Burma Ruby/Jade Law Update

(via JCK Online) The Burma Task Force, JVC, the American Gem Trade Association, and Jewelers of America, has released guidance on the steps importers and exporters must follow to import non-Burmese rubies and jadeite. It includes:

- Importer Obligations - Under the new regulations, importers continue to be required to certify that their rubies and jadeite were not mined or extracted from Burma. The importer certification is created through the use of new Harmonized Tariff Codes.

In addition, exporters are obligated to assure that Burmese rubies and jadeite are not intermingled with non-Burmese origin rubies and jadeite. Importers are required to secure a written certification from the exporter stating that the rubies and jadeite were not mined or extracted from Burma. The exporter must also provide 'verifiable evidence' that tracks (if exporting rough) the rough from mine to place of first export, (if exporting polished loose gems) from mine to place of final finishing, and for finished jewelry, from mine to place of final finishing of the article of jewelry.

Exceptions to these provisions include re-importation of rubies and jadeite (or jewelry containing the same) that were in the US prior to September 27, 2008 (if re-imported by the same entity or person who exported them originally from the US, as long as they have not been advanced in value) and those imported for personal use.

- Recordkeeping Obligations - Importers of non-Burmese rubies and jadeite must maintain records for five years pertaining to each transaction in covered articles. These records include complete information regarding purchase, manufacture or shipment of covered articles and the exporter’s certification. Importers are required to produce such records upon request by CBP. This includes maintaining the exporter certification and the statement regarding verifiable evidence indicating the source of rough, polished or finished jewelry, depending on which was imported. 'Verifiable evidence' could be an exporter’s warranty stating the country of origin of the covered articles, the place in which they were polished and the place where they were manufactured into jewelry. Such a warranty should also include a statement that the exporter has available records which corroborate the statement in the warranty.

- Responsible Employee of the Exporter - Importers and exporters are required to name on the invoice a responsible employee of the exporter who has or can obtain knowledge of the transactions. The information that this employee should have access to includes: the verifiable evidence of the source and movement of the covered articles.

Useful links:
www.jvclegal.org
www.agta.org
www.jewelers.org
www.cbp.gov
www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h110-3890

Shwedagon Pagoda

(via Wiki) The Shwedagon Pagoda, officially titled Shwedagon Zedi Daw, also known as the Golden Pagoda, is a 98-metre (approx. 321.5 feet) gilded stupa located in Yangon, Burma. The pagoda lies to the west of Kandawgyi Lake, on Singuttara Hill, thus dominating the skyline of the city. It is the most sacred Buddhist pagoda for the Burmese with relics of the past four Buddhas enshrined within, namely the staff of Kakusandha, the water filter of Konagamana, a piece of the robe of Kassapa and eight hairs of Gautama, the historical Buddha.

May, 2008. According to Reuters, the Shwedagon Pagoda was also hit by the cyclone's 120 mile-an-hour (190 kilometer-an-hour) winds, stripping gold leaves from the temple's giant 320-foot (98-meter) domed shrine + dislodging thousands of precious stones, including rubies, emeralds, and sapphires from the surface of the structure. I believe the complex is undergoing renovation.

Paraiba Tourmaline Controversy

David Federman writes about the pros and cons with the origin name Paraiba + provenance issues and the impact @ http://www.colored-stone.com/stories/may08/paraiba.cfm

I think Dave Federman was spot on.

Oriental Rug, Gemstones, Jewelry

I found the article How To Buy an Oriental Rug @ http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1732112,00.html informative because buying rugs can be intimidating for the beginner, just like buying gemstones/jewelry + there is the clash of cultures + you shouldn't forget the first lesson: The seller is going to win, because he invented the game.

Starting A Gem Collection

Many collectors of gemstones like to keep their specimens uncut (in the rough), while others cut and polish to bring out their color, character and beauty + one way to collect is to specialize in a particular family of gem species first, and the add more species and varieties gradually + beginners also will find that more experienced collectors are always ready with advice and assistance on the field + what's amazing is many now-popular gemstones were passed over by early prospectors as being of no commercial value.

