Publish Year: - Title: Top 10 Digital Reads from the GIA Library Abstract: Gem materials, such as this agate (a Chinese carving of Guanyin), Colombian emerald specimen, pearl, shell cameo, amethyst, garnet and turquoise, have excited global appeal for millennia. Books about gemstones, but also geology, mining techniques and international trade in gems, have long stimulated enthusiasts. Many are collected in GIA’s Cartier Rare Book Repository and Archives, which houses both the ancient and more modern writings about gemstones. A growing number of these books (treasures in and of themselves) are available to you — for free —through Internet Archive. Photo by Robert Weldon/GIA.

Would you like to brush up on your Latin and read Pliny’s “Natural History,” the 17th-century book that is the foundation of ancient gemology? Peruse an 1817 copy of Sowerby’s “British Mineralogy” with your morning coffee? Or thumb through — virtually — an especially rare, 1925-26 catalog of Russian Romanov dynasty’s regalia and crown jewels?

These are just three of 650 digitized rare books from GIA’s Cartier Rare Book Repository and Archives that are available for free through the nonprofit digital library Internet Archive. This multi-year effort by librarians at GIA’s Richard T. Liddicoat (RTL) Gemological Library and Information Center to bring thousands of the rarest, most venerated books in gemology, mineralogy and jewelry into easy reach.

Many of the books are from the Sinkankas Library, which was acquired by GIA in 1988. John Sinkankas, a noted author and lapidary artist, and his wife Marjorie, spent more than 40 years collecting approximately 14,000 items, including virtually all of the major works related to the study of gems and jewelry.

“The GIA digital library is growing into a comprehensive collection of manuscripts and books that document centuries of history, art, science, gemology and mineralogy,” says Robert Weldon, director of the RTL Library. “Reflecting the many countries and languages that make up the international world of gems and jewelry, online archive is an excellent resource for gemologists and researchers — available at their fingertips, no matter where they are.”

TOP 10 DIGITIZED BOOKS
Here are some of the most notable books, as selected by the library staff:

Fersman, A.E. Russia’s Treasure of Diamonds and Precious Stones, 1925
	This rare catalog documents Russia’s regalia and crown jewels at the time of the overthrow of the tsarist regime in 1917. It includes jewels that date from the reign of Peter I (1689-1725) through Nicholas II (1894-1917), with 100 photographs of the Tsarist riches.

Kozminsky, Isidore. The Magic and Science of Jewels and Stones, 1922
	From ancient myth to modern science, this book is (from the preface) "…a sincere attempt…to blend modern science with the ancient and occult philosophy of the … stones of the earth.”  Sinkankas describes it in his Gemology: An Annotated Bibliography as "An outstanding work, comparable to Kunz’s Curious Lore in respect to authenticity & accuracy of information.”

Hendley, Thomas Holbein. Indian Jewellery, 1909
	This rare work is a collection describing the jewelry, costumes and gemstone terminology of the Indian provinces. Sinkankas calls it the “largest, most detailed, and lavishly illustrated monograph ever to appear on the subject.”

Vever, Henri. La Bijouterie Francaise au XIXe Siecle (1800-1900), 1908
	This three-volume work describes the history of French jewelry, including famous gems, persons and pieces. Sinkankas lauds it as “astonishingly detailed” and “remarkable for the numerous high quality photographic and other illustrations.”

Winter, Albert Andrew. A Course in Fundamental Principles of Designing and Engraving, 1915
	This 1915 instructional book from Winter’s School of Jewelry Engraving is a practical guide in basic engraving, which includes explanations on monogram design, letter formation, proper tools and techniques, types of metals, terminology and more. The explanations are accompanied by detailed illustrations and diagrams.

Tagore, Sourindro Mohun. Mani-mala: or, A Treatise On Gems, 1881
	In English and Sanskrit, Tagore’s two volume Mani-Málá includes both Eastern and Western sources of information on diamonds and colored stones, lore, jewelry, royal gems and more. Sinkankas calls it “one of the most remarkable and important works on gems ever published,” especially as a resource for the history of gemstones in Indian culture.

Kunz, George Frederick. The Curious Lore of Precious Stones, 1913
	This work is a significant and comprehensive assemblage of information on gemstone folklore and healing properties. Learn about the mystical properties that many — to this day — ascribe to gems.

Lacroix, Alfred. Mineralogie de la France et de Ses Colonies […], 1913
	Are you fascinated by minerology? Do you read French? This five-volume work “describes the minerals of France and its colonies. Sinkankas describes it as […] peer, being extremely thorough, neglecting no important aspect, and lavishly illustrated."

The Bishop Collection: Investigations and Studies in Jade, 1900
	A rare collection of articles on jade, commissioned by Heber Reginald Bishop to describe his collection of jade objects, which was donated to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York in 1902.

Pliny, the Elder. C. Plynius Secundus De naturali hystoria diligentissime castigatus, 1496
	This 1496 Latin edition is the oldest book in GIA’s collection. Its 37 chapters are a compilation of all that he could discover about nature; the last five books cover metals and gems. As gemologist and author Sydney Ball explains, it was the foundation of all science until the Renaissance, and is one of the largest single works to have survived from the Roman Empire to the modern day.

Learn more about how GIA is digitizing its rare book collection. @topic:6


Publish Year: 2014 Title: Fossilized Drusy Shells – Tucson 2014 Abstract: Figure 1. A conglomerate of fossilized, drusy quartz-encrusted shells is shown in the host rock, along with several individual pieces that have been prepared for jewelry use. Photo by Robert Weldon/GIA; courtesy of Indus Valley Commerce.

              Tarun Adlakha (Indus Valley Commerce, New Delhi) exhibited fossilized shells replaced by chalcedony and encrusted with drusy quartz (figure 1). The shells are originally from a rare left-hand coil variety of gastropod that lived between 50 and 100 million years ago, when the Indian subcontinent was submerged under the ocean. Recovered from a hill in the Dhar region of Madhya Pradesh state in central India (figure 2), they were hammered, chiseled, and carefully removed by hand from rock.

	Figure 2. These fossilized drusy shells were found in rocks on a hill in central India. Photo courtesy of Tarun Adlakha.
According to Adlakha, these shells were called Dakshinavarti in ancient Sanskrit. The Hindu, Buddhist, and Tibetan cultures revere the left-hand coil gastropods for their metaphysical powers. Adlakha has trademarked this fossilized material as Spiralite Gemshells for use in jewelry. @topic:5


Publish Year: 2017 Title: New Designs from Paula Crevoshay Abstract: Figure 1. In the “Queen Thai” bracelet, the contrast in orange color between the more intense Brazilian fire opal (left) and the Mexican fire opals leads the eye directly to the Brazilian stone. All of the opals are complemented by the green tsavorite. Photo by Eric Welch/GIA, courtesy of Paula Crevoshay.

	Paula Crevoshay came to Tucson with some new designs that once again showcase her unique talent.

	The “Queen Thai” bracelet (figure 1) contains five large freeform fire opals. Accompanying the opal are micro-pavé brilliant tsavorite accents and blue zircons connecting the bracelet sections. Four of the fire opals are from Mexico, and one is from Brazil. Crevoshay pointed out that the four Mexican fire opals have better transparency, while the Brazilian one has a more saturated orange color. All of them show some green and blue play-of-color, which complements the tsavorite and blue zircon accents. In return, the strong blue and green color of highly refractive tsavorite and zircon accentuates the opals’ play-of-color. The intense orange color of the Brazilian fire opal forms a dramatic contrast with the Mexican stones and adds another layer to draw viewers’ attention. The mounting of the bracelet follows the profile of the freeform opals, giving the jewelry its own personality.

	Paula Crevoshay

	Renowned jewelry designer Paula Crevoshay introduces four new pieces featuring her trademark use of contrasting and complimentary gem colors. In this video, she showcases two spectacular opal bracelets, and two fabulous brooches: a butterfly design featuring diamonds with sapphire and a beautifully textured elephant with mother-of-pearl tusks.

	Crevoshay expressed her love of nature in two new pieces from the collection. The “Swallowtail” butterfly (figure 2, left) combines yellow diamond, black diamond, blue Yogo sapphire, yellow sapphire, and red spinel. She informed us that this swallowtail is modeled specifically after those found in Montana, a state whose natural beauty and sapphires she admires. She noted that she always tries to find an excuse to involve Montana sapphire in her artworks. The various stones are mounted over a large surface area, which allows them to optically interact with each other. The colors of the stones accurately reproduce the colors on the wings of these butterflies. When people move the piece in their hands, it vividly reflects the whimsical look of the real butterfly. The elephant head in figure 2 (right) evokes Crevoshay’s memories of visiting an elephant orphanage in Sri Lanka. Captured in this pendant is the extinct East African forest elephant, which is smaller and less aggressive than most other species. A special texture was generated on the gold to depict the elephant’s skin. A sapphire and spinel headdress shows the royalty of this creature. The eyes are tsavorite, while the tasks are carved mother-of-pearl.

Figure 2. Left: The yellow diamond, black diamond, blue Yogo sapphire, yellow sapphire, and red spinel in this swallowtail brooch create a stunning color combination. Right: This brooch was inspired by a visit to an elephant orphanage in Sri Lanka, which adds an extra touch of humanity to the piece. Photos by Eric Welch/GIA, courtesy of Paula Crevoshay.

	Last but not least is the cuff bracelet featuring a large Australian boulder opal accented with sapphire (figure 3). To Crevoshay, “all opals are created by Monet,” since each is a striking blend of colors. The play-of-color pattern of this opal reminds viewer of a spectacular cityscape at night. There is a subtle red linear play-of-color across the middle of this piece. This long marquise-shaped boulder opal has blue as its deepest play-of-color, and Crevoshay selected the blue sapphire to go with it. According to color theory, blue is a color that recedes. The blue sapphire and the blue play-of-color seem to dominate the cuff bracelet but then recede to the background to allow the other colors such as the green and the red to take center stage.

