Wednesday, May 02, 2007
Red And Green Labradorite Feldspar From Congo
The red and green colors in labradorites from Congo are due to copper and the differences in color are due to the presence of tiny copper colloids of different size. On the market, the red and green stones from Congo have been offered as red andesine.
A Treatment Study Of Brazilian Garnets
(via The Journal of Gemmology, Vol 29, No.4, October 2004) Sigrid G Eeckhout, Antonio C S Sabioni and Ana Claudia M Ferreira writes:
Over the past decade, there has been noticeable growth in interest in colored stones worldwide, which has led to an increase in gem exploration, production and marketing. Since garnet displays a very large variety of colors, it deserves further attention. Although reports on enhanced gemstones are widespread in the gemological literature, very few studies have been performed on the enhancements of garnets. We report the first systematic, scientific treatment study on Brazilian garnets from known geological localities, including thermal and diffusion treatment. Iron-containing species become opaque and producer ‘silvery skin’. Light yellow grossular turns to orange similar to that of imperial topaz. Other garnet varieties have stable colors, confirming the absence of color centers. A preliminary diffusion treatment of some rough grossular has produced attractive green and orange stones. Since orange gemstones are becoming increasingly popular and since the diffusion treated green grossulars resemble some emeralds in color, they may be of economic importance in the future if quantities are confirmed to justify commercial mining.
Over the past decade, there has been noticeable growth in interest in colored stones worldwide, which has led to an increase in gem exploration, production and marketing. Since garnet displays a very large variety of colors, it deserves further attention. Although reports on enhanced gemstones are widespread in the gemological literature, very few studies have been performed on the enhancements of garnets. We report the first systematic, scientific treatment study on Brazilian garnets from known geological localities, including thermal and diffusion treatment. Iron-containing species become opaque and producer ‘silvery skin’. Light yellow grossular turns to orange similar to that of imperial topaz. Other garnet varieties have stable colors, confirming the absence of color centers. A preliminary diffusion treatment of some rough grossular has produced attractive green and orange stones. Since orange gemstones are becoming increasingly popular and since the diffusion treated green grossulars resemble some emeralds in color, they may be of economic importance in the future if quantities are confirmed to justify commercial mining.
Treated Stones—Retailers In The Front Line
(via Gem & Jewellery News, Vol.7, No.1, December 1997) Harry Levy writes:
The ulcer that has been plaguing our trade has flared yet again. You will recall the recent story about the jeweler in the United States who sold filled diamonds without declaring the process to his customers. That story ended tragedy with the jeweler in question taking his own life. One must emphasize that the filling of diamonds is one of the few treatments that is recognized by all sections of the trade to be declarable.
Another case has now occurred in the USA, this time over the fissure filling of an emerald and again the retail purchaser was reportedly not told of the treatment. It is difficult to work out exactly what has happened in this case as the reports one reads in the trade press do not tell the same story. Briefly, as I understand it, an emerald was sold for $14000 and has ended up costing the seller nearly $400000 in compensation and fines.
The case occurred in Washington DC. An emerald ring was sold, and after several months was taken to a jeweler for some alterations and the emerald was damaged in the process. The jeweler informed the owner that the emerald had been filled with Opticon resin and heating had caused the damage. The original sellers claimed that the emerald they sold had not been so treated and if Opticon was now present it had not been put there by them and must have been introduced into the stone after they had sold it.
The owner sued the seller and others including the appraiser (the valuer) and the insurance company. The case was heard in front of a jury and in spite of trade testimony as to the present ambiguity about disclosure of resin filling of emeralds in the trade, the jury found in favor of the owner. The jeweler was found guilty on a number of counts including Breach of Warranties, Unlawful Trade Practice and Outrageous Trade Practice. The consumer was awarded treble damages in the amount of $78000 and, with legal costs, the total amounted to $400000. At the time of writing an appeal against judgments has been lodged.
Total disclosure?
Those who have advocated ‘total disclosure’ over the years can now say ‘We told you so’. Disclose everything and sleep at nights.
Unfortunately it is not that simple, as I have tried to point out in previous articles, because it is often difficult to detect some treatments. Stones have been treated from the time that they were first used as ornaments and objects of value. Oiling, waxing, bleaching, heating and burning are all treatments, and even cutting and polishing can be considered a treatment. And when one cuts and polishes for example an emerald, oil is used and if the stone has open fissures some of this oil will penetrate the stone.
When the trade began to organize itself through bodies such as CIBJO and the Diamond Bourses, they tried to lay down guidelines as to what treatments should be disclosed. Some treatments had long been applied to certain stones and those early legislators introduced the concept of ‘accepted trade practice.’ As new processes come about the trade initially tries to slot them in to the existing rules and if it cannot do this then new rules were made.
They try to use commonsense and look at other trades. They too have their ‘accepted trade practices.’ When you buy an article made of real leather you are not told that it has been treated, oiled, stained, stretched and has had other things done to it. Or when you buy a woolen article again the various treatments it has undergone are not enumerated.
Perhaps we should regard our trade as being sui generic, i.e. it is unique of its kind and cannot be compared to other trades. In this modern age, when consumer rights have become paramount, the trade should no longer hide behind ‘accepted trade practices’ and should tell the consumer everything they know. But this is where the problems start. The only person who knows for certain if a treatment has been applied to a stone is the person who actually carries out that treatment. If he does not disclose, or someone in the chain does not disclose, then to detect the disclosure becomes detective work and not everyone is capable of carrying out such detection.
Repeated oiling
Let us look at the specific case of the fissure filling of emeralds—this after all is one of the problems still not solved within the trade. Emeralds, from the time they are taken out of the ground, are constantly oiled. They are oiled after the rough has been cleaned, they are oiled while the rough remains unsold, they are oiled after cutting, they are oiled after polishing. In the way everyone knows that leather is oiled, dealers and jewelers have assumed that everyone knows emeralds are oiled. Like leather the oil dries out, but in contrast to leather the consumer expects the emerald to retain its beauty. Emeralds are oiled because they have open fissures (only rarely are emeralds free from open fissures) and any oil that goes in will eventually come again, as is the case with leather.
