Precious Gemstones Archives
Blue Sapphires
Royal Blue Sapphire
Of all of the precious sapphires, blue sapphires are the most popular and sought after type of sapphire. They have been a part of the jewelry collections of emperors, kings, queens and collectors for many years. Currently, it is the most well known and in demand colored gemstone.
Blue sapphires come in various hues from light blue to a very rich royal blue
Sapphires in various Shades of Blue
Picture Courtesy of Natural Sapphires
Sapphires are mined in many places around the world but few locations produce fine qualities. The most dazzling and beautiful sapphires are mined from the same countries for thousands of years and few new deposits have been discovered in recent times.
The most recognized producer of fine blue sapphires is the country of Sri Lanka; or “Ceylon” as it is known within the trade (Ceylon was the original name of the country. It was changed to “Sri Lanka” upon gaining independence from the British).
The quantity and quality of blue sapphires coming from Sri Lanka is only rivaled by the royal blue sapphires found in Madagascar.
Madagascar Royal Blue Sapphires
Of all of the gemstones used together with white diamonds in engagement rings, blue sapphires may be the most dazzling and exquisite contrast to the icy white look of a well cut diamond.
For this reason, blue sapphires are incredibly popular in 3 stone engagement rings and designer diamond jewelry pieces.
Click on this link for excellent information on precious blue sapphires.
Worlds Largest Ruby Ring on Display
23.1 Carat Burmese Ruby (&) Diamond Ring
The Worlds largest and most exquisitely faceted ruby, A 23.1 carat gem, is now on display at the Smithsonian Institution's National Gem and Mineral collection in Washington, D.C.
The dazzling diamond and ruby ring was a gift from Peter Buck, founder of the Subway Sandwich chain in honor of his late wife.
Read more here.
Colored Gemstones Increasingly Popular!
Rapaport reports today that colored gemstones are very hot right now in jewelry items and that 85 percent of females reported that they plan on purchasing colored gemstones within the next six months!!
Way to go!
Madagascar Loosens Gemstone Restrictions.
The government of Madagascar, which had placed tight restrictions on the export of its much-coveted gemstones, plans to open the island up to foreign traders, a mineral resources official told the International Colored Gemstone Association (ICA) Congress.
Right now only exporters that are registered as Malagasy companies have the right to export gemstones, a restriction that the government estimates has helped lead to millions of dollars worth of gemstones being smuggled out of the country.
Under new regulatory reform signed Feb. 18 by the Ministry of Energy and Mines, Madgascar will allow both local and foreign traders to buy rough and polished stones in privately operated gemstone markets, within which the government will provide support for security and the physical infrastructure of the markets.
The policy change delighted gem dealers, who have been griping that prices on gemstones from Madagascar have doubled and tripled since it was first discovered as a hot spot for pink and blue sapphire five years ago. Opening the market to foreign traders should help stabilize prices, and bring more colored gemstones into a supply-hungry market.
"The full potential of the island hasn't been touched," ICA President Joseph Menzie said. "It's developing fast as a production center for the gemtrade. It's going to become a much bigger center in terms of production in the future."
Biggest Polished Sapphire Ever Recorded!!
I just found an amazing article regarding a collector who has in his possession the worlds biggest polished sapphire!!
Here is the link.
World's Biggest Tanzanite Gemstone Found.
Tanzanite-One said it has found the world's largest tanzanite gemstone weighing 16,839 carats! in the foothills of Tanzania's Mount Killimanjaro.
Tanzanite in rough form.
Polished Tanzanite.
The new find comes on the heels of Tanzania's push to re-channel profits generated from tanzanite mining back into its local economy.
What makes this find even more remarkable is that tanzanite production is unpredictable and inconsistent due to bad mining practices.
Another financial obstacle facing the industry is the value added tax (20 percent) that is added on gemstones, including those intended for export. The tax prevents inter-dealer trade and mining, which in turn makes is more difficult to establish a local cutting industry.
Tanzania is looking to duplicate the development of local manufacturing industries of South Africa and Madagascar. Both countries are increasingly opposed to exporting raw materials outside of the country and are insisting that the majority of rough gems be earmarked for local manufacturing.
Ruby Gemstone: Power, Passion, Life!
Ruby: Rough and Polished state.