Figure 3. The blue play-of-color from the boulder opal and the blue color from the sapphires dominate one’s initial impression of the cuff bracelet. Photo by Eric Welch/GIA, courtesy of Paula Crevoshay. @topic:6


Publish Year: 2017 Title: Coated Beryl Imitating Emerald Abstract: Figure 1. Left: The drilled green briolettes mounted in the pair of earrings submitted for identification. Right: Fluid inclusions, crystals, and two-phase inclusions proved the stones’ natural origin; field of view 2.6 mm. Photos by Lai Tai-An Gem Lab.
Two major issues related to emerald are origin determination and the presence and quantity of fillers. An emerald’s value depends in part on the quality of the stone and treatments applied, so examination with a gemological microscope is an essential part of any analysis.

A pair of earrings (figure 1, left) weighing a total of 84.06 grams was submitted to the Lai Tai-An Gem Lab for identification. The earrings consisted of numerous green drilled briolettes with a vitreous luster. The client, who claimed they were natural emeralds, granted permission to remove one piece to aid in identification. Testing gave a spot refractive index of 1.57, a specific gravity of 2.67, and an inert reaction to both short-wave and long-wave UV, consistent with beryl. Microscopic observation revealed liquid, crystal, and two-phase inclusions (figure 1, right). Infrared and Raman spectroscopy indicated that the loose stone, along with the similar stones still in the earrings, were beryl. Epoxy peaks at 3056, 3037, 2964, 2931, and 2872 cm–1 were obtained by FTIR spectroscopy (figure 2). However, the green color was unusual in that it appeared to be concentrated on the surface, which was confirmed by additional testing.

Figure 2. FTIR spectroscopy showed epoxy peaks at 3056, 3037, 2964, 2931, and 2872 cm–1.

Figure 3. Left: Magnification with diffused illumination clearly showed the concentrated green areas of the coating and the boundaries of the underlying host beryl. Photomicrograph by Lai Tai-An Gem Lab; field of view 4.4 mm. Right: An SEM image from the specimen. The area labeled A shows the coated layer on the surface, while B shows facet boundaries without coating.
Magnification with diffused illumination clearly showed concentrated patches of green color with “colorless” boundaries (figure 3, left), as often seen in diffusion-treated stones such as corundum. Further observation by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) indicated a coating on the faceted surface (figure 3, right). DiamondView imaging revealed the fluorescence reaction of the underlying host beryl where the coating had been worn away at the facet junctions: When exposed to the ultra-short-wave UV of the DiamondView, the “colorless” areas reacted with a strong orange fluorescence (figure 4). UV-Vis-NIR spectra revealed differences between the test stone and a reference emerald. While emerald normally exhibits Cr3+-associated main absorption bands at approximately 620 and 430 nm, the examined samples showed strong absorption bands at approximately 680 and 360 nm, as well as weaker bands at 620 and 430 nm (figure 5)

Figure 4. DiamondView imaging showed where the coating had been worn away at the facet junctions. The colorless areas reacted with a strong orange fluorescence after exposure to the short-wave UV radiation.

Figure 5. UV-Vis-NIR spectra show the differencesbetween a reference emerald, which exhibits significant Cr3+-associated main absorption bands at approximately 620 and 430 nm only (red trace), and the examined sample, which contains absorption bands at approximately 680 and 360 nm in addition to the 620 and 430 nm bands (green trace).
Coatings have been applied to various gemstones for decades, and most of the time they are easy to identify. Although this identification was not particularly challenging, it does show the importance of thoroughly examining jewelry in case treated stones have been incorporated into the design. @topic:3


Publish Year: 2018 Title: Gemstones and Sustainable Development Knowledge Hub Abstract: Figure 1. Gem cutters in Jaipur were issued masks, provided by AGTA, as part of the safety measures put in place after the Hub's assessment. Photo courtesy of Lynda Lawson.

In 2016, the Tiffany & Co. Foundation awarded the University of Delaware (UD) $350,000 over the course of two years to promote responsible practices in the colored gemstone supply chain. The grant recognizes a fine minerals collection held at the University’s Mineralogical Museum that was donated in large part by the DuPont family. Out of this effort, and under the directorship of natural resource governance specialist Professor Saleem H. Ali, grew the Gemstones and Sustainable Development Knowledge Hub (GemHub), a collaboration between UD, the University of Queensland, and the University of Lausanne. Gemologist Laurent Cartier has also been an instrumental part of this partnership. The GemHub’s goals are to perform research and to connect with initiatives identified by industry, academic, and mining communities as essential to the supply chain. The GemHub’s website, www.sustainablegemstones.org, is an excellent resource for those interested in learning about and buying sustainable and ethical stones. The areas addressed by the GemHub are colored stone mining and geology, processing and manufacturing (including cutting), gender analysis of supply chains, and economic development impact.
As of June 2018, the GemHub had launched two projects. The pilot project, initiated in Jaipur, India, in early 2018, is a study of the health issues associated with gemstone manufacturing and their solutions. This effort is in partnership with the American Gem Trade Association (AGTA) and Workplace Health Without Borders (WHWB). As part of this program, dust and silica were monitored and cost-effective best practices for improving conditions were evaluated. From these observations, educational materials on dust and silica exposure prevention and other safety precautions, such as the distribution of face masks (figure 1) were created. Noise levels have also been measured, and information on hearing loss, along with disposable hearing protection, have been disseminated. Future steps will involve measuring whether the methods that have been implemented (wetting to minimize dust, wet mopping of cutting shops) are adequate or if further measures must be taken.

Figure 2. The women miners in Madagascar use the gem testing kit, which includes tweezers, a bowl, a loupe, a dichroscope, and a scoop. Photo courtesy of Lynda Lawson.
The second project is a continuation of the work performed by Lynda Lawson, one of the GemHub’s research associates, and focuses on artisanal miner education in Madagascar. Women miners in the region of Atsimo Andrefana were taught field gemology essentials and provided with tools for identification (figure 2), even learning to make and use a simple dichroscope. The women were also taught basic lapidary skills, allowing them to make their own jewelry for sale. In the most recent training, the miners have been taught to identify characteristics of stones that are easily confused, such as topaz and quartz; women who had taken previous courses acted as peer coaches. The women have maintained their skills and tools, and the project has been extended through the end of 2018. Future steps will include working with the women to find more profitable markets for the small stones they find (primarily pink, purple, and orange sapphires).
Furthering the GemHub’s mission, the Unidel Foundation awarded a grant to the University of Delaware to develop the “Minerals, Materials and Society,” an interdisciplinary graduate certificate program due to launch at UD in 2020. The program, which will be offered online and on campus, will be designed for the multiple sectors that need to understand and address supply chain issues, including members of the jewelry industry along with geologists, economists, and government employees. The program’s signature project will be the Jewelry Development Impact Index (JDI), a project first discussed at the 2017 Jewelry Industry Summit in Tucson, Arizona and later championed by the U.S. Department of State. The JDI’s goal is to measure the gem and jewelry industry’s impact on the economic and social well-being of the countries in which they operate while establishing replicable examples of responsible activity and transparency. UD will hold a JDI Methodology Workshop on September 6, 2018 in Newark, Delaware. Those interested in participating should contact program development manager Patricia Syvrud at psyvrud@udel.edu. @topic:11


Publish Year: 2019 Title: CIBJO Blue Book and “Do’s and Don’ts” Guide on Responsible Sourcing Abstract: The World Jewellery Confederation (CIBJO) released the first edition of the Responsible Sourcing Book in January 2019. The latest in CIBJO’s series of Blue Books, it provides a framework and guidance for due diligence related to the responsible sourcing of gemstones and precious metals in the jewelry sector. In March, the organization also approved a simplified “Do’s and Don’ts” guide.
The new Blue Book is the result of a yearlong effort, during which a responsible sourcing commission was formed and a policy document introduced at CIBJO’s 2018 congress in Bogotá. The book, which was thoroughly reviewed by external members of the trade, advises all industry members to have a responsible sourcing policy in place and to perform due diligence on their supply chains “to the best of their ability.” It also recommends that industry members check for and mitigate risks related to human rights, labor practices, or criminal activity. The Blue Book aligns with the OECD’s Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains of Minerals from Conflict-Affected and High-Risk Areas, and it requires compliance with both the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme and the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.
The “Do’s and Don’ts” document, at 11 pages, does not replace the Blue Book released in January. It is intended as a reference tool for business owners and their staff to ensure best practices and promote consumer confidence. As of March 2019, the simplified guide can be downloaded in English, Arabic, Dutch, French, Hebrew, Italian, and Portuguese. Additional language versions are being prepared.
Both the Blue Book and the “Do’s and Don’ts” document are available, free of charge, at www.cibjo.org. @topic:12


Publish Year: - Title: Recent Graduates Offer Success Tips to GIA Students Abstract: Recent graduates, from left, Diane Kryszewski, Kelsey Hickox, Spirit Freeman and Mariana Gomez, spoke to students in September as part of GIA's Guest Lecture Series. Photo by Emily Lane/GIA

A panel of GIA graduates recently shared the various career paths they’ve taken in the gem and jewelry industry, following their love of gems, design and creating beautiful jewelry, as part of GIA’s Guest Lecture Series. They talked about how they moved from one stage to the next in their careers, including how they used their knowledge to meet their goals and the risks they took to accomplish them.
They also shared tips on how to:

prepare for an interview
find a mentor
develop your “elevator” speech
work trade shows
use trade publications