Over the past few years attempts have been made to keep the oil thus introduced in the emerald for as long as possible. This has been tried using different oils, and also pressure is used in some cases to ensure that the oil penetrates further into the stone and will thus evaporate more slowly. Attempts have also been made to seal the oil in the emerald. In recent years resins are being used, especially ones with refractive indices similar to natural emerald to make them less visible. The most popular resin that was eventually used was a synthetic one marketed under the name Opticon. This was already being used in the building trade to cover the cracks and fissures in marble and other decorative stones. But since this was still a volatile substance, albeit with low volatility they tried to seal it into the stone. It was found that it reacted with a hardening substance and solidified. At first this was done with all Opticon when it was introduced into the emerald. When it dried it solidified, but in some stones it contracted and gaps appeared inside the stone which gave rise to a rainbow effect and made the appearance worse than the untreated stones. Some fillings also discolored in time, again spoiling the appearance of the stone. Some techniques involved introduction of the resin under pressure causing the stone to be in tension and liable to shatter if any pressure was applied.
Hardening substance
To overcome these problems the Opticon was introduced into the stone and the hardening substance was applied to the surface only. Thus the theory was that this would seal in the filler without incurring the problems encountered above. But again it was found that tension could remain in the stone rendering it more fragile than untreated stones. So in many cases now the Opticon is introduced into the stone in the way that oil was used in the old days without the use of any hardening material. The trade does not like to use the word Opticon, as this is a trade name and other similar resins may be used. So the term now used is resin filled and the resin may be natural or artificial, i.e. man-made.
The traditionalists wanted to differentiate between oils that they had used and the new resins now being used. It is difficult to find a rationale for such thoughts. Perhaps they wished to protect their old stocks, perhaps they were scared of change, but there was a clamor within the trade, but not by the public, to differentiate between oils and resins. Many more gem quality stones can have their appearance improved with resins than with traditional oils, which was perhaps the reason for a sudden increase in the number of such stones on the market.
Raman spectroscopy
The situation at present is that many people in the trade regard the fissure filling of an emerald with a resin to be inferior to that of an oil and refuse to buy resin-filled stones. The demand was made on the laboratories to make this differentiation, and most labs claimed they could do so. But then came the claim by some laboratories that with the use of Raman spectroscope they could now positively identify the filling materials. Such a claim implies that without the use of such a instrument, the detection of the filler to be a resin as opposed to an oil was, in many cases, more guesswork than knowledge.
How does the Raman spectroscope work? In Rapaport Diamond Report (20 (38)) it is made clear that even the use of this latest technology is not foolproof. Briefly a laser beam of light is pointed at the filler and the resulting spectra are compared with those of known substances. A stone may undergo several treatments with different substances and the Raman analysis will only give a result for the one spot on which the beam has been focused, which is minute. So, many spots would have to be examined to give a more complete answer. Such an instrument costs about $200000 so many laboratories cannot afford such an expense.
What is the answer?
Where does the answer lie to such a problem? The trade is beginning to realize the answer should come through education and not merely legislation. The education must be effective in the High Street shops, for it is the retailer who is in the front line. And it is the sales person who is obliged in law to sell correctly described goods—which means to a certain extent educating the customer.
Many dealers now feel that filling a stone with a resin is no different to filling a stone with an oil. If a hardener is used the situation is of course different. Information is transmitted down the line by the use of general disclosure that stones have fissures filled to improve their clarity and others, such as corundum, are heated to improve their color and sometimes clarity. This is the best that the trade has come up with at present.
How will all this stand up in a court here? I am no lawyer but I suspect that the judge will listen to the trade practice if the dispute is within the trade, but may apply other standards if a member of the general public claims that they have been cheated.
The ulcer that has been plaguing our trade has flared yet again. You will recall the recent story about the jeweler in the United States who sold filled diamonds without declaring the process to his customers. That story ended tragedy with the jeweler in question taking his own life. One must emphasize that the filling of diamonds is one of the few treatments that is recognized by all sections of the trade to be declarable.
Another case has now occurred in the USA, this time over the fissure filling of an emerald and again the retail purchaser was reportedly not told of the treatment. It is difficult to work out exactly what has happened in this case as the reports one reads in the trade press do not tell the same story. Briefly, as I understand it, an emerald was sold for $14000 and has ended up costing the seller nearly $400000 in compensation and fines.
The case occurred in Washington DC. An emerald ring was sold, and after several months was taken to a jeweler for some alterations and the emerald was damaged in the process. The jeweler informed the owner that the emerald had been filled with Opticon resin and heating had caused the damage. The original sellers claimed that the emerald they sold had not been so treated and if Opticon was now present it had not been put there by them and must have been introduced into the stone after they had sold it.
The owner sued the seller and others including the appraiser (the valuer) and the insurance company. The case was heard in front of a jury and in spite of trade testimony as to the present ambiguity about disclosure of resin filling of emeralds in the trade, the jury found in favor of the owner. The jeweler was found guilty on a number of counts including Breach of Warranties, Unlawful Trade Practice and Outrageous Trade Practice. The consumer was awarded treble damages in the amount of $78000 and, with legal costs, the total amounted to $400000. At the time of writing an appeal against judgments has been lodged.
Total disclosure?
Those who have advocated ‘total disclosure’ over the years can now say ‘We told you so’. Disclose everything and sleep at nights.
Unfortunately it is not that simple, as I have tried to point out in previous articles, because it is often difficult to detect some treatments. Stones have been treated from the time that they were first used as ornaments and objects of value. Oiling, waxing, bleaching, heating and burning are all treatments, and even cutting and polishing can be considered a treatment. And when one cuts and polishes for example an emerald, oil is used and if the stone has open fissures some of this oil will penetrate the stone.
When the trade began to organize itself through bodies such as CIBJO and the Diamond Bourses, they tried to lay down guidelines as to what treatments should be disclosed. Some treatments had long been applied to certain stones and those early legislators introduced the concept of ‘accepted trade practice.’ As new processes come about the trade initially tries to slot them in to the existing rules and if it cannot do this then new rules were made.
They try to use commonsense and look at other trades. They too have their ‘accepted trade practices.’ When you buy an article made of real leather you are not told that it has been treated, oiled, stained, stretched and has had other things done to it. Or when you buy a woolen article again the various treatments it has undergone are not enumerated.
Perhaps we should regard our trade as being sui generic, i.e. it is unique of its kind and cannot be compared to other trades. In this modern age, when consumer rights have become paramount, the trade should no longer hide behind ‘accepted trade practices’ and should tell the consumer everything they know. But this is where the problems start. The only person who knows for certain if a treatment has been applied to a stone is the person who actually carries out that treatment. If he does not disclose, or someone in the chain does not disclose, then to detect the disclosure becomes detective work and not everyone is capable of carrying out such detection.