Ruby is the red variety of the corundum mineral, one of the hardest minerals on Earth which also includes Sapphire. Pure corundum is colorless. Slight traces of the color creating elements such as chrome, iron, titanium or vanadium are responsible for the colour. These gemstones show an excellent hardness. On the Moh’s Scale they achieve a hardness of 9, second only to diamonds. Only red corundum may be called Ruby, any other color is referred to as Sapphires. The close relationship of Ruby and Sapphire has been known since the beginning of the 19th century. Up to that time, also red Garnets or Spinells were thought to be Rubies – and due to this misclassification the so-called "Black Ruby” as well as the "Timur Ruby” decorating the British Crown Jewels are probably actually no Rubies at all, but Spinells.
For thousands of years Ruby has been considered on of the most valuable gemstones on Earth. It meets all of the requirements for a precious gemstone: Wonderful colour, excellent hardness, and excellent brilliance. It is an extremely rare gemstone, especially in the finer qualities.
Ruby consists of aluminium oxide and chrome as well as smallest proportions of other trace elements - depending on the respective occurrence. In really fine colours and good clarity this gemstone is rare. This scarcity is due to the colour-creating element chrome. Although chrome gives the Ruby its wonderful color it also causes a multitude of fissures and tiny irregularities inside the crystals. Only very few ruby crystals grow undisturbed to considerable sizes and crystallize to form a perfect gemstone. Therefore, fine Rubies are quite scarce in sizes above 3 carats. Rubies with hardly any inclusions are extremely valuable and in good colors and larger sizes will bring top prices at auctions.
India was considered as the classical country of Rubies. The history of Rubies in India spans over two thousand years. The term "corundum” which is used today is derived from the Sanskrit word "kuruvinda”. In the Sanskrit language Ruby is called "ratnaraj”, which translates as "King of Gemstones”.
Today, in addition to India, quality Rubies are mined in Burma,Laos, Nepal, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Kenya, and Tanzania.
GIA To Issue Reports for Rubies and Sapphires.
The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) has updated its identification reports for colored gemstones. Rubies, sapphires, and alexandrites will now receive their own gem-specific reports, according to the GIA. In the past, only emeralds received their own reports.
Due to "increasingly sophisticated treatments" for gemstones today, more research and time is required to identify and analyze gemstones, said Tom Moses, senior vice president of the GIA Laboratory and Research. "As a result, we continue to expand our testing processes."
Identification reports will be available for unmounted or mounted gemstones and provide "better descriptions, more detail, and more information on treatments," according to the GIA's statement.
Moses said, "Through collaborative efforts with various trade groups within the color gemstone industry, our goal is to provide our clients with the most thorough research and clear reporting available. Specifically, our new ruby and sapphire reports reflect the harmonized disclosure nomenclature that GIA has been developing with other gemological labs around the world through the Laboratory Manual Harmonization Committee."
The fee schedule is divided into four categories: Ruby, Sapphire, Emerald, and Alexandrite Services; Gemstone Identification (for other gemstones;) Pearl Services; and Additional Services, which include the updating and verification of previous reports.
In other news from the GIA, the organization is providing diamond cut grading seminars in select cities.
"We developed these free cut grade seminars to provide industry trade members with the opportunity to learn the new grading system through hands-on training," said Brook Ellis, GIA's vice president of education.
During these free seminars, for round brilliant cut diamonds, attendees will gain practical experience in estimating cut grade; judging brightness, fire, and pattern; assessing a diamond's proportions; and grading polish and symmetry to estimate its cut grade. By learning the cut grade system firsthand, attendees will be better able to explain this system to their customers. Previous diamond grading experience or training is required. All attendees must also have a working knowledge of GIA's International Diamond Grading System.
Seminars will be held at GIA's campuses in Carlsbad, California; Los
Angeles, and in New York. Additional seminars are scheduled for: Atlanta, Georgia; Chicago, Illinois; Dallas, Texas; Las Vegas, Nevada; San Francisco, California; Yellowknife and Montreal, Canada; and Johannesburg, South Africa.
Stolen Diamond Slippers Returned!
Three Toronto photo lab workers will share a $25,000 reward for helping recover a pair of slippers stolen from the Bata Shoe Museum.
Stolen Diamond Slippers
These rare, jewel-encrusted slippers, once worn by an Indian prince, were stolen from the Bata Shoe Museum on Jan. 22.