Speakers:
Diane Kryszewski, GIA GJ (2017) – Goldsmith with Kesslers Diamonds in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Kryszewski took a jewelry making class in university and became “instantly obsessed.” She took a desk job for seven years, however, before she made the leap to GIA and the start of her career as a goldsmith. She shared tips to taking bench tests.
The most important thing she learned at GIA: “The quality control aspect of the Graduate Jeweler Program really prepared me for what to expect in my job.”
Kelsey Hickox, GIA GG, AJP and Jewelry Design Certificate (2014) – Regional lead valuation manager of fine jewelry and watches at The RealReal in Los Angeles. Hickox studied business and fashion merchandising at university, which led her to jewelry and GIA. She said her career involves fashion “as a whole,” which has brought her “full circle” in her career.
The most important thing she learned at GIA: “Don’t try to figure out what type of gem it is, let the gemstone tell you what it is."
Spirit Freeman, GIA GG and AJP (2016) and JDT (2018) – Former CAD designer and technical engineer for Christian Tse Designs & Manufacturing, Inc. in Los Angeles. Freeman is a lapidary artist, photojournalist, gemologist and jewelry design technician. He attended GIA and shared how finding a faceting machine led him to study gem cutting and rough grading and analysis in Thailand. He offered advise on how to market yourself as a gem dealer.
The most important thing he learned at GIA: “Being flexible and being very well communicated. You really need to be able to assess what your customer is wanting and what their expectations are. If you don’t know how to communicate with them, it can be a disaster.”
Mariana Gomez, GIA GG and AJP (2015) – Designer and production manager for Martin Katz in Beverly Hills. Gomez studied design in university and fell in love with jewelry, which led her to GIA. She was very involved with the Student Body Council and was able to make connections with jewelry designers, gem dealers, manufacturers in Los Angeles, which led to her first job in the industry.
The most important thing she learned at GIA: “Understanding gems, in general, (all of the characteristics of specific gems), really, really helps when designing jewelry.”
Each speaker also emphasized the importance of networking, including keeping in touch with fellow students and utilizing the connections you make in industry organizations, such as the GIA Alumni Association, AGTA and the Women’s Jewelry Association. They emphasized taking advantage of your time at GIA by using GIA’s resources, such as becoming involved with student groups and using Career Services.
Watch the panel discussion:

Check GIA’s social media accounts for information on future events:
GIA Education and GIA Alumni Association Global News & Events on Facebook and GIA News on Twitter. @topic:6


Publish Year: - Title: Dreamy Drusy: Minute Crystals Shimmer in Dramatic Designs Abstract: This cobaltoan calcite drusy (a pink to purple cobalt-bearing calcite) has been cut into a heart-shape pendant and is accented with a swirl of 18K gold. Courtesy of Kara Ross. Photo by Orasa Weldon/ GIA

Drusy (also spelled druzy) jewelry has surged in popularity in recent years. Celebrities wear it on the red carpet and designers clamor for it at gem shows.

Drusy refers to clusters of small crystals that sparkle like snow or sugar coatings on the minute crystals of rock surfaces. These unique and glistening gems sparkle in bright light and appeal to those who like a natural or boho style of jewelry – and judging by the lively interest and brisk trading for it at the recent gem shows at Tucson in February, the interest continues. Designers clamored for naturally sparkling gems, along with those treated to be even brighter and more colorful, for fresh, new jewelry looks.

In nature, the most plentiful and durable drusies are found in quartz, or in the cryptocrystalline varieties of agate and chalcedony. Quartz has long been a favorite of gem carvers, and contemporary designers and cutters have discovered the intrigue and challenge of working with material that contains these minute crystals. The outcome is often stunning: designers have won national awards with gold and platinum jewelry that feature them.

The surface of this black onyx carved pendant sparkles with natural drusy crystals and is carved by Glenn Lehrer. Courtesy of Rebecca Young Buys. Photo by Orasa Weldon/GIA
Drusy is often cut in a free-flowing style that follows the shape of the material to preserve the mini crystals. Because of its delicate nature, it is best suited in jewelry as pendants, earrings, or brooches. It can be fashioned in rings and bracelets too, if they are designed with protective settings and care instructions are provided.

Quality is determined not only by color, weight and clarity, as in most colored gemstones, but also by evenness in size and coverage of the crystals on the matrix. Good quality drusy is especially rare in non-quartz species, such as garnet and calcite. The durability, or toughness, of the drusy is dependent on the nature of the crystals and the matrix in which they are embedded. For example, drusy on quartz and chalcedony are more durable than on calcite, which is more fragile.

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Colorful natural drusy materials are rare; pink is a rare and coveted color in the gem world. Natural pink cobaltoan calcite drusy material is trending with designers for its coveted combination of color, rarity and sparkle. It was first discovered on Elba Island, Livorno Province of Tuscany, Italy in 1910 and can also be found in other countries in Europe and in Africa.

Uvarovite, a natural garnet drusy, has the look of thousands of brilliant, tiny green crystals. This gemstone was discovered in the rugged Ural Mountains of Russia and is named after the Count Uvarov, who lived in the mid-1800s. Since there are no other known localities, this material is also rare.

Rainbow pyrite, the trade name for natural iridescent pyrite drusy, was first seen in the trade in the late 1990s and has been found in only one location in the world – along the banks of the Volga River in Russia. Rainbow pyrite is famed for its iridescence, caused by refraction and diffraction of light, and its metallic luster blends beautifully when set with all metals. Top quality material can shimmer in a spectrum of color, including gold, green, pink and blue. Rainbow pyrite also has a stunning array of bright golds, brassy coppers, blues, greens and rose hues, and has been said to resemble fancy color diamond melée.

This group of agate drusy shows a variety of possible coating effects. From left: silicone dioxide coating, black titanium coating, blue titanium coating and platinum coating. Courtesy of Rare Earth Mining Co. Photo by Robert Weldon/GIA
Rainbow colors and metallic sheen may occur naturally, but others colors are a result of gemstone treatment. Titanium drusy is created in spectacular iridescent shades of white and blue by a titanium coating process applied in a vacuum chamber. Electroplating, a process similar to rhodium application, gives drusy a fancier and brighter appearance than its natural counterpart. Colorful crystals are sometimes coated with a film of gold, platinum, sterling silver or titanium.

Although less frequent, drusy is also found in azurite, turquoise, demantoid garnet, melanite garnet, dolomite, sphalerite, dioptase and vanadinite.

No matter how it is featured, drusy is nature’s gift – and will inspire your design and fashion dreams. @topic:8


Publish Year: - Title: Adapting to Changing Workplaces: GIA Offers Employment Insight Abstract: Sonia Chaves, GIA manager of talent acquisition, greeted possible candidates at the 2018 GIA Jewelry Career Fair in New York.

There was a great deal of talk about the need for the gem and jewelry industry to adapt to the changing workforce and changing consumer attitudes at the recent GIA International Gemological Symposium.
Julia Popovich, GIA career services advisor and Peter Harts, GIA manager of career services, offer some tips on how companies can adapt to meet those needs and issues.
“We are still a traditional industry in the way we hire. Many companies take a classical approach when looking for candidates and prefer word of mouth referrals to a blind job posting,” Harts said. “However, more and more companies, large and small, are recognizing the need to make their presence better known in the marketplace.”

The opening panel “Job Success in Today’s Market” offered 2018 Career Fair attendees insight and advice. From left: Jennifer Wilson, GIA senior vice president and general counsel; Joel Schechter, executive vice president at Richline Group, Inc.; recent GIA graduate Fallon Bock, a diamond quality specialist at Leo Schachter Diamond Group; Greg Kwiat, chief executive officer at Kwiat & Fred Leighton; and Wendy Brandes, owner and president of Wendy Brandes Jewelry.
Popovich adds that, “As social media becomes more prevalent, we are seeing an increase in companies looking for candidates to bring non-traditional skills, such as digital marketing, in addition to traditional office administrative skills when filling new openings.”
Employers are also using new methods to introduce themselves to potential employees and find the ones who will be the best fit for their workforce.
“With the emergence of technology, we are seeing new ways in which companies are building their brand awareness and acquiring talent,” Hart said. “GIA is at the forefront of this trend with its Gem and Jewelry Career Center. This online job board – exclusively for the jewelry industry – is free for job seekers and employers, and offers powerful features to speed up the search for qualified candidates, in one easy to navigate location. Other industry organizations are following suit and have their own online, industry-specific job boards as well.”

Danielle Barber, creative director at Suna Bros. Inc., meeting with an attendee at GIA’s New York Jewelry Career Fair in 2018.
In terms of the types of jobs available, the GIA career services team stresses that because millennials are taking a keen interest in period, estate and older jewelry pieces, there is an increased need for appraisers across the country and a new interest in evaluators and authenticators for older pieces.
There is also a need for those who create jewelry, either with new technology or traditional methods, Popovich said.
“Technology is also changing how we design and produce jewelry, which requires many new skill sets,” Popovich said. “The demand for computer-assisted design and manufacturing (CAD/CAM) expertise has increased due to the availability and cost effectiveness of new technologies and their impact on production efficiencies. This trend is industry wide, from independent retailers, large brands and private label manufactures. In addition, demand for bench jewelers is up, across all sectors of production, and expected to grow in 2019.”

The cutting-edge GIA Jewelry Design & Technology Program includes Zbrush, which makes it possible for student designers to digitally sculpt their jewelry ideas and create stone settings using GIA-developed digital brushes. Zbrush is also taught in GIA’s CAD/CAM courses.
Beyond technology, there is a trend toward U.S. jewelry manufacturers bringing operations back to this country as younger consumers take a much greater interest in sustainability and ethical sourcing. Attention to these issues is critical to both attracting them as new employees and as consumers of gems and jewelry.
All this said, technology enhances traditional skills to make companies more productive, so there is still a strong need for those jobs in our industry.
Top job postings on GIA’s Gem and Jewelry Board include:

Sales Associate
CAD/CAM (Technician/Operator/Designer)
Quality Assurance Specialist and Evaluator (Gemstones, Diamonds, Finished Jewelry)
Bench Jeweler (Production and Independent)

GIA holds annual Jewelry Career Fairs in Carlsbad, New York and London. For more information visit https://www.gia.edu/career-fair.
This article originally appeared in Diamond District Monthly’s February edition. @topic:12


Publish Year: - Title: Typhoon, Trade Wars and Currency Lows Dampen Hong Kong Shows Abstract: Visitors crowd the show floor as Typhoon Mangkhut bears down on Hong Kong. A variety of other factors also led to cautious buyers. Photo by Russell Shor/GIA

Business at the September Hong Kong Gem and Jewellery Shows was spotty despite a strong world economy. Buying was cautious and buying of higher-end diamonds and colored gems tended to be against existing or anticipated orders. In addition, many key buyers left the show after two days because Typhoon Mangkhut, the most intense storm ever recorded in Hong Kong, forced the show to close on Sept. 15. The show reopened on time the following day, but with fewer buyers.

