Publish Year: 1989 Title: The Gujar Killi Emerald Deposit, Northwest Frontier Province, Pakistan Abstract: Over the last decade, Pakistan has developed into an important source for many gem materials. A number of localities have been identified for emeralds in particular. This article reports on the emerald deposits in the valley of Gujar Killi, located in the Northwest Frontier Province. The occurrence, mining, and gemological properties are described. Reserves appear to be good, and increased mining activity suggests strong production for the near future. @topic:2


Publish Year: - Title: Winter 2010 G&G Lab Notes Abstract: Lab Sees Increasing Number of Large HPHT-Treated Type IIa Diamonds
One Dapper Diamond
Pale Pink Diamonds, Coated Fancy Pink
Intense Purplish Pink HPHT-Grown/Treated Synthetic Diamond
Large (4+ ct) Yellow-Orange HPHT-Grown Synthetic Diamond
Silicon-Vacancy Defect Found in Blue HPHT-Grown Synthetic Diamond
Three Melee-Size Synthetic Diamonds
Artificial Metallic Veining in Manufactured Gem Materials
A Rare Natural Green Pearl
Rock Containing Richterite and Sugilite
Lead Glass-Filled Ruby Damaged During Jewelry Repair
Natural Sapphire with a Sapphire Inclusion
Synthetic Spinel and Synthetic Ruby Doublet

To view the full section, download the PDF above. @topic:4


Publish Year: 2010 Title: Yellow Scapolite from Ihosy, Madagascar Abstract: Attractive yellow to light greenish yellow gem scapolites have been mined from a skarn deposit near the town of Ihosy, in southern Madagascar, since the late 1990s. Chemical analysis indicates that the scapolites have a mostly meionite content, with lesser amounts of marialite and a small percentage of silvialite. These results are agreeable with the RI measurements and IR spectra. Inclusions were identified as diopside, garnet (andradite-grossular), and mica (probably phlogopite) consistent with the minerals accompanying scapolite in Ihosy skarns. The samples’ UV fluorescence appears to be distinctive from that of commercially available scapolites from other localities. @topic:1


Publish Year: 2010 Title: New Occurrence of Fire Opal from Bemia, Madagascar Abstract: Twenty-two gem opals from a new volcanic deposit located near Bemia, in southeastern Madagascar, were investigated by classical gemological methods, SEM-EDS, powder X-ray diffraction analysis, LA-ICP-MS, and Raman and IR spectroscopy. Although none of the opals show play-of-color, they exhibit a wide variety of hues—including those typical of fire opal—that are related to iron content, mainly from Fe-rich inclusions. Consistent with their volcanic origin, these samples are microcrystalline and composed of opal-CT or opal-C. Among the inclusions are ilmenite needles, clay minerals, and iron oxides and hydroxides. The RI and, in particular, SG values are higher than those typical of natural fire opal (e.g., from Mexico) and some synthetic fire opal, allowing for a rapid separation. @topic:13


Publish Year: - Title: Spring 2010 G&G Lab Notes Abstract: Coated and Fracture-Filled Orangy Red Diamond
Diamond with Rare Green Fluorescence
Identification of Irradiated Black Diamonds
Large HPHT-Treated Type IIb Blue Diamond
Pink Diamonds Colored by Multiple Treatment Processes
Type IIa Greenish Yellow Diamond Colored by IR-Inactive Nitrogen
Red CVD Synthetic Diamond with Multiple Treatments
Exceptionally Transparent Treated Jadeite
Large Pair of Natural Freshwater Pearls
Blockage-Induced Growth Tubes in Tourmaline
Treated Green Turquoise

To view the full section, download the PDF above. @topic:10


Publish Year: 1986 Title: Winter 1986 G&G Lab Notes Abstract: Amethyst with Brazil Twinning Visible without Polarized Light
Synthetic Amethyst with Inclusions Typical of Hydrothermal Origin
Andalusite with Growth Bands
Faceted Clinohumite
Saint Valentine's Diamond
Imitation Emerald: Synthetic Spinel-and-Glass Triplets
Synthetic Emerald with a "Breadcrumb" Inclusion
Imitation Lapis Lazuli
Eroded Natural Pearls
Imitation Pearls
Cat's-Eye Petalite
Pyrite in Quartz

To view the full section, download the PDF above. @topic:10


Publish Year: 1991 Title: Sunstone Labradorite from the Ponderosa Mine, Oregon Abstract: The Ponderosa mine is now producing commercial quantities of the gem-quality labradorite feldspar known as sunstone. This gem material exhibits unique optical and physical properties that include a wide range of saturated body colors, aventurescence, and strong pleochroism. The feldspar is An70 labradorite, a high calcic plagioclase; the aventurescence-causing inclusions have been identified as pure native copper. Microprobe analyses conducted on colorless, red, and green samples did not reveal any obvious causative mechanism for the exhibited colors, although ongoing research is investigating intervalence charge transfer, possibly involving colloidal copper. Gemological identification involves the use of R.I., S.G., and microscopy. Locality determination (Oregon) is based on the copper inclusions and a distinct pleochroism. @topic:2


Publish Year: 1986 Title: Spring 1986 G&G Lab Notes Abstract: Alexandrite with Unusual Silky Zones
Calcite Marble Beads
Golden Yellow Danburite from Sri Lanka
Diamond Alphabet
Ekanite, a Markedly Radioactive Metamict Gemstone
Emerald with Iridescent Coating
Glass Miciobilles from Arizona
Hornblende Amphibole, Magnesian Hastingsite
Lapis Lazuli Imitation, Dyed Blue Quartzite
Oolitic Opal with Chalcedony Matrix
Pearls with Unusual Drilling Features
Sapphire, Pinkish Orange ("Padparadscha")
Yttrium Aluminum Gallium Garnet

To view the full section, download the PDF above. @topic:10


Publish Year: 1986 Title: The Sapphires of Mingxi, Fujian Province, China Abstract: Blue sapphires are currently being mined on an exploratory basis from alluvial deposits at the Lindi mine, near the town of Mingxi in Fujian Province. The geology and occurrence of the sapphires appears to be similar to that of the gem corundum from Australia, Thailand, and Kampuchea (Cambodia). For the most part, the rough sapphires are greenish blue to dark blue in color and average approximately 2 ct; their gemological properties are also similar to those of sapphires from comparable geologic environments. @topic:2


Publish Year: 1985 Title: Winter 1985 G&G Lab Notes Abstract: Bicolor Beryl
Heat-Induced Color Change in Diamond
Diamond with Natural Internal Irradiation Stain
Piggyback Diamond
Fancy Diamond Simulant, Yellow Cubic Zirconia
Melted Garnet and-Glass Doublet
Carved Jet
Oiled Lapis Lazuli
Conch "Pearls"
Imitation ¾ Cultured Blister Pearls
Ruby with Unusual Inclusions
Spinel Color Change
Synthetic Spinel Color Change
Synthetic Zincite
Unclassified Oddity

To view the full section, download the PDF above. @topic:10


Publish Year: 1985 Title: A Status Report on Gemstones from Afghanistan Abstract: Although Afghanistan has historically been well known for its lapis lazuli deposits, significant amounts of fine emerald, tourmaline, kunzite, and some rubies are now emerging from that embattled nation. Emeralds come primarily from the Panjshir Valley, northeast of Kabul. Large amounts of green, blue, and pink tourmaline, as well as considerable quantities of kunzite and some aquamarine, have been taken from the pegmatites of the Nuristan region, east of Panjshir. Smaller quantities of fine ruby have been found in the Sorobi region, between Jalalabad and Kabul. The occurrence, mining, and distribution of these gem materials are summarized, as are their gemological properties. Lesser amounts of garnet, amethyst, spinel, and morganite have also been located. The prospects for future production of emeralds and pegmatite gems, in particular, are excellent. @topic:9


Publish Year: 1985 Title: Fall 1985 G&G Lab Notes Abstract: Black Star Sapphire Doublet
Surface-Induced Stars in Corundum
Diamond for High Rollers
Diamond Simulants, Damage during Jewelry Repair
Synthetic Emerald
Plagioclase Feldspar and Green Muscovite Mica
Garnet Cat's-Eye Demantoid
Grossularite Garnet
Jadeite with Unusual Inclusions
Imitation Lapis Lazuli
Unusual Cultured Pearls
Sapphirine: A Rarely Encountered Cut Stone

To view the full section, download the PDF above. @topic:10


Publish Year: 1985 Title: Summer 1985 G&G Lab Notes Abstract: Amber, with Unusual Inclusions
Amethyst, with Confusing Inclusions
Diamond Damaged in Cutting
Fancy Blue Diamond
Fluorite Carving, Damaged by Sulfuric Acid
Hexagonite, Cat's-Eye
Unusual Gilson Synthetic Opal
Yellow-Green Opal
Freshwater Cultured Pearls from China
Imitation Pearls
Quartz, Very Dark Reddish Gray Cat's-Eye
Star Sapphire, Diffusion-treated
Scapolite, Dark Cat's-Eye
Topaz Imitation
Zircon, Cat's-Eye @topic:10


Publish Year: 1984 Title: Fall 1984 G&G Lab Notes Abstract: Diamond with Phantom Growth Plane
Diamond Simulant, Inclusions in Cubic Zirconia
Emerald Substitute: Dyed Beryl
Lechleitner Synthetic Overgrowth in Emerald
Enstatite, Near Colorless
Abalone Pearl
Accidental, or "Keshi," Pearls?
Cultured Pearl Mystery
Imitation "Rice Grain" Biwa Cultured Pearls
More Imitation Pearls
Natural Seed Pearls and Glass Imitations
Turquoise "Hidden" Treatment

To view the full section, download the PDF above. @topic:10


Publish Year: 1984 Title: Summer 1984 G&G Lab Notes Abstract: Amethyst with Unusual Natural Inclusion
Cummingtonite-Grunerite, a Series in the Amphibole Group
Coated Diamonds
Dendrite-Like Inclusion in Diamond
Diopside
Artistically Stained Nephrite
Dyed Nephrite
Imitation Mabe Pearls
Unusual Cultured Pearls
Unusually Large Multi-Star Quartz
Heat Treated Ruby
Verneuil Synthetic Sapphire
Black Spinel
Cat's-Eye Zircon

To view the full section, download the PDF above. @topic:10


Publish Year: 1983 Title: Spring 1983 G&G Lab Notes Abstract: Cat's-Eye Alexandrite
Carved Diamond
Pink Diamonds
Imitation Emerald
Tubules in Emerald
Fluorite and Rose Quartz Necklace
Garnet and Glass Doublets
Cat's-Eye Opal
Treated Opal
Paleontological Gemology
Cultured Button Pearls
Pearl Mysteries
A Rare Cat's-Eye Quartz
Ruby and Synthetic Ruby Assembled Stone
Spinel with Color Change
Unclassified Oddities