The jeweled slippers, worth $160,000, were stolen from the Toronto museum in late January in a daylight robbery.
A gold toe ring, set with diamonds and rubies and valued at $11,000 and a gold anklet, set with diamonds, rubies and emeralds and valued at $45,000, also were taken.
The theft led museum founder Sonja Bata to offer a $25,000 reward for return of the items.
Tom Hamilton, the owner of the photo shop, was packaging some photos when he spotted a picture of one of the slippers.
When a man returned to pick up the photos, Hamilton and his staff diverted his attention enough to secretly snap his picture and call police.
A gold toe ring set with diamonds and rubies and a gold anklet set with diamonds, rubies and emeralds also disappeared.
During their investigation of the robbery, Toronto police released photos of "persons of interest" in the case, without saying where they got the photos.
That led to a break in the case. A man was arrested on March 3.
Filip Djukic, 35, was charged with possession of property obtained by crime.
The slippers, once worn by the Nizam Sikandar Jah of Hyderabad, and the other two items were recovered in a Toronto church after an anonymous call to a museum employee.
David Yurman Jewelry: Evolution of a Jewelry Designer.
The Orlando Sentinel has an interesting feature on David Yurman today.
David Yurman jewelry is like your favorite blue jeans -- only much more expensive. The jewelry is "comfortable," says Yurman, 63, who recently visited his new boutique, which rubs shoulders with Cartier and Tiffany in Orlando's Mall at Millenia.
The jewelry is also versatile, he says. "You can wear it anywhere, day to evening." Just like blue jeans.
It wasn't always that way with jewelry. Before the 1980s, when Yurman's now-iconic cable bracelets became the most coveted, and copied, arm candy in the United States, there were two kinds of jewelry: Costume for everyday wear, and fine jewelry for special occasions.
The relaxed elegance of Yurman's designs bridged the divide. The jewelry is classic but with a modern twist that gives it go-anywhere elan.
Fashioned from gold and silver, many pieces also feature coral and turquoise, a sparkling array of gemstones and Yurman's current favorite, South Seas pearls. Signature motifs include a squared "cushion" shape, a hook-and-eye closure and the widely recognized twisting "cable" pattern.
The designs are "a combination of art, fine jewelry and fashion," says Yurman, who wears several of his creations: A ring, a bracelet and a square-faced watch.
Dressed all in black, his thick white hair swept straight back, his chin fashionably stubbled, he looks every inch the artist from Tribeca, the New York neighborhood where he and his artist wife, Sylvia, live and work.
Before designing jewelry, Yurman was a sculptor, hanging out with prominent Beat artists of the 1960s; writer Norman Mailer, painter Franz Kline, sculptor Ron Boise.
"I did these funny little silver angels," he says.
It was one of those angels, fashioned into a belt buckle, that sparked his career as a jewelry designer.
The buckle was a gift to Sybil, his girlfriend at the time. She wore it to an art opening, where it caught the eye of the gallery owner. He asked if it was for sale. Yurman said no, but Sybil said yes -- and within weeks they found themselves in the jewelry business.
Ever since, they've had good-luck angels perched on their shoulders. Their collections are in more than 450 stores around the world, and David Yurman is one of the best-known luxury brands on the planet.
Gwyneth Paltrow and Barbra Streisand wear the jewelry; Steven Spielberg and Kevin Spacey the watches; hip-hop moguls Jay-Z and Damon Dash the men's designs. Their ad campaigns have featured models Amber Valetta and Kate Moss, and the company's newest "face" is Naomi Watts -- who recently flashed Yurman earrings of rose quartz and diamonds at the Oscars.
Orlando real estate agent Virginia Morales, 49, collects Yurman bracelets. "I wear three, four at a time," she says. "My husband always knows what to give me for my birthday, anything David Yurman."
Since founding their company in 1980, the Yurmans have worked as a team.
"I have the vision; I design the collections," explains Yurman. "My wife does the styling and merchandising."
Their son, Evan, is part of their ever-expanding creative team. And let's not forget the lawyers.
The couple's designs, which range from about $300 for a simple bracelet to more than $7,000 for a multistrand couture necklace, are among the most copied in the world. Yurman is not flattered by imitators and spends $1 million a year protecting his brand.
