Title: Spring 2007 G&G Lab Notes Abstract: Blue Diamonds Showing Multiple Colors of Phosphorescence
Diamond with “Etched Dislocation Loops”
HPHT-Annealed Yellow-Orange Diamond with a Strong 480 nm Absorption Band
Translucent Greenish Yellow Diamonds
Unusual Natural-Color Black Diamond
Synthetic Diamond, Possibly Grown at Higher Temperatures
Heat-Treated Blue Sapphire with Unusual Dendrites
Yttrium Aluminum Garnet (YAG) with a Dislocation Spiral

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


Title: Winter 2005 G&G Lab Notes Abstract: Yellow Cubic Zirconia Imitating Cape Diamonds
Orange Diamond Treated by Multiple Processes
Pink Diamonds with a Temporary Color Change
Unusually Large Novelty Cut Diamond
Small Synthetic Diamonds
Diaspore “Vein” in Sapphire
Unusual Pearl from South America
Unusually Small Natural-Color Black Cultured Pearls
Identification of Turquoise with Diffuse Reflectance Infrared Spectroscopy

To view the full section, download the PDF above. Source: GIA @topic:1


Title: Summer 2005 G&G Lab Notes Abstract: Fracture Filled Diamond with Varying Results
Large Diamond with Micro inclusions of Carbonates
Light Blue Diamond with Type IIb and IIa Zones
Natural Type Ib Diamond with Unusually High Nitrogen Content
Diamond with Unusual Laser Drill Holes
Yellowish Orange Magnesioaxinite
Cultured Pearl with Cultured-Pearl Nucleus
Dyed “Golden” Freshwater Cultured Pearls
More on Copper-Bearing Color-Change Tourmaline from Mozambique

To view the full section, download the PDF above. Source: GIA @topic:1


Title: Winter 2004 G&G Lab Notes Abstract: Faceted Apophyllite with “Crop Circles”
Diamond Luminescent “Hopper” Diamond
“Magnetic” Natural Pink Diamond
Diamond with Many Microscopic Carbonate Inclusions
Unusual Near-Colorless Synthetic Diamond
Orangy Brown Iolite from Madagascar
Flashing Labradorite
Natural Saltwater Mussel Pearls
Treated-Color “Golden” South Sea Cultured Pearls
Quartz in Three Colors
Erratum

To view the full section, download the PDF above. Source: GIA @topic:1


Title: Fall 2004 G&G Lab Notes Abstract: Large Coral Bead Necklace
Four Blue Diamonds From A Historic Necklace
Irradiated Blue Diamond Crystal
Irradiated Type IIb Diamond
Unusual Cause Of Blue Color In A Diamond
Nephrite That Mimics Serpentine
Pink Opal
Rubies, Clarity Enhanced With A Lead Glass Filler
Unusual Synthetic Ruby Triplet Displaying Asterism
Copper-Bearing Color-Change Tourmaline From Mozambique

To view the full section, download the PDF above. Source: GIA @topic:1


Title: Summer 2004 G&G Lab Notes Abstract: Notable Cat’s-Eye Alexandrite
Fracture Filled Diamond: To Alter Color and Enhance Clarity
Moon-Like Surface on a Crystal
Cat’s-Eye Demantoid Garnets
High R.I. Glass Sold as Peridot
Dyed Jadeite Resembling Nephrite
Green Quartz with Brazil-Law Twinning
Synthetic Sapphire with Unusual Yellowish Green Bodycolor
Spinel with Interesting Etch Tubes
Natural Spinel Identified with Photoluminescence

To view the full section, download the PDF above. Source: GIA @topic:1


Title: John Koivula Abstract: In 2009, GIA bestowed its highest honor, the Richard T. Liddicoat Award for Distinguished Achievement, on longtime chief research gemologist John I. Koivula. The award was based on his contributions to gemology as a photomicrographer, researcher, author, and speaker. Koivula’s impact on the field, particularly in the microworld of gemstones, cannot be overstated.

Koivula spent his childhood in eastern Washington State collecting minerals, amassing a large collection of specimens with inclusions. As a teenager, he wrote to Dr. Edward Gübelin, sending along his first photomicrographs and beginning a collaboration that would culminate in the three-volume Photoatlas of Inclusions in Gemstones. After earning degrees in mineralogy-geology and inorganic chemistry, he worked for Cominco American as an exploration geologist before joining GIA in 1976.

Through his work in photomicrography, Koivula revolutionized the world of gemology. He introduced cutting-edge techniques into his research, including the use of fiber-optic illumination, a technique that has become commonplace in gem labs around the world. During the late 1980s and early ’90s, he and colleague Robert C. Kammerling conducted groundbreaking research into glass-filled diamonds, helping the diamond industry understand this unstable clarity enhancement.

During his time at the Institute, Koivula has lectured extensively at trade and scientific conferences around the world. A prolific writer, Koivula is the author or co-author of over 800 articles on inclusions, microscopy, and gem identification. Sixty-four of his articles have been published in Gems & Gemology; of those, 16 received the journal’s Most Valuable Article award. He also served on the G&G editorial team for over 25 years. Koivula’s photomicrographs have placed in the Nikon Small World photography competition several times, including first place in 1984. A special exhibit of his photomicrography was held at the Rome Civic Zoological Museum in October 2004. In addition to his work on the Photoatlas series, he has contributed to numerous other books. His own MicroWorld of Diamonds, discussing natural and synthetic diamonds, simulants, and enhancements, was published in 2000.

The gemological industry has recognized Koivula’s contributions to the field by awarding him the AGS’s Robert M. Shipley Award (1996) and the AGA’s Antonio Bonnano Award for Excellence in Gemology (2001). He was also the first recipient of AGS’s Richard T. Liddicoat Journalism Award in 2003. He is an Honorary Lifetime Member of both the Gemmological Association of Great Britain and the Finnish Gemological Society. In 1999, JCK named Koivula to its list of the “64 Most Influential People in the Jewelry Industry in the 20th Century.”

