Title: Bauble Basics: 10 Jewels Every Woman Should Own Abstract: Jewelry is more than the finishing touch to an outfit; in some cultures, it’s the entire outfit. How do you start to build the perfect jewelry wardrobe—for yourself or for someone special? GIA (Gemological Institute of America) has created a guide to the “bauble basics.” Fine jewelry is meant to be worn, enjoyed and treasured forever.

Earrings, Earrings, Earrings
1) Diamond studs. Beautiful, quality stones are available for any price range and size; from discreet little pin dots to three carat headlights.

2) Gold hoops. From curvaceous huggies to three-inch loops... high polish or hammered satin... white, yellow or rose gold... hoops are always attractive and almost always appropriate.

3) Pearls on a wire. Pearl studs are a great option, but by adding the slightly dangerous dangle from a wire, you can highlight the hollow of your cheek.

4) Long drops. Nothing shorter than two inches from your lobe will make a more fluid and flirty movement in every gem from white topaz briolettes to black onyx beads and a rainbow of gems in between.

5) Chandeliers. Tumbled and carved emeralds, rubies and mogul-cut diamonds, all intricately twined with burnished gold wires dripping from concentric crescents, will draw the attention back to you.

Necklaces
6) Pendants are the foundation of your necklace collection. It can be a single stone on a delicate 16-inch chain or a 4-inch Gothic-inspired cross set with agate and carnelian on a 30-inch rope. Express yourself with a lopsided heart or spiritual charm, or showcase your collection of vintage lapis lazuli good luck talismans.

7) Pearls. With a white shirt and jeans, a tailored business suit or a willowy wedding gown, you can’t find another investment that will take you through the moments of your life with such elegance, ease and warmth. Add one at a time or pile on an abundant rope. Or both.

Bracelets
8) Bangles stacked or alone, skinny or wide, have been around forever. Try tiny micropave pink sapphires in pink gold or oxidized brown-gold tubes studded with cognac diamonds.

9) Charms. A wrist full of clinking, clanging doodads is always a good choice, but perhaps try choosing just one remarkable medallion to hang from an open link?

A Signature Ring
10) This one you choose for yourself. Be bold. Make a statement. Flash a cushion-shaped citrine or cabochon green tourmaline the size of a quail’s egg. While you’re at it—wear it on your index finger. Source: GIA @topic:6


Title: Will Auction Records Continue to Shatter in 2014? Abstract: The Orange, a 14.82 ct Fancy Vivid orange diamond, fetched a record $2.4 million per carat. It was the centerpiece of Christie’s Nov. 12 sale in Geneva, which brought the highest auction total ever—$125.4 million. Photo by Christie’s Images Ltd. 2013, courtesy of Denis Hayoun Diode SA Geneva.

Update: According to media reports, Sotheby’s cancelled the sale of the Pink Star several months after the auction when the winning bidder was unable to complete the transaction.

The world’s two leading auction houses are gearing up for another extraordinary year.

In 2013, Christie’s and Sotheby’s posted record jewelry sales of $678 million and $600 million, respectively, through auctions of mega diamonds, rare colored gems and classic period jewels. Economists predict the demand for ultra-luxury items that drove these auction numbers should be even stronger in 2014.

Three landmark diamonds in 2013 contributed to the record-breaking sales:

		The highest price ever paid for a gemstone: Sotheby’s estimated a price tag of $61 million for the Pink Star diamond offered at its Nov. 13 Geneva sale, but the GIA-graded 59.6 ct Fancy Vivid pink sold for $83.02 million, nearly doubling the 2010 record price of $46 million, also for a pink diamond. The buyer, New York diamond dealer Isaac Wolf, promptly renamed the stone the Pink Dream.

		The highest per-carat price ever paid: the Orange, a GIA-graded 14.82 ct Fancy Vivid orange diamond, was sold by Christie’s to an anonymous buyer for $35.54 million, or $2.4 million per carat.

		The record total for a single jewelry auction: Sotheby’s Nov. 13 auction in Geneva, which featured the Pink Dream, had a dozen lots sell for more than $1 million each, and seven that went for more than $6 million each—for a total of $199.5 million.

	Sotheby’s November sale in Geneva saw the highest price ever paid for a gemstone at auction: $83.02 million for the Pink Star, a 59.6 ct Fancy Vivid pink diamond. Courtesy of Sotheby’s.
The record setting began in May at Christie’s Geneva, when Harry Winston paid $26.7 million for a 101.73 ct D-Flawless diamond it named the “Winston Legacy.” Another highlight from that sale was the 19.88 ct Star of Kashmir sapphire, which sold for $3.48 million, a record $175,202 per carat.

	This 101.73 ct D-Flawless pear shape, the Winston Legacy, sold for $26.7 million at Christie’s May 2013 sale in Geneva. Photo by Christie’s Images Ltd. 2013.
Sotheby’s Oct. 7 Hong Kong sale saw the highest price ever paid at auction for a colorless diamond: a GIA-graded 118.28 ct oval D-Flawless, cut from a 299 ct piece of rough, sold for $30.6 million to an Asian buyer. Despite the record amount, the final price was on the lower end of the pre-sale estimate.

The surge really gained momentum a month later, when  Christie’s Nov. 12 Geneva sale broke the record for the highest jewelry sale total—$125.4 million—with the Orange as its centerpiece. The sale also had a record 22 lots top $1 million, including a Cartier emerald and diamond necklace that generated $9.9 million; a seven-strand natural pearl necklace that topped $9 million; and a brooch by designer Anna Hu, featuring a 58.29 ct Burmese sapphire, that sold for $4.5 million. Hu’s brooch set a record price for a contemporary designer at auction.

Sotheby’s Geneva auction the next night was, according to David Bennett, Sotheby’s chairman for jewelry in Europe and the Middle East, “charged with energy … everything seemed to be selling for more than their estimates. The night could not have conceivably gone better.”

Four records were broken:

		The highest price ever paid—both total price and per carat—for sapphire jewels: $8.45 million ($175,821 per carat, breaking the record set in Geneva in May) for the Richelieu Sapphires, a pair of Kashmir sapphires, weighing 20.88 and 26.66 ct.

		A record price for a Burmese sapphire: a 114.73 ct gem that sold for $7.14 million, or $62,214 per carat.

		The most expensive piece of jewelry ever sold at auction by Sotheby’s: a Van Cleef & Arpels brooch, featuring a GIA-graded 96.62 ct Fancy Vivid Yellow briolette-cut diamond, that went for $10.55 million.

François Curiel, chairman of Christie’s Asia, explained that the growing wealth in that region is one reason for the sharp rise in prices for rare stones and jewels.

“In 1994, we sold two lots above $5 million, with a 19.66 ct pink as the top lot for $7.3 million ($375,000 per carat). This was the year we inaugurated our Hong Kong auctions, which brought 11% of our $190 million annual total,” Curiel said. “In 2013, we sold 14 lots above $5 million, with the 34.65 ct Fancy Intense pink Princie diamond fetching $39.5 million ($1.1 million per carat). Hong Kong last year contributed 29% of our $675 million annual total. We have just started selling in Shanghai.”

	Asian wealth was a major force behind the surging prices for rare gems and jewels in 2013. At Christie’s Hong Kong, the 34.65 ct Fancy Intense pink Princie diamond brought $1.1 million per carat. Photo by Christie’s Images Ltd. 2013.
Will 2014 see more records fall? Economist say the boom isn’t over, and that the ultra-wealthy are still seeking outlets for their excess cash.

Curiel believes there will be more rare gems on the market, because the rarest items tend to be offered for the first time—or come up for sale again—when people know they may get top prices.

“There is an extreme shortage of rare diamonds, jewels, colored stones and pearls; the same items are fetching many times more than their first time on the auction block,” Curiel said. “These new prices are bringing more rarities to the market than ever before—and promise another exciting year for the jewelry industry worldwide.” Source: GIA @topic:8


Title: Exhibition Review: Mogul to Modern: Met Exhibit Showcases Indian Jewels Abstract: This Mogul turban ornament, circa 1800–1850, offers a stunning example of Indian jewelry from the Al-Thani collection. The piece is set with diamonds and has 10 spinels suspended from the frame. Courtesy of Servette Overseas Ltd. and the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art.

                      French explorer Jean-Baptiste Tavernier arrived in India nearly 400 years ago and found not only a treasure trove of gemstones, but a highly sophisticated jewelry-making and trade network already several millennia old.

India’s jewels have inspired collectors around the world ever since.

One of the most noted connoisseurs, Sheikh Hamad bin Abdullah Al-Thani of Qatar, recently selected 60 pieces from his private collection of Indian gems and jewelry—one of the world’s largest—for display at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art. “Treasures from India: Jewels from the Al-Thani Collection” opened Oct. 28 and will run through Jan. 25, 2015.

In the Indian tradition, gemstones served a purpose well beyond adornment and display of wealth, according to Dr. Amin Jaffer, Christie’s international director of Asian art. Jaffer presented a lecture at the Met on “The Role of Jewels in Projecting Power in Royal India” the day after the exhibit’s opening.

Dr. Amin Jaffer, Christie’s international director of Asian art, presented a lecture at the Met on Indian royalty’s use of jewelry. Photo by Russell Shor.
“Jewels were highly symbolic of royal power,” Jaffir said, noting the great many paintings over the centuries of Indian rulers laden with gemstones. “Diamonds above all projected power, as they are hard stones and so associated with invincibility,” he said, adding that the majority of the wearers were men.

	“His Highness the Maharajah of Indore” was painted by British artist George Landseer in
	1861. Courtesy of Amir Mohtashemi Ltd., London.
The jewels on exhibit at the Met range from the dawn of the Mogul period in the mid-17th century to contemporary designs that incorporate both Indian and Western elements. The exhibit demonstrates how Indian fashion and design evolved through contact with European jewelers.

Among the exhibit’s earliest pieces is a dagger hilt from the early Mogul period, about 1620, of white nephrite jade intricately carved in the shape of a head. The European influence is evident in the carving’s similarity to a Portuguese Goan image of Christ as the Good Shepherd.

This nephrite jade dagger hilt, circa 1620–1625, demonstrates a European influence through its similarity to a Portuguese Goan image of Christ. Courtesy of Servette Overseas Ltd. and the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Emeralds became an integral part of Indian royal jewels in the 16th century after the discovery of deposits in Colombia. A gold tiger’s-head finial (an ornament atop a staff or frame) from about 1790 inlaid with diamonds and rubies and draped with an emerald collar was one of eight such figures that adorned the throne of Tipu Sultan, known as the Tiger of Mysore. The throne was dismantled in 1799 after the sultan was killed following a battle.

