Friday, July 20, 2007
Botswana’s 15% Stake In De Beers: To Sell Or Not To Sell Is Not The Question – The Timing Is!
Chaim Even-Zohar writes about Botswana's diversification plans to compete with other players + the Nicky factor + other viewpoints @ http://www.idexonline.com/portal_FullEditorial.asp?TextSearch=&KeyMatch=0&id=25942
Notes From The Laboratory
2007: Here is another tip from my mentor. Fuel for thought. This is done even today. Keep your eyes open.
(via The Journal of Gemmology, Vol.XIX, N0.2, April 1984) Kenneth Scarratt writes:
An item that we have seen quite a number of examples of over the past few years is the imitation crystal.
One interesting specimen made to imitate ruby was composed of fragments of natural and synthetic (Verneuil) ruby together by an adhesive and coated in mica. More often than not though, these imitations are made to resemble emerald, in particular the type of mica-coated rough that emanates from East Africa.
Sometimes produced with obvious crystal form, or more convincingly with the minimum of form, the basic material for this type of imitation is either very poor quality emerald, beryl or glass. The poor quality emerald or beryl varieties may be manufactured either by slicing the crystal down its length and gluing the two pieces back together with a green adhesive and then coating the whole in mica, or by hollowing out the crystal, infilling with a green substance and then coating the base with a matrix-like material.
(via The Journal of Gemmology, Vol.XIX, N0.2, April 1984) Kenneth Scarratt writes:
An item that we have seen quite a number of examples of over the past few years is the imitation crystal.
One interesting specimen made to imitate ruby was composed of fragments of natural and synthetic (Verneuil) ruby together by an adhesive and coated in mica. More often than not though, these imitations are made to resemble emerald, in particular the type of mica-coated rough that emanates from East Africa.
Sometimes produced with obvious crystal form, or more convincingly with the minimum of form, the basic material for this type of imitation is either very poor quality emerald, beryl or glass. The poor quality emerald or beryl varieties may be manufactured either by slicing the crystal down its length and gluing the two pieces back together with a green adhesive and then coating the whole in mica, or by hollowing out the crystal, infilling with a green substance and then coating the base with a matrix-like material.
Hambergite
Chemistry: Berylium borate
Crystal system: Orthorhombic; prism; flattened.
Color: Transparent to translucent; colorless, gray, yellow.
Hardness: 7.5
Cleavage: Perfect: 2 directions; Fracture: brittle, conchoidal to uneven.
Specific gravity: 2.35
Refractive index: 1.553 – 1.631; Biaxial positive; 0.072
Luster: Vitreous.
Dispersion: Low.
Dichroism: -
Occurrence: In pegmatites; Madagascar, Norway.
Notes
Collector’s stone; high DR and vitreous luster (looks like glass); rare; seldom very clean; lowest known density for gem with such a high birefringence; faceted.
Crystal system: Orthorhombic; prism; flattened.
Color: Transparent to translucent; colorless, gray, yellow.
Hardness: 7.5
Cleavage: Perfect: 2 directions; Fracture: brittle, conchoidal to uneven.
Specific gravity: 2.35
Refractive index: 1.553 – 1.631; Biaxial positive; 0.072
Luster: Vitreous.
Dispersion: Low.
Dichroism: -
Occurrence: In pegmatites; Madagascar, Norway.
Notes
Collector’s stone; high DR and vitreous luster (looks like glass); rare; seldom very clean; lowest known density for gem with such a high birefringence; faceted.
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Gemstones vs. Chocolates
The chocolate companies in the US and elsewhere have started labeling their bars according to cacao content (cocoa solids + cocoa butter). The experts believe chocolate's taste is a magic combination of origin + blend + roasting of the cocoa beans. Many industry analysts believe the next wave in chocolate marketing will be focussed on origin + variety of cocoa beans.