In accepting the Institute’s Liddicoat Award, Koivula said, “Gemology is a great profession. I would be doing this anyway even if I was not paid, because this is what I love to do.” John Koivula’s passion opened the doors for researchers and enthusiasts alike to appreciate the relevance of inclusions and the importance of photomicrography to modern gemology.

View Gallery

	Photomicrography Gallery Source: GIA @topic:7


Title: Summer 2003 G&G Lab Notes Abstract: Non-Phenomenal Vanadium-Bearing Chrysoberyl
Brown-Yellow Diamonds with an “Amber Center” and Pink Lamellae
Color-Change Grossular-Andradite Garnet from Mali
Glass Imitation of Tsavorite Garnet
“Planetarium”
Guatemalan Jade with Lawsonite Inclusions
Chatoyant Opal with Eye that “Opens and Closes”
Variously Colored Imitation Pearls with Iridescent Appearance
Synthetic Sapphire Color-Change Doublets
Unusual “Red” Spinel
Diffusion-Treated Tanzanite?

To view the full section, download the PDF above. Source: GIA @topic:1


Title: Fall 2002 G&G Lab Notes Abstract: Bromellite
Charoite Inclusions in a Quartz-Feldspar Rock
Altered Vs. Natural Inclusions in Fancy-Color Diamonds
Diamond with “Compact Disc” Inclusion
Hemimorphite, a Rarely Encountered Gem Material
Bulk Diffusion or Lattice Diffusion Treated Sapphire
Bulk Diffusion–Treated Sapphire with Synthetic Overgrowth
Synthetic Sapphire Treated by “Traditional” Bulk Diffusion with Transition Elements
Sapphire with Surface Evidence of Heat Treatment

To view the full section, download the PDF above. Source: GIA @topic:3


Title: Summer 2002 G&G Lab Notes Abstract: Aurichalcite
Another Commercial U.S. Facility Offers HPHT Annealing for Diamonds
Challenges in Recognizing a Color Attribute’s Effect on Color Grading Fancy Colors
Diamond “Pearl” Necklace
Internal Laser Drilling Update
Unusual “Pink” Diamond
High-Quality Synthetic Jadeite from General Electric
Cobalt-“Diffused” Sapphire
Yellow-Green Schlossmacherite Beads

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


Title: Summer 2001 G&G Lab Notes Abstract: Diamond “Banded” Twinned Crystal
Diamond with a Carbonate Inclusion
Diamond with Unusual Mineral Inclusions
Feldspar with Chrome Diopside Inclusions
Gibbsite Dyed to Imitate Nephrite
Devitrified Glass Resembling Jade
Early Japanese Assembled Cultured Blister Pearls
Dyed Black Faceted Cultured Pearls
A New Imitation: “Shell Pearls” with a Calcite Bead

To view the full section, download the PDF above. Source: GIA @topic:1


Title: Russian Synthetic Ametrine Abstract: Gem-quality synthetic ametrine has been produced commercially in Russia since 1994, by hydrothermal growth from alkaline solutions. Faceted synthetic ametrine has many similarities to its natural counterpart from Bolivia. For the most part, however, the synthetic ametrine obtained for this study could be identified by a combination of characteristics, including growth features such as twinning and color zoning. EDXRF chemical analyses revealed higher concentrations of K, Mn, Fe, and Zn than in natural ametrine. IR spectra of the synthetic citrine portions showed more intense absorption in the 3700–2500 cm−1 range compared to natural ametrine; the synthetic amethyst zones showed a weak diagnostic peak at 3543 cm−1. Source: GIA @topic:3


Title: Summer 1997 G&G Lab Notes Abstract: Etched Chalcedony
Diamond with “Additional” Color
Rough Diamond with Contrasting Colors
Treated-Color Yellow Diamonds with Green Graining
An Unusual Assembled Imitation Emerald
Star Feldspar
Jadeite Jade Beads of an Unusual Color
Jadeite Cavity Impregnated with a Colored Filler
Dyed Impregnated Jadeite Bangle without a “Dye Band” Spectrum
Assembled Imitation Ruby
Sapphire with Evidence of Heat Treatment
Serendibite, a Rare Gemstone
Zircon with “Play-of-Color”

To view the full section, download the PDF above. Source: GIA @topic:1


Title: Amethyst from Four Peaks, Arizona Abstract: For more than a century, the Four Peaks mine in Maricopa County, Arizona, has produced gem-quality amethyst from crystal-lined or crystal-filled cavities and fractures in a brecciated quartzite host rock. Crystals from the deposit exhibit a range of purple colors, uneven color zoning, and variable transparency, which present challenges for obtaining a steady supply of material suitable for faceting. Faceted material may display fluid inclusions and tiny reddish brown hematite flakes, growth zoning, and Brazil-law twinning, all of which provide visual clues to separating the Four Peaks material from synthetic amethyst. Recovery of amethyst at this deposit continues at this time on a limited basis. Source: GIA @topic:1


Title: Red Beryl from Utah: A Review and Update Abstract: There is only one known commercial occurrence of gem-quality red beryl in the world: the Ruby Violet (or Red Beryl) mine in the Wah Wah Mountains of Beaver County, Utah. The beryl is found mostly along fractures (often clay-filled) in a topaz rhyolite. It crystallized as a vapor-phase mineral from the reaction between rhyolite-derived gases, vapors originating from heated ground waters, and preexisting minerals and volcanic glass in the rhyolite. Production of red beryl over the past 25 years is estimated to be more than 60,000 carats, of which about 10% was facetable. Exploration and evaluation programs undertaken by two mining companies from 1994 to 2001, combined with field studies by some of the authors and others, have resulted in a greater understanding of the geology of the Ruby Violet deposit and the potential for productive areas beyond the current mine site. Source: GIA @topic:3


Title: Serendibite from Sri Lanka Abstract: Two samples of faceted serendibite, a boron-bearing mineral that is only rarely found in gem quality, are described. These samples reportedly were cut from rough discovered in secondary deposits of the Ratnapura area in Sri Lanka. The bluish green to green-blue gems are similar in color, physical and optical properties, and chemical composition to low-iron-bearing non-gem-quality serendibite from various occurrences. These gems may be confused with sapphirine and zoisite, but can be identified as serendibite on the basis of refractive indices, twinning, and spectroscopic features. Source: GIA @topic:1


