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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

	RJC Managing Director Andy Bone said the council has a thousand members and continues to grow because the alternative will be more governments adding scrutiny and regulation to gem and jewelry trading. Source: GIA @topic:10


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

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

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

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

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

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

	Assignment 2: Indian Jewelry

	Assignment 1: The Diavik Diamond Mine

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

	Assignment 2: Indian Jewelry

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

	Assignment 3: Australian Opal

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

	Assignment 4: Australian Sapphire

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

	Assignment 5: Colombian Emerald

	Assignment 5: Colombian Emerald

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

	Assignment 6: Sapphire Mining in Montana

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

	Assignment 7: Heat Treatment of Montana Sapphires

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

	Assignment 8: Tennessee Shell Harvesting

	Assignment 8: Tennessee Shell Harvesting

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

	Don’t miss this chance to learn more valuable and exciting information from GIA’s top experts. Find out more about GIA’s Continuing Education Recognition Program. You can also contact the GIA Alumni Association at (760) 603-4145 or email alumni@gia.edu. Source: GIA @topic:7


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

	Creation and Business of Beads

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

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

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

View Gallery

	Creating Beads Gallery

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

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

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

Fashioning beads and cabochons is a hand-manufacturing process. The cutters use their experience, eyes, and sense of touch to create the final product. Photo by Andrew Lucas/GIA. Source: GIA @topic:7


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

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

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

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

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

	BASELWORLD

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

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

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

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

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

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

	DIAMONDS

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

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

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

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

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

	AUCTIONS

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

	The company told Rapaport it has received offers as high as $40 million for the stone, but believes its value is well above $60 million. Source: GIA @topic:8


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

	Warding Off the Evil Eye: The Hamsa Hand

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

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

	Elephants Are Auspicious

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

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

	China’s Mythical Dragon

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

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

	Lucky Ladybugs

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

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

	Good Luck Gems

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Larry Wright, director of security for GIA, believes it is imperative for GIA and international law enforcement agencies to work together to solve the fast-moving reality of gem crimes.
“It’s a new world. We must communicate and coordinate across international boundaries and continents to fight against criminals who take advantage of the public.” Source: GIA @topic:7


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

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

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

		Colored gemstone mining, cutting, and treatment

		Colored gemstone wholesale trading

		Jewelry design and manufacturing

		Retail and pawn

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

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

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

	Sri Lanka still relies on pits for mining gemstones - as it has done for centuries. Photo by Andrew Lucas/GIA Source: GIA @topic:7


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

	Left: A recruiter meets with a job seeker at GIA Career Fair in Carlsbad. Most recruiters in attendance are actively seeking new employees and are eager to meet with professionally trained graduates. Right: Gem and jewelry industry leaders discuss the job market and give career advice during a Carlsbad presentation. Source: GIA @topic:10


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

7. Show passion. “The people I’ve seen within any industry who are successful have a real passion for what they are doing. Find what you love to do and do it with everything you’ve got and you’ll have great success.” Source: GIA @topic:10


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

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

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

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

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


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

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

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

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


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

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

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

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

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


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Pearl dealers reported that demand has improved across every price range and that prices have stabilized after several years of steady declines in all but the very top qualities. Source: GIA @topic:8


Title: The Early History of Gemstone Treatments Abstract: This article examines the origins of gemstone treatment. Using such primary sources as Pliny's History and the relatively unknown Stockholm Papyrus, the author has uncovered many ancient references to, and even recipes for, the simulation or enhancement of gemstones. Among the processes described are crackling and dyeing quartz, foilbacking, the making of doublets and triplets, boiling amber in oil, and heat treating sapphire to simulate diamond. Although some of the ingredients, such as goat’s blood and leek juice, have been replaced by less exotic elements, it is interesting to note that through their crude experimentation, the ancient forerunners of modern science discovered basic methods and principles of gemstone treatment that are still in use today. Source: GIA @topic:7


Title: Yellow Gemstones: Can You Identify Them? Abstract: This 54.29 ct Fancy Intense yellow cushion cut diamond is accented with 67 cts of white diamonds and is set in 18K white gold. Courtesy of Chatila. Photo by Robert Weldon/GIA

Sunshine, lemons and a variety of flowers share the color yellow and often evoke feelings of happiness, warmth and optimism. A variety of gemstones also come in shades of yellow, from diamonds to citrine to garnets.
Yellow diamonds are enduring in quality and value and popular set in jewelry. Yet a treasure trove of other yellow gemstones exists at reasonable price points. They can be found in light-toned shades to rich, warm hues.
The most plentiful yellow gemstones in the marketplace are citrine, sapphire, topaz, tourmaline, and transparent opal. Other varieties include yellow andradite garnet, spessartine and Mali garnets, beryl, sphene, zircon, spodumene and transparent varieties of labradorite and orthoclase feldspar. Less abundant or collectible yellow gems include chrysoberyl, sphalerite, apatite and prehnite.
Yellow Gemstone Challenge
Many yellow gemstones can resemble one another in color. Can you see the subtle differences in the yellow gemstone pairs? They appear similar, but are different species.

View Gallery

Yellow Diamonds
Yellow is the most abundant color of natural fancy diamonds, yet they still represent a very small percentage of all diamonds. The first major source of yellow diamonds was found in the late 1860s in Cape Province, South Africa, so in the jewelry trade, these yellow diamonds came to be known as “cape” yellow diamonds.

The cut fancy yellow “cape” diamond, front, is a gift of Safdico USA, Inc. The “cape” yellow diamond hexoctahedron rough, back, is a gift of the Sir Oppenheimer Student Collection. Composite photo by Orasa and Robert Weldon/GIA
“Cape” diamonds, according to the “GIA Diamond Dictionary,” are a Type Ia diamond with a distinct yellow body color that exhibits absorption that falls in a specific and defined pattern. (There is often a strong band at about 415.5 mm and a fairly strong one at 478.0 nm, with four weaker lines between the two.) Such diamonds may also fluoresce blue, yellow, or orange.
What is the cause of the yellow color in diamonds?
“In general, the presence of nitrogen atoms gives rise to two kinds of absorption in the blue region of the visible spectrum; the remainder of the spectrum is transmitted, leading to an observed yellow color,” according to GIA’s diamond color expert John King.