To view the full section, download the PDF above. @topic:8


Publish Year: 2012 Title: Sapphires from Thammannawa, Kataragama Area, Sri Lanka Abstract: The February 2012 discovery of high-quality blue sapphires at Thammannawa near Kataragama in southeastern Sri Lanka has intensified gem mining and exploration in the surrounding area and all over the country. The deposit is hosted by the Kataragama klippe, and corundum mineralization is associated with pegmatitic intrusions and surrounding micaceous layers. Well-formed crystals from this primary deposit display flat faces and sharp edges with an unusually vitreous luster. The sapphires possess good transparency and a pure blue color that is characteristic of corundum from this deposit. Several kilograms of rough material have been produced so far, with some crystals larger than 200 g. Faceted blue sapphires of fine color and weighing more than 20 ct have been cut. @topic:2


Publish Year: 1982 Title: Gemstones of Pakistan: Emerald, Ruby, and Spinel Abstract: Only during the last few years have the gem riches of Pakistan become known to the rest of the
world. This article reports on three gem materials currently being mined: emerald, corundum (most importantly, ruby), and spinel. Intensely colored emerald crystals occur in dolomitic talc schists in the Swat Valley. Unusually high optical properties and density serve to distinguish these emeralds from those found elsewhere. Numerous gas-liquid inclusions are also typical. In the Hunza Valley, specimen and gem-quality crystals of corundum and spinel occur in beds of marble enclosed in gneisses and mica schists. The gemological properties of the Pakistan rubies and sapphires vary only slightly within normal limits. @topic:9


Publish Year: 1982 Title: Tugtupite: A Gemstone from Greenland Abstract: The red variety of the mineral tugtupite, a rare silicate closely related to sodalite, has been used as a gemstone since 1965. This article presents the history of the mineral and details of its mineralogy and gemology. A recently discovered light blue variety of tugtupite is also described. Thus far, tugtupite has been found in only two localities: (1) Lovozero, Kola Peninsula, U.S.S.R., where it occurs as very small grains; and (2) Ilimaussaq, South Greenland, where it has been located at several places within the Ilimaussaq intrusion. Gem-quality tugtupite has come almost exclusively from one occurrence, a set of hydrothermal albite veins from the Kvanefjeld plateau in the northwestern corner of the Ilimaussaq intrusion. @topic:2


Publish Year: 1981 Title: Cryogenics, an Aid to Gemstone Testing Abstract: Cooling of gemstones to low temperatures provides for enhanced detail in the absorption spectra. This article identifies some simple techniques for cooling gems that are available to the jeweler-gemologist and offers a detailed description of the procedures used in the research laboratory for automatic recording of spectra at low temperatures. Examples of the differences observed between spectra recorded on stones held at room temperature and those recorded for the same stones at significantly lower temperatures are presented for diamond, emerald, and synthetic alexandrite. @topic:8


Publish Year: 1981 Title: Artificially Induced Color in Amethyst-Citrine Quartz Abstract: Adjacent amethyst and citrine colors in the same crystal of quartz have been reported from South America, although there appears to be uncertainty as to the exact locality of origin. Such material has also been produced by synthesis. Several previous studies on the impurities contained in natural and synthetic quartz and the effects of irradiation and heating, as well as new heating and irradiation experiments with the current natural amethyst-citrine quartz and with amethyst, are described. It is concluded that there are presently no known tests to distinguish natural bicolor material that was heated or irradiated (or both) in nature from natural amethyst heated or irradiated (or both) by man or from the equivalent synthetic material. @topic:1


Publish Year: - Title: Summer 2012 G&G Lab Notes Abstract: Large Artificially Irradiated Yellow Diamond
Multi-Treated Yellowish Green Diamond
Natural Green Diamond Artificially Irradiated for Color Enhancement
Pink Diamonds with 478 nm Peak
Rough Diamonds with a Green Coating
Jewelry Mounted with Red Feldspar from China
Hibonite Crystal
Unusual Green Color in a Jadeite Bangle
Greenish Blue Imitation Opal
Cultured Freshwater Pearl Necklace Resembling Natural Saltwater Pearls
Large Freshwater Cultured Blister Pearl
Luminescent Strontium-Calcium Aluminate Doped with Rare-Earth Elements
Near-Colorless HPHT-Grown Synthetic Diamonds from Advanced Optical Technology Co.

To view the full section, download the PDF above. @topic:10


Publish Year: - Title: Spring 2011 G&G Lab Notes Abstract: Large HPHT-Treated Cape Diamond
A Very Large Colorless HPHT-Treated Diamond
Thermoluminescence from Type IaB Diamonds
Two Diamonds Cut to Exhibit Inclusions
Halite Submitted for Identification
Three Similar-Appearing Green Stones: Jadeite, Omphacite, and Hydrogrossular
Beryllium- and Tungsten-Bearing Sapphires from Afghanistan
Aggregate of Black Synthetic Moissanite and Crystalline Silicon
Synthetic Star Spinel Imitation of Moonstone

To view the full section, download the PDF above. @topic:10


Publish Year: - Title: Celebrating G&G’s 80th Year and the Artistry of Harold and Erica Van Pelt Abstract: View Gallery

	Opening reception for the G&G museum exhibit
On June 11, G&G contributors, supporters, and staff toasted the opening of the new GIA Museum exhibit, “The Beauty of Science: Gems & Gemology Celebrates 80 Years, Featuring the Artistry of Harold and Erica Van Pelt.” The exhibit spotlights gems and jewelry featured on selected G&G covers since 1981. The cover photos are the work of the Van Pelts, the husband-and-wife team who contributed nearly three decades of photography to the journal’s pages. In addition to gathering treasures from the Smithsonian and other sources, the collection offers intriguing examples of cutting-edge research, locality reports, and industry coverage over the years. The exhibit runs through December 14. @topic:6


Publish Year: 2014 Title: Challenges and Opportunities Abstract: Welcome to the second issue of our 80th year!

In June, GIA held a reception at our Carlsbad headquarters to celebrate this anniversary and to honor the artistry of Harold and Erica Van Pelt. The reception marked the opening of a museum exhibition of their G&G cover shots, displayed alongside many of the fabulous pieces they photographed. The Van Pelts’ beautiful images graced the covers of our journal for nearly 30 years, and really symbolized the stature and quality of G&G.

Along with GIA president Susan Jacques, editor-in-chief emeritus Alice Keller, and frequent contributor John King, I was privileged to offer a few words to our guests. While the others spoke to G&G’s context, its place at the heart of GIA’s mission, and the contributions that enriched the journal over the years, my topic was the future. Although there are undoubtedly challenges in living up to G&G’s 80-year legacy, there are corresponding opportunities to take our journal to a much wider audience. While technology and social media provide much of this new potential, it’s also abundantly clear how well people respond to the printed journal, and how important face-to-face contact is for transforming ideas into reality. As we plan for the future, our strategy needs to incorporate both elements.

Our lead article in the summer issue, by GIA’s Robert Weldon and Russell Shor, examines the progress Botswana has made toward becoming a major diamond processing and jewelry manufacturing center. The country has a history—primarily through the rich diamond mines in its territories—of harnessing natural resources for the benefit of its people. The authors examine the current status of Botswana’s cutting industry and its prospects for the future. The article draws from Weldon’s 2013 visit to Botswana with GIA videographer Kevin Schumacher, whose extensive videos illuminate many of the locations and people described in the paper.

In the minds of many practicing gemologists, three-phase inclusions in emerald are inextricably linked to Colombian origin. Yet emeralds from Afghan, Chinese, and Zambian deposits can display strikingly similar multiphase inclusions. Sudarat Saeseaw, Supharart Sangsawong, and Vincent Pardieu, all from GIA’s Bangkok laboratory, present detailed photomicrographs of samples from these localities and combine this study with spectroscopy and trace-element analysis. The authors demonstrate that the combination of these techniques has significant potential for the geographic origin determination of emerald.

We also offer a fascinating paper examining the blue color phenomena seen in some Dominican and Indonesian amber. Yan Liu of Liu Research Laboratories and coauthors Guanghai Shi and Shen Wang provide the gemological basis for the surface-related blue fluorescence seen in such amber.

Our final feature article—also on amber—comes from Yamei Wang and Mingxing Yang, both of the China University of Geosciences in Wuhan, and Yiping Yang, a former postgraduate from the same institution. This paper documents their heat treatment experiments on a range of amber samples, which successfully reproduced some of the products found in today’s jewelry marketplace. Along with the methods and results of their experiments, the authors present criteria for identifying heated amber.

In addition to these feature articles, you’ll find a variety of updates in our regular Lab Notes and Gem News International sections.

One of our continuing priorities is to develop synergy with the GIA website. In this issue, we entreat you to visit—in case you missed them—our recent article posts and related videos. You’ll hear the voices of researchers, miners, and gem professionals, and see inside research institutions, mines, museums, and the diverse locations where gems are bought and sold.

We hope you enjoy the summer 2014 edition! @topic:11


Publish Year: 2014 Title: Bumble Bee “Jasper” from Indonesia Abstract: Figure 1. This Bumble Bee “jasper,” measuring 32 × 54 mm, is a mixture of volcanic lava and sediment. Photo by Robert Weldon/GIA; courtesy of Robert E. Kane.

              At the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show, All in Vein (Quartzsite, Arizona) exhibited slabs and pairs of Bumble Bee “jasper,” which was sold elsewhere at the show as Eclipse “jasper.” The term jasper is a misnomer, as this vibrantly colored orange, yellow, and black material (figure 1) actually formed from a mixture of Indonesian volcano lava and sediment. A carbonate-rich rock first discovered on the island of Java during the 1990s, the material is soft, with a Mohs hardness of 5 or below. The porous rock is easily cut and polished, and most specimens are filled with Opticon (H. Serras-Herman, “Bumble Bee ‘jasper’: A colorful volcanic lapidary material,” Rock & Gem, Vol. 43, No. 8, pp. 26–29). @topic:8


Publish Year: 2014 Title: Shattuckite from the DRC Abstract: Figure 1. These intense blue shattuckite specimens are from a recent find in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Photo by Brett Kosnar; courtesy of Brett Kosnar, Kosnar Gem Co.

              At the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show, Brett Kosnar of Mineral Classics (Black Hawk, Colorado) exhibited rare specimens of shattuckite from the Democratic Republic of Congo. A new find of this intense medium to dark blue copper silicate (figure 1) occurred in the Kambove District in October 2013. The mineral has a Mohs hardness of 3.5 and is used for cabochons and carvings. Shattuckite has been reported from various African and European sources, as well as copper mines in the American West. The type locality is the Shattuck-Denn mine in Bisbee, Arizona (R. Bowell and R. Cook, “Connoisseur’s Choice: Shattuckite: Kunene District, Kaokoveld, Namibia,” Rocks & Minerals, Vol. 84, November/December 2009, pp. 544–550).

Kosnar’s Congolese shattuckite is being stabilized prior to jewelry manufacturing. He plans to debut cabochons of this very limited material at Tucson in 2015. @topic:2


Publish Year: 2014 Title: Pyrex Bracelets Abstract: Figure 1. Pyrex bracelets with attractive colors and patterns were on display at the Tucson show. Photo by Eric Welch; courtesy of Kevin O’Grady.