Repeated oiling
Let us look at the specific case of the fissure filling of emeralds—this after all is one of the problems still not solved within the trade. Emeralds, from the time they are taken out of the ground, are constantly oiled. They are oiled after the rough has been cleaned, they are oiled while the rough remains unsold, they are oiled after cutting, they are oiled after polishing. In the way everyone knows that leather is oiled, dealers and jewelers have assumed that everyone knows emeralds are oiled. Like leather the oil dries out, but in contrast to leather the consumer expects the emerald to retain its beauty. Emeralds are oiled because they have open fissures (only rarely are emeralds free from open fissures) and any oil that goes in will eventually come again, as is the case with leather.
Over the past few years attempts have been made to keep the oil thus introduced in the emerald for as long as possible. This has been tried using different oils, and also pressure is used in some cases to ensure that the oil penetrates further into the stone and will thus evaporate more slowly. Attempts have also been made to seal the oil in the emerald. In recent years resins are being used, especially ones with refractive indices similar to natural emerald to make them less visible. The most popular resin that was eventually used was a synthetic one marketed under the name Opticon. This was already being used in the building trade to cover the cracks and fissures in marble and other decorative stones. But since this was still a volatile substance, albeit with low volatility they tried to seal it into the stone. It was found that it reacted with a hardening substance and solidified. At first this was done with all Opticon when it was introduced into the emerald. When it dried it solidified, but in some stones it contracted and gaps appeared inside the stone which gave rise to a rainbow effect and made the appearance worse than the untreated stones. Some fillings also discolored in time, again spoiling the appearance of the stone. Some techniques involved introduction of the resin under pressure causing the stone to be in tension and liable to shatter if any pressure was applied.
Hardening substance
To overcome these problems the Opticon was introduced into the stone and the hardening substance was applied to the surface only. Thus the theory was that this would seal in the filler without incurring the problems encountered above. But again it was found that tension could remain in the stone rendering it more fragile than untreated stones. So in many cases now the Opticon is introduced into the stone in the way that oil was used in the old days without the use of any hardening material. The trade does not like to use the word Opticon, as this is a trade name and other similar resins may be used. So the term now used is resin filled and the resin may be natural or artificial, i.e. man-made.
The traditionalists wanted to differentiate between oils that they had used and the new resins now being used. It is difficult to find a rationale for such thoughts. Perhaps they wished to protect their old stocks, perhaps they were scared of change, but there was a clamor within the trade, but not by the public, to differentiate between oils and resins. Many more gem quality stones can have their appearance improved with resins than with traditional oils, which was perhaps the reason for a sudden increase in the number of such stones on the market.
Raman spectroscopy
The situation at present is that many people in the trade regard the fissure filling of an emerald with a resin to be inferior to that of an oil and refuse to buy resin-filled stones. The demand was made on the laboratories to make this differentiation, and most labs claimed they could do so. But then came the claim by some laboratories that with the use of Raman spectroscope they could now positively identify the filling materials. Such a claim implies that without the use of such a instrument, the detection of the filler to be a resin as opposed to an oil was, in many cases, more guesswork than knowledge.
How does the Raman spectroscope work? In Rapaport Diamond Report (20 (38)) it is made clear that even the use of this latest technology is not foolproof. Briefly a laser beam of light is pointed at the filler and the resulting spectra are compared with those of known substances. A stone may undergo several treatments with different substances and the Raman analysis will only give a result for the one spot on which the beam has been focused, which is minute. So, many spots would have to be examined to give a more complete answer. Such an instrument costs about $200000 so many laboratories cannot afford such an expense.
What is the answer?
Where does the answer lie to such a problem? The trade is beginning to realize the answer should come through education and not merely legislation. The education must be effective in the High Street shops, for it is the retailer who is in the front line. And it is the sales person who is obliged in law to sell correctly described goods—which means to a certain extent educating the customer.
Many dealers now feel that filling a stone with a resin is no different to filling a stone with an oil. If a hardener is used the situation is of course different. Information is transmitted down the line by the use of general disclosure that stones have fissures filled to improve their clarity and others, such as corundum, are heated to improve their color and sometimes clarity. This is the best that the trade has come up with at present.
How will all this stand up in a court here? I am no lawyer but I suspect that the judge will listen to the trade practice if the dispute is within the trade, but may apply other standards if a member of the general public claims that they have been cheated.
Hot Gems And Fake Diamonds
(via Gem & Jewellery News, Vol. 7, Number 2, March 1998) Harry Levy writes:
1998 started with an international alarm for the gem trade and jewelry markets. The scare began in Bangkok with news that quantities of radioactive chrysoberyl cat’s eyes were being sold there and exported all over the world.
A few gem species have been irradiated for a number of years now to improve or change their color. The stone most subjected to this treatment has been white topaz. The most common types of irradiation have been electron and neutron bombardment of the stones to produce various shades of blue.
Electron irradiation produces paler shades of blue, known in the trade as ‘sky blue’. In this instance rough or cut pieces of white topaz are exposed to electron irradiation and the longer the exposure the stronger is the color, but a saturation point is reached beyond which the color will not intensify. When the stones are annealed (heated and maintained at certain temperatures) they turn blue. On cooling the stones maintain their color and the color change is permanent as far as we know.
The dealer or cutter who has the stones irradiated determines the amount of radiation the stones should be exposed to; this is an economic decision, as the longer the stones are irradiated the higher is the cost charged by the laboratory. Different stones from different localities need different quantities of irradiation to obtain the optimum color, but the dealer cannot experiment with small quantities as the fee for irradiation is based on the time and strength of exposure for material in a chamber of fixed capacity, however full it is. The other popular method is to expose the stones to neutron irradiation and in this instance the blue color produced is known in the trade as ‘London blue’. The color known as ‘Swiss blue’ is obtained by applying both types of irradiation to the topazes.
Since the color changes produced in topaz have been so dramatic, other stones have been exposed to such treatments in the hope of producing similar changes and this has resulted in such stones as ‘hot pink’ tourmalines (the hotness referring to the color not the radioactivity), and various colors in diamonds.
Subjecting a stone to irradiation is not something that can be done in the back of a kitchen or in a shed at the bottom of the garden. Stones are irradiated in a nuclear accelerator at known nuclear plants, research institutions or universities. Normally they are subject to the most rigorous government controls and workers would never release material which was dangerously radioactive to anyone involved in the gem trade. The stones are only released from such establishments when they display acceptable levels of radioactivity.
Scares about radioactive gemstones have been circulating ever since it became known that they could be treated in this manner. We are all exposed to various levels of irradiation in our everyday lives. During one of the early discussions it was alleged that a single flight in Concorde exposed one to more radiation, due to the height of the flight path, than being covered in irradiated topaz for a lifetime.
