San Diego – The Accredited Gemologists Association (AGA) has announced that Dr. Jeffrey Edward Post, Curator Emeritus of Gems and Minerals and Research Associate at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History, will receive the 2023 Antonio C. Bonanno Award for Excellence in Gemology.
Established in 2000, the Bonanno Award recognises those who have made significant contributions to the field of gemology and is selected by a majority vote of the AGA membership.
During his career at the Smithsonian, Post oversaw the national gem and mineral collection and its expansion to more than 350,000 mineral specimens and 10,000 gem specimens, the largest of its kind in the world.
He also made significant contributions to the scientific literature, publishing more than 150 scientific articles on research in mineralogy, gemology and geochemistry.
He is the author of The National Gem Collection and the recently published The Smithsonian National Gem Collection-Unearthed: Surprising Stories Behind the Jewels.
“Dr Jeffrey Post’s contributions to gemology are substantial through his published works and his support of scientific gemological researchers seeking access to data and specimens from the collection,” said AGA President Teri Brossmer.
“We also applaud Jeff’s work to increase public interest in gems and minerals through lectures to community groups and museums.”
Post joined the Department of Mineral Sciences at the Smithsonian Institution’s Museum of Natural History in 1984.
He served as chair of the Department of Mineral Sciences from 1989 to 1994 and from 2014 to 2019, and as curator in charge of the U.S. National Gem and Mineral Collection from 1991 to 2023.
Post was also the chief curator of the Janet Annenberg Hooker Hall of Geology, Gems and Minerals, which opened in 1997.
Any member of the gemological community who has visited the Hall has witnessed “Jeffrey’s passion come to life,” the AGA said, noting that the vision he created is sure to introduce, fascinate, educate and excite people about gems for generations to come.
Dr Post has been instrumental in bringing many outstanding special exhibitions to the Smithsonian, including the Dresden Green Diamond, The Allure of Pearls with the Hope Pearl and La Peregrina, The Splendor of Diamonds, which highlighted the Steinmetz Pink and Moussaieff Red, and the 50th Anniversary of the Hope Diamond with the special guest gem, the Wittelsbach-Graff Diamond,” said Gary Roskin, who received the award last year.
This meeting of the two largest deep blue diamonds in the world gave Jeff the opportunity to facilitate the significant gemological study of the two blues. Dr Post was also instrumental in securing permanent donations of gemstones and jewels for the Smithsonian’s collection, including the Lion of Merelani tsavorite, the Dom Pedro aquamarine and many others.
In May, Post was appointed Curator Emeritus of Gems and Minerals and Research Associate at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History.