              At the Pueblo Gem & Mineral Show, Kevin O’Grady (Scottsdale, Arizona) exhibited a line of glass bracelets and other jewelry (figures 1 and 2). O’Grady has worked with borosilicate glass, better known by the brand name Pyrex, since the late 1980s. He touted the durability and versatility of this medium, which lends itself to a variety of dramatic effects. He crafts each piece freehand using a torch, adding elements such as cobalt to achieve colors and embedding flower mosaics and other patterns that appear three-dimensional. O’Grady’s signature bracelets contain gold, silver, or a combination of both.

	Figure 2. This Pyrex bracelet displays a striking orbicular pattern that appears three-dimensional. Photo by Eric Welch; courtesy of Kevin O’Grady. @topic:6


Publish Year: 1985 Title: Sapphire from the Mercaderes-Río Mayo Area, Cauca, Colombia Abstract: Commercially important quantities of gem-quality sapphire are being recovered from stream beds and terrace gravels near the Colombian village of Mercaderes, about 143 km southwest of Popayán. The area is currently subject to a high degree of political unrest; nevertheless, about 100 people are said to be sporadically mining the deposit. Sapphire crystals average about one centimeter in length and occur in a variety of colors. Color-change stones are also common. Three inclusions were found to be characteristic: apatite, rutile, and boehmite. The parent rock for the sapphires has not been established, but it is probably one or more of the alkalic basalt members of the Cretaceous-age Diabase Group which outcrops in the area. @topic:9


Publish Year: 2014 Title: Fine Australian Chrysoprase Rough and Carvings – Tucson 2014 Abstract: Figure 1. Mary Lou Osmond demonstrates the rich, vibrant color of Marlborough chrysoprase, which is due to high concentrations of nickel. Photo by Eric Welch.

              Mary Lou Osmond (Candala Chrysoprase, Marlborough, Australia) explained the nature and operation of the company’s chrysoprase chalcedony mine. Mine access requires flying to the town of Rockhampton, 635 km (394 miles) north of Brisbane, followed by a two-hour drive in a four-wheel-drive vehicle. The site, protected with guard dogs and fences, is adjacent to a Chinese-owned mine, the only other operation in the area.

Highly translucent, deep-color chrysoprase (figure 1) is recovered from veins two to eight inches in thickness. Osmond said the bright green color of material from this deposit is due to high nickel content, reportedly up to 2.35%.

Osmond explained that most material is found after heavy rain, when the extensively mined terrain shifts. Moving water from intense storms might carry automobile-sized rocks over hills and deposit them in neighboring stream beds kilometers away. The downpours expose everything, even material that the miners have been walking over for years. After every rainstorm, it pays to scour the newly exposed ground and look for glints of green, in case there is a larger vein underneath.

Recovered material is brought back to the mining camp for washing. Water tanks collect the rainfall, and the miners use high-pressure hoses to wash off the rough chrysoprase, which is then handpicked. The best material, marked “premium,” is sent to Sydney for sale, while the remainder is sorted into four grades by color and clarity (A through D). For Tucson, Osmond brought over 80 kg of rough, of which 10 kg was premium quality.

	Figure 2. These chrysoprase carvings are from Candala’s Queensland mine. Photo by Eric Welch.
Most buyers gravitated to the top-quality material, all of which was sold, along with over half of the A-grade material. Although buyers bought many carvings (figure 2), to Osmond’s surprise they also purchased large quantities of calibrated goods. Many also sought out top-quality rough for cabochon cutting, rather than gem carvings, indicating a growing awareness and demand for the gem.

Candala’s client base includes Indian, German, U.S., and Thai buyers. At this year’s Tucson show, most of the chrysoprase carvings went to collectors, as well as one television shopping channel. @topic:2


Publish Year: 2014 Title: Innovative Optical Effects, Unique Rings with Raw Crystals – Tucson 2014 Abstract: "Wheels of light" are innovative quartz disks with sealed inserts of colored gems or minerals, creating multiple reflections to lend color to otherwise transparent rock crystal. Inside these examples are Paraíba tourmaline (left) and realgar (right). Photos by Eric Welch; courtesy of Nature’s Geometry.

              At GJX, Brian and Kendra Cook (Nature’s Geometry, Graton, California) showed an innovative series of clear quartz disks they call “wheels of light.” These disks are mounted in work-hardened 24K yellow gold for use as pendants or earrings. The center of each disk contains a tube where an insert of colored gem material can be placed. The tube is subsequently sealed with clear quartz. When the disk is viewed face up, the insert’s color reflects and suffuses the disk with bright color (figure 1).

	Brian and Kendra CookNature's Geometry

Husband-and-wife team Brian and Kendra Cook reveal the design philosophy behind their unique gemstone products, which use ‘raw’ gem crystals, clever optical effects, or carry aromatic oils in tiny wells to tantalize the senses in a combination of texture, color, and scent.
For red, Brian Cook uses ruby or even realgar (also known as “ruby sulfur,” a very soft arsenic sulfide mineral), and Paraíba tourmaline or haüyne (a brittle sodium calcium sulfate) for rich blues. As the insert is completely enclosed within the quartz, the materials are protected from wear.

	Figure 2. This ring’s centerpiece is a euhedral 2.76 ct ruby crystal from Winza, Tanzania, flanked by a pair of Canadian rough diamonds. Two green diamonds from Venezuela complete the piece. Photo by Eric Welch; courtesy of Nature’s Geometry.

	Figure 3. This ring features cat’s-eye spessartine garnet with Paraíba tourmaline shoulder stones in a 24K work-hardened gold mounting. Photo by Eric Welch; courtesy of Nature’s Geometry.
Brian Cook displayed several intriguing rings with rough crystals, including ruby (figure 2), alexandrite, and diamond, also in work-hardened gold. Another standout featured a cat’s-eye spessartine garnet with Paraíba tourmaline cabochons in a similar mounting (figure 3).

In the accompanying video, Kendra Cook answers the rhetorical question, “What could be better than jewelry that affects your emotions pleasantly?” with her innovative aroma jewels. She places essential oils that calm or energize the wearer within tiny wells in gemstones that are left open to evaporation. She also coordinates color with scent, using warm scents for gems like sunstone and cool scents for gems like aquamarine.

The result is “a mélange of color,” a combination of design, gem crystals, and color that work in synergy with aromatherapy like a wearable potpourri. Brian Cook helps source for unusual gem crystals, such as a clear oligoclase, for fashioning into sliding gem beads where essential oils nestle to comfort and revive the wearer. @topic:8


Publish Year: 1982 Title: Summer 1982 G&G Lab Notes Abstract: Alexandrite
Diamond
Emerald Fakes
Grossularite Garnet
Dangers of Heating Jadeite during Jewelry Repair
Kornerupine with Apatite Inclusions
Flow Structure in Opal
Oolitic Opal
Opal Doublet
Mysterious Pearls in Shells
Unusual Natural Pearl
Synthetic Star Ruby
Dangers of Heating Sapphires during Jewelry Repair
Natural Sapphire with Heat-Induced Star
Treated Synthetic Sapphire
Inclusions in Spinel
Cat's-Eye Tourmaline

To view the full section, download the PDF above. @topic:8


Publish Year: - Title: Alice Keller Abstract: For more than 30 years, the beauty of science has found expression in every issue of Gems & Gemology, thanks in large part to one influential editor and innovator, Alice Keller. Readers of G&G today can see Keller’s imprint on every page.

G&G was established in January 1934 as a source of research for both gemologists and the retail jewelry industry. From 1934 to 1980, GIA’s flagship publication was directed by two editors-in-chief: Robert Shipley and Richard Liddicoat. Over the decades, the journal kept its original unassuming size (5.5 x 8.5 inches) and format (black and white, with few photos). Although G&G published groundbreaking research and content, it needed an overhaul to capture the attention of the gemological community.

With an eye toward redesigning the journal, Liddicoat chose Keller, who had a decade of experience editing professional journals, to become the managing editor of G&G. Under Keller’s leadership, beginning with the Spring 1981 issue, G&G blossomed into an 8.5 x 11 inch, full-color publication that drew praise for its breathtaking color photography, including a two-decade run of covers by renowned photographers Harold and Erica Van Pelt.

Keller also established a peer-review system to ensure the quality and accuracy of articles, cultivating an editorial review board that included internationally prominent gemologists and researchers. Under Keller, G&G published pivotal research on synthetic diamonds, diamond treatments, and an array of colored stone topics. Her efforts culminated in widely read, award-winning articles and greater attention to gemology as a science. The journal’s multiple accolades and awards during Keller’s tenure reflected its international reputation as the industry’s leading source of cutting-edge research.

Always looking for ways to showcase important information, Keller spearheaded the publication of the three-volume Gems & Gemology in Review series, a comprehensive selection of the most significant G&G articles on synthetic, treated, and colored diamonds.

After 22 years of service, Keller became editor-in-chief of G&G in 2002, navigating the journal into the electronic age with the same insistence on excellence and attention to detail she devoted to the print version. In addition to her editorial duties, she co-chaired GIA’s International Gemological Symposiums in 1999, 2006, and 2011.

One of GIA’s Staff of the Year recipients in 1991, Keller also earned an Excellence in Publishing award from the Women’s Jewelry Association and an Honorary Lifetime Membership from the American Gem Trade Association, both in 1998. She received GIA’s highest honor, the Richard T. Liddicoat Award for Distinguished Service, in 2003.

Alice Keller retired in 2011, but remains the journal’s editor-in-chief emeritus. Under her leadership, G&G changed the face of gemological publications. @topic:6


Publish Year: - Title: Fall 2012 Book Reviews Abstract: “Rare Gemstones: How to Identify, Evaluate and Care for Unusual Gems”
By Renee Newman, 137 pp., illus., publ. by International Jewelry Publications, Los Angeles, 2012. US$19.95

“Suzanne Belperron”
By Sylvie Raulet and Olivier Baroin, 351 pp., Antique Collector’s Club, Woodbridge, UK, 2011. US$150.00

“Gems and Minerals: Earth Treasures from the Royal Ontario Museum”
By Robert J. Lauf, 93 pp., illus., publ. by Schiffer Publishing Ltd. [www.schifferbooks.com], Atglen, PA, 2011. $19.99

“Diamond Inclusions”
By Kimberly Tait, 225 pages, illus., publ. by Firefly Books Ltd, 2011, Buffalo, New York. US$40.00

“Diamonds: The Antoinette Matlins Buying Guide—How to Select, Buy, Care for & Enjoy Diamonds with Confidence and Knowledge, 3rd ed.”
By Antoinette Matlins, 240 pp. illus., publ. by Gemstone Press, Woodstock, VT, 2011. US$18.99

“Granitic Pegmatites and Mineralogical Museums in Czech Republic”
By Milan Novák and Jan Cempírek, Eds., 56 pp., publ. by the Department of Mineralogy, Geochemistry and Petrology, University of Szeged, Hungary, 2010

“Dallas Mineral Collecting Symposium 2011”
DVD (2 discs), approx. 3.5 hours, released by Blue Cap Productions [www.bluecapproductions. com], Marina del Rey, CA, 2011. US$19.99

“What’s Hot in Munich 2011”
DVD (1 disc), approx. 94 minutes., released by Blue Cap Productions [www.bluecap productions.com], Marina del Rey, CA, 2011. US$24.99

To view the full section, download the PDF above. @topic:6


Publish Year: - Title: Charles “Chuck” Fryer(1928–2003) Abstract: Like many of his contemporaries and successors at GIA, Chuck Fryer’s achievements came from a passion for gemology and a drive for excellence. His childhood hobby of cutting gemstones eventually led to a successful tenure as the head of the Institute’s West Coast Gem Trade Laboratory.