Other scare stories have concerned irradiated topaz being stolen from various vaults in Brazil, where they had been put to cool, and sold on the international markets while they were still dangerously radioactive. A similar story emerged at one of the Hong Kong shows about such stones from China. The basis for such stories seems to be economic, where dealers from one center are more than keen to believe that stones coming cheaper from another source must be dangerous.
Dealers and others who handle such stones would never expose themselves, their families, their staff or their customers to such danger, although with rumors constantly circulating in the trade an increasing number of dealers are beginning to include an instrument for detecting radioactivity as part of their equipment. A simple Geiger counter registers most but not all the known rays that could be present, other instruments are needed to register the troublesome ones.
Coming back to our radioactive chysoberyls, the media picked up the story and television pictures were flashed round the world showing worried-looking dealers and jewelry shop owners in Bangkok being shown such stones next to ticking Geiger counters. This is a marvelous story for an investigative reporter and whole television programmes on this topic have been shown in such countries as Germany.
Unless the trade is very careful, a lay person watch such a programme will be told about radioactive chrysoberyl cat’s eyes, but will only remember radioactivity in association with gemstones in general, and continued media coverage will soon convince him and his ilk that every stone and every diamond is radioactive and hence all jewelry is dangerous to wear.
Of course, the public has rarely proved itself to be so fickle. They are aware that many things they come into contact with have been subjected to irradiation, but they trust the authorities and the traders to be responsible and not subject them to any danger. It again comes down to education and all those involved in the jewelry trade must make themselves aware of exactly what they are handling. It is not enough to have the ability to buy and sell something at a profit, because the trade should be the ones most able to educate the public, who are their customers, answer their questions and allay any fears they may come across. And the safest way to trade is to deal with reputable suppliers.
1998 started with an international alarm for the gem trade and jewelry markets. The scare began in Bangkok with news that quantities of radioactive chrysoberyl cat’s eyes were being sold there and exported all over the world.
A few gem species have been irradiated for a number of years now to improve or change their color. The stone most subjected to this treatment has been white topaz. The most common types of irradiation have been electron and neutron bombardment of the stones to produce various shades of blue.
Electron irradiation produces paler shades of blue, known in the trade as ‘sky blue’. In this instance rough or cut pieces of white topaz are exposed to electron irradiation and the longer the exposure the stronger is the color, but a saturation point is reached beyond which the color will not intensify. When the stones are annealed (heated and maintained at certain temperatures) they turn blue. On cooling the stones maintain their color and the color change is permanent as far as we know.
The dealer or cutter who has the stones irradiated determines the amount of radiation the stones should be exposed to; this is an economic decision, as the longer the stones are irradiated the higher is the cost charged by the laboratory. Different stones from different localities need different quantities of irradiation to obtain the optimum color, but the dealer cannot experiment with small quantities as the fee for irradiation is based on the time and strength of exposure for material in a chamber of fixed capacity, however full it is. The other popular method is to expose the stones to neutron irradiation and in this instance the blue color produced is known in the trade as ‘London blue’. The color known as ‘Swiss blue’ is obtained by applying both types of irradiation to the topazes.
Since the color changes produced in topaz have been so dramatic, other stones have been exposed to such treatments in the hope of producing similar changes and this has resulted in such stones as ‘hot pink’ tourmalines (the hotness referring to the color not the radioactivity), and various colors in diamonds.
Subjecting a stone to irradiation is not something that can be done in the back of a kitchen or in a shed at the bottom of the garden. Stones are irradiated in a nuclear accelerator at known nuclear plants, research institutions or universities. Normally they are subject to the most rigorous government controls and workers would never release material which was dangerously radioactive to anyone involved in the gem trade. The stones are only released from such establishments when they display acceptable levels of radioactivity.
Scares about radioactive gemstones have been circulating ever since it became known that they could be treated in this manner. We are all exposed to various levels of irradiation in our everyday lives. During one of the early discussions it was alleged that a single flight in Concorde exposed one to more radiation, due to the height of the flight path, than being covered in irradiated topaz for a lifetime.
Other scare stories have concerned irradiated topaz being stolen from various vaults in Brazil, where they had been put to cool, and sold on the international markets while they were still dangerously radioactive. A similar story emerged at one of the Hong Kong shows about such stones from China. The basis for such stories seems to be economic, where dealers from one center are more than keen to believe that stones coming cheaper from another source must be dangerous.
Dealers and others who handle such stones would never expose themselves, their families, their staff or their customers to such danger, although with rumors constantly circulating in the trade an increasing number of dealers are beginning to include an instrument for detecting radioactivity as part of their equipment. A simple Geiger counter registers most but not all the known rays that could be present, other instruments are needed to register the troublesome ones.
Coming back to our radioactive chysoberyls, the media picked up the story and television pictures were flashed round the world showing worried-looking dealers and jewelry shop owners in Bangkok being shown such stones next to ticking Geiger counters. This is a marvelous story for an investigative reporter and whole television programmes on this topic have been shown in such countries as Germany.
Unless the trade is very careful, a lay person watch such a programme will be told about radioactive chrysoberyl cat’s eyes, but will only remember radioactivity in association with gemstones in general, and continued media coverage will soon convince him and his ilk that every stone and every diamond is radioactive and hence all jewelry is dangerous to wear.
Of course, the public has rarely proved itself to be so fickle. They are aware that many things they come into contact with have been subjected to irradiation, but they trust the authorities and the traders to be responsible and not subject them to any danger. It again comes down to education and all those involved in the jewelry trade must make themselves aware of exactly what they are handling. It is not enough to have the ability to buy and sell something at a profit, because the trade should be the ones most able to educate the public, who are their customers, answer their questions and allay any fears they may come across. And the safest way to trade is to deal with reputable suppliers.
How Can The Independent Jeweller Compete?
(via Gems & Jewellery News, Vol. 8, Number 1, December 1998) Harry Levy writes:
By the time you read this article the Christmas season will be behind us. At the time of writing it is difficult to predict what sort of Christmas our trade will have this year. The patterns of yesteryear have long since left us. In those days, by the end of October most outlets had placed their orders for Christmas and, apart from a few specials at the last minute, we all knew what sort of year we would have. As far as the independent jeweler is concerned today, most of his sales will consist of specials, and he will leave his orders up to the last minute, as will his customers.
So rather than sit and take stock as to what has happened this year let us try to look to the future, to next year and beyond.