"Copying is stealing," he says. People who wear copies are deceptive. "And that's not cool."
Worse, he says, they are supporting counterfeiters who may pay no taxes, have ties to illegal operations or use child labor.
As his company grows, Yurman finds himself more in the role of executive than artist.
"It's less like playing an instrument, more like being the leader of the band," he says. "I'm about ready to do more art work."
But that is not likely to happen anytime soon. First, he plans to introduce a line of Yurman eyewear and a Yurman fragrance, followed by Yurman handbags and luggage.
No wonder he believes in angels.
Tiffany Sales Up, Profits Down.
Tiffany & Co.’s overall net sales in fiscal 2005 rose 9 percent to $2.4 billion, and profits fell 16.3 percent to $254.7 million.
Tiffany’s attributed the decline in profit to a one time gain in December 2004. In fiscal 2004, earnings in the fourth quarter and year benefited from a pre-tax gain of $194 million as a result of the company's sale of its shares in Aber Diamond Corporation.
Retail sales in the United States rose 9 percent to $1.2 billion during the fiscal year, same-store sales rose 7 percent (branch store sales rose 7 percent and New York flagship store sales rose 5 percent.) Tiffany’s attributed comparable store sales growth to higher spending per transaction. Tiffany’s opened four stores stateside in 2005 and operated 59 Tiffany & Co. stores by year-end 2005.
Burmese Rubies? Make Sure They Are.
Rapaport News reports that several rubies between five to 10 carats, ranging from good to very good quality, were submitted to the Gubelin Gem Lab, under the pretext that they were from a "new Burmese mine."
Gubelin Gem Lab concluded that the rubies were submitted by gem dealers as "Burmese rubies," but advanced microscopic, chemical and spectral analyses, found that the gems were not consistent with known Burmese deposits but rather closer in property to those found in the Pamir mountain area of Tajikistan.
Daniel Nyfeler, managing director of Gubelin Gem Lab, told Rapaport News, "We recognized that the material is not matching the properties of the rubies from our reference collection of any of the known Burma mines.
"However, the properties of the stones we have seen from our clients well match the stones from the Murghab area in the Pamir mountains of Tajikistan."
The rubies were purchased in Bangkok, Thailand, and Yangon, Myanmar, under the assumption that they were from Burma (also called Myanmar.) Lab results proved that gemological features of the rubies did not match those of Burmese deposits of Mogok, Namya Sek, and Mong Hsu, but rather were similar to rubies found in the Pamir mountain area in Tajikistan with gemological properties of marble-type ruby deposits
The gemstones submitted to the laboratory display a pinkish-red to red coloration, often combined with a faint bluish sheen. These characteristics are often displayed in rubies from other marble-type deposits such as Vietnam and Afghanistan.
Nyfeler added that one of the lab's gemologists went to Asia last week to further investigate the matter, and inquired with dealers familiar with the trade routes in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, China, and also with the market in Yangon "We are now having sufficient certainty that these stones are indeed of Tajik origin, and we are also writing the respective origin on our reports," he said.
The findings were not the first time gemstones were sold from Burma as local finds, which would "achieve a higher price," Nyfeler said. Certain labs have certified the lesser quality rubies as Burmese or from the New Burmese mine, he said.
Diamond & Jewlery at Retail: How Much Money Is Involved?
The US jewelry retail industry generates annual revenues of about $44 billion from 28,000 specialty, department, and discount stores. Specialty retailers hold about 50 percent of the market. Wal-Mart is the biggest jewelry retailer in the country, followed by Zale, the biggest specialty jeweler with over 2,000 stores and kiosks. The industry is highly fragmented: the top 10 jewelry chains hold less than 25 percent of the market. Other large specialty retailers are Tiffany and Sterling, the US branch of British jeweler Signet Group.
Jewelry sales depend partly on consumer income. Small jewelers can effectively compete with large chains because price isn't the main factor determining retail sales. Profitability depends on the volume of sales because sales costs are high and fixed. Because gross margins are very high, often 50 percent, mass merchants like Wal-Mart have taken market share by controlling costs and cutting prices.
Jewelry is often classified as bridal merchandise (engagement, bridal and anniversary rings - about 35 percent of the market); fashion jewelry (rings, bracelets, earrings, pins, gold chains); and watches, silver flatware, and other giftware. Diamond jewelry and loose diamonds account for the largest share of total jewelry store sales (46 percent); gold jewelry for 11 percent; colored gemstone jewelry (rubies, sapphires, emeralds, etc.) 9 percent; and watches 4 percent.