I think the colored stone + diamond industry have a lot to learn from the chocolate industry. If the grading laboratories were able to classify origin, variety, treatments + product contents (chemistry) in a easy-to-read (understand) format, the concept could have made a big difference.
I think the colored stone + diamond industry have a lot to learn from the chocolate industry. If the grading laboratories were able to classify origin, variety, treatments + product contents (chemistry) in a easy-to-read (understand) format, the concept could have made a big difference.
Nuclear Regulatory Commission
In the US, discussions are underway to enforce NRC (Nuclear Regulatory Commission) regulations on treated gems, especially when dealing with irradiated gems because most of the gems comes from overseas. In the US, many gemstones are sold in noncompliance with NRC regulations, and there are no NRC-licensed facilities to test gemstones. Many in gem and jewelry industry, especially jewelry retailers do not like nasty surprises during the Christmas season.
The new regulations may be ready by early next year with reference to tool kit on treated gems. For more information visit http://www.nrc.gov
The new regulations may be ready by early next year with reference to tool kit on treated gems. For more information visit http://www.nrc.gov
Operating Under Umbrellas
Chaim Even-Zohar writes about the way (s) diamond banker (s) think and make decisions + transparency and accountability + an insider view + other viewpoints @ http://www.idexonline.com/portal_FullEditorial.aspTextSearch=&KeyMatch=0&id=25974
Gold Rush
Eileen Kinsella writes about Gustav Klimt and his paintings + the price factor (s) + other viewpoints @ http://artnews.com/issues/article.asp?art_id=2193
Like art, gemstones are an imperfect market, with a sale possible only when there is a willing buyer and all prices are open negotiation. Many were shocked when Gustav Klimt's Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I (1907) was sold at $135 million, surpassing ($104.2 million) Picasso's Blue Period Boy with a Pipe (1905). The reason may be the painting's provenance + history. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
The story of Hancock Red Diamond is a good comparison. In the 1980s the heirs of Warren Hancock owed the IRS a million dollars. In order to pay the bill they shipped off the gem collection their dad stashed away for years to the Sotheby's in New York for evaluation. Sotheby's picked out three, the largest of the trio, a 0.95ct red diamond was bought for $880,000 + 10% buyer's premium; that set a world record of $926,000 per carat. Warren Hancock had bought all three diamonds from his local jeweler for less than $20000 combined.
On February 15, 2006, for a 8.62 carat cushion-cut ruby (Burmese) Lawrence Graff paid a price of US$425,000 per carat. Again, the reason may be the stone's provenance, beauty + a good story.
In my view, because of gemstone's beauty, rarity, durability + portability, the stones should fetch more than paintings.
Like art, gemstones are an imperfect market, with a sale possible only when there is a willing buyer and all prices are open negotiation. Many were shocked when Gustav Klimt's Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I (1907) was sold at $135 million, surpassing ($104.2 million) Picasso's Blue Period Boy with a Pipe (1905). The reason may be the painting's provenance + history. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
The story of Hancock Red Diamond is a good comparison. In the 1980s the heirs of Warren Hancock owed the IRS a million dollars. In order to pay the bill they shipped off the gem collection their dad stashed away for years to the Sotheby's in New York for evaluation. Sotheby's picked out three, the largest of the trio, a 0.95ct red diamond was bought for $880,000 + 10% buyer's premium; that set a world record of $926,000 per carat. Warren Hancock had bought all three diamonds from his local jeweler for less than $20000 combined.
On February 15, 2006, for a 8.62 carat cushion-cut ruby (Burmese) Lawrence Graff paid a price of US$425,000 per carat. Again, the reason may be the stone's provenance, beauty + a good story.
In my view, because of gemstone's beauty, rarity, durability + portability, the stones should fetch more than paintings.
Harry Collins: The Royal Jeweler
Harry Collins, a small family-run business is the Queen of England's new royal jeweler, who will be responsible for the maintenance of the royal jewelry collection.
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