Alternative outlets
The jewelry trade has fragmented and the loser has been the traditional high street jewelry shop. He has seen his business go to the multinationals, mail order catalogues, and now mail order shops, TV outlets and soon the Internet, although this is with us already, as well as the auction houses. How much business these new outlets have actually taken away, as opposed to creating new demands and bringing in different sections of the public to buy jewelry items is debatable.
I recall many years ago when I first set up home, I needed some fitted carpets. I had a cousin in the trade who promised me that he would supply me the carpets. I bought from him and it was only several weeks later, when I was in one of the specialist carpet stores with branches everywhere, that I saw my identical carpet at prices above twenty percent below what I had paid my cousin. On complaining to him, he informed me that the groups had a much higher buying power than him and thus could negotiate better prices than he could get.
We have a similar situation in our trade at present. Many jewelers have remarked that they cannot make an article for the price that the same thing can be bought from these outlets. How can they compete?
The simple answer is that they cannot. So in order to survive they must concentrate on selling articles which the outlets cannot make. Put very simply, it means that they must try to sell jewelry which cannot be readily duplicated.
Mass production
The mass market depends on selling numbers of identical units. A piece of jewelry is selected by a buyer or a panel to go into their range. In almost all cases the buyers are not jewelry specialists and in order to ensure that they get and sell pieces that match up to their original samples, they insist on each item being exactly the same for any given line. Thus, if one is selling an amethyst and diamond cluster ring, the diamonds must all be of a similar size and quality and the amethysts, likewise, must all be identical. It is not enough that they be of the same size and shape, but must all be of the same hue in color and purity.
The manufacturer who supplies these articles must set up to produce identical units and periodically to reduce his prices in order to stay in with the buying group. He can do this by improving his manufacturing processes and reducing the price of his components, as well as reducing his profits.
Falling standards
Several years ago, one of the manufacturers who were supplying one of the multiples stopped buying a type of stone for which he had given me regular orders. When I asked him why he had stopped ordering these stones from me and accused him of buying them elsewhere, he remarked that the group was constantly asking him to reduce his price. The article was a pair of earrings, and the only way left for him to reduce the price was to make the gold thinner and thinner, until he reached the situation where there was not enough gold to hold the stones in place so they kept dropping out. In the end he dropped the line.
The manufacturers in this country try to source their components, and eventually find that the article can be produced and purchased much more cheaply abroad. Finally they become importers and put the finishing touches in this country as part of their manufacturing process. With the prospect of hallmarking being no longer mandatory in this country, they will become merely re-packers of such items. They also run the risk that their customers, in turn, will use outlets abroad and cut them out totally. Luckily for us, many of these items produced abroad do not have the quality of those that are made in this country and hopefully the buyers will appreciate this fact and return to rely on home produced goods.
I see little future for those of us who are middle people in our trade. The large groups will find ways of marketing the goods to the public, and sourcing them, cutting out our retailers and manufacturers. Their main criterion will be price and while it remains that way quality will suffer.
The way forward
Quality is the factor on which our own trade will survive, producing jewelry that is good in quality and value for money. Such jewelry must be sold on the rarity of its components and the craftsmanship of its makers. There will always be a place for the High Street Jeweler, even if he has to move into a mall and be right next to his competitors, provided he can sell things which are not easily imitated.
I come across many young and new designers and they are all finding outlets for the unique pieces of jewelry they produce. The mass of cheap jewelry available now is making the public more aware of jewelry: they buy these items to wear a few times and then throw away. Let us hope that this awareness they are getting will make them want something a little better and more lasting for that special occasion, and when they think of buying such an item they will come into a high street jeweler.
I hope you all have an enjoyable Christmas and that some of you will put pen to paper and let us have your views about our trade. It is going through a state of flux, both in marketing, as the movement of goods becomes easier and in the amount and variety of treatments of the natural and synthetic gems that go into the making of a piece of jewelry.
By the time you read this article the Christmas season will be behind us. At the time of writing it is difficult to predict what sort of Christmas our trade will have this year. The patterns of yesteryear have long since left us. In those days, by the end of October most outlets had placed their orders for Christmas and, apart from a few specials at the last minute, we all knew what sort of year we would have. As far as the independent jeweler is concerned today, most of his sales will consist of specials, and he will leave his orders up to the last minute, as will his customers.
So rather than sit and take stock as to what has happened this year let us try to look to the future, to next year and beyond.
Alternative outlets
The jewelry trade has fragmented and the loser has been the traditional high street jewelry shop. He has seen his business go to the multinationals, mail order catalogues, and now mail order shops, TV outlets and soon the Internet, although this is with us already, as well as the auction houses. How much business these new outlets have actually taken away, as opposed to creating new demands and bringing in different sections of the public to buy jewelry items is debatable.
I recall many years ago when I first set up home, I needed some fitted carpets. I had a cousin in the trade who promised me that he would supply me the carpets. I bought from him and it was only several weeks later, when I was in one of the specialist carpet stores with branches everywhere, that I saw my identical carpet at prices above twenty percent below what I had paid my cousin. On complaining to him, he informed me that the groups had a much higher buying power than him and thus could negotiate better prices than he could get.
We have a similar situation in our trade at present. Many jewelers have remarked that they cannot make an article for the price that the same thing can be bought from these outlets. How can they compete?
The simple answer is that they cannot. So in order to survive they must concentrate on selling articles which the outlets cannot make. Put very simply, it means that they must try to sell jewelry which cannot be readily duplicated.
Mass production
The mass market depends on selling numbers of identical units. A piece of jewelry is selected by a buyer or a panel to go into their range. In almost all cases the buyers are not jewelry specialists and in order to ensure that they get and sell pieces that match up to their original samples, they insist on each item being exactly the same for any given line. Thus, if one is selling an amethyst and diamond cluster ring, the diamonds must all be of a similar size and quality and the amethysts, likewise, must all be identical. It is not enough that they be of the same size and shape, but must all be of the same hue in color and purity.
The manufacturer who supplies these articles must set up to produce identical units and periodically to reduce his prices in order to stay in with the buying group. He can do this by improving his manufacturing processes and reducing the price of his components, as well as reducing his profits.
Falling standards
Several years ago, one of the manufacturers who were supplying one of the multiples stopped buying a type of stone for which he had given me regular orders. When I asked him why he had stopped ordering these stones from me and accused him of buying them elsewhere, he remarked that the group was constantly asking him to reduce his price. The article was a pair of earrings, and the only way left for him to reduce the price was to make the gold thinner and thinner, until he reached the situation where there was not enough gold to hold the stones in place so they kept dropping out. In the end he dropped the line.