One of the reasons for caution was the escalating trade tensions between the U.S. and China. A new round of tariffs was announced during the show, leaving buyers and exhibitors wondering where the dispute will end.

"There is so much uncertainty over how much damage this trade war will cause, and even more that it could get worse," said one key exhibitor who explained that it will have a dampening effect on China’s and Hong Kong’s economies. "People do not want to commit to large orders in this atmosphere."

Another Hong Kong industry executive noted that the gem and jewelry trade did well through the first half of the year – until the trade war began escalating.

That caution brought a strong upturn in memo orders, which banks have been trying to curtail because they cut dealers' already slim profits and hinder industry liquidity.

Adding to the economic uncertainty was the volatility of the international currency market, with the U.S. dollar rising against many currencies. The Indian rupee hit an all-time low of 71 to the dollar during the show, while the Japanese yen and other Asian currencies also fell. This made diamonds, gemstones and gold – typically priced in U.S. dollars – more expensive in local currencies and that much more difficult to sell to local consumers.

Much of the traffic at the Asia World Expo diamond and gemstone show was international dealers, not retailers, who came to fill orders for special stones or to add their inventories before the fall season. Diamond dealers found a pick-up in demand for fancy yellows because prices for all but the extreme top vivid had softened, making them much more affordable.

In colorless commercial goods, larger dealers with established local clientele saw respectable orders, but smaller exhibitors and those without a strong local client base found business very slow. All of the exhibitors lost a lot of sales opportunities because the storm wiped out the final day of the show.

Mozambique ruby dominated in the colored stone section, accounting for as much as 70% of all ruby in the market by some estimates. Fine and good quality emerald also was plentiful at the show. In both cases, demand was less than supply, although dealers insisted on keeping prices firm. Blue and fancy color sapphire was scarce in all qualities, except diffused or heavily treated material. Paraíba tourmaline also was plentiful at the show, with some stones as large as 35 carats. Demand for these has subsided in the last year, but prices remain high.

At the Hong Kong Convention Center Show, manufacturers of finished jewelry also found cautious buying for the many of the same reasons, despite the fact that major Hong Kong retailers such as Chow Tai Fook and Chow Sang Sang turned in positive results. Local jewelry makers have adapted, offering more petite designs with smaller stones at lower price points.

The show opened to ominous storm warnings and reports of heavy damage in the Philippines, which touched off a rush of overseas buyers trying to leave Hong Kong. The storm hit the city with ferocious power, blowing out windows of major hotels and downing trees. It was, however, very fast moving and the Convention Center show reopened the following day with business as usual.

"Typhoons are part of the business here in Asia," one pearl producer said. "We have learned to live with it and get through it."
DIAMONDS
De Beers sold $505 million worth of diamonds at its September cycle (sight), about 4% below the previous sale and on a par with the same cycle held last year. The company, citing slow demand for small, low-quality diamonds and a sharp decline in the rupee, allowed clients to defer buying such goods until later in the year or early next year. @topic:7


Publish Year: - Title: Texas Jewelers Leave a Legacy of Learning, Bestow Nearly $500,000 for Scholarships Abstract: Charles and Erna Leutwyler, who were married for 50 years, owned the popular Charles Leutwyler Jewelers in Austin, Texas. Beginning in 2018, a perpetual endowed scholarship in their name will be available each year. Photo courtesy of the Leutwyler Estate

Boisterous Charles and soft-spoken Erna Leutwyler may have seemed like polar opposites, but through their shared love of learning and jewelry they were able to create a beloved jewelry store in Austin, Texas and a marriage that their friends still remember fondly.

As owners of Charles Leutwyler Jewelers (Leutwyler’s) for more than 20 years, these GIA alumni were committed to sharing their knowledge with others – whether it was with first-time jewelry buyers who wandered into their store, employees new to the jewelry business or long-time customers looking for the newest designs.

“Charles and Erna believed in teaching others,” says John Sofyanos, a close friend of the couple who knew them for 46 years.

Even after their deaths (Charles in 1996 and Erna in 2015), the couple is sharing their passion for jewelry and legacy of learning through the gift of an annual $18,000 GIA scholarship toward the completion of an on campus Graduate Gemologist, Graduate Jeweler or Jewelry Design & Technology program in the U.S. The first scholarship will be awarded in June 2018 and then each December for the next year’s program.

Funded by the Leutwyler’s bequest of nearly $500,000 to GIA’s Endowment Fund, The Charles and Erna Leutwyler Memorial Scholarship will make sure that the couple’s love of learning and jewelry extends to future generations of aspiring gem and jewelry professionals.
A Very Special Couple
Charles and Erna were raised and spent most of their lives in central Texas. They married in 1946 after Charles returned from serving in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II. They enjoyed working together and had a good marriage, Sofyanos recalls.

Charles was exuberant and wore a Mexican-style embroidered wedding shirt every day, often “smudged with fingerprints from wiping his hands while working at the bench,” Sofyanos says. “He was brusque, but with a heart of gold and was well-respected by everyone.”

Erna, on the other hand, was calm and reserved. “She dressed properly in a tailored suit with a string of pearls,” Sofyanos says. “She was a true Southern lady.”

“They were a special couple,” says Sofyanos, who met Charles in the fall of 1969 after returning from Vietnam. The two veterans quickly bonded and became good friends.

Erna managed the front of the store, while Charles worked in the back. “Most days you could see their cat sitting in the window case, wearing a beautiful diamond necklace,” Sofyanos says.

Kay Adamek, a longtime client, first met the Leutwylers in early 1967 at their original shop downtown when Charles designed her solitaire engagement ring and wedding band, “both with his personal hand-Florentine finish.”

“It was such a friendly place and Erna always had the jewelry showing at its best – [She] was the sweet, elegant hostess in the jewelry store. Charles was a master craftsman, obviously happiest with his light and magnifying hood on his forehead,” Adamek says. “In the Leutwyler’s little shop, there was so much trust and honesty.”

Adamek returned to Austin a few years later with her young son after her husband passed away and Charles designed a special ring to incorporate the gold from the original wedding bands into one ring. Over the next few years, she visited them often.

“It was only natural that when I became engaged and later married for the second time, I returned to Leutwyler’s,” she says.

Forty years later she still receives compliments on her rings. “Charles’ selection of diamonds was always exceptional,” Adamek says.
Sharing a Love of Diamonds
Charles, a fifth-generation jeweler, first worked in his father’s watch shop after the war, but his real passion was for jewelry. “Charles enjoyed the industry; he had a good reputation and he liked talking to the diamond dealers,” Sofyanos says.

The Leutwylers opened their jewelry store in the late 1960s in downtown Austin, not far from the state Capitol. After a few years, they decided to move to an area known as “The Drag,” across the street from the University of Texas (UT). The Leutwylers said it made sense financially and it would be more fun, according to Clyde Neal, who worked for the couple from 1972 to 1982. The busy area was popular with students and had a lot of foot traffic.

“Charles loved diamonds,” Neal says. “He realized that being near the university would bring a whole new clientele of young university couples looking for diamond engagement rings.”

That’s exactly how Neal met the Leutwylers in 1972 when he walked into their store as a newly engaged student. He says he left three hours later knowing a lot more about diamonds than he expected.

“Charles sat me down at a microscope and let me see the diamonds for myself. He explained the 4Cs and told me he only sold diamonds cut to ideal proportions,” Neal says. “I asked a lot of questions and he answered them all.”

Charles often took on apprentices, so a few weeks later, Neal came to work in the store. “He taught me how to solder, work with gold, size rings and more about diamonds,” he says. “And he encouraged me to enroll at GIA.”

The Leutwylers wanted all their employees to complete GIA courses, and would reimburse the employee once they completed it. “As soon as he realized someone was good enough, and was going to stick around, he wanted them to start GIA classes,” Neal says.

The Leutwylers also took GIA courses throughout their careers. Charles earned his GIA Graduate Diamonds diploma in 1966 and Erna completed numerous GIA courses. They wanted to make sure they stayed up-to-date with new advancements so they could continue to pass along that knowledge to their customers.

Charles Leutwyler, a fifth-generation jeweler, was invited to examine and photograph the Hope Diamond at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.  Photo courtesy of the Leutwyler Estate
Innovative Techniques in Gemology, Business and Jewelry Design
Charles emphasized the importance of selling a diamond that was cut to maximize brilliance, says Neal. “He only wanted the best, most brilliant diamonds” and documented them by regularly photographing his inventory and keeping records on a computer. The Leutwylers used computers before most other small businesses at the time, Sofyanos says.

Charles also taught himself how to photograph the diamonds microscopically – called photomicrography – to see the inclusions, or internal features. According to Neal, his background in gem photography and strong industry relationships led to a remarkable opportunity for Charles to photograph the Hope Diamond

Charles mentioned to an industry friend that he wondered if the Hope Diamond, part of the gem collection at the Smithsonian Institution, had been photographed internally. The friend talked to a connection at the Smithsonian, and soon enough Charles was invited to photograph the Hope Diamond using his techniques, Neal recalls.

“Charles bought a new suit, and he and Erna made the trip to Washington, D.C., going in after-hours with security,” Neal says.

Even in the most formal settings, Charles was not afraid to show his sense of humor. “Charles said he slipped the Hope Diamond into his coat pocket while he set up the equipment,” Neal says. “The security guards were mighty nervous when that happened.”

Charles also enjoyed the mechanical aspect of jewelry making, crafting a work of art and pushing the limits technically. One piece in particular became his “pride and joy,” Sofyanos says.

He designed a Mickey Mouse-character Timex bracelet watch with “gold nugget” band, a style that was popular in the 1980s. The face was surrounded with 36 diamonds totaling more than 2 carats. The extravagant watch was featured in Texas Monthly magazine’s January 1982 issue for its “over-the-top” design.

“Everyone knew the Mickey Mouse watch,” Sofyanos says. “It was ostentatious and definitely one-of-a-kind.”
The ‘Go-to Guy’ for Education and Advice
Charles was friends with a geology professor at UT, Dr. Edward Jonas, who taught a course on colored gems. Charles wanted to share his knowledge of diamonds, so he invited Dr. Jonas and his students to the store one evening for a special diamond session. Neal, who was also enrolled in the class, says many of the students were fascinated learning about diamonds and how they’re graded.

