09.02.2021

Forbes: SIIL Students to Study at the Vladimir Golubev Stone Museum

The V.S. Golubev Stone Museum—founded by the Vice President and co-owner of the “Adamant” holding company—and the Swiss International Institute Lausanne (SIIL) have announced the launch of a new specialized elective program, “Fundamentals of Gemology.” The course will be integrated into the Bachelor’s program in “Brand Management of Luxury Goods and Services.”

Vladimir Golubev’s journey as a collector began 27 years ago when he returned from his first business trip to China with suitcases full of jade figurines. What started as an appreciation for craftsmanship soon evolved into a passion for the raw, primordial beauty of minerals. His collection now features quartz druses, amethyst, citrine, and calcite geodes, “desert roses,” chrysanthemum stones (celestite), ammonites, and meteorites. The specimens are notable for their massive, “cyclopean” sizes, extraordinary shapes, crystal clarity, and vibrant colors.

As the collection grew, it eventually filled a specially built two-story wing at Golubev’s estate in Rublyovka (near Moscow), which is set to open this spring as a private museum.

The museum’s concept has evolved during its curation. As the carved jade and giant geodes were being installed, it became clear to the collector that the space required a dedicated “edutainment” program—ranging from activities for preschoolers to academic courses for university students.

As part of this vision, a specialized lecture hall is currently being completed on the second floor of the museum. This will serve as the classroom for students of the Swiss International Institute Lausanne (SIIL). Classes for the Bachelor’s program will be held directly within the museum space on Rublyovka.

Golubev plans to open the first galleries to the public this May. The owner does not intend to charge an admission fee and declined to disclose the total investment in the project. However, experts interviewed by Forbes estimate the value of the collection to be in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Based on materials from Forbes — https://www.forbes.ru/