The manufacturers in this country try to source their components, and eventually find that the article can be produced and purchased much more cheaply abroad. Finally they become importers and put the finishing touches in this country as part of their manufacturing process. With the prospect of hallmarking being no longer mandatory in this country, they will become merely re-packers of such items. They also run the risk that their customers, in turn, will use outlets abroad and cut them out totally. Luckily for us, many of these items produced abroad do not have the quality of those that are made in this country and hopefully the buyers will appreciate this fact and return to rely on home produced goods.
I see little future for those of us who are middle people in our trade. The large groups will find ways of marketing the goods to the public, and sourcing them, cutting out our retailers and manufacturers. Their main criterion will be price and while it remains that way quality will suffer.
The way forward
Quality is the factor on which our own trade will survive, producing jewelry that is good in quality and value for money. Such jewelry must be sold on the rarity of its components and the craftsmanship of its makers. There will always be a place for the High Street Jeweler, even if he has to move into a mall and be right next to his competitors, provided he can sell things which are not easily imitated.
I come across many young and new designers and they are all finding outlets for the unique pieces of jewelry they produce. The mass of cheap jewelry available now is making the public more aware of jewelry: they buy these items to wear a few times and then throw away. Let us hope that this awareness they are getting will make them want something a little better and more lasting for that special occasion, and when they think of buying such an item they will come into a high street jeweler.
I hope you all have an enjoyable Christmas and that some of you will put pen to paper and let us have your views about our trade. It is going through a state of flux, both in marketing, as the movement of goods becomes easier and in the amount and variety of treatments of the natural and synthetic gems that go into the making of a piece of jewelry.
Monday, April 30, 2007
The Tourist Trap Debate
(via Gem Market News, Jan/Feb 2007, Vol 26, Issue 1) Richard B Drucker, GG writes:
Every year, tourists purchase jewelry from port town shops, major city tourist areas, and even from cruise ships, either on board or at a recommended local store. The vacation is a great memory until they return home, only to be told by a local jeweler or appraiser that they have been ripped off. Are they really a victim of a devious tourist trap, or has the local jeweler or appraiser low-balled the value in an attempt to make a sale themselves or discredit the tourist industry?
The truth is that when tourists leave their home country, they are definitely at a disadvantage when shopping for any item, not just jewelry. Tourist stores know that they are dealing with clients with discretionary income and impulsive spending behavior when away from home. If they have a change of heart for any reason when they get home, exchanges or refunds are unlikely due to the difficulty related to the distance. There might be guarantees but once home, the guarantees may be hard to invoke. Since cruise lines often get commissions from jewelry stores they recommend, they may be helpful in assisting the passenger in a dispute. Credit card companies historically helped out and are good advice for tourists to use, however, they too, are becoming reluctant to help out because there are so many claims and few are warranted.
When there is a dispute, the consumer will probably be directed to get an independent appraisal and that is one reason that Gemworld sees so many of these purchases. In fairness to the tourist stores and cruise ships, we do see many cases where the purchase price is legitimate, so this is not just about the tourist trap.
Most of the time, when a client comes to us for the independent appraisal thinking they are overpaid, we substantiate the price paid. The problem starts when the jeweler says they overpaid and their store could sell it for less. Although they could sell it for less, this may also be an unfair statement. There are different markets to buy jewelry in and different markets have different pricing. Some markets get higher markups due to overhead, location, advertising, and yes, even the fact that they may be giving commissions to cruise operators. Someone can always sell something for less, but that is not what is at issue. The only thing that is important is whether the tourist received what they expected at a fair price for the location in which they made the purchase.
Appraising in the Appropriate Market
Appraising in the appropriate market means research and due diligence by the appraiser. It means finding out what similar items sell for in similar stores. In the Sept/Oct 2006 issue of GMN, an article on markets appeared by Joseph Tenhagen. In it he identifies 14 separate and stratified markets in which jewelry can be purchased. It is our opinion that the appraiser should identify the market and research prices accordingly. We always ask where an item was purchased and value accordingly.
Occasionally, there may be reason to appraise an item in a different market than the one in which it was purchased. In the tourist examples, one may use the argument that if the item were lost, it would not be replaced in the same market. Appraisers may ask the question, “Where would you most likely replace this item if it were lost?” Since the tourist is unlikely to hop aboard the plane and return to the place of purchase, nor would the insurance company go to that store either, could it be appraised for a lower value in a different market? The answer is maybe.
First, if it is trademarked or branded from that store or location, it may likely have to be replaced only by that store. Then, you could not transfer the appraisal to a generic local replacement center. The opportunity to use a different market for replacement comes from the fact that most replacement type insurance policies state that they have the right to replace at their cost or to settle for the price that they could actually buy the item for, then one would argue that a low value is always appropriate. However, this will be the case with most purchases from all retail markets, and I am not sure that is where appraising should go. No jeweler would ever make a fair profit if this started to happen.
Sometimes a discussion may ensue regarding replacement and the client may request a lower value for insurance. Without going into a full discussion here about the appraisal methodology and valuation science, I will simply say that if a lower value is used for any reason, that reason should be clearly stated on the appraisal report. Something such as this could be added: Client purchased item at XYZ Jewelers, St.Thomas, for $4000.00. Although a fair price for that location, replacement value here in local markets has been determined to be $3200.00 and that value is being used at the request of the client.
Now, I know that appraisers love to debate methodology and appraising. There are many that would disagree with the above statement and procedure. One subscriber/appraiser recently emailed us regarding problems with a Caribbean purchase. While the heart of the issue was in some false claims, we also discussed valuation methods. He wrote the following. “My position is that it really doesn’t matter what the seller or buyer think the appraisal value of any item should be. It is what the market says it is. The client and/or seller can have absolutely no influence on an ethical appraisal. And, as an appraiser, I can’t really have an opinion on whether the price paid was too high or too low. There is no mention in the purpose and function statements of the appraisal being intended as a purchase price justification. As such, there is really no reason to identify the purchase price or to justify either the seller’s or the buyer’s position in a transaction. As appraisers, we are not in the business of taking sides (not should we be).”
While there is truth to much of this, other issues are at hand here. His position is that nothing influences what he ultimately appraises an item for. He states that the market dictates price, but what market? Market activity dictates value. Market location is an important factor in examining this activity. Disparaging terms such as rip off, etc., should be avoided. Appraisers are no more immune from civil recourse stemming from interfering in the commerce of others than anyone else. A purchase price is a valid indicator of value. If a comparable can be purchased in a different market for less, this might be noted. However, do not allow this to suggest that the original price was an unfair price for the market the consumer chose to shop within.