Title: Pyrope from the Dora Maira Massif, Italy Abstract: Large pyrope crystals containing gem-quality portions have been collected since the early 1990s from the Dora Maira Massif, Western Alps, Italy. These crystals have yielded pale purple to purplish pink gemstones typically up to 1 ct. The chemical composition and physical properties compare favorably to those reported for near-end-member pyrope. Absorption spectra suggest that the color is related to Fe2+ and Mn2+. The pyrope formed in a mica schist-quartzite layer within Paleozoic basement rocks that underwent an Alpine high-pressure/low-temperature metamorphic event. The deposit appears extensive, but future production undoubtedly will be limited due to environmental restraints. Currently about 100 carats per year enter the marketplace. Source: GIA @topic:2


Title: A New Method for Imitating Asterism Abstract: Several gems were recently examined that showed stars with an unnatural appearance or an unusual number of rays. Asterism in some of these gem materials is very rare, or has not been seen previously by the authors. Microscopic examination revealed that these “stars” were produced by using what appeared to be a rough polish to scratch lines in an oriented fashion onto the upper surface of the cabochons. Source: GIA @topic:3


Title: Technological Development in the 1990s: Their Impact on Gemology Abstract: In the last decade, technology has improved how we synthesize, process, identify, and otherwise study gem materials. Significant trends include: the widespread availability of computerized communication; the application of synthesis techniques to gem treatments; the increased prominence of treated synthetics; the greater need for expensive instrumentation to solve gem problems in general, and the broader availability of small dedicated instruments to solve specific problems; and the adaptation of techniques from other sciences. Potentially applicable technology must be evaluated critically to assess its usefulness and appropriateness to solve a particular gemological problem. Source: GIA @topic:7


Title: Winter 2009 G&G Lab Notes Abstract: A New Chalcedony Treatment
DiamondView Indicates Treatment in Irradiated Brown-Orange Diamond
Fancy Intense Blue Type IIb Synthetic Diamond
Diamond with Flower-Shaped Cloud
Unusual Trigon-Shaped Clouds Indicate Two Diamonds Cut from the Same Piece of Rough
Colorless Cat’s-Eye Phenakite
Blue Sapphires Diffusion Treated with both Titanium and Beryllium
Interesting Inclusion Aggregate in Tsavorite
Uranium Mineral as Inclusion in Turquoise

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


Title: Chrysoprase and Prase Opal from Haneti, Central Tanzania Abstract: Commercial quantities of gem-quality chrysoprase and green prase opal (nickel-bearing chalcedony and common opal, respectively) have been recovered from altered serpentinite deposits near Haneti, Tanzania. Material studied for this report came from the largest mine, located on top of Iyobo Mountain, which has been actively exploited for two decades. Although somewhat similar in color and appearance, chrysoprase and prase opal can easily be distinguished from one another by differences in refractive index (~1.55 vs. ~1.45) and specific gravity (~2.60 vs. ~2.11). Chrysoprase makes up the vast majority of the output, and the mine shows good potential for continued production. Source: GIA @topic:12


Title: Sapphire and Garnet from Kalalani, Tanga Province, Tanzania Abstract: Located just 3 km south of the famous Umba locality, the geologically similar Kalalani area hosts deposits of gem-quality sapphire (reddish orange, yellow-brown, and other colors), pyrope-almandine, and tsavorite. The gems are mined principally from primary and eluvial sources associated with a serpentinite body and surrounding metacalcareous rocks. The gemological properties of sapphires from Kalalani are very similar or identical to those from Umba. The garnets, however, are different: Tsavorite is not known from the Umba area, and the dark red to brownish red pyrope-almandine from Kalalani is distinct from the pink-purple rhodolite more commonly found at Umba. Source: GIA @topic:1


Title: Fall 1996 G&G Lab Notes Abstract: Aragonite
Different Colors from the Same Rough Diamond
Imitation Diamond Crystals: Cubic Zirconia
Natural Rough Diamond with Unseen "Flaws"
Fancy Intense Pinkish Orange Diamond
A Suite of Treated-Color Pink-to-Purple Diamonds
Herderite
Jadeite
Opal: an Assemblage
Assembled Cultured Blister Pearls with Thread-Like Inclusions
Single-Crystal Green Quartz
Unusual Treated Natural Sapphire
Flame-Fusion Synthetic Sapphire

To view the full section, download the PDF above. Source: GIA @topic:1


Title: Spring 1996 G&G Lab Notes Abstract: A Notable Yellow Synthetic Diamond from Russia
One Natural and One Imitation Emerald Earring
Grossular Garnet-Bearing Rock, Resembling Impregnated Jadeite
Jadeite Jade with Copper Inclusions
Jadeite Jade with "Reconstructed" Area
Abalone Pearls
Pearls Partially Coated to Conceal Old Drill Holes
Periclase Possibly Confused with Grossular Garnet
Dyed Quartz as Imitation Ruby
Ruby/Ruby Doublet
Synthetic Ruby with Fanciful Polishing Marks
Sapphire with Rounded Facet Junctions
Green Synthetic Sapphire

To view the full section, download the PDF above. Source: GIA @topic:1


Title: Fall 1995 G&G Lab Notes Abstract: Fracture Filled Alexandrite with High R.I. Values
Flux Grown Synthetic Alexandrite without Diagnostic Inclusions
Diffusion Treated Corundum
Diamond Inclusions Affect Body Color
Diamond with Iridescence in an Incompletely Filled Fracture
Imitation Emerald Plastic-Coated Beryl
Jadeite Jade Assemblages
Finely Detailed Glass Imitation
Imitation Lapis Lazuli
Glass Imitation "Mexican" Opal
Black Pearl Imitations
Large Synthetic Ruby