European Jewelry: Eighteenth And Nineteenth Centuries

(via 5000 Years of Gems and Jewelry) Frances Rogers and Alice Beard writes:

4. Engraved Gems, Real And Imitation

Early in the eighteenth century some attempt had been made to excavate the long-buried city of Herculaneum, and later Pompeii. General interest was aroused in the classic forms of art unearthed in these ancient cities. Artists and archeologists flocked to Naples, and fashion took note. Not suddenly but by degrees did the classic influence touch one art after another.

In jewelry the effect was to increase the demand for engraved gemstones, cameos in particular. Immediately there followed a flood of imitation ‘antiques’.

Among those who experimented with making imitation gems was Henry Quinn, a physician, whose name might not have been remembered if it had not been for his young laboratory assistant, James Tassie (1735-99).

The two invented a new form of vitreous paste with which to reproduce ancient gems and medallions, not by copying the engraving by hand, but by casting wax models of the gems.

Tassie became so skillful that his imitations possessed to a high degree the color, transparency and beauty of the originals. His work attracted much attention and he was given access to the finest private collections of ancient gems in Europe in order that he might study and reproduce them. His own collection of reproduction became famous.

At the command of Catherine, Empress of Russia, Tassie made for her copies of all his pastes, a matter of several thousand specimens.

Many of Tassie’s copies eventually became treasured museum pieces. However, to a certain extent it seems to have bene unfortunate for the trade in genuine gems that the copies were so good. Numbers of them fell into the hands of unscrupulous dealers, who passed them off as real, and the too often duped public presently became suspicious of all engraved gems and fearing to find itself deceived, ceased to buy.

More familiar and well known, even down to our times, is the name of the English potter, Joshiah Wedgwood (1730-95). Besides his famous jasperware in classic style, he made cameos for jewelry. Mounted in rings, brooches, or bracelets, his little cameos in delicately tinted jasperware, partcularly in blue and white, became exceedingly popular.

European Jewelry: Eighteenth And Nineteenth Centuries (continued)

Dumortierite + Sapphirine

Madagascar + Tanzania are well-known for a number of uncommon + rare minerals, but lately we are seeing more uncommon gem materials from Tunduru, Tanzania; Dumortierite, when transparent, is violetish gray/brownish pink + they are usually found in mine-run parcels (mixed lots); Sapphirine, when transparent, is gray/violet/red + they are commonly found in mine-run parcels (mixed lots) + both Dumortierite and Sapphirine, if found in alluvial sources look like water-worn pebbles and are often confused with mainstream colored stones + standard gemological tests may identify both specimens, if you have master-stone specimens for quick comparison, but if doubtful always consult a reputed gem testing laboratory.

Sinhalite From Burma

Sinhalite has been known from Burma (Ohn Gaing: Ongaing, in northern Mogok) for decades + crystals are well-formed + the colors range from light yellow to brownish yellow + the brown coloration is due to iron and other trace elements (Cr/Mn/Ga/Zn) + most commonly confused with chrysoberyl + the name comes from the word Sinhala, the Sanskrit word for Sri Lanka (Ceylon) + if in doubt always consult a reputed gem testing laboratory.

Colored Stone Update

Intense yellow green (Canary type) tourmalines from Zambia (Lundazi district, eastern Zambia) is the talk of the town + the stones are mined in eluvial/alluvial and primary deposits + most of the tourmalines are heat treated (550-550°C) to reduce the brown/orange tint + stones of mixed sizes (melee +) are encountered in the marketplace + if in doubt always consult a reputed gem testing laboratory.

About Music And Gemstones

Those who danced were thought to be quite insane by those who could not hear the music.
Angela Monet

Music is enough for a lifetime, but a lifetime is not enough for music.
Sergei Rachmaninov

To stop the flow of music would be like the stopping of time itself, incredible and inconceivable.
Aaron Copland

Music takes us out of the actual and whispers to us dim secrets that startle our wonder as to who we are, and for what, whence, and whereto.
Ralph Waldo Emerson

Music fills the infinite between two souls.
Rabindranath Tagore

I think there is a link between music and gemstones. The moment you are able to see through the soul of colored gemstones/diamonds you realize that a lifetime is not enough.

Hidden Glory

I liked the poem because of the inspiring note + the passion factor.

It is a feeling that Mr and Mrs Fred Richards, of Murrarie, Brisbane, Australia expressed very clearly in the poem in stone which they dedicated to Mr Gan Timur because of his love for agate.