Appraisals of jewelry purchased in tourist markets present a challenge in that the appraiser must reconcile the role of market influence on value. Often these assignments blend two distinct tasks. One is assigning an insurance replacement value to aid the client in obtaining insurance. In this case, the purchase price may not be a significant consideration because the issue becomes not what was paid, but what would be paid to make the client whole again in case of a loss. However, this should not be done in a way that dismisses the legitimacy of an established tourist market.
Another example clearly illustrates this with real estate. Suppose a real estate appraiser were appraising a house. The appraiser finds that the builder of the home has built this exact home in a different city in another part of the country and it sold there for a lower price. The appraiser uses this price stating that this is all it would cost to replace the home with this builder. While the materials may be the same, the market value varies with location. The house does not cost the same in all locations, yet the appraiser would never say to the client that they were ripped off by paying the higher price in the place in which they chose to buy.
When the Gloves Come off
While we have defended many cases as the independent arbitrator, these cases have strictly involved the question of price. A bigger problem in our opinion is the misinformation and use of reports that inflate the grading of gems being sold. The value may be OK for what is sold or it may be high. In both cases, we will not defend the sale.
Every year, tourists purchase jewelry from port town shops, major city tourist areas, and even from cruise ships, either on board or at a recommended local store. The vacation is a great memory until they return home, only to be told by a local jeweler or appraiser that they have been ripped off. Are they really a victim of a devious tourist trap, or has the local jeweler or appraiser low-balled the value in an attempt to make a sale themselves or discredit the tourist industry?
The truth is that when tourists leave their home country, they are definitely at a disadvantage when shopping for any item, not just jewelry. Tourist stores know that they are dealing with clients with discretionary income and impulsive spending behavior when away from home. If they have a change of heart for any reason when they get home, exchanges or refunds are unlikely due to the difficulty related to the distance. There might be guarantees but once home, the guarantees may be hard to invoke. Since cruise lines often get commissions from jewelry stores they recommend, they may be helpful in assisting the passenger in a dispute. Credit card companies historically helped out and are good advice for tourists to use, however, they too, are becoming reluctant to help out because there are so many claims and few are warranted.
When there is a dispute, the consumer will probably be directed to get an independent appraisal and that is one reason that Gemworld sees so many of these purchases. In fairness to the tourist stores and cruise ships, we do see many cases where the purchase price is legitimate, so this is not just about the tourist trap.
Most of the time, when a client comes to us for the independent appraisal thinking they are overpaid, we substantiate the price paid. The problem starts when the jeweler says they overpaid and their store could sell it for less. Although they could sell it for less, this may also be an unfair statement. There are different markets to buy jewelry in and different markets have different pricing. Some markets get higher markups due to overhead, location, advertising, and yes, even the fact that they may be giving commissions to cruise operators. Someone can always sell something for less, but that is not what is at issue. The only thing that is important is whether the tourist received what they expected at a fair price for the location in which they made the purchase.
Appraising in the Appropriate Market
Appraising in the appropriate market means research and due diligence by the appraiser. It means finding out what similar items sell for in similar stores. In the Sept/Oct 2006 issue of GMN, an article on markets appeared by Joseph Tenhagen. In it he identifies 14 separate and stratified markets in which jewelry can be purchased. It is our opinion that the appraiser should identify the market and research prices accordingly. We always ask where an item was purchased and value accordingly.
Occasionally, there may be reason to appraise an item in a different market than the one in which it was purchased. In the tourist examples, one may use the argument that if the item were lost, it would not be replaced in the same market. Appraisers may ask the question, “Where would you most likely replace this item if it were lost?” Since the tourist is unlikely to hop aboard the plane and return to the place of purchase, nor would the insurance company go to that store either, could it be appraised for a lower value in a different market? The answer is maybe.
First, if it is trademarked or branded from that store or location, it may likely have to be replaced only by that store. Then, you could not transfer the appraisal to a generic local replacement center. The opportunity to use a different market for replacement comes from the fact that most replacement type insurance policies state that they have the right to replace at their cost or to settle for the price that they could actually buy the item for, then one would argue that a low value is always appropriate. However, this will be the case with most purchases from all retail markets, and I am not sure that is where appraising should go. No jeweler would ever make a fair profit if this started to happen.
Sometimes a discussion may ensue regarding replacement and the client may request a lower value for insurance. Without going into a full discussion here about the appraisal methodology and valuation science, I will simply say that if a lower value is used for any reason, that reason should be clearly stated on the appraisal report. Something such as this could be added: Client purchased item at XYZ Jewelers, St.Thomas, for $4000.00. Although a fair price for that location, replacement value here in local markets has been determined to be $3200.00 and that value is being used at the request of the client.
Now, I know that appraisers love to debate methodology and appraising. There are many that would disagree with the above statement and procedure. One subscriber/appraiser recently emailed us regarding problems with a Caribbean purchase. While the heart of the issue was in some false claims, we also discussed valuation methods. He wrote the following. “My position is that it really doesn’t matter what the seller or buyer think the appraisal value of any item should be. It is what the market says it is. The client and/or seller can have absolutely no influence on an ethical appraisal. And, as an appraiser, I can’t really have an opinion on whether the price paid was too high or too low. There is no mention in the purpose and function statements of the appraisal being intended as a purchase price justification. As such, there is really no reason to identify the purchase price or to justify either the seller’s or the buyer’s position in a transaction. As appraisers, we are not in the business of taking sides (not should we be).”
While there is truth to much of this, other issues are at hand here. His position is that nothing influences what he ultimately appraises an item for. He states that the market dictates price, but what market? Market activity dictates value. Market location is an important factor in examining this activity. Disparaging terms such as rip off, etc., should be avoided. Appraisers are no more immune from civil recourse stemming from interfering in the commerce of others than anyone else. A purchase price is a valid indicator of value. If a comparable can be purchased in a different market for less, this might be noted. However, do not allow this to suggest that the original price was an unfair price for the market the consumer chose to shop within.
Appraisals of jewelry purchased in tourist markets present a challenge in that the appraiser must reconcile the role of market influence on value. Often these assignments blend two distinct tasks. One is assigning an insurance replacement value to aid the client in obtaining insurance. In this case, the purchase price may not be a significant consideration because the issue becomes not what was paid, but what would be paid to make the client whole again in case of a loss. However, this should not be done in a way that dismisses the legitimacy of an established tourist market.