“A lot of people in Austin came to Charlie for advice,” Sofyanos says, and the Leutwylers held diamond education nights for the community so potential buyers were well-informed.

Fellow jewelers also came to Charlie for advice. Neal remembers one occasion when another local jeweler called Leutwyler’s and wanted to come in after hours – when no one would see him. The jeweler had been repairing an antique gold pocket watch and burned a hole through the case. It wasn’t easy, but Charles repaired the gold case of the watch.

“He had that reputation,” Neal says. “He was the go-to guy.”

After more than two decades of business, and their entire careers in the jewelry industry, Charles and Erna closed their store in the early 1990s. Over the years they shared their generosity and knowledge with the many employees, customers and friends who knew them.

“Charles and Erna Leutwyler dedicated themselves to sharing their love of gems and jewelry with their community, their employees and everyone they met,” says Anna Martin, senior vice president of global development. “We are honored that the Charles and Erna Leutwyler Memorial Scholarship will continue that love of learning and spirit of giving. It has the potential to influence countless more future gemologists.”

Kay Adamek says the Leutwylers became a marker in her life, too.

“When Charles died, I wrote to Erna and received a sweet reply that she did remember me,” Adamek says. “I wondered then how many other young people walked through their doors over all those years and how many other stories there are.”

And now with the scholarship, how many more stories there will be. @topic:6


Publish Year: - Title: RJC Panel Explores Colored Gemstone Issues at Baselworld 2017 Abstract: The Responsible Jewellery Council panel on colored gems discussed sustainability issues at the March Baselworld trade fair. From left are Thomas Hainschwang, Eleonora Rizzuto, Jack Cunningham and Jean-Claude Michelou. Anne Marie Fleury, far right, moderated the panel. Photo by Russell Shor/GIA

	The colored gemstone industry is moving toward sustainable mining practices, but a wide array of issues remain before the Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC) can add more miners and suppliers of colored gemstones to its membership roster.

	The London-based RJC is an independent standards-setting organization that promulgates sustainable labor, environmental and trading practices within the gem and jewelry industry.

	The council held a panel discussion on the challenges and issues of certifying colored gem firms on March 23 at the Baselworld fair in Switzerland, one year after it decided to study how it could expand its membership into this sector of the trade.

	As detailed in a 2016 Gems & Gemology article, “ The Color of Responsibility: Ethical Issues and Solutions in Colored Gemstones,” the colored stone industry is extremely fragmented with dozens of different types of gemstones mostly mined by small operators or artisanal diggers in 47 countries spread across six continents.

	The RJC panelists, led by Anne Marie Fleury, director of standards and impacts for the Council, included Eleonora Rizzuto, Bulgari’s director of sustainability and corporate responsibility; Jack Cunningham, Gemfields’ manager of sustainability projects; Thomas Hainschwang, a partner in GGTL Laboratories in Liechtenstein; and Jean-Claude Michelou, who leads the International Colored Stone Association’s sustainability efforts.

	The panelists agreed that the first task is to determine which colored stones to include under RJC’s aegis. Ruby, sapphire and emerald would be covered at a minimum, though Michelou said that eventually all commercially produced gemstones should be included.

	Second, they agreed that establishing a common standard for producers to follow is difficult because each country has different laws and regulations.

	Rizzuto said Bulgari has been visiting the mines its suppliers source their gemstones from to evaluate conditions there.

	“Our review programs include all stakeholders, from financial, mine workers and dealers, all the way through the supply chain,” she said.

	Cunningham added that Gemfields, among others, assures the chain of custody all the way through the polishing process and hosts major buyers and sustainability experts at its mining sites in Mozambique and Zambia.

	There’s a consensus that consumers are increasingly aware of responsibly produced gemstones, but, Cunningham noted, “it’s early days” to assume that demand would be sufficient to market them as a separate category.

Most colored gemstone mining operations are small, fragmented and lightly mechanized, such as this sapphire operation in Thailand. Visiting and monitoring such mines is a challenge for Responsible Jewellery Council certification. Photo by Russell Shor/GIA.

	Along with sustainable mining, ongoing research to identify gemstones by their country of origin is needed.

	Hainschwang reported that this research remains difficult because some gems from different sources may have very similar characteristics and some gemological labs often list different origins for the same stone when they are resubmitted for testing.

	In addition, treatments can obscure some of the characteristics that help identify origin.

	GIA has been conducting a long-term, extensive research program of collecting gemstones from all known sources to build a database from which origin can be reliably determined.

	Later in the discussion, Linda Cromwell, of the London Bullion Market Association, stressed the need to diligently review and monitor members’ activities for the Council to keep its credibility.

	RJC Managing Director Andy Bone said the council has a thousand members and continues to grow because the alternative will be more governments adding scrutiny and regulation to gem and jewelry trading. @topic:12


Publish Year: - Title: Don’t Miss Out on 2016 Continuing Education Recognition Program Abstract: The 2016 Continuing Education Recognition Program covers Australian sapphires and opals, Montana sapphires, Tennessee mother-of-pearl, and much more.

	Diamonds from Canada’s frozen Northwest Territories. Opals and sapphires from Australia. Traditional jewelry from India.

	These are just some of the gems and jewelry you will learn more about as you travel with GIA field gemologists to the source in this year’s Continuing Education Recognition Program. Created for alumni who hold a GIA Graduate Gemologist or Gemologist diploma, the continuing education program includes a variety of engaging slideshows and animation, interactive self-testing, instructional videos and expert interviews, featuring the most up-to-date discoveries and research. The program is designed to help graduates stay up to date with the latest gem and jewelry news and information.

	You will have continuous access to the entire program – including the assignments, GIA eLearning courses and previous years Continuing Education assignments and the multimedia archive – until the end of the calendar year. Each graduate who completes the Continuing Education Recognition Program will receive a certificate that displays their expertise and commitment to staying on top of gemological developments.

	“The word is out amongst our graduates and corporate education clientele about the value and importance of this program,” says Kate Donovan, Alumni Relations manager. “Relevance is key in a competitive market, and this program gives GIA graduates the opportunity to keep up the standard of education they worked so hard to achieve. Having access to the entire gemological course data that new GIA students are currently using is invaluable.”

	Be sure to sign up and complete all eight assignments by Dec. 31 to receive your Continuing Education Recognition Program certificate.

	Assignment 2: Indian Jewelry

	Assignment 1: The Diavik Diamond Mine

	Richard Lebreton, head of the surface geotechnical engineering team at Diavik Diamond Mine, located in the Lac de Gras kimberlite field in the far, frozen reaches of Canada’s Northwest Territories, discusses the obstacles he and his colleagues face as they try to keep the mine structure safe and stable.

	Assignment 2: Indian Jewelry

	GIA gemologists visit Indian jewelry manufacturers and retailers to learn about traditional gem-setting, gold carving and enameling techniques; gain insight into the state of manufacturing in India; and see first-hand the continued demand for these traditional styles of jewelry.

	Assignment 3: Australian Opal

	A team of GIA gemologists visited Australia’s famed opal fields in 2015 to observe the locations where Australian opals, of the world’s most popular gems and one of the birthstones for the month of October, are found.

	Assignment 4: Australian Sapphire

	Australia is one of the world’s most prolific sapphire sources. GIA’s team of field gemologists visited sapphire mining operations to see first-hand where and how this precious gem is recovered.

	Assignment 5: Colombian Emerald

	Assignment 5: Colombian Emerald

	Emerald, the beryl family’s most famous member, is treasured as the May birthstone. Among the world’s most prized emeralds are those that come from Colombia. Join GIA field gemologists as they visit this celebrated emerald source.

	Assignment 6: Sapphire Mining in Montana

	A team of GIA gemologists visit mining operations in Montana’s “Big Sky Country” to learn about sapphires mined there. Gold prospectors in the 1860s thought they were a nuisance (they plugged up their sluice boxes) – until Dr. George Frederick Kunz, of Tiffany & Co., determined them to be “sapphires of unusual quality.”

	Assignment 7: Heat Treatment of Montana Sapphires

	Chris Cooney, of Gem Mountain, Montana, explains the heat-treatment process to improve the color appearance of some Montana sapphires, which sometimes have a pale color or greenish, hazy cast.

	Assignment 8: Tennessee Shell Harvesting

	Assignment 8: Tennessee Shell Harvesting

	A GIA team made a recent visit to the Tennessee River to learn about the mussels that live in its murky waters and the mother-of-pearl they produce. This is an exceedingly beautiful material historically used to make buttons and “kaku,” pearl-culturing nuclei. In Parts 1 and 2, you’ll learn about the health of this industry and the area’s mussel population.

	Don’t miss this chance to learn more valuable and exciting information from GIA’s top experts. Find out more about GIA’s Continuing Education Recognition Program. You can also contact the GIA Alumni Association at (760) 603-4145 or email alumni@gia.edu. @topic:11


Publish Year: - Title: The Creation and Business of Beads Abstract: National Facets specializes in manufacturing gemstone beads of different varieties and styles. Photo by Andrew Lucas/GIA.

	Creation and Business of Beads

	Let a GIA field team take you into one of the largest bead manufacturers in the world to see the creation of all styles of beads from all types of gemstones. Enter the world of beads and hear about one manufacturer’s firsthand experience in the global bead industry.

	Popular all over the world in a wide range of jewelry market sectors, beads are one of the most versatile jewelry items. Beads can be made out of transparent to translucent material like ruby, sapphire, quartz, and tourmaline, or phenomenal and translucent to opaque material like opal, moonstone, turquoise, and lapis lazuli. Almost every gemstone material can be fashioned into beads.

	This multi-strand necklace of yellow sapphire beads will be impressive when worn. Bead strands can be very eye-catching high-end jewelry. Photo by Andrew Lucas/GIA.

View Gallery

	Creating Beads Gallery

	Beads are great for adding color by just putting on a strand. They can be used with pendants and enhancers to create a variety of looks. Multiple strands of beads can provide a rich look and a multitude of colors. From casual to formal, simple to complex, and inexpensive to high-end, bead jewelry has a long history of fitting all styles of adornment.