Jurassic Jewel Gemstones: You're Wearing DUNG Around Your NECK!!
From this morning's Whittier (California) News: Jurassic "Jewels"
Bring along the air-freshener!
Jade May Go The Way of the Dinosaur.
Alarming news coming out of China as The South China Morning Post reports that China's supplies of a rare jade, mainly mined from a river in Xinjiang, will soon be exhausted if excessive exploitation continues, a gem expert warned.
Wang Shiqi, deputy director of Peking University's Gemstone Appraisal Centre, said deposits of Khotan, or Hotan, jade would be depleted in five or six years if the government did not stop the indiscriminate use of heavy excavation machinery along Xinjiang's Yurungkax River, the main source of the stone.
The jade, named after Hotan, a city on the river, is considered to be the highest quality because of its pure texture and tallow-like lustre. It has been associated with emperors throughout Chinese history.
Khotan jade can sell for up to $125.00 a gram, and prices have rocketed in recent years because of a sharp decrease in output.
Xinhua said prospectors with modern mining equipment had flooded into the region to capitalise on the gemstone's high prices. They had seriously depleted the jade and damaged the environment.
"There are about 200,000 people and about 2,000 excavators working along the Yurungkax River," one jade miner was quoted by Xinhua as saying. He said it was getting harder to find the gemstone. Mainland media have said that more than 80 per cent of the jade had been extracted.
Hotan jade trader Zheng Shengli said he thought the jade would be depleted in no more than three years if overexploitation continued.
"I am an insider of the business and know more about the situation," Zheng said. "About half of the machines have stopped running now because no gemstones can be found."
He said local residents were generally poor, but many had borrowed money and pooled it to buy excavation equipment, costing as much as $44,000.
How do You describe The Color of A Gemstone To An Internet Customer?
This important question may now have an answer, reports Reed Business Systems.
How do you describe the crisp green glow of an emerald or the complex interplay between colors in a ruby?
Each gem is unique, so words cannot paint an accurate picture, and digital photographs do not capture their color accurately. Now a technique to describe and record a jewel's exact color has been developed by Menahem Sevdermish of gem software company GemEwizard, based in Ramat Gan, Israel.
The technique should vastly improve the buying and selling of precious stones online, and could also help to spot stolen gems. "It's like the fingerprint of the stone," he says.
Diamonds are commonly traded online because their vital characteristics, including tint, clarity, cut and carat value, are easily described. Gems are different, says Richard Drucker, a gemologist in Northbrook, Illinois. "We just say 'slightly purplish, medium tone.' It's very vague."
To record a gem's color, Sevdermish scans it in a white box using special lighting. Computer software then splits the image into thousands of spots, like pixels, and measures the hue, darkness, and color intensity of each. This numerical description of the gem at each spot forms a unique color map.
An online seller could scan a gem and email its map to a buyer, who could use Sevdermish's database of 150,000 fingerprinted gem images to show the closest match on screen or compare the fingerprint with the details of a lost or stolen jewel.
Take This Blue Sapphire, Please!
Only $420,000.
"You have to not only be wealthy to own this, you have to be lucky to have the opportunity to purchase it," says gem cutter Michael Arnstein of the Natural Sapphire Co., which is selling the largest natural blue sapphire available in the United States.
Discovered in 1952 in the gem mines of Sri Lanka, the 129-carat rough sapphire crystal yielded an 80-carat sapphire in its first cutting. It was then sold to a British family and held in private ownership until the late 1990s. At that time, it was re-cut into a more perfect shape and with better symmetry to improve its light and color reflection.
I'll take two!
Tanzanite. A Gem In Threat Of Extinction! | Watch The Video
The gorgeous and precious bluish-purple gemstone tanzanite, is becoming an increasingly rare commodity as a result of over-mining.
The mineral was discovered in 1967 in the Meralani Hills near Arusha, Tanzania and is (thus far) the only place in the world where the gemstone has been found.
Authentic tanzanite has a slight variation in color depending on the surrounding lighting conditions and can change from changing from a deep hue of blue blue to purple and shades of green. Tanzanite is sometimes treated with high intensity heat to subtly assert a certain color or overtone.