Another example clearly illustrates this with real estate. Suppose a real estate appraiser were appraising a house. The appraiser finds that the builder of the home has built this exact home in a different city in another part of the country and it sold there for a lower price. The appraiser uses this price stating that this is all it would cost to replace the home with this builder. While the materials may be the same, the market value varies with location. The house does not cost the same in all locations, yet the appraiser would never say to the client that they were ripped off by paying the higher price in the place in which they chose to buy.
When the Gloves Come off
While we have defended many cases as the independent arbitrator, these cases have strictly involved the question of price. A bigger problem in our opinion is the misinformation and use of reports that inflate the grading of gems being sold. The value may be OK for what is sold or it may be high. In both cases, we will not defend the sale.
Origin Determination Of Rubies, Sapphires And Emeralds
The lecture was delivered on the 8th December, 2004 at AIGS by Dietmar Schwarz and Christian Dunaigre, Gubelin Gem Lab, Switzerland.
In brief:
Historical data: The concept of country of origin determination started 60+ years ago in Switzerland by Dr. Eduard Gubelin who did methodical studies on internal features of gemstones originating from important gem localities around the world. During 1950s and 1970s the number of important gem deposits were restricted due to political and economic reasons. Some of the major deposits include:
Ruby: Ratnapura/Elahera in Sri Lanka
Mogok Stone Tract / Mong Hshu / Namya in Burma
Trat province in Thailand
Magari / Umba valley in East Africa
Different localities in Vietnam
Different localities in Madagascar
Sapphires: Ratnapura / Elahera in Sri Lanka
Mogok Stone Tract in Burma
Kanchanaburi / Chantaburi in Thailand
Different localities in Australia
Different localities in Madagascar
Different localities in the USA
Emeralds: Muzo / Chivor in Colombia
Different localities in Zambia
Sandawana in Zimbabwe
Ural mountains in Russia
Different localities in Brazil
Different localities in Afghanistan
Different localities in Pakistan
In today’s gem market, traders like to submit a ruby, sapphire or emerald for origin determination due to its high value. Inclusions do affect prices. There are number of reasons why inclusions alone are unreliable for determining the origin of gemstones. The current gemological knowledge of inclusions for various ruby + sapphire + emerald + other important colored stone occurrences are incomplete. Study of inclusions is a relatively new science and there is so much that remains to be learned + so many inclusions that have yet to be identified and catalogued. The key areas to be studied are:
- variation of the inclusion parameters within samples from a given locality
- similarity of inclusion populations in samples from different localities
- what sort of diagnostic origin information can we collect from a cut gemstone
- limitations in the determination of origin
- chemical fingerprinting
- advanced instruments such as UV, VIS-NIR, FTIR, Raman +++
During the 80s and 90s many new gem deposits were discovered. It was found that the mineralogical-gemological properties of the new sources were quite similar or even identical to those observed from the traditional sources. For instance blue sapphires from Madagascar displayed features that resembled sapphires from Sri Lanka, East Africa, Burma or even Kashmir. At the same time gemstones even when found in similar geological environments still showed some locality-specific features which allowed a clear separation from gems originating from a deposit of the same generic type such rubies from the Mogok and Mong Hshu.
Today gemological laboratories dealing with origin determination of colored stones are confronted with the gem production of an increasing number of mining areas all over the world. Some of the traditional sources are not producing gems consistently. Without any doubt the island of Madagascar has enormous potential for almost all gemstone species located in different regions of the country and related to different types of host rocks. Advanced + proprietary treatment techniques in rubies, sapphires and emerald may result in the elimination of characteristic features and make origin determination more difficult.
In brief:
Historical data: The concept of country of origin determination started 60+ years ago in Switzerland by Dr. Eduard Gubelin who did methodical studies on internal features of gemstones originating from important gem localities around the world. During 1950s and 1970s the number of important gem deposits were restricted due to political and economic reasons. Some of the major deposits include:
Ruby: Ratnapura/Elahera in Sri Lanka
Mogok Stone Tract / Mong Hshu / Namya in Burma
Trat province in Thailand
Magari / Umba valley in East Africa
Different localities in Vietnam
Different localities in Madagascar
Sapphires: Ratnapura / Elahera in Sri Lanka
Mogok Stone Tract in Burma
Kanchanaburi / Chantaburi in Thailand
Different localities in Australia
Different localities in Madagascar
Different localities in the USA
Emeralds: Muzo / Chivor in Colombia
Different localities in Zambia
Sandawana in Zimbabwe
Ural mountains in Russia
Different localities in Brazil
Different localities in Afghanistan
Different localities in Pakistan
In today’s gem market, traders like to submit a ruby, sapphire or emerald for origin determination due to its high value. Inclusions do affect prices. There are number of reasons why inclusions alone are unreliable for determining the origin of gemstones. The current gemological knowledge of inclusions for various ruby + sapphire + emerald + other important colored stone occurrences are incomplete. Study of inclusions is a relatively new science and there is so much that remains to be learned + so many inclusions that have yet to be identified and catalogued. The key areas to be studied are:
- variation of the inclusion parameters within samples from a given locality
- similarity of inclusion populations in samples from different localities
- what sort of diagnostic origin information can we collect from a cut gemstone
- limitations in the determination of origin
- chemical fingerprinting
- advanced instruments such as UV, VIS-NIR, FTIR, Raman +++
During the 80s and 90s many new gem deposits were discovered. It was found that the mineralogical-gemological properties of the new sources were quite similar or even identical to those observed from the traditional sources. For instance blue sapphires from Madagascar displayed features that resembled sapphires from Sri Lanka, East Africa, Burma or even Kashmir. At the same time gemstones even when found in similar geological environments still showed some locality-specific features which allowed a clear separation from gems originating from a deposit of the same generic type such rubies from the Mogok and Mong Hshu.
Today gemological laboratories dealing with origin determination of colored stones are confronted with the gem production of an increasing number of mining areas all over the world. Some of the traditional sources are not producing gems consistently. Without any doubt the island of Madagascar has enormous potential for almost all gemstone species located in different regions of the country and related to different types of host rocks. Advanced + proprietary treatment techniques in rubies, sapphires and emerald may result in the elimination of characteristic features and make origin determination more difficult.
Friday, April 27, 2007
Kashmir sapphire
On April 25, Christies auction house also set a record for the highest per carat price ever paid for a cushion cut 22.66 carat Kashmir sapphire, which was sold to an anonymous buyer for $3.064 million.
Useful link:
www.christies.com
Useful link:
www.christies.com
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