Prior to his military service, which included a tour of duty in the Korean War, Fryer worked as glazier, a tradesperson who cuts and installs glass in window frames. Using GI Bill benefits, he enrolled in GIA correspondence courses while continuing to work in construction, finally earning both his GG and FGA diplomas in 1963. A charter member and president of the San Diego Gemological Society, he joined the Institute in 1966 as an instructor, a position he held briefly before he became supervisor of the Gem Trade Laboratory in 1967. In 1987, he was named director of gem identification services, a position he held until his retirement in 1993.

GIA’s lab services thrived under Fryer, whose research led to his reputation as one of the world’s premier gemologists. Using X-ray diffraction, he identified very rare minerals such as pink benitoite, the second known painite crystal, and the first cut jeremejevite. He also identified the mineral components of maw-sit-sit, a jade-like gem material. Whereas previous X-ray diffraction tests required grinding samples into powder, Fryer developed a scraping technique that was virtually undetectable but could still analyze surface-reaching inclusions. Outside his duties at GIA, he was frequently called upon as an expert witness in legal cases pertaining to gem identification.

Fryer’s articles on gem identification appeared in Gems & Gemology, Journal of Gemology, and Jewelers’ Circular-Keystone. Of particular note was his Fall 1986 G&G study on the separation of natural and synthetic amethyst. Fryer further contributed to G&G as editor of the Lab Notes section from 1981 to 1997; he continued to serve on the journal’s editorial review board until his death in 2003. His influential lab findings advanced GIA’s standing as the world’s authority on gemstone identification. @topic:8


Publish Year: 2013 Title: Ammolite: An Organic Jewel Abstract: This double-sided teardrop Ammolite weighs 35.68 ct and was mined from Alberta, Canada. Photo by Robert Weldon, © GIA.

              Ammolite popularity has grown over the past decade, since renowned feng shui master Edward Kui Ming Li began extolling its virtues to his followers. Said to promote the flow of “chi” throughout the body, enhance well-being, and reduce toxins, Ammolite can exhibit up to seven colors—each said to bring a certain benefit, such as wealth, wisdom, health, growth, or energy. Feng shui practitioners call it the “seven-color prosperity stone.”

	Ammolite is cut from rough ammonite fossils such as this specimen. Photo by Maha Tannous, © GIA
“Ammolite” is the trade name referring to gems cut from fossilized ammonite, an extinct group of marine invertebrate, also collected as whole specimens. Korite International Ltd., which began as Korite Gems in 1977, is the primary company mining, fashioning, and marketing the world’s Ammolite. The company is located in Calgary, Canada, and mines for ammonite near Lethbridge, in the province of Alberta. While the ammonite deposit was first recorded in 1908 by a National Geographic survey, local lapidaries of Calgary only started fashioning Ammolite in 1962—which is hard to believe since lapidaries are always looking for new and unique materials to cut.

Author Stuart Wilson was recently given a tour of Korite International by company president Pierre Pare. He documented the experience, which included a visit to the mine site, in his June 2013 Rock & Gem article, “Ammolite: An Organic Jewel.” The article offers a thorough overview of Korite’s operation and how these fragile shells are mined, an excavation process that often occurs at depths of 50 to 60 feet.

Unlike the vast majority of ammonite deposits found around the world, the specimens found at Korite’s mine site have a fossilized outer shell that’s iridescent as a result of replacement by aragonite. The iridescent phenomenon in Ammolite arises from the interference of light bouncing off stacked layers of thin microscopic platelets that make up the replaced aragonite in the ammonite shell. According to the article, the gem can be found along the east side of the Rocky Mountains, but this is the only economically productive area of gem-quality Ammolite in the world.

	Natural Ammolite is typically impregnated with a polymer to stabilize the thin surface layer and bring out the iridescent colors, as shown in this specimen. Photo by Maha Tannous, © GIA
Five 10-gallon buckets of ammonites are extracted weekly from the shale pit where they are found. Approximately five acres are mined annually, utilizing two excavator machines working in different areas, and a spotter who stands near each one, looking for any ammonite that becomes exposed. Ammonites may be found at any level, but the deeper the excavation, the more expensive the overall process.

Because ammonite shells are fragile, the weight of thousands of feet of sediment cracked most of them during fossilization. Whole, unblemished specimens without fractures are found, however, and their rarity is reflected in their high price. Because of their fragility, Ammolites are most often fashioned into triplets consisting of an Ammolite layer with its original shale backing, and a synthetic spinel or quartz cap. Only about 100 solid Ammolite stones are cut annually. A large percentage shows a green-red color shift due to a more stable, thicker layer of aragonite. The blues and violets are rarer due to the fragility of the thinner layers necessary to produce these colors.

Korite International has come up with a logical grading system that has been accepted by the international gem community. In stones that are “AA” or “exquisite,” the highest quality, three or more brilliant colors must be evident. Only 3−8% of Korite’s annual production meets this grade. “A+” or “extra fine” grades display three or more brilliant colors with less-brilliant areas. “A” or “fine” material has one or more colors, with either one that is brilliant or three that are less brilliant than those in the “A+” class. “A-”  or “standard/good” comprises approximately 40% of Korite’s annual production and is characterized by Ammolite that shows mostly shades of green or red that are strong but less brilliant than the preceding grades. “B” or “fair” material displays one or two colors of fair brilliance. These stones are generally set in silver, as gold settings are reserved for the higher Ammolite grades. “C” or “commercial” quality material applies to only 5−10% of annual production and displays faint color patches or has unattractive fracture patterns.

	From left: This photo exhibits three phases of Ammolite: rough, cut stones, and a “Kabuki” brooch. The brooch, courtesy of and designed by Carolyn Tyler, includes Ammolite fashioned with a 1.23 ct tsavorite, 1.40 ct garnet, and .96 ct blue tourmaline, set in 22K gold. Photo by Orasa Weldon, © GIA
Production has been consistent, despite being hindered by permafrost in the winter. While the article doesn’t shed new light on Ammolite, it provides a good overview of the stone, which has seen an increase in sales. The Chinese market has been particularly significant to Korite’s success, according to the article, as Asian collectors tend to appreciate phenomenal stones. @topic:1


Publish Year: - Title: Article Explains Ammolite’s Organic Origins and Feng Shui Popularity Abstract: This double-sided teardrop Ammolite weighs 35.68 ct and was mined from Alberta, Canada. Photo by Robert Weldon, © GIA

                      Ammolite popularity has grown over the past decade, since renowned feng shui master Edward Kui Ming Li began extolling its virtues to his followers. Said to promote the flow of “chi” throughout the body, enhance well-being, and reduce toxins, Ammolite can exhibit up to seven colors—each said to bring a certain benefit, such as wealth, wisdom, health, growth, or energy. Feng shui practitioners call it the “seven-color prosperity stone.”

	Ammolite is cut from rough ammonite fossils such as this specimen. Photo by Maha Tannous, © GIA
“Ammolite” is the trade name referring to gems cut from fossilized ammonite, an extinct group of marine invertebrate, also collected as whole specimens. Korite International Ltd., which began as Korite Gems in 1977, is the primary company mining, fashioning, and marketing the world’s Ammolite. The company is located in Calgary, Canada, and mines for ammonite near Lethbridge, in the province of Alberta. While the ammonite deposit was first recorded in 1908 by a National Geographic survey, local lapidaries of Calgary only started fashioning Ammolite in 1962—which is hard to believe since lapidaries are always looking for new and unique materials to cut.

Author Stuart Wilson was recently given a tour of Korite International by company president Pierre Pare. He documented the experience, which included a visit to the mine site, in his June 2013 Rock & Gem article, “Ammolite: An Organic Jewel.” The article offers a thorough overview of Korite’s operation and how these fragile shells are mined, an excavation process that often occurs at depths of 50 to 60 feet.

Unlike the vast majority of ammonite deposits found around the world, the specimens found at Korite’s mine site have a fossilized outer shell that’s iridescent as a result of replacement by aragonite. The iridescent phenomenon in Ammolite arises from the interference of light bouncing off stacked layers of thin microscopic platelets that make up the replaced aragonite in the ammonite shell. According to the article, the gem can be found along the east side of the Rocky Mountains, but this is the only economically productive area of gem-quality Ammolite in the world.

	Natural Ammolite is typically impregnated with a polymer to stabilize the thin surface layer and bring out the iridescent colors, as shown in this specimen. Photo by Maha Tannous, © GIA
Five 10-gallon buckets of ammonites are extracted weekly from the shale pit where they are found. Approximately five acres are mined annually, utilizing two excavator machines working in different areas, and a spotter who stands near each one, looking for any ammonite that becomes exposed. Ammonites may be found at any level, but the deeper the excavation, the more expensive the overall process.

Because ammonite shells are fragile, the weight of thousands of feet of sediment cracked most of them during fossilization. Whole, unblemished specimens without fractures are found, however, and their rarity is reflected in their high price. Because of their fragility, Ammolites are most often fashioned into triplets consisting of an Ammolite layer with its original shale backing, and a synthetic spinel or quartz cap. Only about 100 solid Ammolite stones are cut annually. A large percentage shows a green-red color shift due to a more stable, thicker layer of aragonite. The blues and violets are rarer due to the fragility of the thinner layers necessary to produce these colors.

Korite International has come up with a logical grading system that has been accepted by the international gem community. In stones that are “AA” or “exquisite,” the highest quality, three or more brilliant colors must be evident. Only 3−8% of Korite’s annual production meets this grade. “A+” or “extra fine” grades display three or more brilliant colors with less-brilliant areas. “A” or “fine” material has one or more colors, with either one that is brilliant or three that are less brilliant than those in the “A+” class. “A-”  or “standard/good” comprises approximately 40% of Korite’s annual production and is characterized by Ammolite that shows mostly shades of green or red that are strong but less brilliant than the preceding grades. “B” or “fair” material displays one or two colors of fair brilliance. These stones are generally set in silver, as gold settings are reserved for the higher Ammolite grades. “C” or “commercial” quality material applies to only 5−10% of annual production and displays faint color patches or has unattractive fracture patterns.