The color of this 9.05 ct Fancy Vivid yellow diamond is evenly distributed throughout the face up appearance of the stone. Courtesy of B. Najjar. photo by Robert Weldon/GIA
Canary is a historic term for a Type Ib fancy color intense yellow diamonds that is used to distinguish them from diamonds with a “cape” spectrum. Diamonds referred to in the trade as “canary yellow” are highly valued for their saturated yellow color.
Famous Yellow Diamonds

Schlumberger’s rosette necklace with ribbon clip features the famous Tiffany Yellow Diamond. Photo courtesy of Tiffany & Co.
There’s an inexplicable allure about diamonds that fascinates the gem lover. As early as 1676, accounts by the French traveler and gem dealer, Jean-Baptiste Tavernier, mentioned seeing a 137.27 ct yellow diamond that he referred to variously as the Florentine, the Austrian Yellow and the Grand Duke of Tuscany. Since then, many notable color diamonds have been given the elite distinction of famous diamonds, particularly as the appeal of color became widespread.
The Tiffany Yellow Diamond was acquired by Tiffany & Co. in 1878 and has been on display for more than 70 years in its flagship store in New York. Under the direction of Dr. George Frederick Kunz, it was cut from a 297.42 ct rough stone to its present cushion cut of 128.54 ct, one of the largest known fancy yellow diamonds in the world. GIA graded it in 1984.

The Allnatt, 101.29 cts, is a famous Fancy Vivid yellow diamond that improved in color and value by being recut. Photo by Shane F. McClure/GIA
The Allnatt, a yellow diamond thought to have originated from the De Beers mine in South Africa, is named for its former owner, Major Alfred Ernest Allnatt, a British soldier and noted philanthropist who purchased the diamond in the early 1950s.
The diamond next appeared at Christie’s Geneva auction in May 1996 weighing 102.07 ct with a color grade of Fancy Intense yellow. It was purchased and then recut to 101.29 ct to improve color and clarity, going from Fancy Intense to Fancy Vivid with an improved clarity grade to VS2.
The Allnatt is a classic example of early 20th century cutting styles used to retain maximum weight and enhance the color of a well-formed octahedral rough crystal.

The famous Kahn Canary Diamond is set in an 18K gold and platinum ring, designed and created by Henry Dunay, a prominent New York jeweler. The graceful billowy shape of the diamond was left uncut. Courtesy of the Stanley Kahn Family Collection, Pine Bluff, Arkansas. Photo by Harold & Erica Van Pelt/GIA
George Stepp, a logger from Carthage, Arkansas, found a yellow diamond crystal in the Crater of Diamonds State Park in Arkansas in 1972 and sold it to Kahn Jewelers in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, where it was left uncut to showcase its natural triangular pillow shape known as a macle crystal. “The Kahn Canary Diamond” weighs 4.25 carats and is internally flawless.
More than 33,000 diamonds have been found in the Crater of Diamonds State Park in Arkansas since it became a state park and opened to the public in 1977. The park has a “finders, keepers” policy that allows the public to dig for diamonds for a fee. Source: GIA @topic:4


Title: Ups and Downs of 2016 Make for an Uncertain 2017 Abstract: Rough diamond prices are more in touch with the market going into 2017, but some analysts believe a new supply glut is building. Photo by Russell Shor/GIA

	The diamond industry experienced a slow-growth economic recovery in 2016 and the colored gemstone trade received a welcome shot in the arm − despite a politically turbulent year.

	Luxury brands worldwide experienced a second slow year in a row and, in the U.S., the world’s largest market, jewelry demand fluctuated between anemic growth and slight declines as the fractious presidential election took its toll on the national mood. Consumers in China, the world’s second-largest retail market, continued to cut back on luxuries, sending the country’s major jewelers into a second year of double-digit sales declines. Currency chaos in India sapped demand at the year’s end.

	These mixed signals leave no clear indicators for the state of business in 2017.

	DIAMONDS

	The diamond industry was in chaos coming into 2016. The sharp cutback in rough sales by De Beers, Alrosa and other producers in 2015 helped reduce an estimated eight-month inventory overhang that weakened prices and sapped profits. Rough prices were well above comparable polished in most cases and diamond manufacturers, who saw their credit lines slashed by 30% or more, refused most of their allocations from De Beers and Alrosa.

	Both De Beers and Alrosa trimmed the prices of their contracted sales (an average of 5% and 15%, respectively) at the beginning of the year and other producers followed suit. The recovery was surprisingly swift and manufacturing became profitable again for many firms.

	By the end of 2016, the major mining companies turned in good numbers. De Beers was estimated to close the year with rough sales estimated between $5.6 billion and $5.8 billion, representing a nearly 30-35% increase from a turbulent 2015, despite lowering its rough prices. Alrosa’s sales climbed 48% (to $3.98 billion) during the first three quarters of 2016 and were expected to keep that pace until year’s end. Rio Tinto’s was expected to be 3-5% ahead of 2015.

	These numbers, however, were not good enough to save De Beers’ Snap Lake mine in Northern Canada, which the company plans to flood this year after several years of unprofitable operation. In addition, Rio Tinto walked away from the promising Bunder diamond mining project in India before development began.

	Banks continued to tighten credit terms on the diamond industry in 2016, with the result that some large operations were placed on financial life support. Credit will remain difficult going into 2017 and likely remain so for the foreseeable future.

	Dramatic increases in rough sales were not fully matched by rising demand, so inventories began to climb after the spring season, prompting leading lender ABN AMRO to issue a warning that stocks may reach unsustainable levels. As a result, De Beers and Alrosa will likely remain cautious in their sales during the first quarter.

	After a five-year hiatus, generic diamond advertising was revived in the U.S. The Diamond Producers Association, a group of the world’s seven largest diamond-mining companies, which included De Beers, launched the $12 million program in October using the tagline “Real is Rare.”

	The campaign, which was presented in various social media channels and on TV, shows young couples in clubs and resorts, continuing the relationship-oriented campaigns of the De Beers “Forever” advertising of the past. There are differences between the old and new campaigns, however. The old De Beers ads specifically targeted engagements and wedding anniversaries. The “Real is Rare” campaign is less about formality and traditional rules in today’s relationships and adds the implication that natural diamonds will remain more desirable than synthetics.

	Synthetic diamonds broke into the news early in the year with the creation of the Diamond Foundry, a new venture funded in part by actor Leonard Di Caprio. The start-up began test-marketing its lab-grown diamonds through four distributors and is working on a production facility it plans to open at the end of 2017.