Tanzanite rough, shortly after being brought up from the ground.
Polished Tanzanite gem.
The gem exploded in popularity with a very effective marketing program by Tiffany & Co. soon after its discovery.
As a result of this initiative, as well as the incredible and striking beauty of this gem, sales of this gemstone has been consistently near the top of the charts for all precious gemstones.
The largest tanzanite crystal found was in 2005, weighing in at 16,839 carats (7.5 lbs) and measuring 22 x 8 x 7 cm.
Now here is the problem:
Because of the fact that Tanzanite is mined in one specific geographic location and a result of its huge popularity (and relative scarcity), experts say there is only about a 10 year supply of Tanzanite left under the ground!
This fact has increased the demand for this precious gem as people look to purchase this beautiful work of G-d before it might become extinct.
Here is an awesome video on Tanzanite, from its history and origins until today.
I found this on You Tube and it's great!
Enjoy!
Glacier Blue Topaz. What Is It?
Colored gemstones are some of the most beautiful creations on this earth.
They are exceptionally desirable for their versatility in jewelry creations, as well as for their excellent price points.
Colored gemstones
Topaz is an incredibly beautiful gemstone that has traditionally been treated with a process to enhance and promote a deep blue hue.
Suppliers of a new kind of enhanced topaz are aiming to replace both irradiated and coated colors. Can topaz colored by surface-fusion become a new basic?
Introducing "Glacier Blue Topaz".
Gorgeous stone with a bit of controversy...
Glacier Blue, on the other hand, is a surface-colored variety. And the color layer isn’t even topaz. It’s a thin alchemized surface of cobalt spinel. Is a lab-colored topaz hybrid a good spokesman for natural color gems? This is where the subject of topaz gets very tricky—and even more controversial.
To read the entire article, click here.
True 'Kryptonite' Found In Serbia!
Holy Batman!!....er....Superman!!
A new mineral found in Serbia shares virtually the same chemical composition as the fictional "Kryptonite" from the Superman series!
Real Kryptonite is white and powdery
The fictional Kryptonite is green and glows.....giving Superman a tough time.
Scientists discovered the match after Googling its chemical formula-sodium lithium boron silicate hydroxide.
The problem is that the Jadarite (its current nomenclature) is not green and does not glow. Rather, it is white and powdery instead.
Irradiated Blue Topaz: Be Very Careful!
The American Gem Trade Association (AGTA) has called for the checking of irradiated blue topaz and for members to consider temporarily suspending imports of these gemstones.
Recently the United States, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) stepped up enforcement of irradiated gemstones, which resulted in some retailers pulling these goods from the shelves.
AGTA said that while there hadn't been a confirmed report of cancer or radiation poisoning as a result of irradiated gemstones to their knowledge, increase care in handling was prudent. "We have no reason to believe that any significant quantity of dangerous gemstones [exist] in the market today. However, since there have been a handful of sightings over [the past few decades] of gemstones with potentially harmful radiation, we are taking the prudent step of reminding all AGTA members that if they handle deep blue topaz, they should do their own radiation checks".
Government rules affect darker color blue topaz, as some light blue topaz is LINAC (linear accelerator) treated and had been exempt from the rules. NRC rules apply to treated gemstones. In coming months however, LINAC treated gems will face there own regulations including having an NRC license for the importation of blue topaz, red tourmalines, many beryls (except emerald,) kunzite and irradiated diamonds.
AGTA concluded that since blue topaz generates more than $1 billion in sales each year, expanded regulations increase the amount of business risk.
NRC rules require documentation of all irradiated gems, including a paper trail of sources, and AGTA members are encouraged to identify inventories by vendor and date of import. Older stock will have had radioactive decay, AGTA mentioned, and could be easier to sell or document as safe.
All new imports must be clearly identified by vendor and date, as should sales to manufacturers and retailers AGTA concluded. AGTA urged its membership to temporarily suspend importing such stones until the status and safety could be clarified.
We advise that you check with your Jeweler before purchasing.
Irradiated Gemstones: Update
We recently blogged on the possible danger of Irradiated Gemstones and noted that several retailers, most notably Stuller and Sterling Jewelers have stopped selling irradiated precious gemstones.