	From left: This photo exhibits three phases of Ammolite: rough, cut stones, and a “Kabuki” brooch. The brooch, courtesy of and designed by Carolyn Tyler, includes Ammolite fashioned with a 1.23 ct tsavorite, 1.40 ct garnet, and .96 ct blue tourmaline, set in 22K gold. Photo by Orasa Weldon, © GIA
Production has been consistent, despite being hindered by permafrost in the winter. While the article doesn’t shed new light on Ammolite, it provides a good overview of the stone, which has seen an increase in sales. The Chinese market has been particularly significant to Korite’s success, according to the article, as Asian collectors tend to appreciate phenomenal stones. @topic:2


Publish Year: - Title: 'Quetzál' Nestles Into GIA Museum Abstract: Designer Ziad Noshie spent more than 10 months piecing together this intricate gem creation. Photo by Robert Weldon/GIA, gift of Almaza Jewelers of Houston, Texas

	Award-winning jewelry designer Ziad Noshie has always been fascinated with birds. Their beauty, strength and the way man learned to build aircrafts by studying the movement of their wings, left quite an impression on him as a child. So when he decided to create a special piece for the GIA Collection, he chose to recreate the Quetzál, the national bird of Guatemala – with its striking hues of green, red and blue – which is on the endangered species list.

	Titled “Quetzál,” the jeweled, 12-inch replica displays more than 1,100 gemstones ranging from ruby, sapphire and tsavorite garnet to black and colorless diamonds. The gemstones are set in 18K white, rose and yellow gold with sterling silver accents.

	Noshie spent 10 months and three days meticulously piecing together “Quetzál.” At times, the extremely minuscule details made him question whether his design could even become a finished piece. The hardest part, and the most maddening, was the detail on the bird’s head, he said.

	Hundreds of sterling silver, 1/4-inch wires had to be soldered – one at a time – to resemble tufts of feathers. Not only did Noshie have to make sure every solder held, he had to curve each one while it was still malleable. And for every wire he successfully attached, two fell off. He finally completed the job after perching “Quetzál” on a branch of polished black coral.

	The artist credits his parents for imparting an appreciation for art and beauty in him. His childhood home in Lebanon was filled with fine art and hand-crafted sculptures and he enjoyed watching his father create delicate porcelain table settings.

	Noshie moved to the United States in the 1960s to expand his own artistic interests. He studied jewelry design and manufacturing in 1966 at what is now called the Glassell School of Art in Houston, Texas, and continued to refine his skills on his own. He opened Almaza Jewelers in 1968 and has won 28 jewelry and design awards with his creations.

	“For Ziad Noshie the artist, the colors of stones and gold are as fundamental as the oils taken from and laid in brushwork on a canvas,” said family friend Sharon Klander, Ph.D., a professor at Houston Community College. “The workmanship that went into ‘Quetzál’ clearly reflects standards of the highest order.”

	Noshie said he’s honored and proud to have created “Quetzál” for the Institute. He admits it took a lot more work than he expected, but after all the time and effort, he doesn’t want to be the only one to enjoy it.

	“It’s like getting your feet wet in the ocean. At first, your toes get wet. Then the waves splash your knees, your legs, your waist,” he said. “You keep getting wetter until you finally get to a point and say, ‘What the heck! Dive in and go with it.’ That’s what I did with ‘Quetzál’ and now others can share in the pleasure it’s brought me.”

	“Quetzál” features more than 1,100 gemstones and is set in 18K white, rose and yellow gold with sterling silver accents. Photo by Maha Tannous/GIA, gift of Almaza Jewelers of Houston, Texas @topic:6


Publish Year: - Title: Robert Shipley Jr. (1912–1982) Abstract: Prior to the 1930s, there were no instruments designed specifically for gem and jewelry professionals. Robert Shipley Jr., the elder son of GIA’s founder, changed all that with his genius for innovation.

Whereas the elder Shipley possessed the charisma of a born salesman, Shipley Jr. was a mercurial tinkerer who preferred to work behind the scenes in the laboratory. He left Kansas to join his father at the fledgling GIA in Los Angeles in 1933, quickly demonstrating his talent for lab work and instrument technology. He specialized in adapting existing optical instruments to the needs of the gemologist. Some of his early achievements included a 10× eye loupe, the first gem-testing polariscope, and darkfield illumination for examining gemstone inclusions.

In 1938 Shipley Jr. obtained GIA’s first patent, for a microscope that combined darkfield illumination with binocular magnification. Other instruments he developed included a pocket refractometer and a gemological polarizing microscope.

Shipley Jr. left GIA to serve in World War II. After the war, he founded an instrument manufacturing company that eventually became the GIA’s gem instruments division. He left the field of gemology and later formed a research laboratory that developed equipment for the fruit industry. @topic:6


Publish Year: 2013 Title: Montana Moss Agate: Collectible Chalcedony from the Yellowstone River Abstract: The expansion of various mining projects in Canada’s North (Northwest Territories, Yukon, and Nunavut) is set to lead the country in economic growth over the next two years. Spinoff activity that accompanies mine-related prosperity is also expected to increase based on pending mines in the assessment phases or preproduction stages, thus further boosting employment and local economic development. Production in these areas is expected to last well into the coming decades. Environmental groups and local residents are also interested in the impact on the Canadian North ecosystem as well as the long-term effects on the towns and industry when the boom is over.

Abstracted by Edward R. Blomgren @topic:2


Publish Year: - Title: Enriching a Tradition Abstract: As the new editor-in-chief of Gems & Gemology, I thank Jan Iverson for her recent stewardship of the journal. Jan will be taking over as GIA’s director of Education Content Development. I wish her every success in this new role. Let me also thank GIA president and CEO Donna Baker and vice president of Education Bev Hori for giving me this opportunity.

Allow me to introduce myself. My background is in the colored stone industry. I also have extensive experience in jewelry manufacture and retail. Besides being a Graduate Gemologist, I am a Fellow of the Gemological Association of Great Britain (Gem-A). At GIA, I’ve been director of Course Development for over a decade. One of my proudest accomplishments was the recent transformation of our distance-education gemology courses from print to eLearning.

I join G&G at a tremendously exciting time. GIA has the largest cadre of talented research scientists and the most extensive network of labs and research centers in its history. The topics of their investigations have never been wider—or more challenging. And G&G is your window into this exciting world of research.

G&G will be at the center of the Research & News section of the new GIA website, which launches April 30, so please keep this date in mind. The new website provides an unparalleled online knowledge base that will serve your professional needs better than we’ve ever done before.

We’re placing a remarkable resource—almost 80 years—of groundbreaking gemological knowledge at your fingertips. As a visitor to www.gia.edu, you’ll have unrestricted access to every G&G issue back to the journal’s inception in January 1934—full articles, Gem News International, Lab Notes, and all the regular features. And we pledge continue to provide the highest levels of gemological research in the exacting tradition of G&G’s rich legacy.

G&G has never been more necessary. Let no one to be in any doubt over GIA’s commitment to our journal. We see it as a vital part of a wider system, one that links GIA’s education with its ongoing research, and delivers that essential knowledge to our readers. @topic:11


Publish Year: - Title: In Search of the Perfect Specimen Abstract: Vincent Pardieu (B.Sc., G.G.A., GIA GG), GIA Supervisor of Field Gemology in Thailand, is somewhat of a legendary figure. After working for ten years as a tour guide in Southeast Asia, he decided to pursue his interest in gems and earned his GIA GG. Pardieu has made numerous expeditions to some of the most remote corners of the world to chronicle the mining, trading, and production of gems. His discoveries enrich GIA course materials.

Were you always interested in gems?

I was always interested in nature, and my love for gems grew slowly over the years. I began to realize that gems belonged to a larger world; they are not just pretty little things. They touch everything: art, history, chemistry, and geology.

Any favorite places you’ve visited?

Going to Vietnam in search of a ruby mine. The landscape was so beautiful it looked like it could have been in a movie. There were vast stretches of rice fields, jungles, and bamboo groves.

Thoughts about your GIA education?

My education from GIA has been extraordinarily helpful. It has been a real asset that has helped me throughout my career. The courses were quite comprehensive, and I learned how to properly identify gemstones – a skill I use daily.

Why is it important to get a specimen from a mine?

GIA has to do its homework to be able to identify the origin of gemstones, and this requires having a reference sample. The best way to get a reference stone is to go to the source.

What is it like at a mining site?

The atmosphere is wonderful – it’s filled with rumors, expectations, and excitement. You have thousands of miners thinking, “This is my chance to become a millionaire!” Some poor diggers will find a beautiful stone and become rich. Some rich businessmen will become poor because they can’t tell naturals from synthetics, and will be tricked into buying imitations.

Any other interesting stories?

The first time I took the 20-stone exam at GIA, I failed it. That was a good thing. When you fail an exam like this, you remember that you don’t know everything. You learn not to be over-confident.

Do you have any advice for students who want to have a career like yours?

Believe in yourself. Just go do it. @topic:2


Publish Year: - Title: Starry Night Sapphire Monograph Abstract: The Starry Night Sapphire, a 111.96 carat oval sapphire, shares charming similarities with its namesake, the famous painting by van Gogh. The gemstone is a velvety blue, similar in color to van Gogh’s canvas. It demonstrates phenomenal asterism – a vision that echoes the swirling stars in the artist’s masterpiece.  Through thorough analysis by GIA, this monograph documents the exceptional Starry Night Sapphire’s gemological characteristics, which will help us understand the optical impact of the gem, where it came from, and how it formed. @topic:3


Publish Year: - Title: Lester Benson (1921-1961) Abstract: GIA has long been a breeding ground for people of remarkable talent; one such standout was Lester Benson. Called a “genius” and a “Renaissance man,” Benson made contributions during his 15 years at GIA that changed the future of gemology. His sudden death in 1961 at the age of 39 deeply affected his colleagues and students.

Benson enrolled as a GIA student in 1946, using G.I. Bill benefits he earned during his service in the U.S. Army. He was hired as an instructor by GIA in 1948, after receiving his Graduate Gemologist diploma. While he was a renowned teacher, he distinguished himself in many areas of the field. During his career as a gemologist, he became a master of photomicrography and gem identification. He developed the “spot method,” which allows for the identification of refractive indices of polished gems with curved surfaces. The method is still used by laboratories worldwide. Benson was also a pioneer in the testing realm. Among the techniques he developed are a method for detecting color-enhanced turquoise and an adaptation of the spectrophotometer for gem testing.