	While colorless synthetic diamonds remained a small part of diamond sales in 2016, producers and sellers of those goods are increasing their marketing efforts and sales channels, so sales likely will grow in 2017.

Rubies from Mozambique helped renew demand for ruby, but some retailers remained cautious until President Obama lifted U.S. sanctions on material from Myanmar. Photo by Russell Shor/GIA

	COLORED GEMS

	President Obama removed the eight-year-old sanctions on Myanmar in the fall, allowing rubies from that country – the world’s major source – to legally be traded again. While some retailers and wholesalers ignored the sanctions, most U.S. major retailers did not carry ruby pieces while they were in place. Although Mozambique ruby helped fill the supply gap in the past two years, some retailers and jewelry designers worried that a cloud of suspicion hung over the gem, regardless of its source, because of its association with Myanmar.

	The ban was less effective at the top end of the market where dealers at U.S. trade shows continued to openly display and promote “pigeon blood” Burmese rubies.

	The effect of the sanctions being lifted may not be felt in consumer markets until later this year because gem dealers need time to re-establish supply lines.

	The Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC) announced in March that it will begin to certify colored stone producers in 2017. The move came after five years of discussions with various players in the trade. The RJC has 900 member firms in the diamond, jewelry and watch sectors of the industry.

	RETAIL

	The retail optimism spurred by the growing U.S. economy did not translate into a sharp upturn in diamond demand through the year. Major retail chains reported uneven sales throughout the year, with slight declines going into the fourth quarter. Most U.S. major retailers will report their seasonal numbers in late January.

	Surveys of independent jewelers showed more positive growth, with the majority enjoying sales increases of 5% or more, especially in the upper market.

	In China, the largest retail jewelers reported continued double-digit sales declines as the market continues to cool. In Hong Kong, retail sales of jewelry and watches fell 19% through the first 11 months of the year, according to the Hong Kong Census and Statistics Department. Officials in China remain hopeful that 2017 may bring an improvement because the government, recognizing the need to spur the economy, is adopting measures to encourage consumer spending.

	India’s retail jewelry sales took an immediate hit in November after its government banned 500 rupee bills (worth approximately $7.50) and 1,000 rupee bills (worth about $15) from cash transactions. The goal was to direct more commerce through banks so the government could keep track of it and reduce the opportunity for corruption, money laundering and tax evasion. A large portion of the population is paid in cash with such notes, however, and do not have bank accounts. Economists estimate that the move will result in sharp cuts in retail sales, including jewelry, and reduce economic growth by one or two points.

	Worldwide luxury sales slumped this year with the slowdown in China and a continued move away from the “bling” look of the past decade.

	Exports of Swiss luxury watches declined 11% through the first 11 months of 2016, with the decline accelerating in the fall. The conditions caused hundreds of layoffs throughout the industry. Executives said they are continuing to adjust to a “new reality” of changing tastes and markets.

	AUCTIONS

	The spring 2016 auction season was one for the record books, achieving nearly $800 million in sales between March and July, and featuring the costliest gemstone ever to go under the hammer at a public sale.

	Christie’s and Sotheby’s, who control more than 90% of top-end gem and jewelry sales worldwide, broke last year’s record by more than $140 million, aided by the Oppenheimer Blue, a GIA-graded Fancy Vivid blue diamond that sold for $57.1 million.

	The first major stone to sell last year was the 10.10 carat (ct) Fancy Vivid blue De Beers Millennial 4 diamond. The stone was part of De Beers’ famed diamond collection of 10 blue diamonds exhibited at the London Millennial Dome in 2000 that was the target of a bold, but unsuccessful robbery attempt.

	The fall season began slowly with several important diamonds and gemstones going unsold. It was ultimately successful, however, with a number of multi-million-dollar fancy-color diamonds changing hands, even if the prices did not set records.

	At Christie’s Nov. 29 Hong Kong sale, a GIA-graded 4.29 ct Fancy Vivid blue diamond sold for $11.8 million, while the 10.7 ct “Ratnaraj” ruby sold for $10.2 million. At Sotheby’s Geneva sale, which totaled over $136 million, the 8.01 ct “Sky Blue” diamond, graded Fancy Vivid blue by GIA, drew a winning price of just over $17 million and a 7.74 ct Fancy Deep blue diamond went for $3.7 million.

	The most publicized auction of the year was the June 29 auction of the 1,109 ct Lesedi la Rona diamond, the second largest gem rough ever found. The mining company that found the diamond, Lucara Diamond, offered it in a public sale through Sotheby’s, but it failed to meet its reserve, reportedly set at $82 million.

	The company said it will offer the diamond for sale again this year in a trade-only transaction that presumably would not include a 12% buyer’s premium. Source: GIA @topic:8


Title: 2016 Hong Kong Show: Demand Slightly Up Abstract: Buyers convene for the diamond and gem portion of the Hong Kong Gem and Jewellery Show at Asia World Expo. The finished jewelry portion of the show is held at the Hong Kong Convention Centre in the central part of the city. Photo by Russell Shor/GIA

	Demand for diamonds and colored gems at the Sept. 13-19 Hong Kong Gem and Jewellery Fair exceeded the expectations of most exhibitors, even if some of the demand came from other dealers bargain hunting from their colleagues in need of cash. Most dealers reported an improvement from last year’s business.

	Chinese retailers and wholesalers believe consumer demand in China is starting to stabilize at a sustainable trading level after two years of market correction following a decade of double-digit growth. In diamonds less than a carat, demand centered on medium colors and clarities. Dealers reported a slight upturn in demand for better quality diamonds over three carats. Price was still a major issue with hard bargaining over relatively small differences, delaying a lot of deals.

	In colored stones, demand still focused on finer colors for ruby, emerald and sapphire, with continuing strong demand for popularly priced gems, such as amethyst and citrine.

	As with last year, the stronger dealers began the show by buying a lot of goods from colleagues in need of hard cash after finding their credit lines severely reduced or cut off entirely.

	As one major dealer noted, “In the past, there were sellers offering big discounts, which pushed down prices for everybody. If we buy them first, it helps us maintain prices.”

	Paspaley Pearling Company held its annual tender auction of South Sea white cultured pearls and golden cultured pearls from the Philippines on the final two days of the Hong Kong show. Demand for both varieties remained similar to last year, an executive from the company said.

