Dr. Eloïse Gaillou is director and curator of the Mineralogy Museum of « l’École des Mines de Paris » (Paris School of Mines), now known as Mines Paris - PSL. After a Master degree in Geology / Petrology, she received her PhD in Material Sciences at the University of Nantes (France) studying opals. She combined her PhD with a DUG (Diplôme d’Université de Gemmologie), beginning her work on diamonds. Dr. Gaillou continued studying diamonds during her postdoc at the Smithsonian, then at the Carnegie Institution, both in Washington, DC. She took the position of associate curator at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County in 2012, before eventually heading back to France in 2015 to take the position at the School of Mines, where she oversees the collection of 100,000 specimens and takes care of the permanent and temporary exhibits. She took the position of Director of the museum in January 2024.
Dr. Gaillou is the author of more than forty articles, notably on opal and diamonds. She regularly gives lectures in France and abroad for scientists, connoisseurs or beginners. Dr. Gaillou is currently the French National Representative for IMA - Commission on Museums and member of the Board of the Society of Mineral Museum Professionals (SMMP). She is a member of the MSA (Mineralogical Society of America), of the MetSoc (Meteoritical Society), of the SGF (Geological Society of France) and of the SFMC (French Society of Mineralogy and Crystallography).
Take a look at the publications in ORCID : https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7949-268X
Hainschwang T., Fritsch E., Gaillou E., Shen A. (2024) Analysing the luminescence of gems. Elements, vol. 20, n°5, pp. 312-317. https://doi.org/10.2138/gselements.20.5.312
Karampelas S., Gaillou E., Hennebois U., Herreweghe A., Maouche F., Meslin Sainte Beuve B., Nectoux D., Delaunay A. (2024) Study of an ‘Egyptian’ emerald from the Mineralogy Museum at the Paris School of Mines. Journal of Gemmology, vol. 39, n°1, pp. 78-83. https://doi.org/10.15506/JoG.2024.39.1.78
Gaillou E., Karampelas S., Hennebois U., Herreweghe A., Maouche F., Meslin Sainte Beuve B., Nectoux D., Delaunay A. (2023) An historical alexandrite from the Mineralogy Museum of Paris School of Mines. Journal of Gemmology, vol. 38, n°8, pp. 796-803. https://doi.org/10.15506/JoG.2023.38.8.796
Nikopoulou M., Karampelas S., Gaillou E., Hennebois U., Maouche F., Herreweghe A., Papadopoulou L., Melfos V., Kantiranis N., Nectoux D., Delaunay A. (2023) Non-destructive study of Egyptian emeralds preserved in the collection of the Museum of the École des Mines. Minerals, Vol. 12, n°2, p. 158 (15p.) https://doi.org/10.3390/min13020158
Vangu D., Bureau H, Khodja H, Charrondiere M, Esteve I., B´eneut K., Remusat L., Gaillou E., Cartigny P., Bouillard J.-C. (2023) Combination of ERDA, FTIR spectroscopy and NanoSIMS for the characterization of hydrogen incorporation in natural diamonds. Diamond & Related Materials, vol. 136, 110007. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.diamond.2023.110007
Karampelas S., Gaillou E., Herreweghe A., Maouche F., Hennebois U., Leblan S., Meslin Sainte Beuve B., Lechartier M., Nectoux D., Delaunay A. (2022) A Gemological and Spectroscopic Study with Mobile Instruments of Some “Emeralds” from the Coronation Crown of Napoleon III. Gems & Gemology, Vol. 58, No. 2, pp. 168-183, http://dx.doi.org/10.5741/GEMS.58.2.168
Daver L., Bureau H., Boulard E., Gaillou E., Cartigny P., Pinti D. L., Belhadj O., Guignot N., Foy E., Estève I., Baptiste B. (2022) From the lithosphere to the lower mantle: An aqueous-rich metal-bearing growth environment to form type IIb blue diamonds. Chemical Geology, vol. 613, n° 121163. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemgeo.2022.121163
Boulliard J.-C., Aléon J., Gaillou E. (2021) On the anomalous shapes of native copper crystals from the Michigan Copper Country. Eur. J. Mineral., 33, 9–21, 2021. https://doi.org/10.5194/ejm-33-9-2021
Boulliard J.-C., Gaillou E. (2019) Twinning in anorthoclase megacrysts from phonolitic eryptions, Erebus volcano, Antarctica. Eur. J. Mineral., 31 (1): 99-110. DOI: 10.1127/ejm/2019/0031-2804
Martin E., Gaillou E. (2018) Insight on gem opal formation in volcanic ash deposits from a supereruption: A case study through oxygen and hydrogen isotopic composition of opals from Lake Tecopa, California, U.S.A. American Mineralogist, 103, 5, 803-811. 10.2138/am-2018-6131
Zubkov V.I., Solomnikova A.V., Post J.E., Gaillou E., Butler J.E. (2017) Characterization of electronic properties of natural type IIb diamonds. Diamond & Related Materials, vol. 72, pp. 87-93. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.diamond.2017.01.011
Schoor M., Boulliard J.C., Gaillou E., Hardouin Duparc O., Estève I., Baptiste B., Rondeau B., Fritsch E. (2016) Plastic deformation in natural diamonds: Rose channels associated to mechanical twinning. Diamond & Related Materials, vol. 66, pp. 102-106. doi: 10.1016/j.diamond.2016.04.004
Gaillou E., Post J.E., Byrne K.S., Butler J.E. (2014) Study of the Blue Moon Diamond. Gems & Gemology, vol. 50, No 4, pp. 280-286.
