A Question Of Origin

2007: I think John Koivula was right. The laboratories have no need for origin, and in some cases there is no way of knowing where the stones came from.

(via Gemological Digest, Vol.3, No.1, 1990) John Koivula writes:

With regard to your article, “A Question of Origin,” I agree with your basic premise that where determining country of origin in a gem is concerned, there is some truth in the saying ignorance is bliss. The more knowledge one gains on this subject, the more complex the problem of geographical origin becomes. While an experienced, knowledgeable inclusion expert can identify country of origin for some stones, in most cases it is impossible to determine the precise country of origin. The inclusion identification work that is done by a few colleagues and myself at GIA is done as a scientific endeavor to expand our knowledge of gems—not to prepare country of origin reports.

Your statement that ‘consumer could then be told honestly that these (origin reports) are intended for collectors and researchers’ is part incorrect, because most researchers have no need for origin reports of the type produced by the various gemological laboratories that issue them. Most inclusion researchers study the stones themselves and draw information from the various professional gemological and other earth science publications. In the 25 years that I have done research in this field, I have never found a need for an origin report.

With regard to your comments on there being more than one sapphire mining area in the State of Montana, please be assured that when Dr Gubelin and I discuss inclusions in sapphires from Yogo Gulch in the Photoatlas, we are most definitely referring to stones from that specific locality. Also, in your discussion of Kashmir sapphires you state: “Since the mine is (and has been for many years) off-limits to foreigners, the question arises as to where gemologists got the study samples.” You fail to mention or reference, however, a relatively recent major article on the Kashmir deposit in which the authors obtained their information and samples first-hand at the mining area (D. Atkinson and R. Kothawala, “Kashmir Sapphire,” Gems & Gemology, Vol.19, No.2, 1983, pp 64-76). For some interested in scientific research on Kashmir sapphires, a 1983 article would seem to be at least as valuable as one published in 1890—especially considering the technological advances that have occurred in the interim. I am sure the gemological community is also looking forward to the results of your research on the 1 kg (5000 carats) of known Kashmir sapphire rough you had the good fortune to obtain.