	Dealers from around the world inspect lots of South Sea and golden cultured pearls at the Paspaley pearl auction held in conjunction with the Hong Kong Gem and Jewellery Show. Photo by Russell Shor/GIA

	DIAMONDS

	Demand at De Beers’ Aug. 29-Sept. 2 sight (cycle) was strong, according to the company. The $630 million total includes all sales – tender auctions, side deals (called “ex-plan”) and sight sales. De Beers made no announcement about prices, which means they remained steady.

	This sight is the last of the year in which the rough diamonds can be polished in time to reach key U.S. and Asian markets in time for the end-of-year holidays.

	The total is considerably higher than July’s cycle of $528 million; the final three sales of the year likely will show strong increases over last year’s numbers when the market was in extreme turmoil and many clients were refusing goods.

	Alrosa, the world’s largest diamond producer by volume, reported that its first half sales totaled 21.7 million carats, a 21% increase over 2015. Its revenues were up 46% over the same period.

	In a surprise announcement, Rio Tinto bailed out of the Bunder diamond project in Madya Pradesh, India. The final stages of sampling were complete and estimates indicated that it would yield about 27.4 million carats over its lifetime from a cluster of eight kimberlite pipes. Rio Tinto built a highly automated recovery plant to process the samples, along with ore from the mine, after start-up.

	Rio Tinto’s then-CEO Sam Walsh called on India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2013 to help expedite the approvals process for the project. As late as July of this year the company was issuing optimistic reports that it would begin production in 2019, but later in the month Jean-Sebastien Jacques replaced Walsh as CEO. The company announced it would sell Bunder as a cost-cutting move in August.

	A report in Bloomberg said that several large companies have cancelled development plans in India because of costly, drawn out approval processes and land acquisition procedures.

	This was the second major diamond project to be scuttled this year. De Beers closed Snap Lake in northern Canada earlier in the year because it had become unprofitable. The company is still seeking a buyer.

	Signet Group, the parent company of Kay Jewelers, Jared Galleria and Zales, reported that its second quarter same-store sales were down 2.3% from the same period last year. For Kay Jewelers, the average transaction price fell by 0.8%, but rose slightly for the Zale division, which generally trades at a lower market segment. A statement from chairman Mark Light noted that sales were particularly depressed in “energy-dependent” areas of the U.S., referring to regions where oil and gas production is a significant part of the economy. In addition, stagnant wages and a general malaise in the national mood have dampened demand for luxury goods.

	Tiffany & Co. saw its second quarter same store sales fall by 9% worldwide. Declines were steep in every major market: 8% in North America; 6% in Asia-Pacific; and 17% in Europe. The company cited “well-known” economic factors for its sales decline, as well as a steep decline in Chinese tourism that has had a worldwide impact on the company’s revenues. Source: GIA @topic:8


Title: Cut: The 4th C Abstract: These three round brilliant diamonds, weighing 0.76, 0.82, and 0.74 ct (left to right), received Very Good cut grades. Each cut grade covers a range of proportions and can therefore have different appearances. Photo by Kevin Schumacher/GIA

	In an effort to establish standards for cut in the same manner as it has for color and clarity, GIA began issuing reports that included a cut grade for round brilliant diamonds in 2006. This grading system is based on research conducted over the previous decade, which was chronicled in several articles published in Gems & Gemology.

	GIA had been studying diamond cut for decades, when in 1989 the Institute turned a significant corner. It was at this time that new advances in computer technology allowed GIA researchers to analyze aspects of the visual appearance of round brilliant cut diamonds that once had been impractical and difficult to explore.

GIA developed an advanced ray-tracing program to understand how light interacts within a diamond. This helped researchers determine which proportion combinations create a brighter and more fiery appearance.

	Using advanced computer modeling, we were able to replicate the way light behaves within a round brilliant cut diamond so that we could predict how a diamond would perform with regard to brightness and fire. To study these two aspects of face-up appearance, we analyzed tens of thousands of proportion sets which included: table size, crown angle, pavilion angle, star length, lower-half length, girdle thickness, culet size, and total depth. We also studied the effects of polish and symmetry on appearance. We found that all of these parameters were interrelated in their effects on light performance, and contrary to some traditional thinking in the trade, that no single proportion, or subset of proportions, could be considered alone in judging diamond appearance. We found that there was a wide range of proportions that had the potential for high quality light performance.

	But that was just the beginning.

	The Questions Behind Cut

	We wanted to answer two important questions: First, to what degree do changes in proportion values create distinctions in appearance that can be seen by an observer? And second, which proportion sets produce results that are deemed attractive or unattractive by most observers?

	With extensive observations and research, we were able to answer these questions, and more.

	Development of the Cut Grading System

	The GIA Diamond Cut Grading System for round brilliant cut diamonds is a predictive system that is grounded in science and research.

	In an effort to validate the calculated values for brightness and fire, as well as analyze other components that contribute to a round brilliant's overall cut appearance and quality (such as scintillation, design, and craftsmanship), GIA embarked on an extensive journey of observation testing using a standardized lighting environment.

	Over 70,000 observations were made on more than 2,300 diamonds using observers from all sectors of the jewelry industry: diamond manufacturers, dealers, retailers, and jewelry consumers. This undertaking was, without a doubt, the largest study of this type ever conducted.

Observing real diamonds provided critical insight as to how the contrasting pattern of light and dark areas contributes to an attractive diamond.

	A Final, Predictive Grading System

	In our experiments, each observer was asked to evaluate the brightness, fire, and overall cut appearance of round brilliant diamonds representing many different proportion combinations. The results of this observation testing were vital to the development of the GIA Diamond Cut Grading System, and can be summarized as follows:

		We were able to validate our computer modeling for brightness and fire. This included refining our metrics so that the results represented the brightness and fire seen in actual diamonds when they were observed in standard lighting and viewing conditions.

		We were able to analyze and eventually predict other components of face-up appearance, such as scintillation, as well as aspects of cut quality such as design and craftsmanship.

		We were able to determine how much variation in any one component (for example, levels of brightness) observers could see consistently in actual diamonds, and how many overall cut grade categories people could consistently discern. The value of these results was immeasurable — they allowed us to transform our scientific models into a practical system that could be used in the day-to-day world of the diamond industry.

		We discovered that personal and regional preferences in appearance were an inherent part of a truly functional cut grading system. Although we confirmed that most observers could discern five overall grade categories for diamond cut quality, personal and/or regional tastes often dictated which diamond was finally preferred within each of those categories. This underscores the fact that there can be many different, yet equally pleasing, appearances within a grade category.