This tiger’s-head finial from the throne of Tipu Sultan, circa 1790, features gold inlaid with diamonds, rubies and emeralds. Courtesy of Servette Overseas Ltd. and the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Head ornaments, mainly for the front of turbans (jigha) and head bands (sarpesh) are a major part of the exhibition. One of the most stunning examples is the sarpesh shown in the lead photo. Measuring approximately 11 inches long, it is set with polki diamonds (still in their original rough forms but with the faces polished) and 10 large spinels suspended from the gold mounting. Although the piece was made between 1875 and 1900, the spinels are from a much earlier date. Like most traditional Indian jewels, the back is enameled.

India comprised more than 500 semi-autonomous states at the beginning of British rule in 1858. The jewels grew in extravagance after the British assumed control, and much of the wealth and power of the Moguls shifted to local rulers who no longer competed for military might but to see who could amass the most jewels.

“Rulers began making European-style crowns and tiaras, many of them extremely elaborate,” Jaffer said. Since India’s gem mines had long dried up by then, gems were extracted from centuries-old pieces. One ruler, the Maharaja of Patiala, gave Cartier and Boucheron more than 100 major gemstones to remount into modern jewels.

“It is still the largest single consignment that the jewelry house has ever had,” Jaffer said.

Indeed, by the latter part of the 19th century, jewelers such as Cartier regularly traveled to India to serve the princes who ruled under British control. These jewelers brought with them new styles and techniques, and the Indian royals often had some of their most prized jewels reset into modern pieces that reflected both cultures.

One Mogul-era carved emerald was reset into a platinum aigrette (head plume), topped with a sapphire and pearl spray, by French designer Paul Iribe around 1910. Unlike most pieces in the collection, this was an Indian-inspired piece created for a European wearer.

French designer Paul Iribe’s aigrette, circa 1910, has a Mogul-era carved emerald set in platinum with a plume of diamonds and sapphire and pearl beads. Courtesy of Servette Overseas Ltd. and the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art.
The tradition of blending Indian and Western design elements around large gemstones continues today and is well featured in the exhibit. Contemporary jewelry designer JAR (Joel Arthur Rosenthal) created a brooch in 2002 in the form of a cusped-arch window of the Jaipur Pink Palace, setting a 35.36 carat octagon-cut emerald inside and backing the gem with white rock crystal. And in 2010, the Jaipuri-born designer Santi Chaudhary created a ring with a 31 carat Mogul-era carved emerald bead set high on prongs to allow it to revolve.

According to an Indian proverb, “The value of a gem can only be realized by a king or jeweler because only they understand their complexity.” Today, gemologists have an understanding of gemstones far beyond that of the ancient royals, but their tradition of weaving jewelry into all parts of life remains strong. Source: GIA @topic:6


Title: Alumni Couple Garners Hollywood Attention by Marrying Avant-Garde, Art Deco Designs Abstract: This Kavant and Sharart pendant features diamond and two individual slices of agate, purchased on one of the couple’s buying trips to Tucson.  Courtesy Kavant and Sharart

                      Their designs are splashed on the covers of magazines from Cosmopolitan to Marie Claire. They count superstars Katy Perry, Miranda Lambert, Gabrielle Union, K risten Stewart and Kylie Jenner among those who have been photographed in their luxury jewelry.

Kavant and Sharart, the Thailand-based design house − comprised of husband and wife team Nuttapon (“Kenny”) Yongkiettakul and Shar-linn Liew − has collectively earned two Centurion Emerging Designer Awards, a JCK Jewelers’ Choice Award, a GIA Student’s Choice Award and recognition from the Cultured Pearl Association of America.

	Singer Katy Perry wore a one-of-kind piece from Kavant and Sharart while performing at the “Change Begins Within: A David Lynch Foundation Benefit Concert” in New York City on November 4, 2015. The two-finger “Le Phoenix” ring features morganite and diamond.  Courtesy Kavant and Sharart
The couple’s acclaim within both design and jewelry-loving celebrity circles is, in large part, due to innovative designs like their self-coined “eartux.” Taking inspiration from the ear jacket concept, the piece goes a step further – making it appear as if the wearer has multiple piercings. Victoria’s Secret “angel” Adriana Lima has worn the eartux (and many other Kavant and Sharat pieces), and that design alone has been featured in    Women’s Wear Daily , JCK and W Magazine.

Popular “Gem Gossip” fashion blogger (and Kavant and Sharart fan) Danielle Miele, a fellow GIA alum, says she was “quite impressed” with the Yongkiettakul’s and Liew’s designs as soon as she previewed their first collection.

“They make a unique husband and wife duo,” Miele says, “as both of their styles juxtapose one another in the best way possible.”

The core of Kavant and Sharart’s “aesthetic and philosophy” emphasizes their individual styles − and celebrates that of the woman wearing it.

“We believe it’s crucial to stay true to who you are, to focus on innovating and exploring your own sense of style,” says Liew, a GIA GG and AJP. The core of their “aesthetic and philosophy” follows that lead, she says, so they create “luxury jewelry that not only satisfies the wearer’s need to wear something charming, but also her desire for something original that highlights her personality through effortlessly elegant accessories.”

	Kenny Yongkiettakul’s “avant-garde and organic” style takes inspiration from nature and the ocean, as seen in these Kavant and Sharart pieces – orange sapphire and diamond earrings, and yellow sapphire and diamond earrings featuring Baroque South Sea pearl. Courtesy Kavant and Sharart
The couple’s different styles and inspirations – his, “avant-garde and organic, inspired by nature and the ocean” and hers, rooted in Art Deco, Oriental and Modern arts, inspired by geometric shapes – were each nurtured in childhood.

Yongkiettakul, a GIA GJ, GG, AJP and AJA, grew up in his family’s Bangkok jewelry store, which he watched grow from the “very humble beginnings” of a single retail counter near the city’s Victory Monument. Though Yongkiettakul studied chemical engineering in college, he joined his family’s business after graduation.

“Since I was young, my dad was always telling me about GIA, and that I must attend this prestigious school one day,” he says. “It was ingrained in my mind.”

Liew began dreaming of design as a young girl in Singapore, following her dress-maker/fashion-designer mother through the fabric markets of Hong Kong and into meetings with seamstresses.

“My mother had a very good eye for proportions and color concepts, and her attention to detail was acute,” she says. “I was immensely inspired. The concept of proportion and balance in design was instilled in me since I was young.”

The couple, who met in 2003, moved to California to pursue Yongkiettakul’s studies at GIA Carlsbad in 2007. Liew soon followed suit.

“My interest grew when Kenny shared his wonderful experience,” she says. Liew graduated with her Graduate Diamonds diploma in 2007 and later earned her AJP and her GG on campus in Thailand.

	The eartux is a signature Kavant and Sharart design. Clockwise from top left, the Le Phoenix Single Claw Rhodolite Garnet Eartux; the Le Phoenix Enchanted Diamond Eartux in 18K rose gold; and a pearl version of the design. Courtesy Kavant and Sharart
When the couple eventually prepared to marry, they also decided they wanted to merge their styles in one brand.

“We knew we wanted to work together when we were designing my wedding jewelry,” Liew says. “It was a logical transition to merge our two brands into one. Although we have different design aesthetics, the merge also allowed something for everyone – marrying the two different aesthetics somehow worked. We’re putting a woman’s and man’s perspective into one piece.”

They each procure gemstones and create designs for Kavant and Sharart, with Yongkiettakul managing most of the company’s quality control.

“I think the beautiful part about [our career] is being able to express our love for design through jewelry and gemstones,” Liew says. “Being able to materialize a design from a sketch to a finished product – and subsequently, when a customer buys it – the sense of fulfillment is very satisfying.”

	Kavant and Sharart is comprised of husband and wife team Kenny Yongkiettakul and Shar-linn Liew, both award-winning designers and GIA graduates. The pair is grateful for the guidance they received at GIA and want to do the same for current students. “Keep in touch with friends and teachers,” says Yongkiettakul. “We have been very blessed with mentors along the way, and we hope to help fellow GIA students in any way we can. Our doors are always open.” Courtesy Kavant and Sharart
Yongkiettakul says that GIA prepared the couple well for their careers.

“GIA serves as a solid foundation for anyone interested in this trade,” he says. “The knowledge you gain throughout your education will serve you well, but it’s definitely important to keep up with the latest news in the industry through journals like  Gems & Gemology  and visiting trade shows.”

As much as their GIA experience was “intense and fast,” it was also “enlightening and inspiring,” he says.

“Give it your best at each level, because six months fly by,” he says. “All the resources are in your hands.” Source: GIA @topic:6


Title: U.S. Retail Sales Remain Cautious Abstract: At Christie’s recent New York auction, an Asian buyer paid a record price of $5.1 million for a four-strand natural colored pearl necklace with pearls ranging from between 4.90 mm to 12.65 mm in size. Prices for other lots, however, were off from the peaks of 2013-2014.

                      The U.S. Census Bureau reports that specialty jewelry store sales fell 5.8% by value for the first two months of 2015 compared to 2014, while watch and jewelry sales from all channels were relatively flat.

The government figures reflect consumer caution throughout the retail sector, with electronics down 5% and durable goods sliding 2.4%.

Jewelry unit sales, however, were higher than the value numbers indicate due to declines in the price of gold and diamonds from early 2014 coupled with down-trading in diamond quality.

Consumer confidence, which rose several points in March, has improved along with the economy, but economists say wages have not risen in tandem and the decreased prices of gasoline and oil have not spurred retail sales in other areas.

De Beers’ Diamond Insight Report, issued last month, reported that growth of diamond jewelry sales in the U.S. was up 7% by value for 2104. This is more than double other estimates that pegged U.S. diamond jewelry sales from flat to up by 3%. The report also estimated Chinese growth at 6% and India rupee growth at 3% (down 1% when measured in U.S. dollars). The report cited a positive outlook for 2015, despite some headwinds.

The March 23-27 De Beers sight was especially large – $690 million − with as much as $100 million additional goods available from client refusals of boxes at the January and February sights. Clients refused 30-40% of the rough boxes on offer this month – the highest percentage since the economic crisis of 2009-2010 – because of price and inventory issues. De Beers held firm on prices across the board, even as rough prices exceed the cost of polished for many categories. Polished prices have declined by an average of 7% from last fall according to several price reports, while polished inventories continue to rise.

AUCTIONS: The first major jewelry auctions of 2015 continued the trend of subdued demand for ultra-luxury items noted at last month’s BaselWorld fair.

Only 67% of Sotheby’s April 6 Magnificent Jewels and Jadeite auction in Hong Kong sold (compared to 85% to 90% for such sales in the past three years), with private buyers taking all but two of the top 10 pieces. Without aggressive buying from dealers, prices seem to have receded from last year’s highs at this sale, but comparisons are often difficult because the unique properties some pieces have make them more desirable.

One price record was set at Christie’s April 14 New York auction: $5.1 million from a private Asian buyer for a four-strand natural pearl necklace with pearls that ranged between 4.90 mm to 12.65 mm in size. Other prices, however, were off from the peaks of 2013-2014, including a 25.49 carat (ct.) D potentially Flawless diamond by Graff that brought $134,000 per carat for a total of $3.4 million. This was about $50,000 to $60,000 per carat less than what similar goods achieved in previous sales. A 5.29 ct. Fancy Intense purplish pink diamond brought $1.1 million per carat, which was significantly off from similar stones auctioned during the past three years.