In addition to his testing methods and instructional duties, Benson designed many gem instruments, including a pearl-testing X-ray unit, the first Duplex refractometer, and the GIA Jeweler’s Camera. Another of his ideas led to the Diamondlux, a display light for diamonds. His work helped lay the foundations for GIA GEM Instruments. While over 50 years have passed since his tenure at GIA, Benson’s contributions continue to influence the field of gemology. @topic:8


Publish Year: 2012 Title: Gemstones from Vietnam: An Update Abstract: This article describes the major gem materials of Vietnam, together with their new finds and recent production. The gemological properties and chemical composition of ruby, sapphire, spinel, tourmaline, garnet, and peridot from the most important Vietnamese sources are updated. Other gems such as aquamarine, green orthoclase, topaz, zircon, quartz, and pearls are briefly discussed. Commercially significant deposits of ruby, blue and fancy sapphire, and spinel are located in two northern provinces: Yen Bai (Luc Yen and Yen Binh Districts) and Nghe An (Quy Chau and Quy Hop Districts). Large volumes of blue, green, and yellow sapphire come from the Central Highlands provinces of Dak Lak and Lam Dong, as well as the southern provinces of Dong Nai and Binh Thuan. Of secondary commercial importance are the tourmaline and garnet from Yen Bai and the peridot and zircon from the Central Highlands. @topic:9


Publish Year: 2015 Title: Books: Michele della Valle: Jewels and Myths Abstract: By Michele della Valle, hardcover, 349 pp., illus., publ. by Antique Collectors’ Club Ltd., Woodbridge, Suffolk, UK, 2014, US$195.00.

	Weighing in at more than eight pounds, this high-quality production is a pictorial autobiography of the Italian-born, Geneva-based jewelry designer Michele della Valle. Claiming to be a poor writer, della Valle presents the story of his creative inspiration and talents through his jewels rather than words. Although these wonders sometimes speak their beauty in hushed tones, they mostly emote, nearly leaping off the page in screaming colors, ebullient with life and joy, yet framed by transcendent balance and class.

	Unlike books that present an artist’s evolution over periods, this tome is loosely organized around individuals, many deceased, who have inspired della Valle’s creativity, ranging from royals and statesmen to writers and Biblical figures, not to mention a Pope (on skis) and a range of artistic talents with opera, ballet, music and celluloid stars particularly represented.

	For example, a sepia-toned full-page photograph of a young Ernest Hemingway alongside a marlin and a fisherman segues to a dramatic blue marlin sapphire, ruby and diamond brooch in carbonium fiber and gold from 2006. An inspirational quote alongside a photograph of President Kennedy in commencement garb introduces a series of red, white, and blue jewelry that stand apart from the tired designs of most patriotic jewelry. The photo gallery closes with opera legend Maria Callas, who trumps other stars with three appearances in the book, in full-color across from the paired carnation brooches she inspired. Even the della Valle pooch ushers in a section of animated animal jewelry that includes a fetching tiger skin bracelet in yellow sapphires and black diamonds.

	Whether themed or not, the magnificent images captured by photographer Laura Camia reveal an artist whose keen sensitivity for nature and glamour also delights in a touch of whimsy. The jeweler’s eye for color is especially striking, from the inviting pastels of the chalcedony and diamond jellyfish earclips (2014) to the multicolored stunning Palette gemstone necklace (1989). Unafraid to enliven varied floral and naturalistic themes through the use of titanium and other new-age metals, the book also features diamond designs using kukui nuts and Bakelite.

	Befitting the exquisite stones chosen, della Valle infuses his high-luxury designs with elegance. However, the roots of his talents and his journey in jewelry remain somewhat obscure. Although offered as his autobiography, della Valle gives readers only three brief paragraphs of text. As quoted in a preface by his partner Rossano Corsano, della Valle describes how he began crafting costume jewelry in his youth. Yet the artist’s later adventures as a gem merchant and his reputed fascination with international glamour are only mentioned in passing. Detailed instead are the activities and livelihoods of della Valle’s mother’s cosmopolitan friends. The man behind the artist remains knowable here only through his jewelry.

	Notwithstanding that, what is on display here, preferably hoisted upon a sturdy coffee table, is a colorful feast bursting with glorious color and infused with graceful energy. Readers interested in jewelry design, high jewelry and connoisseurship will find the book an intriguing, if somewhat ethereal, excursion. @topic:6


Publish Year: 2015 Title: Books: I Love Those Earrings: A Popular History from Ancient to Modern Abstract: By Jane Merrill with Chris Filstrup, 224 pp., hardcover, illus., publ. by Schiffer Publishing, Ltd., Atglen, PA, 2014. US$59.99.

              Earrings have proven to be a cultural touchpoint through the ages, treasures that transcend time and social value. Mythological characters depicted in Renaissance paintings and Hollywood legends like Catherine Deneuve wear them, as do Barbie dolls and pirates. In her inappropriately scaled and produced compendium, Jane Merrill traces the Western timeline of earring history. From the ancient Dacians to the modern era, she unwinds the cultural value of these portable jewels and adds a lively dash of pop culture.

Merrill’s is a wonderful viewpoint, one that offers a fresh translation of the history of jewelry. She pays special attention to the context and significance of earrings and other jewelry, often working from an art historian’s perspective. She covers an impressive expanse of time and geography with a collection of observations and stories arranged chronologically in an effort to humanize a subject that’s often associated with royalty and fame. Merrill mixes her own cultured experiences with those of the noble and storied to link ordinary people with celebrities and goddesses.

As virtuous as this inspired ambition may be, the message presented in the title and summary of the book does not play out in harmony. Merrill’s introductory invitation to “…raid the jewelry boxes of the prestigious and the more representative women of history…” suggests an exclusive, and visual, view of famous collections, a private and privileged peek into the boudoirs of queens and dressing rooms of movie stars. Disappointingly, this happens only once, with the inclusion of one painting of Jane Stanford’s auction collection, circa 1898.

By title and summary alone, the reader might also expect to find impressive photography of famous pairs of earrings, large in size and with great resolution. This is not the case. Most images are smaller in scale and arranged and captioned irregularly. Images that would support the text are not shown. Several stories would benefit from a series of timelines or maps, but these are not included.

Similarly, the format and layout are not representative of the sentiment and scholarship inside. While the percentage of white space on each page, the paper, and the printing quality promise vibrant, large-scale images and precise editing, this is not what is found within the pages. The background color of excerpts (light pink) is irritating at best, and worse, oversized images of earrings are often partially hidden by these dedicated boxes.

The most memorable musings and thought-provoking examinations in the book include the dynamic statements and comprehensive reflections throughout, such as the powerful call to recognize how meaningful earrings, like all pieces of jewelry, are. There’s plenty of evidence that they have been crafted, worn and celebrated the same way for thousands of years. Additionally, Merrill’s personal stories, those about her coauthor Chris Filstrup and the collection of prose and poetry at the end of the book—dedicated to lost earrings and lost loves—are the most memorable moments of the text. These high points and intriguing theories would have been better served by a revised title, theme, and size. @topic:6


Publish Year: 1986 Title: Art Nouveau: Jewels and Jewelers Abstract: The Art Nouveau movement, with its startling concepts in design, swept through Europe and the United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The asymmetrical whiplash line which typifies Art Nouveau was manifested in art, architecture, metalwork, textiles, and interior design. Perhaps its most concentrated and refined expression can be seen in the spectacular Art Nouveau jewels, which incorporated more unusual gems and gem materials such as moonstones, horn, ivory, opal, turquoise, and tourmalines into a host of fanciful designs. This article discusses the origins of Art Nouveau and outlines the distinctive interpretations and contributions made by significant Art Nouveau jewelers. @topic:6


Publish Year: 2024 Title: Electroformed Gold Bracelet Abstract: Figure 1. The electroformed gold bracelet submitted as 14K solid gold. Photo by Rambod Bahadory.
GIA has provided a service for validating mounted gemstones in jewelry for decades. Recently, these services have been expanded to include precious metal items (rings, necklaces, and bracelets) to ensure their authenticity and ensure the metal is as stated. The service is intended to protect both buyer and seller.

Figure 2. The hallmark is not actually stamped onto the metal but is on a separate disk adhered to the inside of the bracelet. Photo by Rambod Bahadory.
As part of this service, a gold bracelet measuring 8 inches in circumference and 1.25 inches wide and weighing 41 g was recently examined in the Carlsbad laboratory (figure 1). It was submitted as 14K solid gold, but initial observations raised suspicion. The bracelet felt too light and almost hollow, and there was a significant contrast in textures: a matte finish on the inside surface of the bracelet compared with the wavy, shiny exterior surface. The bracelet had a 14K hallmark, which appeared to be stamped or engraved onto a different metal piece that was glued or otherwise adhered to the bracelet (figure 2).

Figure 3. An area where the gold plating has flaked off from the bracelet is shown in the circled region. Photo by Rambod Bahadory.
X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis of the shiny exterior surface gave a result of 17.99K gold, and no subsurface material was detected that would indicate plating. Additional testing of another smooth surface yielded a result of 22.47K. Further analysis under brighter lighting conditions revealed areas where gold plating had flaked off from the piece (figure 3). We believe this wavy texture of the gold was used intentionally to hide the poor quality of the finish and the flaking gold plating, as shadows can often mask imperfections on initial sight.
A wax or resin material was observed under the plating, and we concluded that the bracelet had been created using electrodeposition to electroform the piece. Electroforming is a method of adding a thick gold plating, sometimes as thick as 200 microns, to a wax, resin, ceramic, or organic material base. Thick plating and electroforming may not be detected by XRF methods alone, and additional testing may be necessary to detect the application of these processes. We believe this wax- or resin-filled electroformed bracelet was being sold as solid 14K gold with the intention to deceive the buyer. This example demonstrates the importance of testing and verification services such as GIA’s jewelry verification service. @topic:6


Publish Year: 2022 Title: Blue Sapphire Lord of the Rings Pendant Abstract: Platinum pendant with a 19.30 ct unheated light blue Sri Lankan sapphire briolette and 177 round brilliant diamonds, 0.86 carats total. Photo by Robert Weldon; courtesy of Jeffrey Bilgore.
At the AGTA show, Jeffrey Bilgore of New York exhibited a sapphire, diamond, and platinum pendant (see above) inspired by The Lord of the Rings. From initial inspiration to delivery of the just-finished pendant midweek at the show, the piece was 15 years in the making.
“I read it in high school,” Bilgore said of the beloved trilogy. “I read it again in college. Then I read it to my son when he was little, and when he was older he read it to me.”
The 19.30 ct unheated light blue Sri Lankan sapphire briolette rotates within the platinum setting, accented by 177 round Flawless to VVS round brilliant diamonds (0.86 carats total). The pendant is modeled after the Phial (vial) of Galadriel, which the elf queen Lady Galadriel gives to hobbit Frodo Baggins for light and protection during his journey to Mordor. The vial contains water from her fountain, which holds the light and power of the elves’ cherished star Eärendil.
“The Star of Eärendil is the North Star at night and the star you see in the dawn,” Bilgore said. “It gives you hope in the darkness and brings you strength.” He said the pendant “symbolizes all the good energies of hope and faith that add light to the world and protect those that it shines on.”
The concept for the pendant came to Bilgore when he bought a diamond briolette in 2004, a year after establishing his own business. Prior to that, he spent 16 years as the primary gem buyer for Oscar Heyman. He began sketching the design but then sold the diamond. Over the next decade, he continued to refine the design. He eventually acquired a pair of light blue sapphires and began developing the piece with a jeweler about five months before the AGTA show.
“The Lord of the Rings is a story about our world, the power of faith, and good vs. evil,” Bilgore said after the show. “Today, with all that is going on in Ukraine, it seems even more meaningful. The story shows how wars destroy everything and put groups against groups for no good reason. That only trust and faith in each other and in the positive powers of love and respect can conquer all.” He added that the story—with its elves, dwarves, hobbits, and other beings—is also about diversity. “No matter your size, shape, color, or type, everyone has value and strengths.”
“Others have attempted to replicate the Phial of Galadriel, but not quite like this,” he said. “If you have anything going on in your life, put it around your neck and you’ll be protected. You’ll get through it.” @topic:6


Publish Year: - Title: Amber History and Lore Abstract: Gierlowska's lizard from the collection of the Gdansk Amber Museum, Gdansk, Poland.

