Officials of the Swiss Gemmological Institute SSEF, Basel, Switzerland, and the Directorate of Precious Metals & Gemstone Testing, Ministry of Commerce Bahrain (GPTLB) have signed a memorandum of understanding that formalizes a collaborative effort in pearl research that began some years ago. SSEF’s Michael S. Krzemnicki and GPTLB’s Ali Safar signed the MoU during a working visit by Krzemnicki to Bahrain in August.

Krzemnicki said in a statement that the purpose of the MoU was “to establish mutual co-operation in research and training on pearls and to harmonize the testing of pearls, especially concerning the development of criteria for distinguishing natural pearls from cultured pearls.”

JCK