The Christie’s New York sale was 77% sold by value, again somewhat lower than recent years’ auctions.

At Sotheby’s New York April 21 auction a GIA-graded 100.20 ct. D IF Type II diamond was expected to sell for $19 to $25 million. Christie’s will offer a 5.18 ct. GIA-graded Fancy Vivid pink diamond at its May 13 Geneva sale. That lot is expected to sell for $9.5 to $12 million. Source: GIA @topic:8


Title: Gemologist Sets Her Sights on Social Justice, Healthy Business Abstract: Alethe Fatherley, pictured here with a few of the children she met in Tanzania, returned home to the United States with a vision to recognize people as the gem and jewelry industry’s most valuable resource. Courtesy Alethe Fatherley

                      At first glance, the pendant looks like a simple tool ‒ a water pump ‒ fashioned of silver, hanging from a delicate chain.

But this pendant is no mere accessory: it symbolizes one gemologist’s vision to revolutionize the jewelry industry by recognizing people as its “most precious resource.”

Alethe Fatherley, executive director of Jewelers for Water, hasn’t always tried to link social justice with the jewelry industry – in fact, the idea of encouraging an industry that’s both responsible and profitable has only crystallized for the East Coast-based gemologist in the last several years.

	Jewelers for Water’s sterling silver necklace, left, designed by Thomas Kurilla and manufactured by Hoover & Strong, was inspired by a water pump, right. Sold by local, brick-and-mortar jewelry stores on the East Coast, proceeds from sales of the necklace benefit Jewelers for Water’s clean water projects. Photo by Thomas Kurilla, courtesy Jewelers for Water
The daughter of Jamaican immigrants, Fatherley moved to the United States when she was 8 years old. She was deciding on her next step after she graduated from high school in 1991, when her godmother, a buyer in Tiffany & Co.’s Paloma Picasso department, suggested she apply at the New York headquarters.

The eager-to-learn 19-year-old was hired for a temporary clerical job with Tiffany’s, and shortly after landed a merchandise assistant position in the firm’s diamond-buying office.

“I knew I wanted more than an entry-level position,” she says. “I also became more interested in learning about diamonds, because the Tiffany’s sales professionals had very high expectations, even for a teenager.”

The salespeople often quizzed their new hire, holding up GIA diamond grading reports and asking Fatherley to explain them and describe the stone’s clarity characteristics. “When I wasn’t able to, I could hear the frustration in their voices,” she says. “So I began to insist I attend GIA with almost every evaluation I had with my boss. I just kept asking.”

Fatherley’s persistence paid off; she was eventually cleared to study at the Institute’s 47th Street campus in New York City.

“I loved it ‒ finally, I felt like I was doing something I really enjoyed,” she says. “I still recall the bounce in my step after GIA, just embracing my walk down Fifth Avenue.”

Fatherley earned her GG diploma in 1999, but she knew it was just the beginning if she wanted a career that lasted. She joined the GIA Alumni Association and set out to learn sales, marketing, wholesale – and, after a 13-year career there, the industry outside of Tiffany & Co.’s walls.

She taught gemology at New York’s Fashion Institute of Technology, and worked for David Yurman, H. Stern, and Lazare Kaplan International, where she sold loose stones. At Lazare Kaplan, conversations often referred to the firm’s cutting facilities in Namibia.

“I became interested in Africa and simply wanted to learn more about the people,” she says.

That desire to learn more soon turned into something much deeper. Fatherley researched nonprofit organizations and settled on Cross Cultural Solutions, a non-governmental organization. Her supervisor at Lazare Kaplan granted her a three-week leave from work, allowing Fatherley to travel to Moshi Town, Tanzania and serve as a kindergarten teacher at Kilimahewa school. The makeshift classroom where she taught was set up in the home of a pupil’s parents.

The stark contrast between the world of luxury jewelry and the lives of people in Tanzania moved her deeply, and quickly. Fatherley returned home just weeks later with an entirely new perspective, and founded Jewelers that Care in 2009. The goal of her nonprofit is to “energize development projects,” such as schools and water wells, through donations and partnerships with other aid groups. (The organization’s name changed to the more focused Jewelers for Water this spring).

	Alethe Fatherley took a three-week leave from her job with Lazare Kaplan International
	to teach kindergarteners at Kilimahewa school in Moshi Town, Tanzania. Courtesy Alethe Fatherley
“When we examine the serious issues facing Africa and rural villages around the globe, we find ourselves making a full circle back to the issues of a lack of clean water and education,” she says. “We believe this contributes to the root of other problems, including HIV/AIDS, crimes against women and children, and other serious issues.

“I wanted to help within my capacity. But the stories of poverty are difficult to tell ‒ and difficult to sell,” she says. “I had to come up with creative ways to get people interested.”

Fatherley - who also earned degrees from the American Gem Society, Fashion Institute of Technology and SUNY’s Empire State college – developed deep relationships in the jewelry industry, and became what she calls “something of a recruiter,” helping friends and colleagues from all aspects of the industry make professional connections in exchange for support of the charity.

Jewelers for Water is focused on building water wells and collaborates with many like-minded professionals in the industry. The water pump necklace, for example, was designed by Thomas Kurilla, manufactured by Hoover & Strong, and is sold exclusively by a handful of local, brick-and-mortar jewelry stores on the East Coast, with proceeds benefitting Jewelers for Water’s water pump projects. The group also created an annual awards ceremony at JCK that honors jewelers addressing humanitarian issues.

Fatherley, who lives in Fairfield, Connecticut with her husband, Christopher, runs Jewelers for Water while caring for the couple’s 4-year-old son, Gordon, and 2-year-old daughter, Marisa.

“My dream and my long-term goal is to collaborate with our industry in the most sensible way that benefits us as an industry, as well as  the people living in rural villages,” she says. “I want our industry to shine by contributing to the communities that keep us going.” Source: GIA @topic:10


Title: Science Opened Doors to Art for Gemologist-Designer Abstract: Loretta Castoro found the moonstones in these platinum earrings on a trip to Myanmar with Bill Larson, president of Pala International Inc.. “We saw them at the same time and wanted them,” she says. Larson conceded the purchase to Castoro, who says she surrounded them with cascades of diamonds and Montana sapphire. “I was inspired by the many Tiffany & Co. pieces I had seen designed in the turn of the 19th century,” she says. Left: Courtesy of Loretta Castoro. Right: Photo  by Jeff Scovil © Loretta Castoro

                      Loretta Castoro remembers feeling a growing sense of wonder as she huddled with her elementary school class over a crystal grown during a science experiment. That sense of curiosity and excitement would stay with the Oyster Bay, Long Island student far beyond her grade school experience.

Fast forward a decade to Castoro’s high school graduation, when her great uncle, New York-based jewelry designer and manufacturer William Emmons, confirmed that attending GIA would be a smart way to begin her career.

“I had been interested in crystal growth since the fourth grade and had a strong background in math and science, so when I heard there was a school that specialized in the study of gemstones, I really wanted to learn more,” Castoro says. “I wanted to explore this passion I had from a young age and see if there was a future in it.”

She enrolled at the Institute’s New York City campus and studied under the encouraging eye of faculty and staff. Among those was longtime GIA employee Eunice Miles, who once told Castoro, “I love these gemstones so much, I eventually wanted to design jewelry to show them off.”

The sentiment surprised Castoro at the time, because she couldn’t understand the impulse to design jewelry.

“I wanted to learn the science, understand their structure, their makeup,” she says.

Castoro, who completed her GG diploma in 1984, says her studies helped establish credibility when she began her career at H. Stern Jewelers’ Fifth Avenue store.

“I started very young in the industry, and my GIA education gave me the platform of knowledge that allowed me to intelligently and confidently discuss gemological issues with clients and other members of the industry,” she says.

From H. Stern, where the Northeastern native had the opportunity to travel to Brazil to learn firsthand about colored stone sourcing, Castoro’s international career and education took flight. She next spent a decade at Tiffany & Co. in several capacities, including as director of gemstone acquisitions for colored stones, then moved to Bangkok to serve as the chief merchandising officer for GemsTV.

	Castoro, in 2009 in Bangkok, has traveled around the world with her career. Photo courtesy of Loretta Castoro
During those years, Castoro earned two more credentials in gemology – a Fellow of the Gemmological Association of Great Britain, and a certificate in Advanced Scientific Gemology from Basel’s Swiss Gemological Institute – as well as a comprehensive manufacturing degree from New York’s Studio Jewelers, and a certified gemologist appraiser designation from the American Gem Society.

As Castoro’s career unfolded, so did the realization that her professional interests were evolving. She began lecturing at gemological workshops, and eventually designing jewelry of her own.

"Years later, I understand what Eunice Miles was saying – at some point, the science of gemology melds with the art,” she says. “It surprised me at how natural designing for beautiful gemstones became after years of studying them. You love them so much you want to champion them to achieve their ultimate goal: to be the center of attention and show off their unique ‘talents.’”

Castoro, who lives in Los Angeles, launched her self-named line of luxury jewelry in 2010. She creates custom pieces for clients in her downtown studio, as well as entire collections including “Love Doves,” “Imperia” and “KissMe.”

Last fall, Castoro joined Carl K. Gumpert Inc. as vice president of Merchandising and Gemstone Acquisition. She sources gemstones for the company and builds product collections for their retail distribution, and says the position challenges her “to be innovative and forward-thinking with design and materials.”

She still lectures on gemology and sourcing, and offers a series of presentations for retailers that focuses on broadening their “scope of knowledge” about gemstones. “There is a wide range of gemstones that are very collectible, and virtually unknown to most jewelry buyers,” she says.

Castoro is grateful for the many paths she has been able to explore throughout her career.

“A GIA education opened the door to my life’s study, and the joy of learning about the fascinating world we live in,” she says. “I’m challenged and learn something new – every day. There is never a dull moment in the world of business and gemstones.”

View Gallery Source: GIA @topic:11


Title: Grad’s Entrepreneurial Spirit Knows No Limits Abstract: H. “Gio” Giovanni, GG, returned to Carlsbad recently to share his innovative jewelry design techniques and branding practices with students. Photo by Kevin Schumacher/GIA.

“If you follow your dream with passion, it will lead you to the path less followed. The desire to fulfill that dream in the midst of adverse climates will bring innovation. It is at this stage that the true love for entrepreneurship becomes your life dream."

	– H. "Gio" Giovanni, GG, CEO Blacksmith Intl. & Co.

	Finding a passion in life can be a long and circuitous journey for many, but for those like H. “Gio” Giovanni, GG, the challenge is choosing which of his passions to follow. An entrepreneur whose expertise spans gems, jewelry, clothing and custom cars and motorcycles, Giovanni fortunately never had to make a choice. He formed three successful businesses in three entirely different industries before taking his first graduate gemologist class at GIA in Carlsbad in 2007.