To view the full section, download the PDF above. Source: GIA @topic:3


Title: Summer 1995 G&G Lab Notes Abstract: Azurite and Antlerite Rock
Diamond with Strain Phantom
Treated-Color Pink Diamond
Unusual Diamond Crystal
Synthetic Diamond Suite
Jadeite Jade with Misleading Inclusions
Omphacite Rock Carving
Cultured Pearl with a Damaged Nucleus
Dyed Quartzite Imitating Jade
Synthetic Ruby with Diffusion-Induced "Fingerprint" Inclusions and Asterism
Cat's-Eye Sapphire
Color-Change Synthetic Sapphire with Twin Lamellae

To view the full section, download the PDF above. Source: GIA @topic:1


Title: Spring 1995 G&G Lab Notes Abstract: Alexandrite with Pleochroic Twinned Growth Zones
Untreated or Fracture-Filled Diamond
Treated Old-Mine Cut Diamond
Triangular Inclusions in Diamond
Treated-Color Red Synthetic Diamond
Emerald with Unusual Flash-Effect Colors
Bleached and Impregnated Jadeite with Distinctive Surface Texture
Treated and Untreated Jadeite Beads in One Necklace
Dyed Green Nephrite
Blister Pearl Attached to Shell
Sapphire with Diffusion-Induced Color and Star
Synthetic Star Sapphire with an Unusual Color
Natural Spinel with a Dendritic Inclusion

To view the full section, download the PDF above. Source: GIA @topic:1


Title: Tairus Hydrothermal Synthetic Sapphires Doped with Nickel and Chromium Abstract: Researchers of the Tairus joint venture have developed the technology for the hydrothermal growth of gem-quality crystals of synthetic sapphire. They have achieved a broad spectrum of attractive colors by varying the concentrations of Ni2+, Ni3+, and Cr3+. Comprehensive testing of 18 faceted synthetic sapphires and 10 synthetic crystals, representing the range of colors, revealed a typical set of internal features that are specific to hydrothermally grown crystals (microscopy), as well as the presence of OH– and various carbon-oxygen groups in the sapphire structure (infrared spectroscopy). The reactions of the test samples to ultraviolet radiation and visible light were also found to be useful in distinguishing the Tairus synthetic sapphires from their natural counterparts and other synthetics. Source: GIA @topic:3


Title: Rubies and Fancy-Color Sapphires from Nepal Abstract: Gem-quality rubies and fancy-color sapphires have been recovered from dolomite marble lenses located high in the Himalayan mountains of east-central Nepal (Ganesh Himal). First discovered in the early 1980s, these deposits have had only limited and sporadic production because of their isolated locations, high altitudes, and harsh seasonal weather conditions. The precise locations and geology of the two best-known deposits are described. In addition, 27 polished samples and 19 rough crystals and mineral specimens were thoroughly investigated to document their gemological characteristics and crystal morphology. The most distinctive internal features are their color-zoning characteristics, various cloudlike and other patterns, as well as a wide variety of mineral inclusions, some of which have not been seen in rubies from other sources. Source: GIA @topic:1


Title: Winter 1994 G&G Lab Notes Abstract: Light Yellow Color-Treated Diamond
Carved Emerald Fetish
Feldspar: Separating Alkali from Plagioclase Species
Grossular-Andradite Garnet from Mali, West Africa
Bleached and Impregnated Jadeite Jade with Distinctive Surface Features
Imitation and Natural Spotted Malachite
Abalone "Mabe" Pearl
Non-Nacreous Cultured "Pearl"
Sapphire of Unusual Color
Synthetic Sapphire: Striae Resolution Technique

To view the full section, download the PDF above. Source: GIA @topic:1


Title: Fall 1994 G&G Lab Notes Abstract: Ceramic Statue
Large "Knot" in Citrine
Americium-Treated Green Diamond
Unusual Triangular Inclusion in a Diamond
Grossular-Diopside Rock
Iron-Rich Hornblende
Exceptionally Translucent Jadeite Jade Necklace
Jadeite Jade with Impregnating Substance in Drill Hole
"Banded" Natural-Colored Natural Pearl
Color-Treated Cultured Pearl
Natural-Color Sapphire with Unusual Fluorescence
Color-Zoned Synthetic Sapphire
Serpentine and Forsterite Rock
Detecting Impregnated Turquoise

To view the full section, download the PDF above. Source: GIA @topic:1


Title: Summer 1994 G&G Lab Notes Abstract: Diamond Laser Drill Holes or Natural Inclusions?
Diamond with Unusual Color Zoning
Trapiche Emerald from a New Locality
Jadeite with Metallic Inclusions
Round and Near-Round Freshwater Tissue-Nucleated Cultured Pearls
Glass-Coated Quartz
Synthetic Sapphire with a Small Star
Sapphires from Yogo Gulch, Montana
Dyed and Impregnated Turquoise
Faceted Vayrynenite

To view the full section, download the PDF above. Source: GIA @topic:1


Title: Spring 1994 G&G Lab Notes Abstract: Centenary Diamond Graded
"Unnamed Brown" Diamond
Fancy-Colored Rough Diamond
Characteristic Inclusions in Fancy-Color Diamonds
Feldspar and Garnet Snuff Bottle
Magnetic Hercynite
Impregnated Lavender Jadeite
Translucent Greenish Blue Opal
Early Japanese Assembled Cultured Blister Pearls
Experimental Nucleus in a Cultured Pearl
Star Sapphire with a Buff-Top Cut
Color-Change Synthetic Sapphire with Unusual Backing

To view the full section, download the PDF above. Source: GIA @topic:1


Title: Winter 1993 G&G Lab Notes Abstract: Cubic Zirconia Carved to Imitate an Ancient Buddha
Cyclotron-Treated Diamond
Fancy-Color Diamond with Unusual Radiation Stains
Unusual "Melted" Cavity in a Diamond
Faceted Yellow Synthetic Diamond
Emerald with Large Filled Etch Channels
Fracture Filled Garnets
Iridescent Orthoamphibole, "Nuummite"
Orthopyroxene, a Carved Mask
Some Pearl Observations
Synthetic Ruby: Striae Resolution Technique
Sapphire: A Difficult Identification
Diffusion Treatment in Sapphire Obscured by Mounting
Yag with Unusual Inclusions