		Perhaps most importantly, extensive observation testing and trade interaction allowed GIA to create a diamond cut grading system that was predictive. That is, it assured us that when the complete set of proportion and parameter information is input into the system to obtain a cut grade, that grade is consistent with the grade that would have been provided by a large majority of observers. It is this predictive nature of the cut system that allowed GIA to create a cut database that contains cut grading results for over 38.5 million proportion combinations.

Thousands of diamonds were observed in a standardized lighting environment during the development of the GIA Diamond Cut Grading System.

	Putting It All Together

	Through computer modeling, observation testing, and trade interaction, we confirmed that to be attractive, a diamond should be bright, fiery, sparkling, and have a pleasing overall appearance, especially when the pattern of bright and dark areas is viewed face up.

	In the same manner, GIA recognized that more than just face-up attractiveness should be incorporated into the assessment of overall cut quality. Quality in design and craftsmanship (as evidenced by a diamond's weight ratio, durability, polish, and symmetry), even when face-up appearance is barely affected, should be considered in a diamond's final cut grade. Source: GIA @topic:4


Title: After a Century, Riches Still Flow from Cullinan Mine Abstract: A 29.6 carat blue diamond was recovered from the Cullinan Mine in January 2014. Photo courtesy of Petra Diamonds

	South Africa’s Cullinan Mine could be called the greatest treasure trove the world has ever known and, 111 years after its first diamonds were found, it is still yielding major gems.

	Last week, Petra Diamonds, which acquired the mine from De Beers in 2008, unveiled a 29.6 carat “exceptional” blue diamond expected to result in a “diamond of great value and importance,” according to the company.

	The Cullinan Mine (known as the Premier Mine until 2005) first made news in 1905 when workers found a 3,106 carat stone. Named the Cullinan Diamond after the mine’s discoverer, the gem is – to this day ‒ the largest piece of diamond rough ever found.

	The largest diamond cut from it was the Cullinan I, a 530 carat pear shape, probable D color, internally flawless diamond that rests atop the scepter in the crown jewels of Queen Elizabeth II. Through the years, the mine has yielded such famous diamonds as the Premier Rose (353.9 carats rough/137.02 carats polished), The Taylor-Burton (240.8 carats rough/69.42 carats polished), the Niarchos (426.5 carats rough yielded two polishes stones of 128.25 and 39.99 carats) and the Golden Jubilee (755.5 carats rough/545.67 carats polished).

	A number of major blue diamonds have also come from the mine: De Beers’ 27.64 carat (polished weight) Heart of Eternity and 11 other fancy blue diamonds that formed De Beers’ Millennium Collection.  In all, the Cullinan Mine has produced 750 stones weighing more than 100 carats.

	More recently, the Cullinan mine yielded a 26.6 carat blue diamond, cut into a GIA-graded Fancy Vivid blue of 7.0 carats, which sold for $9.49 million, or $1.35 million per carat.

	Petra Diamonds CEO Johan Dippenaar holds the 29.6 carat blue diamond, one of many notable diamonds recovered from the South African mine. Photo courtesy of Petra Diamonds

DIAMOND MARKET: After reasonably successful holiday sales of diamond jewelry in the U.S., De Beers allocated a large sight of about $750 million, with prices of medium quality goods rising 3-5%, higher in some cases. The price increases were apparently based on the assumption that demand for certain goods will increase in the spring when U.S. retailers will need to restock.

	As soon as the news of the price increase reached the markets, premiums on existing rough supplies also began to rise, causing concern that a new round of speculative buying – and subsequent price increases unrelated to demand – may be in the offing.

	Additional buzz from the sight, held in Gaborone, Botswana Jan. 21-24, came from De Beers’ CEO Philippe Mellier’s address that hinted of possible major changes for the sight term that will begin in 2015. He told sightholders De Beers was looking at ways to give them more flexibility, simplify the process and “make sightholder status more meaningful.”

	Diamond dealers take this to mean that De Beers will likely build in more ability for sightholders to adjust the quantities of rough stones in various quality ranges they want to purchase, and make the complex application process much easier. A number of sightholders have publically proclaimed their dissatisfaction with the system and indicated they may not re-apply for a new term.

	Since 2009, De Beers has adjusted to the realities of the post-economic crisis market by allowing clients to defer purchases, but has remained relatively inflexible over whether clients could refuse or defer partial lots of certain categories of goods. The sight application process also requires clients to provide extremely detailed analyses of their businesses.

	Whatever changes may be coming in 2015, the market will have to adjust to a continually challenging environment, especially as far as bank financing is concerned.

	Last year, ABN Amro, the industry’s leading lender, announced it would limit credit to 70% of rough purchases, a break from past policy when they would finance the full amount. In short, diamond manufacturers and rough dealers must put 30% of their own capital up for each purchase, a move the bank feels will limit the speculative buying that has created an extremely volatile rough market during the past four years. In addition, the manufacturers must invest their own funds into rough that is much less profitable to cut in the current environment.

	Bank Leumi’s U.S. subsidiary announced this week that it was exiting the U.S. diamond business, a year after it closed out its Israeli diamond industry portfolio.  A banker quoted in JCK said the industry’s continued lack of transparency, coupled with the stringent regulatory requirements of Basel III, along with other risks, has increased the banks’ reluctance to finance the diamond industry.

	Additionally, some bankers claimed that excessive finance created an unsustainable credit bubble that will ultimately cause some large firms to default. Source: GIA @topic:7


Title: Building the Color Treated Diamond Market Abstract: VIdeo on Hold for edit

Interview with Rahul Karnavat, Lotus Colors, Inc.

Mr. Karnavat lives in a colorful world, and he shares it with us in these interviews from the 2013 Tucson Gem Show. Presenting a dazzling array of diamonds in a rainbow of enhanced colors, Mr. Karnavat explains his color-enhancing processes one by one.

Sensing the need for colored diamonds in a world with a growing shortage of naturally colored ones, Mr. Karnavat’s company, Lotus Colors, Inc., began irradiating diamonds in the early 1990s. Gradually, they added heat and high-pressure high-temperature (HPHT) treatments and, most recently, a modern coating process.

Mr. Karnavat describes the coatings—actually extremely thin films—at length. He explains that they can result in many lovely colors, but they’re fragile, requiring care in setting, jewelry repair, and other procedures. An advantage of their fragility is that if a color goes out of style, Lotus can just give the color-coated diamonds an acid bath and recoat them in a new, more popular color.