	Today, Blacksmith Intl. & Co., Giovanni’s Minden, Nevada-based gem and jewelry design firm, is his number one priority. Yet it’s clear his life also revolves around the innovative motorcycle design, automotive accessory design and clothing businesses he’s also worked hard to build.

	“The common thread across all my ventures is that they’re about lifestyle,” says Giovanni. “They’re about enhancing and reflecting my customers’ lives, whether they want a semi-custom ring or a high-performance, artistic motorcycle.”

Entrepreneurial Self-Starter

	Giovanni, whose family is from Cali, Colombia, fell into the gem and jewelry business out of a desire for custom-made jewelry pieces, but it was next to impossible to find someone to envision his ideas for one-of-a-kind pieces.

	“The greatest challenge was finding a jeweler that would be able to get the large carat sizes that would become my jewelry’s signature,” Giovanni said. His determination pushed him to consider getting involved in the jewelry business, as he thought there were others that must share his love for “large, explosive pieces,” limited by the standards of retail.

	So while earning his master’s degree in business administration at the University of Madison, Wisconsin, he learned from a gentleman in Chicago who ultimately became his business partner.

	“We formed an agreement in which he would teach me about carving, casting and setting, and I would help him with negotiations for diamonds and colored gemstones,” Giovanni said. “I showed him how to get the proper price points. I was also able to acquire custom stones straight from the rough that a lot of others couldn’t get.”

	Giovanni next turned to a friend of the family who introduced him to some emerald dealers in Colombia. He learned that the European marketplace should be his first stop to meet dealers. So with a pocket full of high-grade emeralds given to him on consignment, Giovanni boarded a flight and began his career as a gem importer.

	During his travels as a gem importer, a diamond dealer in Tel Aviv told him all about GIA and Giovanni was immediately intrigued.

	“I liked the sound of a GG and knew it would benefit me and my business to enroll,” Giovanni said.

	To do so, however, Giovanni decided he couldn’t have it all – all of his businesses, that is. He needed to focus all of his energy on the rigorous GG coursework. And when it came time to embark on his GIA education, his next move not only astounded those around him, but also surprised Giovanni himself.

	“I walked away from the other aspects of my business life and isolated myself at GIA’s Carlsbad campus, turning over all management of Blacksmith Motoring Co. – my custom motorcycle business – to my executive staff,” he said. “Throughout the duration of the GG program, I dismissed phone calls and emails and studied seven days a week. I realized it was not the time to have my mind going off in other directions.”

	On campus, he found that the GIA computer-aided design classes were a natural fit for his business, and that his GIA education in general played a big role in helping him advance his success.

	“During the 12 months I was getting my GG, I was not only increasing my knowledge of gemstones, but I was also churning out new designs with CAD, legitimizing my business and making new industry connections,” Giovanni said.

	“I had instructors who encouraged me to push my innovative ideas and they tailored some aspects of the course to help enhance my skill sets. They knew I would bring my company into a new direction in the industry,” Giovanni said.

	Giovanni’s gamble paid off. Not only did the GG program add greater depth and breadth to his gem knowledge, but he came back to his businesses to find they were well taken care of during his absence. Soon after, the entrepreneur said, Blacksmith & Company jumped from being a small, two-man operation to a multi-employee company almost overnight.

	“I built a whole new company while I was building myself and my skills at GIA,” he said. “GIA was able to take what I knew and help me mold it into something new.”

Branding Brilliance

	Fast forward to today and Giovanni’s gem and jewelry business is operating in high gear. The semi-custom men’s lines that his firm produces all follow a carefully crafted look and feel – a distinctive brand design he works closely with his in-house team to maintain.

	Like his custom motorcycle business, Giovanni’s Blacksmith Intl. & Co. offers an online store to serve clients on a global scale. Branding and marketing are also a specialty of his, and he has come out with jewelry lines that are lower in price, featuring metals such as stainless steel and sterling silver, along with more sports-oriented and car-oriented themes.

	Blacksmith Intl. & Co. makes use of platinum, rose gold and some yellow gold, but lately Giovanni has placed a stronger focus on palladium. He says it's relatively lightweight and lends well to bold designs and to creations capable of holding the larger carat – exotic gemstones that have become a trademark of his firm.

	“Our goal is to provide clients with the quality, craftsmanship, metal weight and innovative design they deserve,” he said. “We follow the time-honored tradition and art of crafting metal, and specialize in 950 palladium – the most reflective member of the platinum group.”

	Always eager to share his knowledge, Giovanni recently returned to Carlsbad to present a student lecture covering his innovative jewelry design techniques as well the business practices that have catapulted his ventures.

	The key point that he drove home with students is the importance of protecting your brand. “You can have everything else taken away from you,” he said, “but your brand represents who you are and what you do. I’ll fight for my brand until the end. The Blacksmith name reflects my ability and desire to tailor designs according to my customers’ wishes, whether they want motorcycles, cars or jewelry.”

	Giovanni said he has learned a lot by listening to older people in the jewelry business. Even if they have not been the most successful at their craft, he appreciates the advice they have to offer.

	“They knew what needed to be done in order to make a change or to go forward and people just haven’t listened to it,” he said. If you find these people, “they’ll see something in you and they’ll feed you information that they may have never told anybody else,” he said.

	He sees his role in coming back to talk to students as a way to pay his experience forward.

	“You need to be able to tell individuals what you did, how it worked for you, situations around it and give them examples because one of those examples may click,” he said. “You follow your heart. You do what you think is right.”

	Giovanni's Equator band series for men. Photo provided by Blacksmith Intl. & Co. Source: GIA @topic:11


Title: Las Vegas 2015: Selective Demand Buoys a Slow Season Abstract: The 2015 JCK Las Vegas show was deemed a success by an industry that needed some good news after very disappointing sales in Hong Kong and Basel. Photo by Russell Shor/GIA

                      Business at the 2015 JCK Show in Las Vegas was good if you had exactly the right goods at the right price. Whether it was diamonds, colored stones or designer jewelry, buyers − which included major retailers, jewelry manufacturers and other dealers − came with very specific wants in mind and stuck to them. The show was deemed a success by an industry that needed some good news after very disappointing sales in Hong Kong and Basel.

Exhibitors at the accompanying Couture and Luxury shows generally outperform the other sections of the show and this year was no exception. One reason is that their retail clients – generally higher-end independents – have a strong base of return customers who collect pieces by many of these designers, so in a sense, their business is built-in.

Designer jewelry sold well throughout all of the shows if it had a high-end, one-of-a-kind look. At Couture, the pieces tended toward understated luxury with an emphasis on design instead of high gem content. The jewels tended to be showier at the Luxury show; designers favored frilly, curvy lines and lots of small gemstones set to create a larger look, such as blossom motifs with a lot of negative space, which made it possible for them to use less metal. In the sub-$1,000 market, bold, colorful looks were in; designers employed lower-priced color gems and beads like citrine and blue topaz and even non-gem material set into 14k gold or vermeil.

Diamond demand centered on excellent cut and medium-quality one- to two-carat stones. There was some demand for larger diamonds, but buyers were extremely selective. While buyers did roam the JCK show’s diamond pavilion and Luxury area, there were simply too few of them – the high U.S. dollar kept most Asians and Europeans away – to satisfy all of the exhibitors.

“People were buying just what they needed for the immediate future,” said one exhibitor who noted that buyers were also holding out in hopes that polished prices would decline over the summer.

Retailers have been very cautious about sales prospects for the second half of the year because jewelry demand has been slowing despite the improving economy and employment market in the U.S. In addition, banks have curtailed many of the generous memo programs that had made it possible for retailers to order large numbers of diamonds without payment due until the beginning of the following year.

Banks blame memo programs for some of the cash flow difficulties the industry is facing today and, quite often, the goods end up in dispute if the retailer or dealer files for bankruptcy.

Colored stone demand was equally selective.

A number of exhibitors at the American Gem Trade Association show that ran concurrently with JCK said the industry was still trying to come to grips with the decline of the Chinese market. Prices had soared for ruby and sapphire during the past five years, they explained, because Chinese dealers often outbid western dealers for the top goods – and even medium qualities. Now, the Chinese are not buying at the same level or are making lowball offers. Most of the major primary dealers in gem centers, however, are still holding out for those high prices. Many dealers and buyers believe prices are too high and this has brought much of the trade to a standstill and sent buyers searching for substitutes.

Buyers at the AGTA show were looking for red spinel as a much more affordable substitute for ruby and tsavorite as a substitute for emerald. Sellers of beads and lower-priced gems generally did well as retailers strove to keep prices affordable for their middle- and lower-market customers.

The JCK Show also hosted De Beers’ CEO Philippe Mellier who, in an address, acknowledged the diamond industry’s current difficulties, but said the long-term prospects would see solid growth, particularly in the U.S.

“No one gets the glamor of diamonds quite like the American consumer,” Mellier said, adding that its share of market was again increasing against newer markets like China and India.

An increase in the number of affluent U.S households (earning over $100,000 yearly), along with tourists from newer markets like China, will drive the growth of U.S. diamond jewelry sales.

Mellier noted that diamond mine production will begin to decline at the end of the decade and that, while De Beers is taking measures to lengthen the life of its resources, there are few promising finds on the horizon – only 60 out of 7,000 known kimberlites have been economically viable to mine.

Financial transparency and responsible sourcing are growing in importance, the first to regulators, the second to millennial consumers, while consumer confidence remains an on-going concern as treatments proliferate and synthetics enter the market, Mellier told the audience.

By the show’s closing, business proved strong enough to sustain diamond and gemstone dealers and offer a sense that the fall quarter may bring an upturn. Source: GIA @topic:8


Title: Emerald Care and Cleaning Guide Abstract: Emeralds set in jewelry have lasted for centuries. With the proper care, the emeralds in today’s jewelry will do the same. Courtesy Color Masters.

Hardness and toughness
Gem and mineral hardness is measured on the Mohs scale. The numbers are based on the relative ease or difficulty with which one mineral can be scratched by another. But the Mohs scale is deceptive. The steps between the minerals are not evenly spaced. For example, diamond is only one number away, but it’s many times harder than gems in the corundum family.

Emerald is 7.5 to 8 on the Mohs scale and has fair to good toughness, making it a stone that requires more care in wearing than ruby or sapphire. Even so, emeralds are beautiful stones for all types of jewelry and with proper care will last for generations.

	Emerald rates a 7.5 to 8 on the Mohs hardness scale.
Stability
Heat can damage emeralds, especially by extending existing fractures. Light and chemicals can cause the oils, resins, and polymers used to fill surface-reaching fractures to alter in appearance or deteriorate.