To view the full section, download the PDF above. Source: GIA @topic:1


Title: Enstatite, Cordierite, Kornerupine, and Scapolite with Unusual Properties from Embilipitiya, Sri Lanka Abstract: Gem-quality enstatite, cordierite, kornerupine, and scapolite with unusual properties have been recovered from alluvial deposits in the region of Embilipitiya, Sri Lanka. The occurrence of almost pure, completely colorless, enstatite appears to be unique in the world. The cordierites are also usually colorless and nonpleochroic. The diversity in the properties of kornerupine is mainly due to variations in the ratio of magnesium to iron. The strong “canary" yellow fluorescence of scapolites from this locality has not been observed in scapolites from other sources in Sri Lanka. Source: GIA @topic:2


Title: Winter 1995 G&G Lab Notes Abstract: Fancy Black Diamond with Iron
Fracture-Filled Diamond with Unusual Material
Extremely Thin Jadeite Jade Carving
A Testing Precaution for Jadeite Jade
Impregnated Synthetic Opal
Green and Yellow Bicolor Synthetic Quartz
Rock Resembling Jadeite
Ruby with Atypically High R.I.'s
Two Rubies with Unusual Features
Sapphire with Zoned Transmission Luminescence
Synthetic Sapphire with Color Changed by UV Radiation
Magnetic Serpentine
Spinel with Hogbomite Inclusions (?)
A Topaz Assemblage
Zircon with Phantom Planes

To view the full section, download the PDF above. Source: GIA @topic:1


Title: Sapphires from Southern Vietnam Abstract: Gem-quality blue to bluish green sapphires from basaltic terrains in southern provinces of Vietnam have been entering the gemstone market since the late 1980s.Visits to two of the sapphire-producing areas—Phan Thiet and Di Linh—confirmed that the sapphires occur in association with alkali basalts. Mining was done by hand at the Phan Thiet localities and with relatively sophisticated equipment at Di Linh. Investigation of 250 faceted samples revealed gemological, spectroscopic, and chemical properties similar to those of other basaltic sapphires. Notable internal features are prominent growth structures, distinctive color zoning, various crosshatch to lath-like "cloud" patterns, and several mineral inclusions. Source: GIA @topic:1


Title: Fall 1993 G&G Lab Notes Abstract: Clarified Amber Beads
Brown-Pink Diamond with "Green Graining"
Light Violet-Gray Diamond
Strain Phantom in Diamond
Synthetic Yellow Diamond Crystal
Treated Green Diamond with a Blue Color Zone
Devitrified Glass, Resembling Actinolite
Bleached/Polymerized Jadeite Update
Unusual "Twin" Cultured Pearl
Eroded Cultured Pearls
Color-Zoned Pink Quartz
Synthetic Ruby: Another lmitation Ruby "Crystal"
Ruby in "Invisible" Mountings
Ruby as the Top Stone in an Asteriated Doublet

To view the full section, download the PDF above. Source: GIA @topic:1


Title: Spring 1993 G&G Lab Notes Abstract: Synthetic Alexandrite with Needle-Like Inclusions
"Coated" Beryl
Irradiated Beryl of a Rare Color
Blue Diamond with Unusual Inclusions
Laser-Drilled Diamond for Mounting
Laser-Assisted Filling in Diamond
Radioactive Diamond
Cabochon Cut Synthetic Emerald
Imitation Lapis Lazuli
Large Faceted Lazulite
Cat's-Eye Orthoclase
Abalone Pearls from North America

To view the full section, download the PDF above. Source: GIA @topic:1


Title: Winter 1992 G&G Lab Notes Abstract: Diamond with Etched Dislocation Channels
Colored Diamond Crystal Set in a "Renaissance Ring"
Synthetic Emerald Overgrowth on Faceted Beryls Used in Jewelry
Pink Hydrogrossular Garnet
Black Opal
Freshwater Natural Pearl from Alabama
Synthetic Green Quartz
Color-Zoned Sapphire
Durability of Diffusion-Treated Sapphire
Yellow Sapphire with Unusual Fluorescence
Synthetic Star Sapphire of Unusual Color
Unusual Bicolor Zoisite

To view the full section, download the PDF above. Source: GIA @topic:1


Title: Fall 1991 G&G Book Reviews Abstract: “Gemology, 2nd Edition”
By Cornelius S. Hurlbut and Robert C. Kammerling, 337 pp., illus., publ. by John Wiley & Sons, New York, 1991. US$58.00

“Gemstones of Pakistan: Geology and Gemmology”
By Ali H. Kazmi and Michael O'Donoghue, 146 pp., illus., publ. by Gemstone Corporation of Pakistan, Karachi, Pakistan, 1990. US$24.95

“Gems, Granites, and Gravels, Knowing and Using Rocks and Minerals”
By Richard V. Dietrich and Brian J. Skinner, 173 pp., illus., publ. by Cambridge University Press, New York, NY, 1990. US$24.95

“Crystals”
By Ian F. Mercer, 60 pp., illus., publ. by the Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA, 1990. US$9.95

To view the full section, download the PDF above. Source: GIA @topic:1


Title: Summer 1991 G&G Lab Notes Abstract: Amber Damaged in Cleaning
Large Electron-Treated Diamond
Electron Treated Diamond in Period Jewelry
Fracture Filled Diamond
Green Surface-Colored Rough Diamond Fashioned to a Fancy Light Yellow
Green Diamond with Radiation Stains in Etch Channels
Pearl Cultured "Demi-Pearl"
Freshwater "Rosebud" Pearls
Rare Assembled Cultured Blister Pearls
An Early (?) Flux-Grown Synthetic Ruby
Spinel with Unusual Green Fluorescence
Cobalt-Colored Synthetic Spinel with Unusual Inclusions
Dark Blue Topaz Damaged by Treatment
Radioactive Zircon

