiche Gem
IGR – Italian Gemological Review:
2019 #6 – Cover photo and article: Ethiopian emeralds, a stunning discovery
2019 #7 – Opali Etiopi. Fatti, favole e paure
2020 #10 – An overview of emerald enhancements
2021 #12 – The ultimate challenge. From an 11.22-carat with minor clarity enhancement, to an
exceptional 10.17-carat oil/resin-free natural Shakiso, Ethiopian emerald
2021 # 12 – A lesson from Jeffery Bergman, a master gemologist and a world respected gem
dealer who started from the bottom by licking opals.
IGS – International Gem Society:
800 Years of Mogok: A Celebration in Tenuous Times
Emerald Myth Busters: Identifying Colombian Stones
The World’s Largest Cut Cats-eye Chrysoberyl
Emerald Enhancements: A Consumer and Trade Guide
Fake News in the Gem Trade: A Waterworn Emerald from Chivor?
Ruby-Glass Composites vs Leaded Glass Clarity Enhancements
Is the 500-Pound Beleza Emerald Really Worth $280 million?
Emerald Transformation: Cleaning and Recutting a Natural Emerald
Gem Origin Opinions: When Gem Labs Agree To Disagree
Buyer Beware: Closer Examination of the Burj Alhamal Ruby Casts Doubt on its $120 Million Valuation
BOOK REVIEWS
2012 Jewelers Guide to Treated & Created Gems by Robert James
2013 Fall/Winter ICA InColor pg. 18-19 – Ruby & Sapphire: A Collector’s Guide
2014 Spring ICA InColor pg. 60-61 – Terra Garnet: Vlad Yavorskky
2019 Fall ICA InColor pg. 64-67 – INSIDE OUT: Gemology Through Lotus-Colored Glasses
TRADE-ALERTS
1997 GEMS & GEMOLOGY Fall pg. 221-222 – Lab Alert: Radioactive cat’s-eye chrysoberyls
1997 Asia Precious, 5. 12. Pg. 18-19 – Radioactive cat’s-eye warning
1998 Professional Jeweler – RADIOACTIVE GEM ALERT!
2000 November Asiaweek – Feeling the burn from hot rocks: A radiation scare hits the gem business
2007 JCK MAGAZINE July 20 – Alert: Topaz with Unstable Color
2015 OpalholicsAnonymous.com – Trade Alert on Zultanite
2016 CIBJO GEMMOLOGICAL COMMISSION pg. 82 – Radioactive cat’s-eye warning
2017 Journal of Gemmology 35 / 7 / pg. 571 – Color-Change Glass Sold As Natural Garnet Rough
RESEARCH AND CONTRIBUTIONS
2022 Spring Gems & Gemology, pg. 63 – Apatite Oiling: Before and After
2021 Emerald: Modern Gemmology by Dietmar Schwarz & Martial Curti pg. 03
2020 Spring Gems & Gemology, pg. 170-171 – Trapiche Gems
2019 Spring Gems & Gemology, pg. 85, 150 – Ethiopian Emerald
2019 May, GIA.edu Emerald: The Superstar of Trapiche Gemstones
2018 ICA InColor Special Emerald Issue – The Ethiopian Halo-Shakiso Emerald pg. 68-72 plus cover photo
2017 Ruby & Sapphire: A Gemologist’s Guide pg. Cover photo, pg. 191,192, 334
2017 National Jeweler – 5 Things to Know About … Trapiche Gems
2017 Ruby & Sapphire – A Gemologists’s Guide Cover photo, pg. 93, 104-105, 230, 295, 312, 350, 525, 581, 627
2016 SSEF Facette pg. 24 – COBALT DIFFUSION-TREATED SPINEL
2016 Spring Gems & Gemology pg. 72-72 – Hydrophane Opal Treatments
2016 DiamondPulse – The Amazing Trapiche pg. 48-49
2016 Asterism – Gems with A Star pg. 788, 797, 812, 821
2015 Journal of Gemmology 34 / 05 Cover photo and pg. 393 – “Zawadi” Sapphires
2014 Ganoksin – TucsonGemShow – Jeffery Bergman Brings a Rare Treat To Tucson, Burmese Trapiche Sapphire
2014 Ruby & Sapphire: A Collector’s Guide pg. 254
2012 An Emerald Encryption: The Abhaya Emerald Buddha
1996 Fall Gems & Gemology pg. 117-118 Update on Madagascar sapphires
1995 Summer Gems & Gemology pg. 137-138 Kyocera plastic-impregnated synthetic opals.
1993 Spring Gems & Gemology pg. 16-17 – Update on diffusion treated corundum: red and other colors
1990 Spring Gems & Gemology pg. 100 – Diffusion treated corundum
1990 Summer Gems & Gemology pg. 115-133 –The identification of blue diffusion treated sapphires.
CONSULTANT TO
Bellerophon GemLab, Bangkok/Paris
Greenland Ruby, Nuuk, Greenland on behalf of Nebari Holdings, Miami, FL
Nebari Holdings, Miami, FL
Honorary Professor for AIGS – Asian Institute of Gemological Sciences, Bangkok TH
Vice President Emeritus of the IGS – International Gem Society, an online gemological education website with over 20,000 members, Lincoln, MA
MUSEUM AND UNIVERSITY DONATIONS:
Milan Natural History Museum, Milano, Italy
American Museum of Natural History, NY, NY
Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, LA, CA
Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, Washington DC
Harvard University Mineralogical & Geological Museum, Boston, MA
Alfie Norville Gem & Mineral Museum – University of Arizona: Trapiche Gem Collection
University of Arizona Gem Science Department: 377 Gemstone Reference Collection