Cleaning
Some estimates state that 90 percent or more of emeralds are fracture-filled. Since the great majority of fashioned natural emeralds contain filled fractures, it’s risky to clean them ultrasonically or with steam. Ultrasonic vibrations can weaken already-fractured stones, and hot steam can cause oil or unhardened resin to sweat out of fractures. Using warm, soapy water coupled with gentle scrubbing is the safest way to clean emeralds. Source: GIA @topic:1


Title: Sunstone Care and Cleaning Abstract: With proper care, sunstone can provide a lifetime of jewelry-wearing pleasure. – Mike Havstad

Hardness and Toughness
Gem and mineral hardness is measured on the Mohs scale. The numbers are based on the relative ease or difficulty with which one mineral can be scratched by another. But the Mohs scale is deceptive. The steps between the minerals are not evenly spaced. For example, diamond is only one number away, but it’s many times harder than gems in the corundum family.

Feldspars, including sunstone, share two traits that affect their durability and make them vulnerable to damage. These are softness—at 6.5 to 7.2 on the Mohs scale—and cleavage in two directions, which gives sunstone a Poor toughness rating.

When sunstone is mounted in a setting that protects it, however, it’s an excellent choice for jewelry. Protective settings include pendants, earrings, and pins rather than rings, which are more likely to receive knocks and bumps.

	Sunstone’s hardness falls between 6.5 and 7.2 on the Mohs hardness scale.
Stability
Exposure to heat is not recommended for sunstone, but its color is stable when exposed to light and won’t fade.

Cleaning
Warm, soapy water is always a safe sunstone cleaning method. Ultrasonic and steam cleaners should be avoided. Feldspars are rapidly attacked by hydrochloric acid, so cleaning products containing bleach should also be avoided.
Rarely, sunstone might be fracture filled. These stones should only be cleaned with warm, soapy water. Source: GIA @topic:1


Title: Rose Quartz Care and Cleaning Abstract: Rose quartz is a durable gemstone. With proper care, it will provide a lifetime of jewelry-wearing enjoyment. - Photo by Robert Weldon, © GIA

                      Gem and mineral hardness is measured on the Mohs scale. The numbers are based on the relative ease or difficulty with which one mineral can be scratched by another. But the Mohs scale is deceptive. The steps between the minerals are not evenly spaced. For example, diamond is only one number away, but it’s many times harder than gems in the corundum family. With a Mohs hardness of 7, rose quartz is a gem that can provide a lifetime of wearing pleasure.

	Rose quartz ranks 7 on the Mohs scale of hardness.
Stability
Rose quartz is generally stable when exposed to light and heat.

Cleaning
Warm, soapy water is always a safe method for cleaning rose quartz. Cleaning with ultrasonic and steam cleaners should be avoided.

Treatment
Rose quartz is occasionally treated with radiation to intensify its color. Source: GIA @topic:1


Title: Morganite Care and Cleaning Abstract: Morganite is a durable gemstone. With proper care, it will provide a lifetime of jewelry-wearing enjoyment. -Courtesy of The Greenwood Group.

                      Gem and mineral hardness is measured on the Mohs scale. The numbers are based on the relative ease or difficulty with which one mineral can be scratched by another. But the Mohs scale is deceptive. The steps between the minerals are not evenly spaced. For example, diamond is only one number away, but it’s many times harder than gems in the corundum family. Morganite is 7.5 to 8 on the Mohs scale, so it is a durable gemstone for jewelry as long as it is treated with care to protect it against scratching and hard knocks.

	Morganite rates a 7.5 to 8 on the Mohs hardness scale.

Stability
Heat exposure is not recommended for morganite, but under light exposure, its color is stable and won’t fade. Morganite can be attacked by hydrofluoric acid.

Cleaning
Warm, soapy water is always a safe cleaning method for morganite. Cleaning by ultrasonic and steam cleaners is usually safe, unless the stone has liquid inclusions or fractures.
Rarely, morganite might be fracture filled. These stones should only be cleaned with warm, soapy water.

Fracture-filling Source: GIA @topic:3


Title: Kunzite Care and Cleaning Abstract: With proper care, kunzite jewelry will provide a lifetime of beautiful adornment. - Courtesy Loretta Castoro Signature Collection

Hardness and Toughness
Gem and mineral hardness is measured on the Mohs scale. The numbers are based on the relative ease or difficulty with which one mineral can be scratched by another. But the Mohs scale is deceptive. The steps between the minerals are not evenly spaced. For example, diamond is only one number away, but it’s many times harder than gems in the corundum family.

	Kunzite rates 6.5 to 7 on the Mohs hardness scale.
Because it has perfect cleavage in two directions, kunzite requires special care during cutting, polishing, and mounting. It’s not very tough, so a hard blow might split it, and extreme pressure or sharp temperature changes might cause it to break. To reduce the risk of breakage, jewelers prefer to set valuable kunzite gems in protective mountings or use them in pieces that aren’t exposed to too much wear, like pendants and pins.

Kunzite rates 6.5 to 7 on the Mohs hardness scale. Its toughness rating is poor due to its cleavage.

Stability
High heat or sudden temperature changes can cause breaks in kunzite. The gem’s color can fade with prolonged exposure to heat or intense light.

Cleaning
It’s important to avoid steam or ultrasound for cleaning kunzite: Warm, soapy water works best.

	A safe way to clean kunzite jewelry is to use lukewarm water with mild soap and a toothbrush. - Eric Welch
Treatment and Durability Considerations
Kunzite might be irradiated and then heated to enhance its color. The color of irradiated, heated kunzite can fade with exposure to heat and light, just as it does in naturally colored kunzite.

Besides protecting it from heat and light, kunzite should be protected as much as possible from sharp blows that can cause breakage along cleavage planes. Source: GIA @topic:1


Title: Lapis Lazuli Care and Cleaning Abstract: With proper care, lapis lazuli can provide a lifetime of jewelry-wearing enjoyment. - Dr. Edward J. Gübelin

                      Gem and mineral hardness is measured on the Mohs scale. The numbers are based on the relative ease or difficulty with which one mineral can be scratched by another. But the Mohs scale is deceptive. The steps between the minerals are not evenly spaced. For example, diamond is only one number away, but it’s many times harder than gems in the corundum family.

Lapis is between 5 and 6 on the Mohs scale, depending on its composition. With care, lapis jewelry and carvings can delight their owners for generations. Its toughness is considered Fair.

	Lapis lazuli’s hardness ranks between 5 and 6 on the Mohs hardness scale.

Stability
The dye used in some lapis can come off if it’s rubbed with acetone (nail polish remover) or denatured alcohol, so it’s sometimes sealed with wax or plastic. Wax sealers can deteriorate when they’re exposed to heat or solvents.

Lapis that hasn’t been dyed might be impregnated with wax or oil to improve its color and luster. These treatments have only fair stability, and a gemologist can detect them.

Cleaning
Warm, soapy water is the safest way to clean lapis lazuli. It’s best to test a small, inconspicuous area first, because some dye treatments are not stable. Source: GIA @topic:1


Title: Jade Care and Cleaning Guide Abstract: Jadeite is 6.5 to 7, and nephrite is 6 to 6.5 on the Mohs hardness scale.

Hardness and toughness
Gem and mineral hardness is measured on the Mohs scale. The numbers are based on the relative ease or difficulty with which one mineral can be scratched by another. But the Mohs scale is deceptive. The steps between the minerals are not evenly spaced. For example, diamond is only one number away, but it’s many times harder than gems in the corundum family.

Jadeite is 6.5 to 7 and nephrite is 6 to 6.5 on the Mohs hardness scale, so some care should be taken to avoid scratches. However, both of these gemstones have exceptional toughness and are very resistant to breaking or chipping.

Stability
Heat from a jeweler’s torch can harm jade. Jade is stable to light, and it can be affected by warm acids.

Cleaning
Ultrasonic cleaners and steam cleaners are safe for untreated jade. But jade might be treated by dyeing, bleaching and impregnation, coatings, or heat treatment, so warm, soapy water is always a safe choice. Source: GIA @topic:13


Title: Iolite Care and Cleaning Abstract: With proper care, iolite jewelry will provide a lifetime of beautiful adornment. – Robert Weldon

Hardness and Toughness
Gem and mineral hardness is measured on the Mohs scale. The numbers are based on the relative ease or difficulty with which one mineral can be scratched by another. But the Mohs scale is deceptive. The steps between the minerals are not evenly spaced. For example, diamond is only one number away, but it’s many times harder than gems in the corundum family.

	Iolite rates 7 to 7.5 on the Mohs hardness scale.
Because it has perfect cleavage in one direction, iolite requires special care during cutting, polishing, and mounting. It’s not very tough, so a hard blow might split it, and extreme pressure or sharp temperature changes might cause it to break. To reduce the risk of breakage, jewelers prefer to set iolite gems in protective mountings or use them in pieces that aren’t exposed to too much wear, like pendants and earrings.

Stability
High heat or sudden temperature changes can cause breaks in iolite. The gem’s color is stable.

Cleaning
It’s important to avoid steam or ultrasound for cleaning iolite: Warm, soapy water works best.

	A safe way to clean iolite jewelry is to use lukewarm water with mild soap and a toothbrush. - Eric Welch
Treatment and Durability Considerations
Iolite is not typically treated so coatings and dyes are not generally a concern with this gem.

Iolite should be protected as much as possible from sharp blows that can cause breakage along cleavage planes. Source: GIA @topic:1


Title: Citrine Care and Cleaning Abstract: With proper care, citrine is a beautiful and versatile gemstone for jewelry use. – Robert Weldon

                      Gem and mineral hardness is measured on the Mohs scale. The numbers are based on the relative ease or difficulty with which one mineral can be scratched by another. But the Mohs scale is deceptive. The steps between the minerals are not evenly spaced. For example, diamond is only one number away, but it’s many times harder than gems in the corundum family.

Common substances like sand and dust are composed mostly of quartz, the mineral species that includes the variety citrine. So, while citrine is a great gemstone for use in jewelry, it should be treated with the proper care to prevent scratching and other damage.

Citrine rates a 7 on the Mohs scale and has good toughness, so it is suitable for all jewelry types. This includes rings as long as the wearer understands its limited hardness.

	Citrine rates a 7 on the Mohs hardness scale. This means it’s durable for jewelry as
	long as proper precautions are followed to prevent scratching.
Stability
Abrupt temperature changes can cause citrine to fracture. Some citrine color can fade with prolonged exposure to intense light. Citrine can also be damaged by hydrofluoric acid, ammonium fluoride, and alkaline solutions.

Cleaning
Citrine can be safely cleaned with warm, soapy water. Ultrasonic cleaners are usually safe except in the rare instances where a stone is dyed or treated by fracture filling. Steam cleaning is not recommended, as citrine should not be subjected to heat. Source: GIA @topic:1


Title: Ametrine Care and Cleaning Abstract: The best ametrines show distinct areas of orangy yellow and purple. These colors are featured in this graceful cut design. Photo by Lydia Dyer, © John Dyer & Co., gem courtesy John Dyer & Co.