To view the full section, download the PDF above. Source: GIA @topic:1


Title: Emeralds and Green Beryls of Upper Egypt Abstract: Egypt is the most ancient of sources for emerald. More than 2,000 years ago, emerald deposits in upper Egypt were supplying gems throughout the Graeco-Roman Empire. A recent visit to this emerald province revealed that the emeralds occur within a northwest-southeast trending belt of schistose rocks in the Red Sea Hills, near the port town of Marsa Alam. At the time of the visit, there was no official commercial mining of emerald in the region, although there was evidence of sporadic activity by Bedouin tribespeople. Gemological examination of 14 cut emeralds and green beryls revealed properties consistent with those of material from similar geologic environments. Source: GIA @topic:3


Title: Fall 1991 G&G Lab Notes Abstract: Diamond with Hexagonal Indented Natural
Type IIb Diamond with Natural Irradiation Stains
Accidentally Tissue-Nucleated Cultured Pearl
Green-Dyed Natural Pearls
Natural- and Treated-Color Black Cultured Pearls in the Same Necklace
Remarkable Cultured Pearl
A  Pearl "Teething" Problem
“Treated” Mabe Pearls
Two Different Mabe Pearls
Diffusion-Treated Sapphires in Fine Jewelry
Early Synthetic Rubies

To view the full section, download the PDF above. Source: GIA @topic:15


Title: Rubies and Fancy Sapphires from Vietnam Abstract: Gem-quality rubies and pink to purple sapphires are being recovered from the Luc Yen and Quy Chau mining regions of Vietnam. This article briefly reviews the history and geology of these areas, as well as the mining methods used. The gemological characteristics of more than 100 of these stones are described in detail. The most notable internal features are blue color zones, swirl-like and angular growth features, bluish "clouds," and inclusions of rod-like calcite and pyrrhotite as well as the rare mineral nordstrandite. Source: GIA @topic:1


Title: "Emeraldolite": A New Synthetic Emerald Overgrowth on Natural Beryl Abstract: This article describes a new manufactured gem material marketed under the trade name "Emeraldolite," which is an epitaxial growth of flux synthetic emerald on opaque white beryl. The material has a distinctive visual appearance, and is commonly used for jewelry in its "rough" form. The gemological properties of "Emeraldolite" are very similar to those normally shown by flux-grown synthetic emeralds. Source: GIA @topic:3


Title: Fall 1990 G&G Lab Notes Abstract: Dyed Natural Beryl
Carved Chrysoberyl
Electron Irradiated Diamond
Fancy Black Diamond
Included Diamond Crystal
Opal with an Unusual Inclusion
Cultured Pearls with Colored Bead Nuclei
Freshwater Natural Pearls
Gray Baroque Cultured Pearls
Diffusion-Treated Montana Rough Sapphire
Large Colorless Sapphire
Cobalt Colored Color-Change Spinel
Synthetics and Simulants in Period Jewelry

To view the full section, download the PDF above. Source: GIA @topic:1


Title: Winter 1989 G&G Lab Notes Abstract: Plastic Imitation Amber
Diamond with an Almandine-Pyrope Garnet Inclusion
Bicolored Diamond
Diamond with a Color-Change Garnet Inclusion
Radium Treated Diamond
Treated Diamond Crystal
Impregnated Jadeite Jade
Assembled Pearl
Treated Black Cultured Pearl
Damaged "Burma" Ruby
Large Purple Scapolite
Blue Tourmaline from Brazil
Imitation Cubic Zirconia

To view the full section, download the PDF above. Source: GIA @topic:1


Title: Zircon from the Harts Range, Northern Territory, Australia Abstract: Gem-quality zircon from a relatively underdeveloped locality in the Harts Range of central Australia is described. While exhibiting many properties of other gem zircons, this material is unusual in its almost total lack of radioactive trace elements. Thus, there is little or no radiation-related structural damage as is the case with some other gem zircons. The Harts Range material occurs in a size, quality, and color range suitable for faceting. Source: GIA @topic:3


Title: Spring 1989 G&G Lab Notes Abstract: Transparent Green Augite
Covellite
Coated Diamonds Again Seen in the Trade
Unusual Inclusions in Diamond
American Freshwater Natural Pearls
Cultured Black Pearl Mystery
A Large Phosphophyllite Crystal
Verneuil Synthetic Ruby with Needle-Like Inclusions
A Large Fine-Color Star Sapphire
An Unusual Green Star Sapphire
Pink Spinel from the USSR
Synthetics and other "Modern" Substitutions in Period Jewelry and Reproductions

To view the full section, download the PDF above. Source: GIA @topic:1


Title: "Opalite": Plastic Imitation Opal with True Play-Of-Color Abstract: A plastic imitation opal that shows true play-of-color was advertised as "new" and offered for sale under the trade name "Opalite" at the Gem and Lapidary Dealers Association (GLDA) Tucson show in February 1988. Subsequent gemological testing proved that this material was virtually identical to the plastic imitation opal previously described in the literature that was known to be manufactured in Japan. It is now being marketed worldwide under a new name. Source: GIA @topic:12


Title: The Gujar Killi Emerald Deposit, Northwest Frontier Province, Pakistan Abstract: Over the last decade, Pakistan has developed into an important source for many gem materials. A number of localities have been identified for emeralds in particular. This article reports on the emerald deposits in the valley of Gujar Killi, located in the Northwest Frontier Province. The occurrence, mining, and gemological properties are described. Reserves appear to be good, and increased mining activity suggests strong production for the near future. Source: GIA @topic:1


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

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


Title: Yellow Scapolite from Ihosy, Madagascar Abstract: Attractive yellow to light greenish yellow gem scapolites have been mined from a skarn deposit near the town of Ihosy, in southern Madagascar, since the late 1990s. Chemical analysis indicates that the scapolites have a mostly meionite content, with lesser amounts of marialite and a small percentage of silvialite. These results are agreeable with the RI measurements and IR spectra. Inclusions were identified as diopside, garnet (andradite-grossular), and mica (probably phlogopite) consistent with the minerals accompanying scapolite in Ihosy skarns. The samples’ UV fluorescence appears to be distinctive from that of commercially available scapolites from other localities. Source: GIA @topic:2