                      Amber is probably best known for its insect and other types of inclusions. Millions of years ago, when amber oozed from countless plants, the substance acted as a sticky trap for ants, bees, termites, and other insects. Flower parts, leaves, and pine needles are also typical amber inclusions, along with gas bubbles.

Amber containing larger animals like scorpions, snails, frogs, and lizards can be very valuable—especially if the animal “inclusions” are preserved intact.

	The fossilized extinct lizard trapped in this piece of amber from the Dominican Republic is over a million years old. - Dr. Edward J. Gubelin
Insects embedded in amber formed the basis of the movie “Jurassic Park.” The story centered around the cloning of dinosaurs from DNA found in dinosaur blood sucked up by prehistoric mosquitoes that were subsequently preserved in amber. The movie generated great interest in the gem. @topic:8


Publish Year: - Title: Opal History and Lore Abstract: Even today, opal invokes a feeling of magic and mystery. - Gift of Paula Crevoshay

                      Writers have compared opals to volcanoes, galaxies, and fireworks. Admirers gave extraordinary opals poetic names like Pandora, Light of the World, and Empress. In ancient Rome, this gem symbolized love and hope. The Romans gave it a name—opalus—that was synonymous with “precious stone.”

In 75 AD, the Roman scholar Pliny observed, “Some opali carry such a play within them that they equal the deepest and richest colors of painters. Others…simulate the flaming fire of burning sulphur and even the bright blaze of burning oil.” He marveled that this kaleidoscopic gem encompassed the red of ruby, the green of emerald, the yellow of topaz, the blue of sapphire, and the purple of amethyst.

Many cultures have credited opal with supernatural origins and powers. Arabic legends say it falls from the heavens in flashes of lightning. The ancient Greeks believed opals gave their owners the gift of prophecy and guarded them from disease. Europeans have long considered the gem a symbol of hope, purity, and truth.

Opal is considered an October birthstone. Some people think it’s unlucky for anyone born in another month to wear an opal. But that particular superstition comes from a novel written in the 1800s (Anne of Geierstein by Sir Walter Scott), and not from any ancient belief or experience. In fact, throughout most of history, opal has been regarded as the luckiest and most magical of all gems because it can show all colors. Once, it was thought to have the power to preserve the life and color of blond hair. @topic:2


Publish Year: - Title: Garnet History and Lore Abstract: Antique Pyrope Hairpin in the collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History - Chip Clark, courtesy Smithsonian Institution

                      Thousands of years ago, red garnet necklaces adorned the necks of Egypt’s pharaohs, and were entombed with their mummified corpses as prized possessions for the afterlife. In ancient Rome, signet rings with carved garnets were used to stamp the wax that secured important documents.

The term carbuncle was often used in ancient times to refer to red garnets, although it was used for almost any red stone. Carbuncle was thought to be one of the four precious stones given to King Solomon by God.

Centuries later, in Roman scholar Pliny’s time (23 to 79 AD), red garnets were among the most widely traded gems. In the Middle Ages (about 475 to 1450 AD), red garnet was favored by clergy and nobility.

Red garnet’s availability increased with the discovery of the famous Bohemian garnet deposits in central Europe around 1500. This source became the nucleus of a regional jewelry industry that reached its peak in the late 1800s. @topic:1


Publish Year: - Title: Aquamarine History and Lore Abstract: The Dom Pedro aquamarine obelisk by gem sculptor Bernd Munsteiner is the largest cut aquamarine. - Eric Welch, courtesy Smithsonian Institution

                      The name “aquamarine” is derived from two Latin words: aqua, meaning “water,” and marina, meaning “of the sea.”

It has been said that the mineral beryl gives the wearer protection against foes in battle or litigation. It makes the wearer unconquerable and amiable, and also quickens the intellect.

Aquamarine is the birthstone for March. @topic:3


Publish Year: - Title: Moonstone History and Lore Abstract: Moonstone’s mysterious, billowy, glow has fascinated people for centuries.

                      According to Hindu mythology, moonstone is made of solidified moonbeams. Many other cultures also associate this gem with moonlight, and it’s easy to see why. Its internal structure scatters the light that strikes it, creating a phenomenon known as adularescence. The visual effect is reminiscent of the full moon shining through a veil of thin, high clouds.

	Moonstone has long been associated with the moon. - © GIA & Tino Hammid, courtesy 23rd St. Shop, Santa Monica
Legends say that moonstone brings good luck. Many believed that you could see the future if you held a moonstone in your mouth during a full moon.

Adularescent moonstone was once called “adularia.” The name originated with a city in Switzerland, Mt. Adular (now St. Gotthard), that was one of the first sources of fine-quality moonstone.

Great designers of the romantic Art Nouveau era, such as René Lalique and Louis Comfort Tiffany, featured the pale gem in custom jewelry. Moonstone was also a favorite among artisans of the Arts and Crafts era in the last half of the nineteenth century, who used it in handcrafted silver items.

During the 1960s “flower child” movement, moonstone provided its wearers with the desired ethereal look, and designers of the 1990s New Age movement again turned to moonstone’s natural beauty for inspiration. @topic:8


Publish Year: - Title: Jadeite Jade Quality Factors Abstract: Jadeite comes in a wide range of colors. The most valuable is an intense green called Imperial. - Courtesy Mason-Kay Fine Jade Jewelry

                      To understand the value of jade, you have to look beyond its durability and its role as a gemstone and beautiful adornment. Jade is a spiritual stone with significant meaning that’s intricately woven into the Chinese culture.

The price for fine-quality jadeite has risen dramatically along with China’s economic rise. The demand from those who can newly afford it has significantly outpaced the supply of this rare material.

The Chinese have revered jadeite’s fine green color since its discovery in Burma. Top-quality jadeite is rare. Vivid, sleek, and translucent, magnificent jadeite commands some of the highest prices among gems in today’s international market.

Jadeite’s three most important qualities, in order of their impact on its market value, are color, transparency, and texture.

When jadeite buyers evaluate fashioned jadeite, they consider many factors. First, they judge its color under both fluorescent and incandescent light sources. They check its level of transparency. They look for even coloration or a pleasing mottling of colors. They also look for fine polish and undistorted surface reflections. Clarity is important, too, because any fractures can strongly affect value.

Color
Color is jadeite’s most important value factor. Because consumers traditionally associate jadeite with the color green, it surprises some people to learn that it comes in other colors as well—lavender, red, orange, yellow, brown, white, black, and gray. All of these colors can be attractive. But jadeite’s most desirable color is, in fact, a very specific shade of green.

	Jadeite jade comes in a variety of colors. Green is the most valuable. - Courtesy Mason-Kay Fine Jade Jewelry
The finest-quality jadeite—almost transparent with a vibrant emerald-green color—is known as “Imperial jade.” The royal court of China once had a standing order for all available material of this kind, and it’s one of the world’s most expensive gems.

The green that can command millions of dollars in the marketplace is pure and penetrating, a vivid hue with no hint of gray that looks intense even from a distance. It ranges from pure green to a slightly bluish green or a slightly yellowish green.

Other highly valued jade varieties include “kingfisher jade,” with a green color that’s only slightly less vivid than Imperial; “apple jade,” which is an intense yellowish green; and “moss-in-snow jade,” which is translucent white with bright green veining, patches, or spots. The most outstanding examples of these are almost always bought and sold in the Asian market.

Lavender is the next most valuable color. Intense colors command a substantial premium over lighter and weaker colors. Black jade is also popular, along with orange to reddish jade, especially when these colors are not brownish.

Transparency
Jadeite’s transparency ranges from completely opaque to semitransparent. The best jadeite is semitransparent, meaning the text you can read through it would be slightly blurred. Because light penetrates below the surface, semitransparent jadeite has an alluring brilliance. It almost appears to glow, increasing the charm of a lush green or rich lavender hue. The least desirable jadeites are completely opaque or have opaque or cloudy patches that break up their transparency.

	Some jadeite is transparent enough to allow the observer to see into the stone, revealing the gem’s depth of color and giving it higher value. - Gift of Sophie Leu
To judge transparency, some buyers place a thin jadeite slice on a printed page and try to read the print through the gem. If the transparency is excellent, the viewer can see the print easily, even if the jadeite is dark green. Good transparency can sometimes compensate for lack of uniform color or low color saturation.

Texture
Jadeite has a smooth, even texture that makes people want to touch and hold it. Jadeite’s texture can be fine, medium, or coarse, depending on variations in crystal size and hardness. These texture categories are sometimes called, respectively, old mine, relatively old mine, and new mine.

	When jadeite’s structure is fine-grained, the gem has smooth texture and high luster. - Courtesy Mason-Kay Fine Jade Jewelry
The same crystal structure that contributes to jadeite’s texture also contributes to its exceptional toughness. Jadeite’s interlocking crystals, also called grains, produce a tightly inter-grown, compact mass that bonds together and resists breaking. In the early days of its history, when it was used to fashion tools and weapons, jadeite’s ability to withstand breakage was one of its major advantages.

Cut
China is the world’s main polishing center for jadeite. Some jadeite from Myanmar is fashioned near its source, in cutting workshops near the open jade markets of Hpakan, Lonkin, Mogaung, and Mandalay. Many cutters there still polish jadeite the ancient way, using a hollow bamboo lathe treated with sand and water.

Manufacturers fashion jadeite into a handful of distinctive, traditional jewelry forms. Some are hololiths, carved entirely from a single piece of rough. Hololiths include bangles, rings, and pendants.

	Cabochons of various shapes, bangle bracelets, and round or carved beads are the most common jadeite jewelry styles. The deep, even, green color of this cabochon is far from common, however. - Gift of Sophie Leu
The finest-quality jadeite is usually cut into cabochons for use in rings and other jewelry. When buyers judge cabochons, they consider symmetry, proportion, and thickness. Calibration is not as important for top-quality material as it is for more commercial qualities. The finest jadeite cabochons are rarely cut to calibrated sizes because the cutter’s goal is to save rough weight.

Fine-quality jadeite might also be cut into round beads, which are carefully selected and strung into strands. Color and texture are the most important factors for matching jadeite beads. Manufacturers also match transparency, size, and symmetry of cut. Because matching is difficult, especially for color, longer strands or larger beads can sell for extremely high prices.

The jade bangle, first carved in China from nephrite, is a style thought to date back at least four thousand years. A smooth circle of bright jadeite wrapping the wrist is thought, even today, to bring peace and protection to its wearer. Jadeite bangles can be highly important pieces of jewelry.