Tourmaline provides all the colors of the rainbow for a multi-strand necklace. Photo by Andrew Lucas/GIA.

	National Facets manufactures beads and cabochons fashioned from all types of gemstones and sells them throughout the jewelry industry. They create multicolored multi-strand suites of sapphire, beryl, and tourmaline, encompassing all the colors of the rainbow. Jaipur is a major bead manufacturing center along with China. National Facets is one of the most versatile bead manufacturers, producing beads of all styles and types of gemstones. For over three decades Rajesh Dhamani has been the guiding force behind the company and its position in the bead industry. In the spirit of Jaipur family businesses, he is now assisted by his son Yash Dhamani, a GIA Alumni member and part of the new generation of Jaipur entrepreneurs. During the GIA team’s visit, we were able to film and document the entire production process, as well as interview one of the partners and gain in-depth insight into this specialized and fascinating segment of the jewelry industry.

Fashioning beads and cabochons is a hand-manufacturing process. The cutters use their experience, eyes, and sense of touch to create the final product. Photo by Andrew Lucas/GIA. @topic:8


Publish Year: - Title: Better Than Expected: Hong Kong Demand Buoys Market Abstract: This 1,111 carat rough Type IIa diamond unearthed in Botswana last year – the second largest ever found − will be sold by Sotheby’s later this year. Courtesy of Lucara Diamond

	Encouraging demand at the March Hong Kong Gem and Jewellery Show has buoyed the industry’s mood. Demand for diamonds and finished jewelry products was better than expected, prompting the belief that the Chinese market has finally found its level after two years of sharp declines.

	Expectations were fairly low going into the show, but steady buying of better quality commercial goods under a half carat were a good indication that broader segments of the market were back buying jewelry.

	Colored gem prices remained stubbornly high, despite the decline in Chinese demand. Gem sellers report that primary dealers who control much of the quality emerald, sapphire and ruby trades are sufficiently capitalized to hold stocks until they believe buyers will meet their price demands. These dealers raised prices last fall in Hong Kong, even as demand from that part of the world ebbed, and Tucson saw no real concessions. As a result, the market is somewhat paralyzed and demand, as noted previously, is rising for substitute colors (tanzanite for sapphire, spinel for ruby).

	Dealers at the March Hong Kong show believed buying at trade shows last year was overly cautious and that jewelers in China needed to restock, even at a lower level. Retail sales of all categories decreased by 3.1% in Hong Kong last year. And while figures for mainland retail sales have not been compiled yet, the three main retail jewelers that together claim 12% to 15% of the country’s jewelry sales − Chow Tai Fook, Chow Seng Seng and Luc Fook − all reported double digit declines. Further limiting growth is that these chains have cancelled or postponed store openings, the source of much of their growth over the past decade.

	BASELWORLD

	The Baselworld Fair in Basel, Switzerland opened amid modest expectations in line with the better than expected March Hong Kong Show.

	Exhibitors in the Basel gem hall still displayed very large sapphires, emeralds, rubies and diamonds, but also carried more affordable stones that had been scarce in previous editions at the show.

	One dealer noted that there was still interest in the rarest and finest gems from some of the extremely wealthy buyers who frequent the show, but stones like 10 carat-plus diamonds of medium color and clarity are not selling as well as they did a number of years ago.

	Luxury designers are striving to retain a striking look, but are making their lines more affordable by adding less expensive colored stones of strong hue to make their statement.

	"It’s about strategic placement and what catches the eye," said one designer. "And less emphasis on gem content."

Baselworld showcases many of the world’s high-end jewelry brands and is expected to attract 150,000 visitors from more than 100 countries. Photo by Russell Shor/GIA

	DIAMONDS

	De Beers’ February sight (now called Cycle) totaled about $550 million, with an additional $60 million sold in separate deals; a good portion of those separate sales are previously allocated stones refused during last year’s crisis. Prices remained the same – about 7% on average less than 2015 levels.

	As noted in the previous report, this price reduction was apparently enough to give manufacturers some breathing room and return to profitability – particularly because some goods were lowered far more than the 7% average. And rough dealers reported that they could get reasonable premiums on De Beers’ goods from this sight.

	Alrosa sold $300 million worth of rough in February after a $480 million allocation in January. The company, which had been selling slightly under De Beers’ prices last year, has held the line this year. Still, reports indicate that its clients bought all or most of their allocations even though they were allowed to leave as much as 30% on the table.

	The reduction in prices, along with the severe production cutbacks in the second half of 2015 that took up much of the excess inventory in the market, have been driving this recovery. Some worry, however, that speculators have been pushing up demand, which will lead to higher rough prices or, once again, put too much rough and polished into a market that is still slowly recovering.

	De Beers’ CEO Philippe Mellier is optimistic that supply and demand are in sync and said his company continues to take a cautious course.

	AUCTIONS

	The 1,111 carat rough diamond unearthed in Botswana last year will be sold by Sotheby’s later this year, according to a report in Rapaport Diamonds. Lucara Diamond Corp., the company operating the mine where the stone was found, believes high-net worth individuals and investors also may be interested in buying the diamond, the second largest rough diamond ever found, leaving open the possibility that it may never be cut.

	The company told Rapaport it has received offers as high as $40 million for the stone, but believes its value is well above $60 million. @topic:7


Publish Year: - Title: Good Luck Charms Abstract: Gems and jewelry are often used as good luck charms because they can evoke power and positivity. Check out these lucky charms used around the world. Courtesy: De Agostini Picture Library, A. Dagli Orti, The Bridgeman Art Library

	Wishing for good luck probably started with the arrival of our species. For millennia, we’ve been wooing the kinder fates to grant us our most cherished wishes. Our quest for ensuring a happy tomorrow has included wearing good luck charms.

	Gems have long been enlisted as good luck charms because they have often symbolized power and positivity. Wearing a gem set in jewelry became a talisman – a shield of protection that warded off troubles and brought happiness. By putting on such jewelry, wearers were constantly reminded of a bright future, and found inspiration to be confident, have hope, and think positively.

	Good luck charms are found around the world. They transcend time and place. We share some of the more famous ones.

	The Luck of the Irish: Lore of the Four-Leaf Clover

	Four-leaf clovers may be the best-known good luck charm in the West, and an icon of St. Patrick’s Day. St. Patrick supposedly used a three-leaf clover to teach the faithful about the Holy Trinity – the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost – and this is where clovers may have gotten their reputation. Four-leaf clovers are far rarer than three-leaf clovers, and finding such a treasure is practically proof of one’s good luck. They also come with delightful lore: carrying one revealed fairies hiding behind flowers.

Artful use of negative space gives this 14K gold four-leaf clover necklace extra charm. For more good luck, there’s a diamond accent on the bottom. Courtesy of Jane Basch Jewelry Designs

	Warding Off the Evil Eye: The Hamsa Hand

	Meaning “the Hand of God,” the Hamsa is a symbol the ancient Jews used to ward off the “evil eye” and dark spiritual forces. It also was thought to bring the wearer strength and blessings. The Hamsa was woven into jewelry and placed near the doorways of one’s home – and it’s still a popular adornment.

Hewn out of diamond rough, this 11.4 carats (cts) diamond Hamsa is a symbol of raw power.

	Elephants Are Auspicious

	The cultures of Asia have long thought the elephant to be a symbol of good luck. The largest of land animals, they are revered as the embodiment of dignity, goodness, strength, loyalty, and longevity. Ganesha – the elephant God of India – is called the “Remover of Obstacles,” and is a richly symbolic figure that represents among other things, wisdom, knowledge, protection, and the letting go of the things of the world in order to attain the Divine. Elephants and Ganesha make regular appearances in jewelry and sculpture in the East and West.

The majesty of the elephant is on full display in this 18K yellow gold pendant/brooch strung with lapis lazuli and diamond rondelles. Rubies and sapphires adorn the head and shoulder plates. Designed and gifted by Joanne Stacher, GIA GG

	China’s Mythical Dragon

	The dragon is an ancient symbol of good luck in China. The mythical beast could stop floods, bring rains, control the seas, escort humans to higher realms after death, and protect them from harm while on earth. They were also the personification of valor, nobility, dignity, perseverance, intelligence, and more. Dragons grace temples, bells, bridges, swords, and of course, jewelry.

Ricardo Basta’s contemporary dragon brooch has an engraved golden head with ivory horns and trailing whiskers of elephant hair. Its pointed crest is pavé-set with diamonds and its scaly green sapphire neck has a soft mother of pearl underside. The dragon's reptilian eye glitters with a tsavorite inlaid with black onyx; its fiery breath pours out in a cloud of Mexican fire opal. Courtesy of Ricardo Basta

	Lucky Ladybugs

	Ladybugs are universally thought to be bringers of good luck. They were a symbol of protection in the Middle Ages, and a sign that unwed women would find their true love. And if a ladybug landed on you, something wonderful was sure to happen.

This Tiffany & Co. ladybug pendant necklace with enamel, diamond, and platinum should bring a smile to the wearer – and perhaps a happy tomorrow. Courtesy of 1stdibs.com

	Good Luck Gems

	Some believe gems are imbued with good luck. Peridot prevented night terrors, according to Ancient Egyptians.

This richly colored Peridot should bring sweet dreams and a good night’s sleep.

	Price per carat, ruby is one of the most expensive gemstones. Ancients thought they brought good luck and Burmese warriors wore rubies to make them invincible in battle.

Maria-José (1906-2001), the last queen of Italy, owned this exceptional ruby and diamond. The center stone, an exquisite Burmese ruby weighing 8.48 cts, has one of the most sought-after hues. Courtesy of Sotheby's

	Fears of sorcerers and spells are a thing of the past. But if you were ever cornered by a wicked witch, you’d probably want a little help. An emerald will do in such a jam: they were believed to offer protection against evil spells. Just ask Dorothy who found safety and a way home in Oz’s mythical Emerald City.

Sapphires have long been associated with royalty and romance, nobility and truth, and sincerity and faithfulness. They also were good luck charms: the kings and queens of ancient Greece and Rome were convinced that blue sapphires protected them from envy and harm.