Mr. Karnavat emphasizes the importance of disclosure for all treatments, especially coatings. In his words, “We scare people before we sell it.”

Mr. Karnavat’s company also has a line of jewelry set with their color-enhanced diamonds. It’s only 5-10% of their business, but it helps with sales of the loose stones by showing them set in jewelry. As he shows some examples, he explains how they carefully coordinate the colors of the metal with the enhanced diamond colors.

Mr. Karnavat tells us that public acceptance of colored diamonds has increased greatly since the early days, along with acceptance of technology in general. Treatments are the future, he says: Naturally colored diamonds aren’t getting any less expensive. Even more important, the supply is not there—especially of natural pinks—even if the customer has the money. Source: GIA @topic:4


Title: Summer 2007 G&G Book Reviews Abstract: “Gemmology, 3rd Ed.”
By Peter G. Read, 324 pp., illus., publ. by Elsevier Butterworth-Heinemann, Burlington, MA, 2005. US$39.95

“The Art of Enameling”
By Linda Darty, 176 pp., illus., publ. by Lark Books [www.larkbooks.com], Asheville, NC, 2006. US$17.95

“The Smale Collection: Beauty in Natural Crystals”
By Steve Smale, with photos by Jeff Scovil and Steve Smale, 204 pp., publ. by Lithographie LLC [www.lithographie.org], East Hampton, CT, 2006. US$50.00

“Horn: Its History and Its Uses”
By Adele Schaverien, 281 pp., illus., publ. by the author [www.hornhistoryuses.com.au], Wahroonga, NSW, Australia, 2006. US$60.00

“Laboratory Created Diamonds”
By Sharrie Woodring and Branko Deljanin, 39 pp., illus., publ. by European Gemological Laboratory-USA [www.eglusa.com], New York City, 2005 [no price information available]

“Gem Raw Materials and Their Occurrence in Serbia, 2nd ed.”
By Ilic ́ Miloje, 152 pp., illus., publ. by the Yugoslavian Gemological Association, Belgrade, 2006 [in Serbo-Croatian, with English summary, no price information available]

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


Title: Fall 1997 G&G Book Reviews Abstract: “Birthday Book of Diamonds”
Photos by Harold and Erica Van Pelt, 112 pp., illus., publ. by Harold & Erica Van Pelt, Los Angeles, CA, 1997. US$19.95

“Ruby & Sapphire”
By Richard W. Hughes, 511 pp., illus., publ. by RWH Publishing, Boulder, CO, 1997. US$98.00

“The National Gem Collection”
By Jeffrey Post, 144 pp., illus., publ. by Harry N. Abrams, Inc., New York, 1997. US$39.95

“Classical Loop-In-Loop Chains and their Derivatives”
By Jean Reist Stark and Josephine Reist Smith, 190 pp., illus., publ. by Chapman and Hall, New York, 1997. US$44.95

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


Title: The Separation of Natural from Synthetic Colorless Sapphire Abstract: Greater amounts of colorless sapphire—promoted primarily as diamond substitutes, but also as natural gemstones—have been seen in the gem market during the past decade. In the absence of inclusions or readily identifiable growth structures, natural colorless sapphires can be separated from their synthetic counterparts by their trace-element composition and short-wave ultraviolet (SWUV) transparency. Energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) analysis shows higher concentrations of trace elements (i.e., Fe, Ti, Ca, and Ga) in natural sapphires. These impurities cause a reduction in SWUV transparency that can be detected by UV-visible spectrophotometry (i.e., a total absorption in the UV region below 280–300 nm, which is not seen in their synthetic counterparts). This article describes a SWUV transparency tester that can rapidly identify parcels of colorless sapphires. Source: GIA @topic:3


Title: Fall 1995 G&G Book Reviews Abstract: “Standard Catalog of Gem Values, 2nd Edition”
By Anna M. Miller and John Sinlzankas, 271 pp., illus., publ. by Geoscience Press, Tucson, AZ, 1994. US$24.00

“Diamond Exploration into the 21st Century”
Edited by W.L. Griffin, 367pp., illus., publ. as Vol. 53 of the Journal of Geochemical Exploration, Elsevier Science, Amsterdam, 1995, US$250.

 “The New Alchemists: Breaking Through the Barriers of High Pressure”
By Robert Hazen, xvi, 287pp., illus., publ. by Smithsonian Press, Washington, DC, 1993. US$23.00

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


Title: GIA Opens Laboratories in Israel and Japan Abstract: GIA opened two new diamond grading laboratories in 2012: one in Ramat Gan, Israel and one in Tokyo, Japan. These facilities, the eighth and ninth GIA global laboratories, are the latest steps in the Institute’s efforts to expand its ability to fulfill its mission to ensure the public trust in gems. By bringing industry-leading diamond grading services directly to important gem markets, GIA is making its services more easily accessible to laboratory clients.

“Offering GIA’s diamond grading standards and research-backed lab services to these important markets serves the public interest by supporting the Israeli and Japanese gem and jewelry industries,” said Tom Moses, GIA senior vice president for laboratory and research. “Our global network of laboratories enables GIA to remain at the forefront of gemological developments and provide the best possible service to our laboratory clients.”

Both facilities offer Diamond Dossier® and Diamond Grading Report services for colorless diamonds up to 2.99 cts. Additional services may be added in the future.

A reservation system for direct submission to the Israel facility, located in the diamond center of Tel Aviv, enables clients to schedule drop-off and pick-up appointments, eliminating the need to wait on-site to submit stones for grading services. They are also able to monitor the progress of their services online. If reservations are not available, clients can submit stones through GIA LabDirect consolidators who provide take-in services. Consolidators also take in diamonds larger than 2.99 carats, fancy color diamonds, colored gemstones and pearls.

The Tokyo lab also takes in colored stones and pearls for any other GIA services. At this time, those gems will be sent to another GIA global laboratory and returned to Tokyo for pick-up. GIA plans to expand the menu of services offered by its Tokyo facility in the coming months.

GIA began its global expansion in 2008, adding diamond grading services to its Bangkok laboratory and opening new laboratory facilities in Johannesburg, South Africa; Gaborone, Botswana; and Mumbai, India. In 2010, a lab opened in Hong Kong and a ninth facility is slated to open in Japan later this year.