Hardness and toughness
Gem and mineral hardness is measured on the Mohs scale. The numbers are based on the relative ease or difficulty with which one mineral can be scratched by another. But the Mohs scale is deceptive. The steps between the minerals are not evenly spaced. For example, diamond is only one number away, but it’s many times harder than gems in the corundum family.

Common substances like sand and dust are composed mostly of quartz, the mineral species that includes ametrine. So, while ametrine is a great gemstone for use in jewelry, it should be treated with the proper care to prevent scratching and other damage.

Like amethyst and citrine, ametrine rates a 7 on the Mohs scale and has good toughness, so it is suitable for all jewelry types. This includes rings as long as the wearer understands the limits of its hardness and follows proper precautions to prevent scratching.

	Ametrine’s hardness ranks a 7 on the Mohs hardness scale. Illustration by Peter Johnston, © GIA
Stability
Abrupt temperature changes can cause ametrine to fracture. Some ametrine colors can fade with prolonged exposure to intense light. Ametrine can also be damaged by hydrofluoric acid, ammonium fluoride, and alkaline solutions.

Cleaning
Ametrine can be safely cleaned with warm, soapy water. Ultrasonic cleaners are usually safe except in the rare instances where a stone is dyed or treated by fracture filling. Steam cleaning is not recommended, and ametrine should not be exposed to heat.

	With proper care, ametrine’s beauty will enhance all types of jewelry and provide years of wearing enjoyment. Photo by Robert Weldon/GIA, courtesy Minerales y Metales del Oriente, Bolivia, SA. Source: GIA @topic:1


Title: Susan Jacques’ Top 20 Traits to be Successful in Retail Abstract: Susan Jacques, pictured at GIA's Carlsbad World Headquarters in 2014, shared her tips for success in the retail industry at GIA's mini Jewelry Career Fair in 2010. Photo by Kevin Schumacher/GIA

                      Susan Jacques spent more than 30 years in retail before becoming president and CEO of GIA in January 2014. She began her career at Borsheims in 1982, after earning her GG from GIA, and was appointed president and CEO in 1994.

She offered these traits for success during a panel discussion at GIA’s mini Jewelry Career Fair held on June 6, 2010 in Las Vegas:

PASSION: Warren Buffett says: “Tap dance to work.” Love what you do every day! Have it show.

LOYALTY: Remember who signs your pay check -- be loyal to your company. If you are unhappy and your job is not what you want to do, leave and find your passion elsewhere.

RESPECT: Know everyone in the company by name; show the same respect regardless of titles and treat people as you wish to be treated.

COMMITMENT: To your company, your job, your teammates, your success.

 DEDICATION:  Give 110 percent every day to ensure your and your company’s success.

 HONESTY:  Be a person of your word, always be honest and ethical in everything you do.

 INTEGRIT Y: Have the  highest standards of integrity, personally and professionally. Earn your stellar reputation and guard it with every action that you take and decision that you make.

TRUSTWORTHINESS: Trust is essential in our industry and in your company.  Be known for your trustworthiness.

TEAM PLAYER: Work well with others, be supportive and helpful. There is no I in TEAM! No prima donnas!

INITIATIVE: Don’t wait to be asked, take initiative, see the global picture.

CONFIDENTIALITY: NEVER breach confidentiality, what happens at X or with x stays there or between you.

DRIVE: Have the personal drive to succeed, do your best, set high goals and strive to exceed them.

EXCELLENCE: Always strive to exceed expectations and excel at what you do.

ATTITUDE: Keep a positive, optimistic, friendly, professional attitude EVERY day.

DETERMINATION: Be determined to succeed and be the best you can be and give every task your best effort.

FOCUSED: Focus on your goals and your ability to exceed customer expectations with every transaction.

MULTI-TASK: Learn to do many things simultaneously and excellently. Retail seldom allows you the ability to finish one thing before moving on to the next.  Be flexible.

EMPATHY: Be empathetic to fellow associates and customers. LISTEN to what they say.

CONFIDENCE: Exude self-confidence and believe in yourself and your ability to succeed.

KNOWLEDGE: Constantly learn and share your knowledge. It’s important to stay up to date on industry news, changes in treatments, product knowledge, social responsibility and sustainability. Stay in touch with GIA and continue to grow through learning! Source: GIA @topic:11


Title: Make the Most of Opportunities Abstract: Michael O'Connor shared his experiences and offered tips for success in the industry during the opening panel at GIA's Carlsbad Career Fair in 2009. Photo by Kevin Schumacher/GIA

                      Michael O’Connor, a jewelry and style expert known as the “King of Bling” at Hollywood’s red carpet events, offered this advice the 2009 Career Fair in Carlsbad.

Seize the opportunity. “I think all of us are presented with opportunities in our life we have to seize in order to get ahead,” he said. “Sometimes those opportunities are not really presenting them themselves as opportunities,” but as obstacles you need to take advantage of

He recalled his own experiences in the industry as an example: stumbling into his first job in a jewelry store while on an errand for his father, then moving from jewelry designer to merchandiser and marketer for one of the largest bridal jewelry manufacturers in the country.

Soon after, his boss wanted to get the brand on celebrities and have it talked about it on TV and O’Connor found himself in front of the camera doing more and more red carpet events because, he said, that’s what people wanted to hear about.

He said he gets the celebrity to talk about jewelry by saying, “You look great tonight. Close your eyes. If you can take anything home tonight (because I know this is all going back tomorrow), what is it going to be?”

It’s always about the jewelry, he said. “The jewelry is what America wants to hear about. They don’t want to hear about another red chiffon gown. They want to hear about the million dollar necklace. They want to hear about the diamonds, the rubies and the gemstones. They want to hear about the metal they are set in. That’s what really provides glamour to these people.”

O’Connor also had advice for people who want to get their jewelry on celebrities. “It’s a triad,” he said. “You’ve got to have the right product, you have to do a lot of hard work and you have to seize the opportunities that present themselves.”

“All of these opportunities are there for you to take,” he said. “They don’t always have to be opportunities that you’re going to know 100 percent about. Don’t be afraid to take a leap of faith.”

	O'Connor also offered personalized advice to job seekers during Career Fair's one-on-one coaching sessions. Photo by Kevin Schumacher/GIA Source: GIA @topic:11


Title: Winter 2006 G&G Book Reviews Abstract: “Agates: Treasures of the Earth”
By Roger Pabian with Brian Jackson, Peter Tandy, and John Cromartie, 184 pp., illus., publ. by Firefly Books, Buffalo, NY, 2006. US$35.00

“Bling Bling: Hip Hop’s Crown Jewels”
By Minya Oh, 208 pp., illus., publ. by Wenner Books, New York, 2005. US$27.50

“Masterpieces of French Jewelry from American Collections”
By Judith Price, 144 pp., illus., publ. by Running Press, Philadelphia, PA, 2006. US$29.95

“The Jeweler’s Directory of Gemstones”
By Judith Crowe, 176 pp., illus., publ. by Firefly Books, Buffalo, NY, 2006. US$29.95

To view the full section, download the PDF above. Source: GIA @topic:9


Title: Spring 2006 G&G Book Reviews Abstract: “Photoatlas of Inclusions in Gemstones, Volume 2”
By E. J. Gübelin and J. I. Koivula, 829 pp., illus., hardcover, publ. by Opinio Verlag, Basel, Switzerland. US$269.50

“Schmuck Jewellery 1840–1940: Highlights Schmuckmuseum Pforzheim”
By Fritz Falk, 176 pp., 206 illus., hardcover, publ. by Arnoldsche Art Publishers, Stuttgart, 2004. US$60.00

“Working with Gemstones: A Bench Jeweler’s Guide”
By Arthur Anton Skuratowicz and Julie Nash, 128 pp., illus., publ. by MJSA/AJM Press, Providence, RI, 2005. US$34.95

To view the full section, download the PDF above. Source: GIA @topic:9


Title: “Voices of the Earth”: Transcending the Traditional in Lapidary Arts Abstract: Over the last 20 years, gemstone artists have demonstrated growing skill and variety. The diversity in their finished products comes not only from their unique artistic visions, but also from their ability to alter traditional tools or techniques. In the process, they are changing the way we define gemstones and jewelry. In a collection of 20 jewels entitled “Voices of the Earth,” scheduled for exhibit at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh, jewelry designer Paula Crevoshay showcases the work of some of North America’s leading lapidaries. Source: GIA @topic:9


Title: Hydrothermal Synthetic Red Beryl from the Institute of Crystallography, Moscow Abstract: Hydrothermal synthetic red beryl has been produced for jewelry applications by the Institute of Crystallography and an affiliated company, Emcom Ltd., both in Moscow. Diagnostic identification features include: a tabular crystal morphology, chevron-like and subparallel or slightly wavy internal growth zoning, sharp absorption bands at approximately 530, 545, 560, 570, and 590 nm due to Co2+, water-related absorption bands between 4200 and 3200 cm-1 in the infrared spectrum, and the presence of Co and Ni peaks in EDXRF spectra. Source: GIA @topic:3


Title: Gemstone Enhancements and Detection in the 1990s Abstract: Gemstone enhancements and their disclosure became the most important gemological issue for the jewelry trade in the 1990s. Growing public awareness of treatments and the greater use of sophisticated technology to enhance the color and/or apparent clarity of gem materials brought to the forefront the need to maintain (or in some cases regain) the consumer confidence that is so vital to this industry. The treatments with the greatest impact were those that affected the gems that were commercially most important: heat and diffusion treatment of ruby and sapphire, “oiling” of emeralds, and fracture filling of diamonds. At the end of the decade, the decolorization of diamonds by high pressure and high temperature posed one of the greatest identification challenges ever faced by gemologists worldwide. Yet most other gem materials were also subjected to enhancements—ranging from traditional processes as with quench-crackled quartz to novel “impregnation” techniques such as the Zachery treatment of turquoise. This article discusses the treatments that were new or prominent during the ‘90s and suggests methods for their detection. Source: GIA @topic:1


Title: Design in the Fast Lane Abstract: Sports cars. Motorcycles. Men’s jewelry. An odd group at first glance, but take a closer look and you’ll see that they share common design elements: sleek lines, polished metal, matte black and fire-engine red color palettes, and more. That’s not surprising, as these design choices project status, power, and affluence – qualities likely to appeal to all.

Cross-pollination of design ideas between the automotive and jewelry industries is nothing new. Porsche has a jewelry division that makes cufflinks, necklaces, and earrings. Ferrari makes cufflinks featuring its iconic rearing horse. In May 2013, Jewel-Craft Inc. introduced the Insignia Collection – a jewelry collection based on the five most marketable drives of NASCAR. Pieces include steering wheel earrings and key chains in the shape of racing helmets.