Title: New Occurrence of Fire Opal from Bemia, Madagascar Abstract: Twenty-two gem opals from a new volcanic deposit located near Bemia, in southeastern Madagascar, were investigated by classical gemological methods, SEM-EDS, powder X-ray diffraction analysis, LA-ICP-MS, and Raman and IR spectroscopy. Although none of the opals show play-of-color, they exhibit a wide variety of hues—including those typical of fire opal—that are related to iron content, mainly from Fe-rich inclusions. Consistent with their volcanic origin, these samples are microcrystalline and composed of opal-CT or opal-C. Among the inclusions are ilmenite needles, clay minerals, and iron oxides and hydroxides. The RI and, in particular, SG values are higher than those typical of natural fire opal (e.g., from Mexico) and some synthetic fire opal, allowing for a rapid separation. Source: GIA @topic:12


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

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


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

To view the full section, download the PDF above. Source: GIA @topic:1


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


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

To view the full section, download the PDF above. Source: GIA @topic:1


Title: The Sapphires of Mingxi, Fujian Province, China Abstract: Blue sapphires are currently being mined on an exploratory basis from alluvial deposits at the Lindi mine, near the town of Mingxi in Fujian Province. The geology and occurrence of the sapphires appears to be similar to that of the gem corundum from Australia, Thailand, and Kampuchea (Cambodia). For the most part, the rough sapphires are greenish blue to dark blue in color and average approximately 2 ct; their gemological properties are also similar to those of sapphires from comparable geologic environments. Source: GIA @topic:1


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

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


Title: A Status Report on Gemstones from Afghanistan Abstract: Although Afghanistan has historically been well known for its lapis lazuli deposits, significant amounts of fine emerald, tourmaline, kunzite, and some rubies are now emerging from that embattled nation. Emeralds come primarily from the Panjshir Valley, northeast of Kabul. Large amounts of green, blue, and pink tourmaline, as well as considerable quantities of kunzite and some aquamarine, have been taken from the pegmatites of the Nuristan region, east of Panjshir. Smaller quantities of fine ruby have been found in the Sorobi region, between Jalalabad and Kabul. The occurrence, mining, and distribution of these gem materials are summarized, as are their gemological properties. Lesser amounts of garnet, amethyst, spinel, and morganite have also been located. The prospects for future production of emeralds and pegmatite gems, in particular, are excellent. Source: GIA @topic:1


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

To view the full section, download the PDF above. Source: GIA @topic:1


Title: Summer 1985 G&G Lab Notes Abstract: Amber, with Unusual Inclusions
Amethyst, with Confusing Inclusions
Diamond Damaged in Cutting
Fancy Blue Diamond
Fluorite Carving, Damaged by Sulfuric Acid
Hexagonite, Cat's-Eye
Unusual Gilson Synthetic Opal
Yellow-Green Opal
Freshwater Cultured Pearls from China
Imitation Pearls
Quartz, Very Dark Reddish Gray Cat's-Eye
Star Sapphire, Diffusion-treated
Scapolite, Dark Cat's-Eye
Topaz Imitation
Zircon, Cat's-Eye Source: GIA @topic:1


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

To view the full section, download the PDF above. Source: GIA @topic:1


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

To view the full section, download the PDF above. Source: GIA @topic:1


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

To view the full section, download the PDF above. Source: GIA @topic:1


Title: Sapphires from Thammannawa, Kataragama Area, Sri Lanka Abstract: The February 2012 discovery of high-quality blue sapphires at Thammannawa near Kataragama in southeastern Sri Lanka has intensified gem mining and exploration in the surrounding area and all over the country. The deposit is hosted by the Kataragama klippe, and corundum mineralization is associated with pegmatitic intrusions and surrounding micaceous layers. Well-formed crystals from this primary deposit display flat faces and sharp edges with an unusually vitreous luster. The sapphires possess good transparency and a pure blue color that is characteristic of corundum from this deposit. Several kilograms of rough material have been produced so far, with some crystals larger than 200 g. Faceted blue sapphires of fine color and weighing more than 20 ct have been cut. Source: GIA @topic:1


Title: Gemstones of Pakistan: Emerald, Ruby, and Spinel Abstract: Only during the last few years have the gem riches of Pakistan become known to the rest of the
world. This article reports on three gem materials currently being mined: emerald, corundum (most importantly, ruby), and spinel. Intensely colored emerald crystals occur in dolomitic talc schists in the Swat Valley. Unusually high optical properties and density serve to distinguish these emeralds from those found elsewhere. Numerous gas-liquid inclusions are also typical. In the Hunza Valley, specimen and gem-quality crystals of corundum and spinel occur in beds of marble enclosed in gneisses and mica schists. The gemological properties of the Pakistan rubies and sapphires vary only slightly within normal limits. Source: GIA @topic:1


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


Title: Cryogenics, an Aid to Gemstone Testing Abstract: Cooling of gemstones to low temperatures provides for enhanced detail in the absorption spectra. This article identifies some simple techniques for cooling gems that are available to the jeweler-gemologist and offers a detailed description of the procedures used in the research laboratory for automatic recording of spectra at low temperatures. Examples of the differences observed between spectra recorded on stones held at room temperature and those recorded for the same stones at significantly lower temperatures are presented for diamond, emerald, and synthetic alexandrite. Source: GIA @topic:4


Title: Artificially Induced Color in Amethyst-Citrine Quartz Abstract: Adjacent amethyst and citrine colors in the same crystal of quartz have been reported from South America, although there appears to be uncertainty as to the exact locality of origin. Such material has also been produced by synthesis. Several previous studies on the impurities contained in natural and synthetic quartz and the effects of irradiation and heating, as well as new heating and irradiation experiments with the current natural amethyst-citrine quartz and with amethyst, are described. It is concluded that there are presently no known tests to distinguish natural bicolor material that was heated or irradiated (or both) in nature from natural amethyst heated or irradiated (or both) by man or from the equivalent synthetic material. Source: GIA @topic:2