The verse was written by Mrs Edna Richards in praise of Queensland’s beautiful rainbow agate. She calls it ‘Hidden Glory’ and it reads:

A man picked up a stone one day,
While walking beside a stream;
He looked at it, then threw it away,
It chipped and lo! a gleam.
He took it home and studied it,
And saw to his surprise,
That beauty lay beneath its crust;
It was indeed a prize.
When cut through with a diamond saw
A picture did unfold
Of hills and dales, red sunset, too,
A glory to behold.
So, whenever you see an ugly stone,
Don’t pass it by with scorn;
It may contain a treasure trove
Just waiting to be born.

These words now glitter in a panel of blue and gold at the Richard’s home. Each of the 478 letters has been cut and polished from one of a score of different Australian rocks and gemstones. It was a labor of love that took Fred Richards 300 hours. The result combines jasper, agate, chrysoprase, prase, trachyte, rhyolite, petrified wood, common opal, obsidian, onyx, grass stone, aventurine quartz, blue sodalite, tourmaline, rock crystal, amethyst, pitchstone and granite.

Wine And Gems In Dijon

‘Color Sparkles: Legendary Wines and Gemstones,’ a unique exhibition of fine gems and fine wines, is being held in the Sciences Garden at the Parc de I’Arquebuse, Dijon, France, through Dec 9, 2007 + the French National Museum of Natural History with wines from the great vintners of Burgundy and beyond + wine tasting and hands-on experiments in light and color @ www.dijon.fr/fiche/eclats-de-couleruspierres-et-vins-de-legende.evt.5604.php

Staurolite

Chemistry: Hydrated aluminum silicate.
Crystal system: Orthorhombic; cross-shaped, interpenetrant twins at 60º or 90º;crystals display pseudo-hexagonal cross section.
Color: Transparent to opaque: reddish brown.
Hardness: 7 – 7.5
Cleavage: Poor: 1 direction; fracture: brittle, conchoidal.
Specific gravity: 3.65 – 3.78
Refractive index: 1.739 – 1.762; Biaxial positive; 0.011-0.015
Luster: Vitreous to resinous.
Dispersion: Moderate.
Dichroism: Colorless, yellow/red, golden yellow; varies.
Occurrence: Metamorphic; Switzerland, France, Brazil, Russia, Scotland, USA.

Notes
Most specimens are opaque and valued for its cross-shaped twins; also known as cross stones, fairy stones; faceted.

Sphalerite

(Blende or Zinc Blende)
Chemistry: Zinc sulphide
Crystal system: Cubic; generally in tetrahedral but also cube, octahedral, dodecahedral and trisoctahedral; twins common; massive.
Color: Transparent to translucent; yellow, green, colorless; non-gem nearly black in color.
Hardness: 3.5 - 4
Cleavage: Perfect: dodecahedral (6 directions); fracture: brittle, uneven.
Specific gravity: 4.09
Refractive index: 2.37; SR
Luster: Resinous to adamantine
Dispersion: Very high
Dichroism: -
Occurrence: Chief ore of zinc; Central Africa; Mexico; Spain.

Notes
Collector’s stone; difficult to cut due to cleavage; soft; scratches easily; has been used as prism in high R.I refractometers; may look like zircon; spectrum: 3 bands in red-690,667,651nm; faceted.

Two Tricky Items

2007: I have gone through a similar situation during the course of my work, and I believe gemstones will continue to teach us one way or the other.

(via The Journal of Gemmology, Vol.IX, No.9, January 1965) G V Axon writes:

The pleasure one gets from guessing an identification and then proving it to be correct is always to be offset by the tendency to read the various gem instruments incorrectly with the guess uppermost in mind. Two stones recently gave the author a rather sharp lesson.

The first stone, about half-a-carat, was bright green, and with ‘horse-tail’ inclusions. The stone appeared pink with red flashes under the ordinary color filter, and even in ordinary light without the filter appeared to give off red flashes. The second stone, of some 22 carats, was quite a lively brown.

The first guess was demantoid garnet. The stone turned out to be chrome sphene. The second guess was heat treated amethyst. The stone was golden calcite. Neither chrome sphene nor golden calcite is seen frequently, the former because it is still rather rare, and the latter because it is so difficult to cut and so fragile.