A 1.02 cts marquis-shaped untreated sapphire surrounded by diamonds – how could something so beautiful not bring good luck?  Courtesy of 1stdibs.com

	Revered for milleninia, Jade is another token of good luck. Stone Age workers in Europe, China and the Americas shaped this tough gem into tools and weapons, as well as objects of rituals and adornment. For Mayans and Aztecs jade meant relief from aches and pains and symbolized prosperity, success and good luck. In China, jade is associated with clarity of mind and spirit, and some believe that as the gem takes on the bad chi (energy) of the wearer, it changes color.

Amber is held to be a good luck stone for love and marriage. As an added bonus, it’s believed to bring protection to the wearer and make desires come true. That’s a proposition enticing enough to make one want to own a piece.

A cricket is forever immortalized in this 93.87 cts amber bead.

	Gems with “cat’s eye” (called “chatoyancy”) display a marvelous phenomenon: they have a single band of light that glows down the middle of the gem. It does resemble a feline sizing up its surroundings. Nothing slips past a cat, and perhaps this is why they were thought to protect against evil spirits.

The hand of a skilled gem cutter gave this 20.65 cts bi-colored tourmaline a chatoyant band. Courtesy of Ralph Mueller & Associates

	There just might be something to the power of good luck charms. In 2010, a team of psychologists from the University of Cologne in Germany found that belief in good luck charms improved performance. Those who used a good luck golf ball sunk 35% more putts than those without good luck charms.

	So jewelry lovers take note: Deck yourself out in your favorite lucky charms and gems for an extra dose of magic. There’s no shortage of bejeweled good luck charms you can wear to encourage a little extra luck in your life. @topic:6


Publish Year: - Title: GIA Reveals World of Gemstones to Crime Investigators Abstract: FBI Special Agent Daniel McCaffrey shares details on how the FBI has caught gem and jewelry thieves

                      What do GIA and international crime investigators have in common? At first glance, that’s easy: Stolen diamonds. But dig a little deeper and it becomes clear that what they really have in common is the goal to protect the public. GIA does so through its grading reports, education and research and the investigators by thwarting and catching criminals.

Their missions intersect when law enforcement uses GIA as a resource when they need to learn what to look for on the streets to recover stolen property. Over the past several years, several dozen crime fighters have met at GIA’s world headquarters in Carlsbad for a two-week crash course in gemology to do just that.

Investigators from countries including Brazil, Colombia, Belgium, India, Thailand, the UK and the UAE joined officials from the New York and Los Angeles police departments and FBI special agents from New York, Los Angeles, Miami and Washington, D.C.

The gemological knowledge they gained is priceless, according to Patrick Peys, a detective with the Belgium Federal Police.

“There is a big difference between being an operational police officer and having knowledge about the product you’re investigating,” he said. “That kind of basic information might give you an advantage you otherwise would not have.”

Investigators are exposed to a broad range of gemstone topics, including how to use gemological tools (loupes, tweezers, microscopes); the Four Cs of diamonds and what to look for in clarity, cut and color; synthetics, imitations and color treatments; the diamond industry and the Kimberley Process; field identification of colored stones; and how to read GIA grading reports.

“We don’t get a lot of highly technical training in the FBI,” said Daniel McCaffrey, of the New York field office. “It’s not that we’re called on every day to make identifications of diamonds in the field, but it’s that general know-how – and the impression that we know how – we convey to people in the industry that enables us to extract more information.”

GIA and domestic law enforcement officials, especially McCaffrey, have a long history of working together to solve gem crime, said Ivy Cutler, records coordinator for the GIA Laboratory in New York.

“Gems are one of the most concentrated forms of wealth and diamonds travel very quickly,” Cutler said. “It’s amazing how frequently the stolen diamonds flow back to GIA. The crime community is well-connected and the crooks are very smart. A lot of information moves through these criminal networks and the trade is largely unaware that they may be handling stolen goods.”

She says grading reports and inscriptions are one of the most effective ways to protect gemstones because the information is stored in GIA’s database for future reference, which has proved to be extremely useful for investigators. GIA created its database in the 1980s and has been adding to it ever since.

“It’s so significant to have this relationship with GIA and have a starting point,” McCaffrey said. “Literally hundreds and hundreds of stones have been recovered because of it.”

Beyond their relationships with GIA and what they learned about gemology, all of the investigators agreed that meeting each other was one of the best results of the two-week seminar.

“Diamond and jewelry criminals always work internationally,” Peys said. “You have to do the same to follow the crooks to get a hold of them. Following the ‘book’ and doing it in official ways takes too much time. I would call the presence of all of these people as important as the content of the course, because these guys are the ones we are going to try to contact to get some useful information. If you can build up such a network internationally, then you are doing an awesome job.”

“I’m very involved in diamond investigations and as far as I know, GIA is the only organization that is really doing something to bring law enforcement officers together to educate them and get that network working. For me, that’s very visionary,” Peys said.

Larry Wright, director of security for GIA, believes it is imperative for GIA and international law enforcement agencies to work together to solve the fast-moving reality of gem crimes.
“It’s a new world. We must communicate and coordinate across international boundaries and continents to fight against criminals who take advantage of the public.” @topic:6


Publish Year: - Title: Sri Lanka: A Rich Blend of Old and New on the "Island of Jewels" Abstract: River mining to remove gem-bearing gravels is usually done in areas where the river water slows and deposits the gravel under rocks. Photo by Andrew Lucas/GIA

                      Sri Lanka, an island nation long known for its wide variety of sapphire, cat’s-eye chrysoberyl, and many other gemstones, is enjoying a resurgence in its gem and jewelry industry. Situated off the southeast coast of India—directly in the path of an ancient trade route for seafaring merchants—the “Island of Jewels” is a major source of colored gemstones and a center for cutting and heat treatment.

In February 2014, GIA field gemologist Andrew Lucas and video producer Pedro Padua traveled to Sri Lanka for two weeks with an ambitious goal: to document the country’s entire gem and jewelry industry, from mud-drenched mines to glittering retail stores. This was a true mine-to-market expedition covering all aspects of the industry, including:

		Colored gemstone mining, cutting, and treatment

		Colored gemstone wholesale trading

		Jewelry design and manufacturing

		Retail and pawn

They discovered a dynamic industry that blends centuries of experience with modern methods to meet the needs of the international gem and jewelry trade. With improved access to rough from outside sources, modernization of cutting techniques, precision-quality manufacturing, and expertise in heat treatment, Sri Lanka has made substantial gains in the global sapphire market.

This expedition was made possible by tremendous support from the Sri Lankan industry, whose members provided logistical support, background information, and trade experience. They opened the doors to the island and its industry, lending decades of knowledge to provide a complete picture of the local gem and jewelry trade.

Lucas and Padua teamed up with GIA’s Dr. Tao Hsu and a pair of Sri Lankan industry leaders to produce two field reports and a G&G article based on what they found.

	Sri Lanka still relies on pits for mining gemstones - as it has done for centuries. Photo by Andrew Lucas/GIA @topic:9


Publish Year: - Title: Career Fair Matches Talent and Opportunity Abstract: Jewelry designer Alishan Halebian coaches an aspiring designer at a GIA Career Fair in Carlsbad. Career coaching sessions make it possible for jewelry industry hopefuls to meet with industry leaders to ask questions and seek advice.

		The GIA Jewelry Career Fair was created in 1991 to more effectively match professionally trained talent with gem and jewelry industry employers. It was the first time – other than through traditional job search methods – that prospective employers and employees could meet one-on-one in an organized, informative and supportive setting. Tens of thousands of aspiring professionals have attended the nearly 50 Career Fairs held to-date.

		More than two decades have passed since the inaugural event, but the need to bring together talented people and prospective employers in the gem and jewelry industry remains strong. GIA has broadened the global reach of the event to meet this ongoing challenge and has held Career Fairs at the Institute’s world headquarters in Carlsbad, New York, Las Vegas, Los Angeles and India.

		Each event kicks off with a panel presentation by key industry leaders who offer comments on the current market and career advice for those entering it. More themed panel discussions follow and have included discussions on creative careers, how to manage your designs and the exciting world of the celebrity stylist. Panel participants often share their personal stories of success and offer motivation and inspiration for attendees.

		One-on-one coaching sessions and the recruiting aspect of the event give prospective employees the opportunity to get firsthand advice on how to create a successful and fulfilling career and to meet with key leaders and recruiters to learn about specific jobs in the gem and jewelry industry.

		“Career Fair has evolved to become much more than a way for students and job seekers to embark on new careers,” said Kathryn Kimmel, co-founder of the event and vice president and Chief Marketing Officer for GIA. “It’s brought the best and brightest professionals along with innovative ideas to the industry, and it’s provided a valuable platform for established leaders in the gem and jewelry field to give back.”

	Left: Attendees at GIA Career Fair in India meet with recruiters. Right: The audience listens during a panel presentation in Carlsbad. Attendees are encouraged to ask questions at the end of panel presentations.

	Left: A recruiter meets with a job seeker at GIA Career Fair in Carlsbad. Most recruiters in attendance are actively seeking new employees and are eager to meet with professionally trained graduates. Right: Gem and jewelry industry leaders discuss the job market and give career advice during a Carlsbad presentation. @topic:12


Publish Year: - Title: Be the Character You Are Abstract: Mary Todd-McGinnis, vice president of sales and e-commerce for Ben Bridge Jewelers, at the 2009 Jewelry Career Fair in Carlsbad. Photo by Kevin Schumacher/GIA

                      Mary Todd-McGinnis has worked for Ben Bridge Jewelers since the early 1980s and is vice president of sales and e-commerce. She shared her journey in the gem industry, pointing out the way trends and culture affect how people buy jewelry, at the 2009 Career Fair in Carlsbad. She used music, interest rates, fashion accessories and television shows as examples.

She also shared seven things she looks for in people that will make you “irresistible” to an employer:

1. Associate yourself with the best in the industry – GIA, WJA (Women’s Jewelry Association), AGS (American Gem Society), AGTA – “the best people travel in a clump and are very involved and active” in these groups.

2. Do your very best. “No matter what you’re given to do, do it better than anyone else is going to and you’ll always get recognized and you’ll always get ahead.”