All gemstones submitted to GIA anywhere in the world may be sent to any GIA laboratory, ensuring the equal, unbiased and neutral examination based on the rigorous and consistent standards that characterize all of GIA’s gem identification and grading services. Source: GIA @topic:7


Title: My Life as a Colored Gem Liquidator Abstract: Bryan PavlikICA Director

	Interview with Bryan Pavlik, ICA Director
Mr. Pavlik started out buying and selling cut gems, then added gem cutting to his skill set with a stint in the famed cutting center of Idar-Oberstein. Eventually, he turned to liquidation of others’ excess and unused gem materials. Now, he travels the world to seek gems that, for one reason or another, haven’t sold, and matches those “unwanted” products with the right buyer.

Mr. Pavlik states that knowledge is essential to a successful liquidation business. He uses his cutting knowledge to help him determine if a stone can benefit from recutting—making it smaller, but also making it more marketable by eliminating distracting inclusions.

Market knowledge is also important. He tells of buying a quantity of fashioned tanzanite that a seller in Eastern Europe had been unable to sell for ten years. Mr. Pavlik bought the stones at a bargain price, recut them to improve their appearance, and resold them in the United States—where tanzanite was in demand—for a profit.

Turning to talk of the market, Mr. Pavlik explains that, while the US was once the biggest gem market, China, India, and Russia are expanding rapidly. Also, American and European markets are highly saturated at this point, so everyone in those markets is looking for the next level of stones: spectacular specimens, especially untreated stones of any kind.

He says this is where knowledge and disclosure come in: When you can explain to a customer the price difference between a treated and untreated stone, and even among different levels of treatment, the customer will understand what he can afford, making him more likely to buy.

He also says that brand names and certification are extremely important to today’s gem buyers, especially in China. All these factors will lead to an increased need for trained gemologists. The next decade, he says, will be the decade of the gemologist, but only the best ones with the most up-to-date skills.

Mr. Pavlik tells the interviewer that he is starting to limit his participation in gem shows to concentrate on other areas of his business. The next stage will be investment in high-tech identification equipment. True to his personal pursuit of knowledge, he will also learn how to use it to enhance his own business. Source: GIA @topic:7


Title: New and Notable Finds from the GIA Lab: Winter 2023 Abstract: These new finds from the GIA lab include unusual colors and patterns in natural and laboratory-grown diamonds.

This 2.20 ct Fancy Deep brownish orange treated HPHT-grown diamond owes its distinctive appearance to multiple defect concentrations created within the various growth sectors. Photo by Diego Sanchez.
HPHT Diamond with Unique Color Zoning
The GIA laboratory in Carlsbad recently encountered a 2.20 carat laboratory-grown diamond that received a color grade of Fancy Deep brownish orange. This diamond was grown via the high-pressure, high-temperature (HPHT) method and received subsequent HPHT treatment. These treatment processes created crystal lattice defects that resulted in the interesting coloration of the stone as well as a dramatic pink square positioned just under the table facet. Learn what color the pink square changes into when viewed through the pavilion.

This 0.63 ct tapered baguette-cut diamond showed two major color zones. Photo by Adriana Robinson.
Natural Bicolor Diamond
This unusual 0.63 carat diamond exhibits two distinct color zones, one that was graded Fancy Dark orangy brown and one that was graded Fancy Dark brown greenish yellow by GIA. Bicolor diamonds are incredibly rare and are typically caused by a combination of different crystal lattice defects. What makes this diamond even rarer is that its brown greenish yellow color zone displays chameleon properties, meaning it temporarily changes color upon heating or when left in darkness for an extended period of time. Discover what geologic conditions created this one-of-a-kind diamond.

This 1.03 ct natural Fancy Dark brown diamond has uneven color zoning and abundant black inclusions. Photo by Mei Yan Lai.
Brown Diamond Containing Carbon Dioxide
The Carlsbad laboratory recently examined a 1.03 carat natural Fancy Dark brown diamond with uneven color zoning and numerous black hexagonal inclusions. Upon analysis, the diamond was determined to contain submicroscopic solid inclusions of carbon dioxide. This brown diamond containing carbon dioxide is one of the few of its kind that GIA has encountered. Explore what was trapped inside these carbon dioxide inclusions. Source: GIA @topic:4


Title: Summer 2002 G&G Book Reviews Abstract: “Diamond Ring Buying Guide, 6th Ed.”
By Renée Newman, 160 pp., illus., publ. by International Jewelry Publications, Los Angeles, CA, 2002. US$17.95

“Tiaras: Past and Present”
By Geoffrey Munn, 128 pp., illus., publ. by V&A Publications, London, 2002. US$22.50

“Diamond Stories: Enduring Change on 47th Street”
By Renee Rose Shield, 234 pp., illus., publ. by Cornell University Press, Ithaca, NY, 2002. US$29.95

“Perlen”
By Elisabeth Strack, 696 pp., illus., publ. by Rühle-Diebener-Verlag, Stuttgart, Germany, 2000 (in German). –C66.00

“Diamonds: In the Heart of the Earth, in the Heart of Stars, at the Heart of Power”
By Hubert Bari and Violaine Sautter, Eds., 351 pp., illus., publ. by Vilo International, Éditions Adam Biro, Paris, 2001. US$60.00

“The Jewels of Jean Schlumberger”
By Chantal Bizot, Marie-Noël De Gary, and Évelyne Possémé, translated by Alexandra Bonfante- Warren, 157 pp., illus., publ. by Harry N. Abrams, New York, 2001. US$39.95

“Glossary of Obsolete Mineral Names”
By Peter Bayliss, 235 pp., publ. by The Mineralogical Record Inc., Tucson, AZ, 2000. US$32.00

“Modern Gemmology, SSEF Tutorials 1 & 2”
By SSEF Swiss Gemmological Institute, www.ssef.ch, Basel, Switzerland, 2001. Available in PC or Mac format. US $150 each/$250 for both

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


Title: Exceptionally Rare Titanoholtite Abstract: Figure 1. A 0.85 ct oval modified brilliant titanoholtite. Although its bodycolor was dark orangy brown, a bluish haze was visible from certain angles due to light scattering off polish lines as well as internal colorless graining. Photo by Adriana Robinson.
A first-time submission of a rare dumortierite supergroup member was recently examined at the Carlsbad laboratory. A 0.85 ct titanoholtite (figure 1) was identified after extensive testing. The stone was submitted as dumortierite, but its physical properties and chemistry did not support this. The dark orangy brown stone had a hydrostatic specific gravity of 3.65 and a refractive index of 1.720–1.740 (birefringence of 0.020). These properties stand in contrast to dumortierite, which usually forms as an inclusion rather than a single crystal and typically has a blue to violet color, a specific gravity of 3.21 to 3.41, and a refractive index of 1.659 to 1.692 with a birefringence of 0.027.