Here were two very good examples of tricky looks. Of course, closer examination would have revealed that the horse-tail in chrome sphene did not appear to radiate, and that the doubling of the back facets in the calcite was apparent. The same would no doubt apply to a small clean chrome sphene examined under 10x lens.

Both stones were extremely tricky items, to say the least, for the horse-tail inclusion of demantoid has practically become its most single identification, yet here was a stone with very similar inclusions and almost identical in appearance. Thus ‘horse-tail’ inclusions will have to be watched rather more closely now.

As for golden calcite, so few specimens are to be seen that few jewelers will ever encounter them. Even so, heat treated amethyst is by now almost recognizable at sight—at least I thought it was, but after the shock of receiving a golden calcite and finding what appeared to be a heat treated amethyst, I have again learned the importance of never taking anything for granted, and of always making at least to tests, excluding the first ‘informed guess.’

A Further Note On Diamonds, Real And Imitation, In The Roman Period

(via The Journal of Gemmology, Vol.13, No.8, October 1973) J M Ogden writes:

Since the brief note on Roman imitation diamonds by the writer was published in the Journal of Gemmology two fine Roman rings, both set with interesting stones have been available for study. The first has an attractive openwork-sided setting in which is set an octahedral stone. This stone was at first glance taken to a rock crystal of the type considered by the writer to be a Roman imitation of a natural diamond crystal. Closer inspection of the stone however revealed the typical surface decomposition characteristics of glass and the stone was, in fact, a yellowish white glass (the term paste would be wrong here, as technically this should only refer to those glasses with high refractive index and brilliance). The writer knows of other instances of rings set with glass octahedral, and these, like the rock crystals, might be taken to be imitations of diamond crystals. It might be argued that any reasonably knowledgeable Roman could have told glass from the invincible diamond, but one would expect that these copies of diamond crystals were more in the nature of moral frauds; in other words they would have been worn by those to whom the diamond was, for reasons of economy or rank out of reach. A similar state of affairs can be seen earlier in the Roman period when only free-born citizens were allowed to wear gold rings; slaves and others made do with wearing gilt bronze rings.

The second ring is extremely interesting and possibly even unique, as it is set with a brown diamond. This stone, larger than any other Roman diamond known to the writer, is in the form of rough natural twin octahedral. Alec Farn of the Gem Testing Laboratory very kindly examined and tested this stone and found it to be a brown-series diamond: two lines, at 4980 Angstrom, were visible in the spectrum, and there was a blue fluorescence under X-rays. The weight of the stone was difficult to gauge, but it must have been about 7 carats. The majority of the Roman diamonds known to the writer do not have recorded weights, but they generally would seem to weigh under a carat. This large stone under discussion was by no means obviously a diamond from color or appearance, except to one versed in crystallography; so other stones of a similar nature might exist, unrecognized, in museum or private collections. In its recent history the stone in this ring has been described in a multitude of ways, most recently as ‘Topaz’. This fine ring is of a similar type to the first ring mentioned above, although it is sturdier and its size would indicate that it was definitely a man’s ring. Both these rings were originally in the collection of Count Henri de Clercq Boisgelin, a well-known collector whose ancient jewelry included some of the finest specimens known. There is no cause to doubt that both these rings are genuine, and that they date from the late Roman period (c. 3rd - 4th century A.D). Close examination by the writer revealed no evidence that the stones were not originals: indeed the ring holding the diamond had quite obviously been made for that stone and none other. The coloration, surface appearance under strong magnification and the general ‘feel’ of the gold in both cases would show that the settings were as old as supposed.

No provenance is recorded for either of these rings, though it would seem likely that they were made in Italy or in one of the Eastern Roman centers such as Asia Minor or Egypt. The exact area of origin for the diamond is not known, but it would be likely that it was traded ‘loose’ from India, possibly via Alexandria.

Light Generates Electricity

(via National Geographic Magazine) Light generates electricity with the aid of crystals, a boon to camera fans and space scientists. When sunlight strikes the crystalline selenium in a light meter or the silicon solar cells on a satellite, electrons in the crystals become activated, providing the current that powers the meter and satellite.