3. Use Facebook and Twitter. “Make sure you’re putting out there the ‘you’ you want your employer or potential employer to see – because we will. Don’t have a second page that is the business you, because that’s not what this is about. Your customers or the people you do business with want to know who you really are. This is how we are transparent today; make sure you are appropriate.”

4. Be the character you are. “We all have unique and individual qualities that make us special – that make us funny, interesting, sweet, intelligent – figure out what that is and develop it to the max, because that’s the gift you’re going to give someone who’s going to pay you.”

5. Read, continue to learn. “You have to be good at so many things, especially in retail, where you have to be good with people, know gemology, be good with money, have a good business sense, and have customer service skills. You have to rely on people who are expert in only one area and suck the information out from them.”

6. Find out what makes you happy. “It’s a hard, deep, but important question that shows who you are.”

7. Show passion. “The people I’ve seen within any industry who are successful have a real passion for what they are doing. Find what you love to do and do it with everything you’ve got and you’ll have great success.” @topic:12


Publish Year: 2005 Title: Winter 2005 G&G Book Reviews Abstract: “Crystals: Growth, Morphology and Perfection”
By Ichiro Sunagawa, 295 pp., illus., publ. by Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, United Kingdom, 2005. US$95.00)

“The Gem Merchant: How to Be One, How to Deal with One, 2nd Edition”
By David Stanley Epstein, 158 pp., illus., publ. by Gem Market Publications, Piermont, NY, 2003, US$20.00

“Arts and Crafts to Art Deco: The Jewellery and Silver of H. G. Murphy”
By Paul Atterbury and John Benjamin, 183 pp., illus., publ. by Antique Collectors’ Club, Suffolk, United Kingdom, 2005. US$69.50

“Daniel Swarovski: A World of Beauty”
Text by Vivienne Becker, produced under the direction of Markus Langes-Swarovski, 139 pp., illus., publ. by Thames & Hudson, New York, 2005. US$75.00

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


Publish Year: 1999 Title: Summer 1999 G&G Book Reviews Abstract: “The Complete Handbook for Gemstone Weight Estimation”
By Charles I. Carmona, 427 pp., illus., publ. by Gemania Publishing, Los Angeles, CA, 1998. US$59.95

“Gemmologist’s Compendium, 7th Edition”
By Robert Webster, revised by E. Alan Jobbins, 240 pp., illus., publ. by N.A.G. Press, London, US$35.00

“Christmas Jewelry”
By Mary Morrison, 158 pp., illus., publ. by Schiffer Books for Collectors, Atglen, PA, 1998. US$18.95

“Glossary of Mineral Synonyms”
By Jeffrey de Fourestier, 442 pp., illus., Special Publication 2 of The Canadian Mineralogist, publ. by the Mineralogical Association of Canada, Ottawa, Canada, 1999. US$50.00

“The Photo-Atlas of Minerals”
Developed by Anthony R. Kampf and George Gerhold, produced by The Gem & Mineral Council, Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History, Los Angeles, 1998. US$49.95.

“Mani-Mala, or A Treatise on Gems”
by Sourindro Mohun Tagore, reprinted by Nandishkor R. Barot, 1,046 pp., illus., publ. by Mehul Barot, Philadelphia, PA, 1996, US$200

“Edelsteine: Symbole der Schönheit und der Macht (Gemstones: Symbols of Beauty and Power)”
by Edward J. Gübelin and Franz-Xaver Erni, 240 pp., illus., publ. by Verlag Hans Schöner GmbH, Königsbach-Stein, 1999 [in German], US$43.00

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


Publish Year: 1998 Title: Fall 1998 G&G Book Reviews Abstract: “GIA Gem Identification Laboratory Manual”
188 pp., illus. plus 2 charts, publ. by GIA, Carlsbad, CA, 1998. US$59.95

“Cameos: Classical to Costume”
By Monica Lynn Clements and Patricia Rosser Clements, 223 pp., illus., publ. by Schiffer Publishing, Atglen, PA, 1998. US$59.95

“Warman’s Jewelry, 2nd Ed.”
By Christie Romero, 293 pp., illus., published by Krause Publications, Iola, WI, 1998, US$18.95

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


Publish Year: 1988 Title: Fall 1988 G&G Book Reviews Abstract: “Gems and Jewelry Appraising”
By Anna M. Miller, 198 pp., illus., publ. by Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York, 1988. US$29.95

“Dictionary of Gemmology,” 2nd Edition
By Peter G. Read, 266 pp., illus., publ. by Butterworths, London, 1988. US$49.95

“Modern Jeweler's Gem Profile, the First 60”
By David Federman and Tino Hammid, 129 pp., illus., publ. by Vance Publishing Corp., Lincolnshire, Illinois, 1988. US$39.95

“The History of Beads”
By Lois Sherr Dubin, 364 pp., illus., publ. by Harry N. Abrams, New York, 1987. US$60.00

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


Publish Year: - Title: Fall 2010 G&G Book Reviews Abstract: “Cartier and America”
By Martin Chapman, 177 pp., illus., publ. by Prestel USA [prestel.txt9.de], New York, 2009. US$35.00

“High Jewelry by Cartier: Contemporary Creations”
Ed. by Suzanne Tise-Isoré, 265 pp., illus., publ. by Flammarion [editions.flammarion.com], Paris, 2009. US$125.00

“Gems and Gemstones: Timeless Natural Beauty of the Mineral World”
By Lance Grande and Allison Augustyn, 369 pp., illus., publ. by The University of Chicago Press [www.press.uchicago.edu], Chicago and London, 2009. US$45.00

“Between Eternity and History: Bulgari. From 1884 to 2009, 125 Years of Italian Jewels”
Edited by Amanda Triossi, 375 pp., illus., publ. by Skira Editore [www.skira.net], Milan, 2009. US$80.00

“Jewelry & Gems: The Buying Guide, 7th Ed.”
By Antoinette Matlins and A. C. Bonanno, 306 pp., illus., publ. by GemStone Press [www.gemstonepress.com], Woodstock, VT, 2009, US$19.99

“Contributions of the 4th International Symposium on Granitic Pegmatites”
Estudos Geológicos [www.ufpe.br/estudosgeologicos], Vol. 19, No. 2, 367 pp., 2009, US$25

“Exotic Gems, Volume 1”
By Renee Newman, 153 pp., illus., publ. by International Jewelry Publications [www.reneenewman.com], Los Angeles, 2010, US$19.95

“Agates II”
By Johann Zenz, 656 pp, illus., publ. by Bode Verlag [www.bodeverlag.de], Salzhemmendorf, Germany, 2010, €89

“Amber: The Natural Time Capsule”
By Andrew Ross, 112 pp., illus., publ. by Firefly Books [www.fireflybooks.com], Buffalo, NY, 2010, US$29.95

“Pearl Buying Guide, 5th Ed.”
By Renee Newman, 153 pp., illus., publ. by International Jewelry Publications [www.reneenewman.com], Los Angeles, 2010, US$19.95

“Gem and Ornamental Materials of Organic Origin”
By Maggie Campbell Pedersen, 268 pp., illus., publ. by NAG Press, London, 2010, £39.95

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


Publish Year: - Title: Hong Kong Report:The Sky Stays Aloft Abstract: The annual Hong Kong Jewellery & Gem Fair, which took place in September 2013, is the largest jewelry trade show of its kind in the world. Photo by Russell Shor.

                      Business at the September 2013 Hong Kong show, while spotty, helped lift the spirits of diamond and jewelry manufacturers worldwide.

Exhibitors at the world’s largest jewelry trade fair had prepared for a very poor show because of the slowing Chinese economy and the declining currencies of key Asian nations, including India, Japan, and Malaysia. Worse yet, many diamond manufacturers feared that Indian diamond merchants who have been facing a liquidity crisis would come to the show offering deep discounts to raise quick cash.

To the relief of the trade, exhibitors held relatively firm on prices and Asian retailers, who were low on inventory, came to the show to restock. In general, buying was very cautious. Retailers did not venture far beyond what they needed for the Golden Week holiday in October and the Lunar New Year, which begins January 31.

Diamond demand centered on commercial-quality goods between 0.25 and 0.75 ct and better-quality stones between 2 and 3 ct. While retailers bargained hard on prices, they needed inventory and, in the end, made deals.

Diamond manufacturers reported there was less wrangling over prices at this year’s show because they had little room to maneuver.

“With rough prices still high, margins have been extremely thin, so we could not go much lower on prices,” said one large manufacturer who said he was generally satisfied with the results of the show.

Buyers and exhibitors alike were worried about the persistent rumors of undisclosed melee-size CVD synthetic diamonds entering the market. No one interviewed for this report said that such concerns would curtail their buying at the show, but exhibitors worried that the possibility might depress prices in the future, or until there is an economic means of testing small diamonds.

Emerald dealers reported that demand was up from last year, despite higher prices for the best goods. At the same time, the strong rise in prices for both untreated and heated-only blue sapphire has helped drive demand for tanzanite, particularly because dealers were showing larger amounts of fine-color material this year.

There was much more ruby available than in previous years, as the production from Mozambique has entered the market in a big way. Prices were rising despite the increased supply, said dealers, because the market is recognizing Mozambique as a quality source.

The jade market remained tight because Chinese customs has impounded a number of rough shipments from Myanmar this year. This has caused the Myanmar government to cancel several major auctions.

Pearl dealers reported that demand has improved across every price range and that prices have stabilized after several years of steady declines in all but the very top qualities. @topic:7


Publish Year: 1984 Title: The Early History of Gemstone Treatments Abstract: This article examines the origins of gemstone treatment. Using such primary sources as Pliny's History and the relatively unknown Stockholm Papyrus, the author has uncovered many ancient references to, and even recipes for, the simulation or enhancement of gemstones. Among the processes described are crackling and dyeing quartz, foilbacking, the making of doublets and triplets, boiling amber in oil, and heat treating sapphire to simulate diamond. Although some of the ingredients, such as goat’s blood and leek juice, have been replaced by less exotic elements, it is interesting to note that through their crude experimentation, the ancient forerunners of modern science discovered basic methods and principles of gemstone treatment that are still in use today. @topic:8