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Ford Mustang, some 49 companies used the car’s logo on watches, cologne, commemorative Mustang leather jackets, nail polish, video games, die-cast models, apparel, and a number of other products, according to an April 2013 web article on Marketing Daily. Breitling took the idea a step further: it partnered with Bentley to make watches that feature the automaker’s iconic winged logo.

	Car design has a gravitational pull that extends far from the parking lot, influencing office dress and evening wear. Now that men are wearing more accessories, it’s natural to see car motifs showing up in jewelry design.

		McKenzie Santimer, Exhibit Developer, GIA Museum

Jewelry designers use a variety of techniques to capture the sleek beauty and raw power of car design. Making a piece often starts with drawing basic sketches, which are then migrated into computer-aided design (CAD) software. Using 3D CAD software is similar to making a clay model of a car, and allows members of the design team to provide feedback easily.

"GIA's Jewelry Design & Technology program incorporates a similar design concept. Students make rough sketches of their ideas. They then create the design in CAD. This lets them make realistic, full-color renderings, and to see the piece from multiple viewpoints. Students then share their work, getting feedback from classmates and their instructor. Once the concept has been finalized, they create 3D rapid prototypes with 3D printers or wax milling," says Mark Mann, director, Global Jewelry Manufacturing Arts.

	Of Hubcaps and Cufflinks
Cufflinks masquerading as hubcaps? These high-polished metal pieces sure look like them. And the matte black and fire-engine red color scheme is likely to appeal to men who love sports cars. So will the geometric symmetry of the circle-within-a-circle-within-a-circle design.

	Photo, left, by Eric Welch/GIA, courtesy Craig Selimotic Danforth

	Unchained and Ready to Wear
This ID bracelet looks like a motorcycle chain in many ways. It is made of a two-toned metal, has a continuous locking pattern, and flathead screws that are integral to the design. These elements make for a bold, masculine statement that are tough enough for the most macho motorcyclist.

	Photo, right, © GIA

	Function Over Form
Polished chrome pipes, gleaming carburetors, and exposed gears show that auto aficionados love the inside of their machines as much as the outside. It’s the appreciation of the beauty under the hood, and the valuing of function over form. This titanium watch echoes the same design principles of speed machines. It’s so stripped down that its exposed “engine” and gears are the design – something sure to rev up the car enthusiast.

	Photo, right, by Eric Welch/GIA, courtesy A. Gunalp Horologist Watch & Clock Shop

	Fender Bending
These cufflinks, whose simple, geometric lines evoke the Art Deco era, could resemble the grille of a classic car. They also look like tire treads.

Whatever the designer’s inspiration, the cufflinks are simple and functional. Their tri-color also makes for easy mixing and matching with belt buckles, watches, and other accessories.

	Photo, left, by Eric Welch/GIA, courtesy Craig Selimotic Danforth
The next time you’re designing jewelry, take a stroll through the parking lot. A car design may end up fueling your inspiration. Source: GIA @topic:6


Title: Polymer-Filled Aquamarine Abstract: The authors have encountered hundreds of polymer-filled aquamarines in the Chinese jewelry market. This treatment can be identified with a standard gemological microscope, since it has characteristics such as a flash effect and relief lines. In addition, some of the filled fractures fluoresce chalky white to long-wave UV radiation. FTIR spectroscopy reveals diagnostic features at ~3100–2850 cm-1 that are related to benzene and ethylic C-H bonds in a polymer. Source: GIA @topic:13


Title: Jewels of the Edwardians Abstract: Although the reign of King Edward VII of Great Britain was relatively short (1902-1910), the age that bears his name produced distinctive jewelry and ushered in several new designs and manufacturing techniques. During this period, women from the uppermost echelons of society wore a profusion of extravagant jewelry as a way of demonstrating their wealth and rank. The almost exclusive use of platinum, the greater use of pearls, and the steady supply of South African diamonds created a combination that will forever characterize Edwardian jewels. The Edwardian age, truly the last era of the ruling classes, ended dramatically with the onset of World War I. Source: GIA @topic:6


Title: Fall 1990 G&G Book Reviews Abstract: “Emeralds of Pakistan: Geology, Gemology and Genesis”
Edited by Ali H. Kazmi and Lawrence W. Snee, 269 pp., illus., publ. by the Geological Survey of
Pakistan and Van Nostrand Reinhold Co., New York, 1989. US$39.95

“The Jewelry Design Source Book”
By P. Bayer, V. Becker, H. Craven, P. Hinks, R. Lightbrown, J. Ogden, and D. Scarisbrick, 192 pp., illus., publ.by Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York, 1989. US$39.95

To view the full section, download the PDF above. Source: GIA @topic:7


Title: Summer 1988 G&G Book Reviews Abstract: “American Jewelry”
By Penny Proddow and Debra Healy, 208 pp., illus., publ. by Rizzoli, New York, 1987. US$75.00

“Introduction to Lapidary”
By Pansy Kraus, 196 pp., illus., publ. by Chilton Book Co., Radnor, PA, 1987. US$19.95

“Jet”
By Helen Muller, 149 pp., illus., publ. by Butterworths, Great Britain, 1987. US$29.95

“Amber”
By Helen Fraquet, 176 pp., illus., publ. by Butterworths, Great Britain, 1987. US$29.95

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


Title: Spring 2009 G&G Book Reviews Abstract: “Cartier”
By Hans Nadelhoffer, 352 pp., illus., publ. by Chronicle Books [www.chroniclebooks.com], San Francisco, 2007. US$75.00

“7000 Years of Jewelry”
By Hugh Tait, Ed., 256 pp., illus., publ. by Firefly Books, Buffalo, NY, 2008. US$29.95

“Pegmatites”
By David London, 368 pp, illus., publ. by the Mineralogical Association of Canada [www.mineralogicalassociation.ca], 2008. US$125.00

“Brooches: Timeless Adornment”
By Lori Ettlinger Gross, 192 pp., illus., publ. by Rizzoli International Publications, New York, 2008. US$45.00

“Collector’s Guide to the Epidote Group”
By Robert J. Lauf, 96 pp., illus., publ. by Schiffer Publishing, Arglen, PA, 2008. US$19.99

“World of Gems Conference”
Edited by Richard Drucker, 90 pp., illus., publ. by Gemworld International [www.gemguide.com], Glenview, IL, 2008, US$29.95

To view the full section, download the PDF above. Source: GIA @topic:9


Title: Reinventing Lace Abstract: Photo courtesy Neil Lane Jewelry

                      Step into our time machine. Travel back about one hundred years. You have now arrived in Edwardian England (1900 -1915).

You’re at an elegant ball at a duke’s estate. Young princesses and grande dames parade about the aristocratic affair, their stunning jewelry sparkling with triumphal laurel wreaths, ribbons, and filigree.

Fast-forward to the present, and lacey jewelry is making a comeback. Big fashion houses are filling the pages of women’s magazines with haute couture lace clothing. Dresses…shirts…scarves – lace is the look of the day.

Handcrafted items are also popular, and they’re stoking demand for products with an antique appearance. Consumers have been bitten by the nostalgia bug – a grounding look in a fast-changing world – and jewelry designers picked up on this.

"Lace combines history and romance in beautifully crafted patterns. It’s both revealing and concealing at the same time, veiling the skin and accentuating it with its design. I find it to be a very inspiring material for my designs," says jewelry designer, Katherine Semyonov of Katerina Maxine. Semyonov is known for finding inspiration in her Russian heritage.

	Katerina Maxine’s bracelet is ethereal…refined…aristocratic. The use of rose gold gives the piece the warmth of the hearth, while the filigree work evokes the work of skilled craftsmen from days past. Photo courtesy D'Orazio & Associate/Katerina Maxine
Technological advances, ironically, are behind this neo-antique look. Groundbreaking laser technology is allowing designers to make jewelry of unmatched complexity. It’s also enabling them to create the illusion of more jewelry with less material – something increasingly important as the price of precious metals rise.

Antique style and high technology – this blending of the old and new – make it an exciting time to be in the gem and jewelry industry.

	The Limelight Couture Précieuse necklace by Piaget is the epitome of femininity: graceful, flowing lines, and decorated with flowers and honeycombed shapes. It also is a magnificent piece of craftsmanship: It has more than 1,600 diamonds and took more than 800 hours to make. Photo courtesy Piaget Source: GIA @topic:6


Title: Signs Still Point to ‘Decent’ U.S. Season Abstract: A 61.35 carat emerald ring sold for $4.65 million – four times the pre-sale estimate – at a Sotheby’s auction Dec. 11, 2013 in New York. Photo courtesy of Sotheby’s

	Jewelry sales for the 2013 holiday season continue to point to decent, if not spectacular, growth in the U.S. market, which accounts for about 35% of world volume.  While most diamond and gemstone sales happen in the week before Christmas, the results so far indicate that most of the growth will be driven by higher-end and on-line merchants.

	High-end stores had a strong start to the season, according to a survey by The Centurion Newsletter, with 87% of jewelers reporting sales increases over last year. About a third reported increases between 6% to 10% and a fourth showed increases above 10%. Results tapered off a bit during the second week of the season, but still pointed to a strong showing, especially for diamonds, which accounted for about half of the sales volume.

	The e-commerce research firm comScore reports that on-line sales of all merchandise have been running at 9% above last year. Some surveys note that diamond and jewelry sales are running at higher growth rates.

	U.S. sales of diamonds may be dampened slightly by the continued curtailment of memo business. Banks financing the diamond pipeline have been cracking down on expensive memo deals – where diamond suppliers put goods in retailers’ showcases with little or no money upfront, and collect on sales after January. Banks have also been requiring diamond suppliers to sell goods on shorter payment terms. On the other side, many retailers, citing the huge upfront investment needed, say they cannot afford to keep large diamond inventories.

	Dealers report that demand in China should pick up for the Chinese New Year on Jan. 31, when many workers receive a bonus. Retailers there continue to stock diamonds cautiously, but anticipate strong demand at the end of January—mainly in gold items.

	De Beers’ December sight was about $565 million, much larger than expected. In contrast to the previous sights, clients left few goods on the table – mainly small stones that were not profitable to cut in today’s market, particularly after the value of the rupee plunged in relation to the U.S. dollar, the currency in which De Beers conducts its diamond sales.

	One report noted that few De Beers’ sightholders have been able to make a profit since last June and, as the rupee continues to struggle in the currency exchange markets, they continue to pressure for additional price reductions.

	It is likely, however, that despite the current “break-even” prices of De Beers rough, clients will resist deferring or refusing their sight allocations, because 2014 is the review year for the new client sight contracts that begin in January 2015.

	One area of the market where there seems to be no end to growth is auctions: Christie’s and Sotheby’s combined sales for the year have exceeded $1.2 billion ‒ by far a record.

	Both Sotheby’s and Christie’s had extremely strong end-of-season sales in New York. Sotheby’s total of $60.5 million for its Dec. 11 sale was a record for that venue.  A 61.35 carat Colombian emerald ring soared four times over its pre-sale estimate of $1-$1.5 million, achieving a hammer price of $4.65 million.