Gaillou E., Post J.E., Rose T., Butler J.E. (2012) Cathodoluminescence of Natural, Plastically Deformed Pink Diamonds. Microscopy and Microanalysis, Vol. 18, No 6, pp. 1292-1303.
Gaillou E., Rost D., Post J.E., Butler J.E. (2012) Boron in natural type IIb blue diamonds: chemical and spectroscopic measurements. American Mineralogist, vol. 97, No 1, 1-18.
Gaillou E., Fritsch E., Massuyeau F. (2012) Luminescence of gem opals: a review of intrinsic and extrinsic emission. Australian Gemmologist, vol. 24, No 8, pp. 200-201.
Walter M.J., Kohn S.C., Araujo D., Bulanova G.P., Smith C.B., Gaillou E., Wang J., Steele A., Shirey S.B. (2011) Deep mantle cycling of oceanic crust: evidence from diamonds and their mineral inclusions. Science, vol. 334, No 6052, pp. 54-57.
Gaillou E., Post J.E., Wang W., King J.M., Moses T.M., Butler J.E. (2010) More on the Wittelsbach-Graff and Hope diamonds. Gems & Gemology, vol. 46, No 3, pp. S1, S4.
Gaillou E., Post J.E., Bassim N., Fries M., Rose T., Stroud R., Butler J.E. (2010) Spectroscopic and microscopic characterization of color lamellae in natural pink diamonds. Diamond & Related Materials, vol. 19, pp. 1207-1220.
Gaillou E., Wang W, Post J.E., King J.M., Butler J.E., Collins A.T., Moses T.M. (2010) The Wittelsbach-Graff and Hope diamonds: not cut from the same rough. Gems & Gemology, vol. 46, No 2, pp 80-88.
Rondeau B., Fritsch E., Mazzero F., Gauthier J.-P., Cenki-Tok B., Bekele E., Gaillou E. (2010) Play-of-color opal from Wegel Tena, Wollo Province, Ethiopia. Gems & Gemology, vol. 46, No 2, pp 90-105.
Gaillou E., Fritsch E., Aguilar-Reyes B., Rondeau B., Barreau A., Ostroumov M. (2008) Common gem opal: An investigation of micro- to nano-structure. American Mineralogist, vol. 93, pp. 1865-1873.
Gaillou E., Fritsch E., Notari F. (2008) Photoinduced absorptions of the H1b and H1c centers in some natural treated diamonds. Diamond and Related Materials, vol. 17, pp. 2029-2036.
Gaillou E., Delaunay A., Rondeau B., Bouhnik-Le Coz M., Fritsch E., Cornen G., Monnier C. (2008) The geochemistry of opals as evidence of their origin. Ore and Geology Reviews, vol. 34, pp. 113-126.
Gaillou E., Post J.E. (2008) An examination of the Napoléon diamond necklace. Gems and Gemology, vol. 43, n° 4, pp. 352-357. http://lgdl.gia.edu/pdfs/gemsandgemology/articles/Wi07-G&G-article-on-napoleon-diamond-necklace.pdf
Fritsch E., Gaillou E., Rondeau B., Barreau A., Albertini D., Ostroumov M. (2006) The nanostructure of fire opal. Journal of Non Crystalline Solids, vol. 352, pp. 3957-3960.
Gaillou E., Delaunay A., Fritsch E., Bouhnik-le-Coz M. (2006) Geologic origin of opals deduced from geochemistry. Gems & Gemology, vol. 42, n°3, p. 107.
Gaillou E. (2006) Relations entre nanostructure, propriétés physiques et mode de formation des opales A et CT. Université de Nantes, France, PhD Thesis, 307pp.
Gaillou E., Rondeau B., Fritsch E., Bouhnik-Le-Coz M., Cornen G., Ostroumov M. (2005) Toward a geochemistry of opals. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, vol. 69, n° 10, p. A279.
Fritsch E., Gaillou E., Ostroumov M., Rondeau B., Devouard B., Barreau A. (2004) Relationship between nanostructure and optical absorption in fibrous pink opals from Mexico and Peru. European Journal of Mineralogy, vol. 16, pp. 743-752.
Gaillou E. (2003) Les saphirs du Massif Central : Etude minéralogique des saphirs du Sioulot, du Mont Coupet et du Menoyre - Détermination de leur origine. Mémoire de Diplôme d’Etudes Approfondies. Université Blaise Pascal, Clermont-Ferrand, France. 68p.
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Musée de Minéralogie
Mines Paris - PSL
60 boulevard Saint-Michel
75006 Paris
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TUESDAY: 10am - 12pm and 1:30pm - 6pm.
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