Figure 2. Left: A clean and reflective surface-reaching fracture was seen under the table; field of view 3.57 mm. Right: Abundant transparent graining, scattered particles, and thin films were seen throughout the stone; field of view 2.34 mm. Photomicrographs by Britni LeCroy.
A look into the stone offered a vibrant scene composed of a reflective surface-reaching fracture breaking the crown (figure 2, left) and an abundance of transparent graining throughout with small flecks of reflective thin films and unidentified particles (figure 2, right). Microscopic observation revealed a strong resemblance to garnet, but the material’s doubly refractive nature was inconsistent with garnet. Raman spectroscopy results did not match any existing minerals within GIA’s reference databases, but they did show some general similarities with dumortierite. Finally, laser ablation–inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry was performed on the stone for a full quantitative chemical analysis. Given the general similarities with dumortierite, the chemical data was fit to a dumortierite supergroup formula of (Al0.35Ti0.41□0.24Fe0.02)Al6B(Si2.60Sb0.32)O17.67. The dominant component in this formula is titanoholtite, (Ti0.75□0.25)Al6BSi3O18, with minor dumortierite, Al7BSi3O18, and incorporation of significant antimony.
Titanoholtite is a recently discovered mineral within the holtite group and a member of the dumortierite supergroup. It was first published in 2013, when microscopic crystals were found in a Polish pegmatite (A. Pieczka et al., “The dumortierite supergroup. II. Three new minerals from the Szklary pegmatite, SW Poland: Nioboholtite, (Nb0.6□0.4)Al6BSi3O18, titanoholtite, (Ti0.75□0.25)Al6BSi3O18, and szklaryite, □Al6BAs3+3O15,” Mineralogical Magazine, Vol. 77, No. 6, 2013, pp. 2841–2856). This stone submitted to GIA appears to be the first macroscopic titanoholtite specimen ever reported in the literature. Source: GIA @topic:2


Title: Beryl and Glass Assemblage Imitating Emerald Abstract: Figure 1. Face-up, the assemblage displayed natural inclusions underneath the table. Large bubbles are also visible at the corners of the beryl core, a warning sign for the observant viewer. Photo by Jian Xin (Jae) Liao.

Assemblages of various materials have long been used as imitations of precious stones, with records dating back to Pliny the Elder’s Natural History (79 AD). Assembled stones commonly consist of two or more pieces of materials joined together in a parallel, layered fashion. Natural gem materials, such as spinel or garnet, are often used for the crown for the dual benefit of their durability and natural inclusions. The pavilion is typically composed of attractively colored, inexpensive materials such as glass or synthetic sapphire.

Figure 2. Left: All four glass sections of the pavilion assemblage are visible in reflected light. The small triangular segment is a protrusion from the opposite side. Photomicrograph by Tyler Smith; field of view 3.57 mm. Right: Metallic dendritic films supporting the natural provenance of the beryl core. Also visible are planar bubbles within the cement layer. Photomicrograph by Augusto Castillo; field of view 2.90 mm.

Figure 3. Face-up view under cross-polarized light displaying the inert reaction of the outer material and interference planes outlining the beryl core. Photomicrograph by Tyler Smith; field of view 14.52 mm.
A unique assembled 3.35 ct imitation emerald composed of five glass segments surrounding a rectangular beryl core (figure 1) was submitted to the New York lab. Microscopic observation revealed multiple nonparallel cement planes in the pavilion (figure 2, left). The crown was shown to be separated from the pavilion in a single piece, whereas the pavilion was composed of four asymmetrical exterior segments surrounding a sub-rectilinear pyramidal core. The core material contained inclusions typical of natural beryl, such as dark dendritic flakes (figure 2, right) and fingerprints. Large gas bubbles and internal chips were observed within the cement layers that accumulated at the beryl core’s corners. Standard gemological testing produced consistent refractive indices of 1.61 on both the crown and the four segments that made up the pavilion, a specific gravity of 2.99, and weak white fluorescence in the cement planes in long- and short-wave UV light. Under cross-polarized light, the outer material was singly refractive and displayed interference patterns along the interior join planes (figure 3). When immersed, the coloration was shown to be derived from the surrounding sections and joined by a colorless cement. This was further supported by ultraviolet/visible/near-infrared (UV-Vis-NIR) spectroscopy, which yielded a spectrum similar to manufactured green glass samples from our database. Raman microscopy of the crown and four pavilion segments produced amorphous spectra typical of glass. In addition to amorphous mounds, beryl peaks were detected in the core material, confirming prior suspicions.

Figure 4. Diagram showing the proposed model of the complex assembly of the composite stone. Final faceting is shown for simplicity. A: The first glass segment (green) is attached to the beryl core (gray). B: Both the core and the first segment are cut to make a flat surface for the second segment. C: The second segment (teal) is attached. D: The segments are again cut. E: The third segment (blue) is attached. F: The assemblage is shown rotated 180° for clarity. All current pieces are cut to create the surface for the final piece. G: The fourth and final segment (purple) is attached. H: Omitted for simplicity, the assembled pavilion would likely be polished flat to make room for the crown. Lastly, the crown (pink) is attached. The diagram was generated using Onshape CAD software.
Interestingly, the four glass segments in the pavilion assemblage are interlocked in a fashion that reveals a possible explanation of how the stone was manufactured. Based on visual observations, it appears the pavilion was constructed by a laborious multistep cut-and-glue process (figure 4). As a result of the iterant cutting, the first segment shares five sides that are parallel to the faces of the beryl core (four pyramidal faces and one basal). The number of faces parallel to the core decreases by one for each added glass segment. The asymmetry of the segments, parallel faces, and precise angles that match the sides of the core support the proposed model of ordered assembly.
The authors were not able to find any records of this type of assembled stone, and it was the first time one has been submitted to GIA’s New York or Carlsbad laboratories. Since all exposed surfaces were glass, it is assumed that the stone was fabricated relatively recently due to the sharp facet junctions and lack of wear. It is intriguing that an antiquated technique is updated in modern times, serving as a cautionary tale of the ingenuity counterfeiters employ. Source: GIA @topic:3