Joining Gem Adventurer™ in 2014, Gavin Linsell is an Australian gemstone writer, gem expert and gemstone traveler, who has lived in Thailand for 22 years.
Holding a bachelor of science, Gavin’s expertise is in the buying, selling and marketing of gemstones. Gavin is the author of three gemstone books, ‘Guide to Gems & Jewelry’ (translated into four languages and published in five editions) and ‘The Clever Gem Buyer’ (now in its third edition, it’s also published in German and Italian). An expanded German version, ‘Die Welt Der Edelsteine’ was released in 2019, and includes a whole new look and feel, lessons learned from previous editions, as well as many more gemstones. Gavin was also featured in a series of gemstone documentaries, and in 2014 appeared in the internationally airing ‘Game of Stones’ series on Discovery Channel.
A familiar face for jewelry shoppers due to his numerous appearances on television shopping channels in America, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, Japan and the UK, Gavin for many will always be ‘Gemstone Gav’, a colorful moniker that alludes to his encyclopedic knowledge and unbridled passion for gemstones. In 2013, JTV presented Gavin with their ‘Guest Excellence Award 2012’ for his outstanding on-air contribution.
Gavin’s ‘first contact’ with gemstones happened when he was about 10 years old, courtesy of a small water-filled container of Opal tailings given to him by an aunt. Following a successful marketing consultancy career in his native Sydney, where he was fortunate to work for a variety of prestigious clients, Gavin made the move to Thailand.
Gavin’s professional love affair with gemstones started over two decades ago under the shadow of Khao Ploi Waen, ‘the mountain of gemstone rings’ in Chanthaburi, Thailand, an international center for colored gemstones. Since then Gavin has accumulated extensive experience while visiting gem markets and mining centers in Africa, Asia and South America, marketing gemstones for numerous international companies.