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

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


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

To view the full section, download the PDF above. Source: GIA @topic:1


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

	Opening reception for the G&G museum exhibit
On June 11, G&G contributors, supporters, and staff toasted the opening of the new GIA Museum exhibit, “The Beauty of Science: Gems & Gemology Celebrates 80 Years, Featuring the Artistry of Harold and Erica Van Pelt.” The exhibit spotlights gems and jewelry featured on selected G&G covers since 1981. The cover photos are the work of the Van Pelts, the husband-and-wife team who contributed nearly three decades of photography to the journal’s pages. In addition to gathering treasures from the Smithsonian and other sources, the collection offers intriguing examples of cutting-edge research, locality reports, and industry coverage over the years. The exhibit runs through December 14. Source: GIA @topic:9


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

              At the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show, All in Vein (Quartzsite, Arizona) exhibited slabs and pairs of Bumble Bee “jasper,” which was sold elsewhere at the show as Eclipse “jasper.” The term jasper is a misnomer, as this vibrantly colored orange, yellow, and black material (figure 1) actually formed from a mixture of Indonesian volcano lava and sediment. A carbonate-rich rock first discovered on the island of Java during the 1990s, the material is soft, with a Mohs hardness of 5 or below. The porous rock is easily cut and polished, and most specimens are filled with Opticon (H. Serras-Herman, “Bumble Bee ‘jasper’: A colorful volcanic lapidary material,” Rock & Gem, Vol. 43, No. 8, pp. 26–29). Source: GIA @topic:13


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

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

Kosnar’s Congolese shattuckite is being stabilized prior to jewelry manufacturing. He plans to debut cabochons of this very limited material at Tucson in 2015. Source: GIA @topic:1


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

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

	Figure 2. This Pyrex bracelet displays a striking orbicular pattern that appears three-dimensional. Photo by Eric Welch; courtesy of Kevin O’Grady. Source: GIA @topic:9


Title: Sapphire from the Mercaderes-Río Mayo Area, Cauca, Colombia Abstract: Commercially important quantities of gem-quality sapphire are being recovered from stream beds and terrace gravels near the Colombian village of Mercaderes, about 143 km southwest of Popayán. The area is currently subject to a high degree of political unrest; nevertheless, about 100 people are said to be sporadically mining the deposit. Sapphire crystals average about one centimeter in length and occur in a variety of colors. Color-change stones are also common. Three inclusions were found to be characteristic: apatite, rutile, and boehmite. The parent rock for the sapphires has not been established, but it is probably one or more of the alkalic basalt members of the Cretaceous-age Diabase Group which outcrops in the area. Source: GIA @topic:1


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

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

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

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

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

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

Candala’s client base includes Indian, German, U.S., and Thai buyers. At this year’s Tucson show, most of the chrysoprase carvings went to collectors, as well as one television shopping channel. Source: GIA @topic:12


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

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

	Brian and Kendra CookNature's Geometry

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

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

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

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

The result is “a mélange of color,” a combination of design, gem crystals, and color that work in synergy with aromatherapy like a wearable potpourri. Brian Cook helps source for unusual gem crystals, such as a clear oligoclase, for fashioning into sliding gem beads where essential oils nestle to comfort and revive the wearer. Source: GIA @topic:1


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

To view the full section, download the PDF above. Source: GIA @topic:1


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Alice Keller retired in 2011, but remains the journal’s editor-in-chief emeritus. Under her leadership, G&G changed the face of gemological publications. Source: GIA @topic:7


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

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

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

Fryer’s articles on gem identification appeared in Gems & Gemology, Journal of Gemology, and Jewelers’ Circular-Keystone. Of particular note was his Fall 1986 G&G study on the separation of natural and synthetic amethyst. Fryer further contributed to G&G as editor of the Lab Notes section from 1981 to 1997; he continued to serve on the journal’s editorial review board until his death in 2003. His influential lab findings advanced GIA’s standing as the world’s authority on gemstone identification. Source: GIA @topic:7


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

	“Quetzál” features more than 1,100 gemstones and is set in 18K white, rose and yellow gold with sterling silver accents. Photo by Maha Tannous/GIA, gift of Almaza Jewelers of Houston, Texas Source: GIA @topic:9


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

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

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

Shipley Jr. left GIA to serve in World War II. After the war, he founded an instrument manufacturing company that eventually became the GIA’s gem instruments division. He left the field of gemology and later formed a research laboratory that developed equipment for the fruit industry. Source: GIA @topic:7


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

Abstracted by Edward R. Blomgren Source: GIA @topic:1


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

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

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

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

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

G&G has never been more necessary. Let no one to be in any doubt over GIA’s commitment to our journal. We see it as a vital part of a wider system, one that links GIA’s education with its ongoing research, and delivers that essential knowledge to our readers. Source: GIA @topic:7


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

Were you always interested in gems?

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

Any favorite places you’ve visited?

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

Thoughts about your GIA education?

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

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

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

What is it like at a mining site?

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

Any other interesting stories?

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

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

Believe in yourself. Just go do it. Source: GIA @topic:7


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


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

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

In addition to his testing methods and instructional duties, Benson designed many gem instruments, including a pearl-testing X-ray unit, the first Duplex refractometer, and the GIA Jeweler’s Camera. Another of his ideas led to the Diamondlux, a display light for diamonds. His work helped lay the foundations for GIA GEM Instruments. While over 50 years have passed since his tenure at GIA, Benson’s contributions continue to influence the field of gemology. Source: GIA @topic:7


Title: Gemstones from Vietnam: An Update Abstract: This article describes the major gem materials of Vietnam, together with their new finds and recent production. The gemological properties and chemical composition of ruby, sapphire, spinel, tourmaline, garnet, and peridot from the most important Vietnamese sources are updated. Other gems such as aquamarine, green orthoclase, topaz, zircon, quartz, and pearls are briefly discussed. Commercially significant deposits of ruby, blue and fancy sapphire, and spinel are located in two northern provinces: Yen Bai (Luc Yen and Yen Binh Districts) and Nghe An (Quy Chau and Quy Hop Districts). Large volumes of blue, green, and yellow sapphire come from the Central Highlands provinces of Dak Lak and Lam Dong, as well as the southern provinces of Dong Nai and Binh Thuan. Of secondary commercial importance are the tourmaline and garnet from Yen Bai and the peridot and zircon from the Central Highlands. Source: GIA @topic:1


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

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

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

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

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

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

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