Some bangles are hololiths. When a cutter fashions a bangle from a single piece of rough, a great deal of weight loss results. For this reason, hololith bangles cost more than bangles that consist of several pieces joined together by precious-metal hinges.

The Chinese eternity symbol, or bi, bears great spiritual significance for many jadeite connoisseurs. The shape is simple: a convex or plump disk with a round hole in its center. Ideally, the jadeite should be more than twice as wide as the hole.

Jadeite rings are often simple all-jadeite bands. The finest bands show uniform color all the way around. A variation on this is the saddle ring, a solid band with a carved rectangular-shaped top.

Size and Weight
Jadeite size is commonly expressed in millimeters. The value of cabochons, beads, and bangle bracelets rises with an increase in size, all other quality factors being equal. With top-quality imperial jadeite, slight differences in size can make large differences in value. With nephrite, larger sizes do not raise the value dramatically in most cases.

	Jadeite is available in a wide range of sizes for jewelry as well as carvings. - Gift of Sophie Leu @topic:9


Publish Year: - Title: Emerald History and Lore Abstract: The 75.47-carat Hooker Emerald was worn by Ottoman Sultan Abdul Hamid II, the last sultan of the Ottoman Empire. Photo by Chip Clark, courtesy Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History.

                      Emerald’s lush green has soothed souls and excited imaginations since antiquity. Its name comes from the ancient Greek word for green, “smaragdus.” Rome’s Pliny the Elder described emerald in his Natural History, published in the first century AD: “…nothing greens greener” was his verdict. He described the use of emerald by early lapidaries, who “have no better method of restoring their eyes than by looking at the emerald, its soft, green color comforting and removing their weariness and lassitude.” Even today, the color green is known to relieve stress and eye strain.

There are other green gems, like tourmaline and peridot, but emerald is the one that’s always associated with the lushest landscapes and the richest greens. Ireland is the Emerald Isle. Seattle, in the US state of Washington, is the Emerald City. Thailand’s most sacred religious icon is called the Emerald Buddha, even though it’s carved from green jadeite.

The first known emerald mines were in Egypt, dating from at least 330 BC into the 1700s. Cleopatra was known to have a passion for emerald, and used it in her royal adornments.

Emeralds from what is now Colombia were part of the plunder when sixteenth-century Spanish explorers invaded the New World. The Incas had already been using emeralds in their jewelry and religious ceremonies for 500 years. The Spanish, who treasured gold and silver far more than gems, traded emeralds for precious metals. Their trades opened the eyes of European and Asian royalty to emerald’s majesty.

Emerald is the most famous member of the beryl family. Legends endowed the wearer with the ability to foresee the future when emerald was placed under the tongue, as well as to reveal truth and be protected against evil spells. Emerald was once also believed to cure diseases like cholera and malaria. Wearing an emerald was believed to reveal the truth or falseness of a lover’s oath as well as make one an eloquent speaker.

Legend also states that emerald was one of the four precious stones given by God to King Solomon. These four stones were said to have endowed the king with power over all creation.

Its color reflects new spring growth, which makes it the perfect choice of a birthstone for the month of May. It’s also the gemstone for twentieth and thirty-fifth wedding anniversaries. @topic:2


Publish Year: 2016 Title: Fabergé Symposium Abstract: Fabergé’s Kelch Rocaille Egg (1902), featuring green translucent enamel, diamonds, and yellow gold rocaille ornament, is part of the McFerrin Foundation Collection. Photo by Hank Gillette/CC BY-SA 4.0.

	“The Wonder of Fabergé: A Study of The McFerrin Collection” was the title of the Fabergé Symposium held at the Houston Museum of Natural Sciences (HMNS) November 3–4. Comprised of over 600 objects including the egg in the image above, the collection of Artie and Dorothy McFerrin is the largest privately owned assortment of Fabergé objects and Russian decorative art in the United States. (Worldwide, only the Fabergé Museum in St. Petersburg and Queen Elizabeth II have larger collections.) It has now been the focus of two Fabergé symposiums, the first in 2013. Photos from the McFerrin Collection were incorporated into all of the talks.

	Researcher Dr. Ulla Tillander-Godenhielm (Helsinki) presented “Fabergé in the Light of 20th Century European Jewelry,” which covered the years 1881–1915. In 1881, Carl Fabergé took over the family business from his father Gustav and, along with his younger brother Agathon, began building their brand. The Fabergé brothers opened shops in other cities and became court jewelers to Russia’s imperial family, but 1915 marked the end of the successful enterprise. The outbreak of World War I in 1914 increased the cost of materials and sent many goldsmiths off to the front lines. In 1917, along with the end of the 300-year reign of the Romanovs, the House of Fabergé was closed. Many of Fabergé’s workmen and their families emigrated to Finland to work for the A. Tillander firm in Helsinki. The speaker came to know these individuals as a young girl.

Dr. Galina Korneva (Russia) spoke on “Imperial Gifts Created by Fabergé for the Coronation of Nicholas II: New Archival Research.” Dr. Korneva and her sister Tatiana Cheboksarova have discovered and reviewed thousands of handwritten archival documents. The coronation of Nicholas II was celebrated May 6–26, 1896. Fabergé gifts from Nicholas II included a yellow and white diamond brooch in the shape of a rose given to his wife, Empress Alexandra Feodorvona; a brooch and the Lilies of the Valley basket for his mother, Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna; 18 brooches in the shape of crowns for the Grand Duchesses; pectoral crosses for the clergy; plate and salt cellars; and bracelets, brooches, pins, snuffboxes, and cigarette cases for members of the imperial court and other dignitaries. Fabergé marked the occasion a year later with the Imperial Coronation Egg, which now resides in the Fabergé Museum.

	Art historians Timothy Adams (San Diego, California) and Christel Ludewig McCanless (Fabergé Research Newsletter, Huntsville, Alabama) discussed “Fabergé Smoking Accessories: Materials and Techniques of a New Art Form.” With the popularity of smoking in the first half of the 19th century and the demand for smoking accessories, the Fabergé firm had a production line for these items. In one studio, ten men made nothing but cigarette cases. These items were large, with a tinder cord and a vesta compartment that held matches, which were very expensive. The cigarette case became more streamlined with the invention of the cigarette lighter in the late 1800s, making the bulky tinder cord and vesta compartment unnecessary.

	Researcher Mark Moehrke (New York City) lectured on “Fabergé Silver-Mounted Art Glass.” These objects are both functional and decorative. Neo-classical in style, most of them are colorless cut glass, but they were also made from hardstones, metals, and ceramics with applied silver bases, handles, and stoppers. Included in the discussion were three objects from the McFerrin Collection: a Louis Comfort Tiffany favrile glass vase with Fabergé silver base, made by workmaster Victor Aarne; a Louis Comfort Tiffany favrile glass scent bottle with silver stopper, handles set with natural pearls, and a silver base; and a rectangular Lötz glass lamp with silver mounts, including a base of stylized dolphins and scrolls to imitate ocean waves, also by Victor Aarne.

	In “Collector Tales,” Artie and Dorothy McFerrin (Houston) described how they started accumulating Russian decorative arts. Their first purchase turned out to be an imposter egg, or “Fauxbergé,” which is on display in the museum. They also discussed their favorite pieces and took questions from the attendees.

Dr. Wilfried Zeisler (Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens, Washington, D.C.) presented “From Canvas to Silver: Enameled and Repoussé ‘Paintings’ in Russian Jewelry at the Turn of the 20th Century.” Dr. Zeisler used examples from both the Marjorie Merriweather Post and McFerrin collections to illustrate how paintings were reinterpreted as art objects. The subject of a painting would find its way onto small boxes, caskets, and cigarette cases by way of engraving, enameling, or lithograph. Feodor Rückert, an enamel master from Moscow, supplied such items to Fabergé from 1886 to 1917.

Mikhail Ovchinnikov (Fabergé Museum, St. Petersburg) discussed “Fabergé’s Renaissance Style Objects in the Context of 19th Century European Revival Jewelry.” Fabergé was inspired by the pieces exhibited at the museums he visited on his grand tour of Europe. Objects made using the pietra dura method influenced his hardstone figures. Fabergé also worked in the Hermitage examining and repairing ancient jewelry, which would influence his later designs. @topic:6


Publish Year: 2019 Title: Book Review: Geology: A Very Short Introduction Abstract: By Jan Zalasiewicz, paperback, 168 pp., illus., publ. by Oxford Academic Press, Oxford, England, 2018, US$11.95.

Geology–it’s a fairly large subject to take on in a pocket-sized book. The entire 4.54-billion-year history of the earth—the ceaseless shifting of tectonic plates, the rise of multicellular organisms, the shaping of the planet that would one day be called home by us homo sapiens—all captured in a mere 168 pages. As a geologist, I approached Geology: A Very Short Introduction cautiously, hoping the topic could be faithfully represented in a book whose size doesn’t embody the enormous complexity of the subject. I was pleasantly surprised as the author wove his way through not only the history of the earth, but also the history of the study of the history of the earth, deftly moving from one geological development to the next, finding the common theme in all these stories to bring it together into a coherent narrative. The book is an approachable introduction to the earth and humankind’s endeavors to better understand its rocky abode through scientific examination. Yet the content is engaging and thorough enough that professional geologists might find themselves transported back to the airy university lecture halls of their youth where their passion for geology was once uncovered.
After a brief introductory chapter, Zalasiewicz delves into the historical underpinnings of modern geology in chapters 2 and 3. This engrossing history is neatly summarized. From the study of fossils to the development of the first geological maps, readers are given a view into the minds of the first serious thinkers who pursued the study of the earth and formed the foundation of geology as we know it. Zalasiewicz tends to favor the study of fossils and stratigraphy in his coverage, although this might be fair given the early importance of those fields in forming our understanding of earth processes.
The rest of the book focuses on more specific topics within the field of geology, from the deep earth (chapter 4) to the surface (chapter 5), from man’s search for natural resources (chapter 7) to the environmental repercussions that sometimes result (chapter 8). Zalasiewicz keeps readers’ interest by emphasizing human connection in the advancement of the study of Earth. The pages abound with stories of the scientific luminaries who uncovered many of the earth’s mysteries. Understanding the motivations and passions of these geological pioneers helps make their great scientific achievements more approachable and puts the historic progression of geological thought into perspective.
The book is a quick but interesting read, and its small size makes it a convenient travel partner. Zalasiewicz’s writing is familiar and engaging, never too technical but also never shying away from taking on important yet uncomfortable topics such as humankind’s sometimes negative impacts on the environment. The book is graced by 40 illustrations, maps, and photographs. These are generally of very high quality and complement the text even though they are printed in black and white. While Zalasiewicz’s coverage in this (very) introductory text is only skin-deep, he provides excellent suggestions for further reading for the reader who needs to dig in deeper. Ultimately, Geology: A Very Short Introduction should serve as a superb read for a wide spectrum of readers, from the most erudite professional geologists to those with almost no prior interest in geology. @topic:8