	Christie’s Dec. 10 New York sale totaled $65.8 million, with the top lot, a GIA-graded 52.28 ct D –IF, type IIa diamond selling for $10.9 million, or $208,817 per carat. Source: GIA @topic:8


Title: Career Fair Bridges Gap Between Grads, Employers Abstract: Designer Erica Courtney offers advice to a job seeker at GIA Career Fair in Carlsbad. These coaching sessions are a rare opportunity for aspiring professionals to meet with someone who has been successful in the industry.

The following is excerpted from “Legacy of Leadership: A History of the Gemological Institute of America” (2003).

	Back in early 1991, Kathryn Kimmel [then GIA director of Marketing] faced an altogether different type of challenge, one that went beyond branding or advertising and marketing campaigns. Her industry contacts and extensive retail and jewelry manufacturing experience were in demand throughout the Institute in more ways than she had anticipated. Kimmel recalled, “I had a steady stream of students passing through my office who had completed their education at GIA and were ready to move out into the world, but were looking for guidance on how to do it.”

	Kimmel was dedicated to helping these students, but at most she could mentor only a few each year. There were hundreds more, many of them starting second careers, who needed assistance. While GIA maintained a listing of job opportunities, it had no formal program to facilitate networking between students and the trade. Something needed to be done.

	Kimmel knew from her experience in the trade that there was a huge demand for new talent. Now she could see firsthand that the talent was available—the problem was how to bring demand and supply together. She proposed a solution to [then president, Bill] Boyajian: a GIA-hosted “career fair” that would bring GIA students together with industry figures, both to teach the students more about searching for a job and to introduce them to the trade. Boyajian backed the idea, and Kimmel got to work.

	The first place Kimmel went was the 24 Karat Club of Southern California, where she had been a board member for six years. She pitched the idea to her longtime friend Howard Sherwood. Sherwood immediately agreed to be her co-chair, but others were not as convinced. “Some of them told me it was impossible,” Kimmel said. “I responded, ‘Just watch!’”

	Throughout that summer of 1991, Kimmel worked with a steering committee assembled from members of the 24 Karat Club, among them the club’s president, Jack Zemer; Bart Boydston and Earl Lynch of the Diamond Promotion Service; Lynn Diamond of National Jeweler; and Matt Runci of the Manufacturing Jewelers & Silversmiths of America. The committee set out to build support, financial and otherwise, for a GIA Career Fair. One by one, the doubters were won over, and momentum grew rapidly.

	The first Career Fair was held at GIA’s Santa Monica campus in October 1991, in conjunction with the 24 Karat Club of Southern California’s annual dinner dance. Two hundred and fifty students attended a series of panel discussions on job opportunities in the gem and jewelry industry, the various fields within the trade, and how to move from the classroom to a full-time job. In addition, 23 companies came to recruit.

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	Left: Kathryn Kimmel, co-founder of Career Fair, speaks during a panel. Right: A recruiter meets with a job seeker at GIA Career Fair in Carlsbad.

	Industry response was enthusiastic. When the second Career Fair was held in 1992, something new became its most successful feature: one-on-one guidance from industry leaders on how to find openings and prepare resumés, and to hear about trade opportunities firsthand. “We had a lot of smart students who had little experience in preparing a resumé,” Kimmel said.

	In January 1993, GIA New York inaugurated its own Career Fair. Kimmel believed that Career Fair could do far more than recruit GIA students for industry jobs—it could also attract talented people to the industry. It was a promise that was realized more fully than Kimmel anticipated.

	For the Zale Corp., then the largest U.S. jewelry retailer, Career Fair was “our premier recruitment event,” said Susan Goodfellow, the company’s staffing manager, in 1998. “We [come] looking for regional managers, store managers, and sales associates nationwide. We [hire] jewelry professionals at all levels of expertise, including buyers and store operations personnel.”

	By 2002, the Career Fair in New York was attracting more than 1,000 people, while Carlsbad drew more than 800. With the success of GIA’s Career Fair on both coasts, the trade had come to view it as one of the most important services provided by the Institute, not in the least because it was the largest formal recruiting opportunity in the industry. A modest gathering held before the 24 Karat Club’s annual dinner had grown into a major industry event where GIA students and jobseekers from outside the industry were able to rub elbows with executives from major jewelry companies.

	“Career Fair has done more than just find jobs and mentors for thousands of students,” Kimmel said. “It attracted a lot of new talent to the industry, and it allowed industry figures to give back. When people come up to me and say, ‘I went to Career Fair eight years ago, and I didn’t know a thing, and now I’m vice president of a major jewelry company,’ that’s when I know it really paid off. It’s truly the last bridge from GIA to the trade, and from the trade to our students.”

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	A Carlsbad Career Fair attendee meets with designer Paul Klecka for an informal coaching session. Source: GIA @topic:10


Title: Zircon Care and Cleaning Guide Abstract: Zircon ranks 6 to 7.5 on the Mohs hardness scale.

Hardness and toughness
Gem and mineral hardness is measured on the Mohs scale. The numbers are based on the relative ease or difficulty with which one mineral can be scratched by another. But the Mohs scale is deceptive. The steps between the minerals are not evenly spaced. For example, diamond is only one number away, but it’s many times harder than gems in the corundum family.

Zircon is rated 6 to 7.5 on the Mohs scale. It has fair to good toughness. While zircon is not as hard or tough as a stone like sapphire, it can still be worn in all types of jewelry as long as proper care is given to avoid rough wearing or hard blows. Also, zircon can be brittle, so it should be worn and stored in a manner that avoids hard rubbing against other materials.

Stability
Zircon is generally stable when exposed to light, but some heat-treated stones might revert back to their original colors (usually light brown) after prolonged exposure to bright light. Heat can alter the color of some zircon. Zircon is stable when exposed to chemicals.

Cleaning
Warm, soapy water is recommended for cleaning zircon. Ultrasonic and steam cleaners are not recommended for cleaning this gem.

	Zircon can be worn and enjoyed for its beauty with a few precautions to avoid rough wear
	that could cause abrasions. - Courtesy Sarah & Leonard Friedman
Treatment concerns
Zircon is commonly heat-treated to produce blue and colorless varieties. As with any transparent gemstone, zircon can be fracture-filled to improve apparent clarity, but this treatment is rarely applied to this gem. Source: GIA @topic:3


Title: Tourmaline Care and Cleaning Guide Abstract: Tourmaline ranks 7 to 7.5 on the Mohs hardness scale.

Hardness and toughness
Gem and mineral hardness is measured on the Mohs scale. The numbers are based on the relative ease or difficulty with which one mineral can be scratched by another. But the Mohs scale is deceptive. The steps between the minerals are not evenly spaced. For example, diamond is only one number away, but it’s many times harder than gems in the corundum family.

Tourmaline ranks 7 to 7.5 on the Mohs scale. Its toughness is considered Fair.

Stability
Tourmaline is generally stable to light and isn’t affected by exposure to chemicals, but heat can damage a tourmaline. High heat can alter the color, and sudden temperature change (thermal shock) can cause fracturing.

Some tourmalines might have been treated to improve their color. The two most important tourmaline treatments are heating and irradiation.

	The stone on the left was heat-treated to give it its desirable Paraíba color. The violetish stone on the right couldn’t be heated because it contains liquid inclusions. - Courtesy Nomad's Company
Changes resulting from heat treatment are stable and undetectable. Gems with abundant liquid inclusions can’t withstand heat treatment.

Color changes due to irradiation can fade with exposure to heat or bright light.

Cleaning
Warm, soapy water is the best method for cleaning tourmaline. The use of ultrasonic and steam cleaners is not recommended. Source: GIA @topic:12


Title: Topaz Care and Cleaning Guide Abstract: Topaz ranks 8 on the Mohs haedness scale

Hardness and toughness
Gem and mineral hardness is measured on the Mohs scale. The numbers are based on the relative ease or difficulty with which one mineral can be scratched by another. But the Mohs scale is deceptive. The steps between the minerals are not evenly spaced. For example, diamond is only one number away, but it’s many times harder than gems in the corundum family.

Because of its basal cleavage, topaz requires special care during cutting, polishing, and mounting. It’s not very tough, so a hard blow might split it, and extreme pressure or sharp temperature changes might cause it to break. To reduce the risk of breakage, cutters orient faceted topaz so the cleavage direction is at about a 15-degree angle to the table. Jewelers prefer to set valuable topaz gems in protective mountings. Or they use topaz in pieces that aren’t exposed to too much wear, like pendants and pins.

Topaz rates 8 on the Mohs hardness scale. Its toughness rating is poor due to its cleavage

Stability
High heat or sudden temperature changes can cause breaks in topaz. The gem’s color is generally stable to light, but prolonged exposure to heat or sunlight might cause fading in yellow-to-brown, reddish brown, or dark brown topaz. Topaz is affected only very slightly by chemicals.

Cleaning
It’s important to avoid steam or ultrasound for cleaning topaz: Warm, soapy water works best.

Treatment and durability considerations
Besides irradiation and heat treatment, there is another treatment that involves coating colorless topaz with a microscopic layer of metallic oxide compound. The coating is not very durable. It can resist daily wear and tear, but abrasive cleaners or buffing wheels would remove it. It’s safe to use a mild soap solution.

Despite these care considerations, fine topaz is a beautiful gem that offers a range of warm, attractive colors in large sizes that are often free of visible inclusions or flaws.

	Surface treatment with metallic oxides resulted in the unique look of this ring’s gem, marketed as mystic topaz. - Courtesy Livingstone Jewelry Source: GIA @topic:1


Title: Spinel Care and Cleaning Guide Abstract: Spinel is a magnificent-but-rare stone that is durable enough to be worn in all types of jewelry. - Courtesy Thomas Baross

Hardness and toughness
Gem and mineral hardness is measured on the Mohs scale. The numbers are based on the relative ease or difficulty with which one mineral can be scratched by another. But the Mohs scale is deceptive. The steps between the minerals are not evenly spaced. For example, diamond is only one number away, but it’s many times harder than gems in the corundum family.

	Spinel ranks 8 on the Mohs hardness scale.
Spinel ranks 8 on the Mohs scale and has good toughness, making it a durable gem for jewelry.

Stability
High heat can cause some spinel colors to fade, but spinel is stable when exposed to light and chemicals.

Cleaning
While ultrasonic cleaners and steam cleaners are usually safe, certain inclusions like fractures could pose a potential problem. It’s always safe to clean spinel with warm soapy water.

Treatment concerns
Some spinel might be subjected to color-altering heat treatment. The treatment is stable under normal wearing conditions. As with any transparent gemstone, spinel might be fracture-filled to improve its apparent clarity. This is rarely done to spinel, but if it is, the filler material can alter over time and affect the appearance of the stone. Any fracture-filled stone should only be cleaned with warm soapy water or a damp cloth. Source: GIA @topic:3