Audio Slideshow: Sapphire Miners

BBC writes about Madagascar gemstone deposits, especially sapphires + other colored stones, with more than half the population living in miserable conditions @ http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/629/629/6230594.stm

The Treasure Of The Moghul Emperors Of India

(via The Journal of Gemmology, Vol.12. No.3, July 1970) N Viswanath writes:

During the 16th and 17th centuries, India was ruled by the Emperors of the Moghul Dynasty. Of them, six were the most powerful and notable. They were: Babar, Humayun, Akbar, Jehangir, Shahjahan and Aurangzeb. With the death of the last Emperor, the dynasty began disintegrating.
It was during the reign of the last three Emperors that the wealth of the Moghuls was at its peak. Historians have been unable as yet to determine exactly how much the Moghul treasure was worth as some of it was looted by subsequent rulers of India.

Fortunately, Emperor Jehangir has left an authoritative account of his treasure and the list still exists. There was bullion in his treasury amounting to seven tons of gold, and 1116 tons of silver. Among precious stones, there were 80 pounds (more than 5,000,000 carats) of uncut diamonds, 100 pounds each of rubies and emeralds, and 600 pounds of pearls. “Of the other less important varieties of precious stones, the quantity is infinite,” says the document.

The royal armory included 2000 swords studded with diamond-encrusted handles, and the court furniture included 103 chairs of solid silver and five of solid gold. For high dignitaries and visiting monarchs, there were better seating arrangements. Five gorgeous thrones, two of gold and three of silver, were set apart for such persons. Emperor Jehangir himself had seven diamond-studded thrones besides the famous Peacock Throne.

Jehangir’s bathtub today, would be worth the ransom of a billionaire. It was seven feet by five feet in dimensions and was decorated with diamonds to relieve the drabness of gold.

His son Shahjehan, the fifth Moghul Emperor who built the world famous Taj Mahal at Agra was a great connoisseur himself. It was said of him that there was no jeweler in the East who could value precious stones better than he could and the emperor had all luck in pursuing his hobby. He had the first choice of the world’s richest diamond mines, the famous Goldconda fields, and only his rejections were allowed to circulate in the market.

Incidentally, until 1726 AD, the major sources of diamonds in the world were the Golconda mines in India. The Pitt, the Regent, and the Kohinoor are a few of the historic diamonds that owe their origin to Golconda.

Sir Thomas Roe, the British Ambassador to Emperor Shahjehan’s Court, knew to his cost that there could no trifling with the Emperor. Sir Thomas had something like the mythical Unicorn’s horn to palm off. Knowing Shahjehan’s weakness for rare treasure, Sir Thomas tried some sales talk with the Emperor saying that he was offering the horn to him only because the Emperor was the person to appreciate its value.

The horn was supposed to have the rare property of neutralizing any poisonous liquid and as such was considered to be a very welcome gift to sovereigns like Shahjehan, whose life was always in constant danger from enemies. He had hoped this would induce the Emperor to pass it at a high price.

But the shrewd Emperor knew that the horn was not worth the price quoted. He merely thanked the Ambassador and dropped the subject with a courteous expression. The diplomat had to find some other gullible purchaser, and finally, it was disposed of at a cheap price to a Dutch captain.

Shahjehan was no hoarder and often gave away fabulous gems as outright gifts. One day, a diamond brighter than the Pole Star came to his hands from the Golconda mines and the bulwark of Islam as Shahjehan like to call himself, decided that this would be a worthy gift to the Prophet’s Mosque at Mecca. He immediately ordered that a gold candelabra weighing 14 pounds be selected, embellished it with the brighter than the Pole Star diamond, and had it sent post-haste to Mecca. Today, a conservative value of the gift would be about ten million rupees.

Imperial wars also brought treasures to the royal jewel box. When the Moghul forces invaded his domain during the early part of Shahjehan’s reign, the King of Golconda found it advisable to make a peace offering. He sent 200 caskets of jewels to placate the Emperor. But the unfortunate King did not escape his fate. With avarice kindled at the gift, Shahjehan ordered his troops to advance, and they returned with booty exceeding 300 million rupees in value.

No historian could make a correct estimate of Shahjehan’s wealth of which it was said that it was greater than that of his nearest rivals, the Emperors of France and Persia, put together.

