PROF. SERGIO ANSUINI| ROME, 2 MAY 2025
It is not uncommon to find, along with jewelry from around the time of the Second World War, a receipt describing the piece written by the seller. For the customer, this was enough to understand what they had purchased. People would go to the “prestigious” jeweler, reassured by the reputation of the name. The jeweler’s description sufficed—“Ipse Dixit”.
Unfortunately, nearly half a century later, we realize that many of those descriptions—though not intended to deceive—were often vague and sometimes inaccurate. Jewelers at the time had no scientific knowledge, but rather deep experience handed down through generations of craftsmanship. A diamond might be classified simply as “commercial white” without specifying the exact color grade, a ruby might be labeled only as “oriental” without stating its origin, and Ceylon sapphires with particularly intense and bluish tones could be mistakenly referred to as Burmese. The issue of color stone treatments was rarely detected or disclosed.
Around fifty years later, things have drastically changed. Buyers consult the internet and come well-informed. A merchant’s statement is no longer enough. Customers now demand certification from a gemological laboratory, and the value of a gemstone can vary significantly based on the reputation of the certifying body. Gemological laboratories have become brands, and the cost of certification varies. The GIA (Gemological Institute of America), a multinational, is the most expensive. For a top-lot diamond, its certificate may be preferred, but there are other highly respected and internationally accredited laboratories used in major jewelry auctions. The widespread presence of lab-grown diamonds—indistinguishable from natural ones without advanced laboratory tests—has made proper identification and certification essential. Today, a diamond or colored stone without certification is like a painting without authentication, and in auctions this leads to significant financial penalties.
Jewelry-making encompasses many specialties: designers, goldsmiths, engravers, stone setters, and more. In the 1800s, workers who crafted micro-mosaics were paid by the centimeter. Times have changed, and today gemology is an essential sector.
One of the most important laboratories in Italy, often cited in major international auctions, is the Istituto Gemmologico Nazionale (I.G.N.), owned by a longstanding family of goldsmiths: the Butini.
In 1926, a young Carlo Butini arrived in Ostia from his native Genoa to serve as head technician for the maintenance and control of navigation instruments (altimeters, barographs, etc.) on seaplanes at the local seaplane base. However, the work soon no longer satisfied his aspirations, and he opened his own workshop. Initially still servicing the seaplane base, it later expanded to include the creation of jewelry and watch repairs. With a further specialization in openwork techniques, the workshop quickly became a point of reference in both Ostia and Rome. Carlo’s son, Enrico Butini, joined the family business at a young age and established a long-standing collaboration with the artist Corrado Cagli.
(Flavio and Enrico Butini with Gina Lollobrigida)
In August 1972, Enrico branched out from the family business and opened his own boutique and workshop. A year later, while visiting the Vicenza Jewelry Fair, he was struck by a small booth promoting the Istituto Gemmologico Italiano. This encounter marked the beginning of a journey and passion that led him to earn a gemology diploma. After a devastating burglary forced him to close his goldsmith workshop, Enrico devoted himself entirely to the study of gemstones.
His expertise led to collaborations with institutions such as the Villa Giulia Museum, which requested his assistance in studying 19th-century goldsmithing techniques and the gemological classification of the Castellani Collection. Enrico was later entrusted with studying the gemstones found in Pompeii, inside the safe of a gem merchant, as well as the analysis of the gems in the “Lady of the Sapphires” diadem, discovered in a monumental Roman tomb near Colonna (Rome). His work in both archaeological and gemological fields has been and continues to be extensive.
(Castellani Jewels)
In 2000, Enrico Butini and his son Flavio founded the Istituto Gemmologico Nazionale, which not only specializes in the certification of precious stones but also conducts extensive research, organizes conferences, and provides educational services. Today, I.G.N. is a high-level institution, recognized for its independence, professionalism, and academic contribution to the field of gemology.
