Gübelin Gem Lab has launched Gemtelligence, a platform that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to determine the origin and treatment of colored gems.

This new tool, which analyzes emeralds, sapphires and rubies, was created in cooperation with technology and innovation institute the Swiss Center for Electronics and Microtechnology (CSEM). The Swiss gem lab unveiled Gemtelligence at AGTA GemFair Tucson earlier this month.

Gemtelligence uses an algorithm based entirely on AI to pinpoint the country of origin of rubies, sapphires and emeralds, and heat treatments in rubies and sapphires. It is a first in the gemstone industry, according to Gübelin.

This system, which employs deep learning architecture, references the Gübelin Gem Lab’s archive of more than 28,000 gemstones from all commercially relevant mines, along with tens of thousands of high-grade stones the lab has analyzed for customers since the 1970s.

“This progress makes it possible to fully delegate data interpretation to a software program,” Gübelin said. “Gemologists are free to increasingly concentrate on producing plausible results, leaving them more time to invest in research and development.”

Gemtelligence is being gradually implemented at Gübelin’s three laboratories in Lucerne, Switzerland; Hong Kong; and New York. Currently, each stone in these labs is still tested by human experts.