But then, there had to be a place to keep all his booty. One fine morning, the Emperor was told by the Master of the Treasury that it was choking with jewels, and that something had to be done to the strong room to relieve the congestion. The Emperor mused for a while. The problem was finally solved by the creation of the famous Peacock Throne. In the late 17th century when it was made, the Throne was valued at an amount equivalent to 530 million rupees. The Throne was completed after seven years of unceasing labor by the Emperor’s best craftsmen.

The plate and cutlery of Shahjehan’s palace weighed 25 tons of gold and 50 tons of silver, respectively. The mere gold content of the plate would today be worth more than 15 million rupees.

In one of his tributes to Shahjehan, Sir Thomas Roe has remarked that the King of Bijapur sent to the Emperor 36 elephants, two of which were adorned with gold chains weighing 400 pounds. There were 50 horses in the gift with trappings worth five million rupees. All possible care was taken that the precious stones were properly graded according to the exacting imperial specifications. For example, the diamonds were divided into 12 categories while pearls were of 16 varying grades.

The draperies of the palace were valued at ten million rupees, and the furnishings include chinaware to the value of 2,500,000 rupees. All the porcelain was imported from China under a special order from the Emperor and was among the best in the era.

The Moghul Emperors were so particular about chinaware that once when a high-ranking officer of the imperial household broke a matching piece of porcelain dish, Emperor Aurangazeb behaved as roughly as an ordinary housewife. He was on a tour of his domains in South India when the hapless official dropped the fruit dish in the capital, Delhi, about 1000 and odd miles away from the Emperor. The culprit knew full well that his carelessness would bring a halter round his neck and at once dispatched a messenger to China to bring back a similar dish to complete the set. He had hoped that the dish would reach Delhi before the Emperor returned from his tour. Unfortunately for him, the Emperor returned far ahead of the schedule, and in course of time, wanted his favorite fruit dish. The trembling official related the accident, and in view of the fact that arrangements had already been made to get a replacement, the official was temporarily excused and suspended pending arrival of the caravan from China.

But the notorious Central Asian robbers made short work of the messengers and the money they carried for purchase of the chinaware. When the period of grace elapsed and there was no news from China, the irate Emperor gave the official the choice between immediate execution and that of going to China to get the porcelain dish.

The official chose the latter course and began the hazardous journey to Cathay (China). As his whole family was held as hostages by the Emperor, he had to be particularly careful about his life and chose the safe route through the Pamir mountains, the so-called backbone of the world. The ranges of the Pamir tower to a height of about 23000 feet and one can very well imagine the plight of the official. Fortunately, Heaven took pity on him and the story of this official reached the court of the then Persian Emperor. This monarch ordered his Grand Wazier to look in the royal Persian cupboards to find whether there was any porcelain dish to match the one for which the official was searching. Happily, such a piece was found, and the Persian Emperor ordered that a gift of this porcelain dish be made to the official. But the poor man was so much broken down in health from the rigors of the journey that he died en route by the time deliverance came.

Emperor Shahjehan did not keep all his treasures in one place. They were divided in varying proportions and were kept in fortresses in different parts of the empire. There were seven of these treasure forts, besides the capital of Delhi. They were Gwalior, Marwar, Lahore, Rantambher, Asirgarh, Rohstsagar, and of course, Agra. The Lahore fort contained the maximum quantity of bullion, while Agra, as the Emperor’s favorite citadel, held most of the jewels.

A comparison with monarchs of the present century puts Shahjehan in a very favorable light. The wealth of the British Sovereign is estimated at about 170 million dollars. But at a time when the money value was at least six times greater than that of the present era, Shahjehan’s treasury must have held billions of rupees worth of valuables.

The last Nizam of Hyderabad in India, who was a remote descendant of the Moghul dynasty, had treasure and jewelry which it was almost impossible to sell for want of buyers. What can one do with mats oven with priceless pearls and shirts studded with diamonds? He had a paperweight, the famous Jacob diamond, a treasure of 150 carats, the rock-bottom price of which was about 150 lakh rupees.

Quartz Crystals

(via National Geographic Magazine) Quartz Crystals vibrate when electricity is applied. Thin plates of the mineral, vibrating at precise rates, keep radio transmitters on proper frequencies. Such crystals, tuned to different frequencies, separate simultaneous calls on the same telephone channel. Twisting or squeezing quartz produces an electric current.