Now comes word from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) of their recent test results on several large batches of irradiated Blue Topaz in which they found no evidence of any health threat or safety issue.
Eight of the nine batches of gems, which averaged around 500 carats each, showed only background levels of radiation, while one registered at "twice background."
Background levels refer to radiation that is picked up merely because a survey meter is turned on because there are already low levels of radiation present in the atmosphere. By measuring "twice background," it implies that there are low levels, but nothing that would be considered dangerous or hazardous to health.
Jewelers, are however, still very concerned as to whether their existing stocks of precious gemstones may contain levels of irradiation that pose a significant risk. To this end, the NRC has indicated that they will continue to do random irradiation testing of Precious gemstones and will set up a program with Jewelers to test samples of their gemstone stock.
Stay tuned.
Gemstone Treatments Becoming more Sophisticated and Harder to Detect.
That was the theme of a morning session of the Accredited Gemologists Association (AGA) meeting in Tucson, Arizona where gemologists and appraisers are meeting this week to discuss and share information on the latest gemstone treatments and detection methods that can be used to identify stones that have undergone the latest treatments.
Paraiba Tourmaline
Beauty Personified! But Is It "Treated"?
As the gemological community races to keep up with the latest treatments, one thing seems clear: Gemstone treaters, and those who sell their gussied-up wares, are speeding ahead, nimbler than ever.
"To paraphrase Jimmy Carter, we have to declare the moral equivalent of war on these issues, and if you don't do it, nobody's going to do it," panel moderator David Federman, editor-in-chief of Colored Stone magazine, told the audience. "This is like global warming. Deny it all you want, but the glaciers are melting."
The impetus behind the new treatments is, as always, dollar signs $$$$. Ted Themelis, an expert on Burmese gem deposits, says rough ruby that would sell for $70 to $100 per kilogram could go for $1,000 per kilogram after undergoing treatments that make poorer quality goods look much more attractive.
Ruby
Lead glass-filled rubies, the heavily treated stones coming out of the gem-trading center of Chanthaburi, Thailand, are often undergoing more than one process.
Among the new treatment techniques discussed during the session are cobalt-infused sapphire and pink-diamond treatments.
Christopher Smith, vice president and chief gemologist of American Gemological Laboratories, said the cobalt-infused sapphire is a neon blue, similar to Paraiba tourmaline or Malagasy apatite.
The treatment is detectable, through the use of a Chelsea filter, through spectroscopy, which reveals bands of cobalt, and through various other methods, including the use of a microscope.
"When we looked in more detail at the color, we saw blotches and black pits in the center of color under microscope," Smith said.
Branko Deljanin, director of Canadian operations at EGL USA, says colored-diamond treatments are also a concern, with high-pressure high-temperature (HPHT), coating and fracture-filling irradiation among those used.
"Or there's some combination of all, and that's the scariest," Deljanin said.
Buy colored gemstones from a reputable dealer with grading reports from a reputable grading laboratory.
Vivid Blue Internally Flawless Diamond Fetches Record Price!
Sotheby’s on Tuesday named Joseph Lau Luen-Hung as the buyer of the cushion-shaped 7.03-carat, vivid blue, IF diamond that fetched a record-breaking $9.48 million at auction last week. Lau is a renowned Hong Kong collector and connoisseur.
Lau is a real estate investor who owns a 71 percent stake in Chinese Estates Holdings, and is ranked as Hong Kong’s fifth richest person by Forbes Magazine, with a net worth of around $4 billion.
Lau has named the stone "Star of Josephine." The auction house noted that the diamond sale, which took place May 12 in Geneva, broke two auction records — the world record price per carat for any gemstone at auction, and world record price for a fancy vivid blue diamond at auction.
Colored Gemstones On Display In New York City.
A collection exhibiting the world's rarest natural color diamonds has been extended at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City.
The Olympia Diamond Collection is comprised of five diamonds in the - blue-green, orange-yellow, purplish-pink, blue and orange. Each has been independently examined and graded by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) as 'vivid', the highest level of color saturation possible.
These diamonds range in size from 1.01 carats to 2.34 carats and represent five of the strongest colors that naturally occur in a diamond.
For example, the Scarselli 1.71 carat heart-cut, natural red color diamond is the largest one in the world,graded by the GIA as a fancy red , and has an estimated value of some $10 million!
