# Publication Year: 2019
# Title: Ornamental Jadeites from the Levoketchpel Deposit in the Polar Urals of Russia
# Abstract: Figure 1. Five of the 10 jadeite samples from the Levoketchpel deposit (back row) and four jadeites reportedly from the Polar Urals (front row). Photo by Shunsuke Nagai.

Although most jadeites on the market are from Myanmar, other sources include Guatemala, Japan, Kazakhstan, and Russia. Russian jadeites have been studied using geological and petrological approaches (e.g., A.M. Fishman, Gems in the North Ural and Timan, Geoprint, Syktyvkar, 2006, pp. 1–88; F. Meng et al., “Jadeitite in the Syum-Keu ultramafic complex from Polar Urals, Russia: insights into fluid activity in subduction zones,” European Journal of Mineralogy, Vol. 28, No. 6, 2016, pp. 1079–1097), but their gemological characteristics are still unclear. To date, several jadeite deposits have been found within some ultramafic complexes at the Polar Urals (Fishman, 2006). In August 2013, the authors visited a closed jadeite mine at the Levoketchpel deposit in the Voykar-Syninsky ultramafic complex of the Polar Urals to collect samples (figure 1). Here we describe the gemological and trace element chemistry of these jadeites.

Figure 2. Left: A geological map of the Voykar-Syninsky ultramafic complex in the Polar Urals. Modified from Meng et al. (2011). A: A whitish jadeite dike within serpentinized peridotite at the Levoketchpel area. The hammer is 40 cm long. Photo by Dimitri Kuznetsov. B: A jadeite boulder with surrounding phlogopite-rich rock. Photo by Makoto Miura.
The jadeites were found as dikes within serpentinized peridotite (figure 2A). The Levoketchpel deposit was reportedly discovered in 1959 (V.F. Morkovkina, “Jadeites in the hyperbasites of the Polar Urals,” Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR (Seriya Geologicheskaya), 1960, Vol. 4, pp. 103–108). Mining at this area was done on a small scale, and the quality was low. In the outcrop, the jadeite dike is surrounded by phlogopite-rich rock (figure 2B) and peridotite. The Levoketchpel jadeites are translucent to opaque, and whitish to pale green and vivid green with a mottled color distribution. The samples showed a mosaic to fibrous aggregate structure. We collected 10 samples from the jadeite dike (five of these are shown in figure 1) and rubbles produced during mining. For the gemological observation, advanced testing, and quantitative laser ablation–inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) analysis of trace elements, we prepared wafers and thin sections (figure 3). Standard gemological testing revealed RI values of 1.66 to 1.67 and hydrostatic SG values of 3.2 to 3.4. In a handheld spectroscope, the whitish and pale green zones in the samples showed fine chrome lines at 630, 655, and 691 nm, and the diagnostic 437 nm line. These results strongly suggested that the samples were all jadeite.

Figure 3. Two jadeite samples from the Levoketchpel deposit, measuring 3.4 cm and 1.8 cm wide. Photo by Shunsuke Nagai.
EDXRF testing also indicated that the samples were composed mainly of jadeites. The pale green jadeites were characterized by a low CaO/Na2O ratio of 0.20 to 0.26, and a relatively high Al2O3/Fe2O3 ratio of 11.03 to 20.14. The vivid green parts tended to be slightly rich in Ca (CaO/Na2O ratio, 0.32 to 0.34), and the compositional ranges are suited for jadeite (Al2O3/Fe2O3 ratio of 10.73 to 20.14). Vivid green zones were slightly higher in Cr2O3, 0.06 to 0.16 wt.%, than the whitish and pale green samples (Cr2O3 up to 0.01 wt.%).
Careful observation and Raman spectroscopic analysis suggested that the samples were mainly composed of fine jadeite grains with minor amounts of omphacite, natrolite, feldspar, phlogopite, zircon, and chromite. Natrolite was found as the interstitial phase between jadeite grains. Jadeite crystals surrounding chromite crystals tended to be rich in green color. This green color concentration around chromite crystals is probably due to chromium diffusion from chromite during the jadeite’s formation. The coexisting mineral assemblage observed is consistent with previous petrological studies (e.g., G.E. Harlow and S.S. Sorensen, “Jade (nephrite and jadeite) and serpentinite: metasomatic connections,” International Geological Review, Vol. 12, 2005, pp. 49–68). In UV-Vis spectra, vivid green regions of the jadeites from Levoketchpel show an Fe3+ band and strong chromium bands in the 550–700 nm range. Similar results were also reported from jadeites from the Polar Urals (A. Abduriyim et al., “Japanese jadeite: History, characteristics, and comparison with other sources,” Spring 2017 G&G, pp. 48–67).

Figure 4. Trace element characteristics of the Levoketchpel jadeites. (A) Primitive mantle–normalized trace element patterns for green jadeites. (B) Chondrite-normalized rare earth element (REE) patterns for green jadeites. The detection limit is shown by the gray dashed line. Samples in this study are shown in red and compared with jadeites from the Pusyerka deposit at the Syum-Keu complex, the Polar Urals (Meng et al., 2016), Myanmar, Guatemala, and Japan (Abduriyim et al., 2017; Abduriyim et al., unpublished data). Primitive mantle and chondrite values for normalizing are from Sun and McDonough (1989).
Trace element compositions (Rb, Sr, Y, Zr, Nb, Ba, and the rare earth elements Hf, Ta, W, and U) were analyzed by LA-ICP-MS for 10 samples (70 spots total). Four of the samples had both whitish to pale green and vivid green zones. Chemical analyses were conducted on five spots for each of these zones. The whitish to pale green jadeites were depleted in REEs, while the vivid green zones tended to be richer in REEs. We calculated the primitive mantle–normalized trace element patterns and the chondrite-normalized REE patterns (figure 4) of the vivid green Levoketchpel jadeites (W.F. McDonough and S.-S. Sun, “The composition of the earth,” Chemical Geology, Vol. 120, 1995, pp. 223–253) and compared them to jadeites with similar color ranges from another jadeite locality in the Polar Urals (the Pusyerka deposit in the Syum-Keu ultramafic complex; Meng et al., 2016), Myanmar, Guatemala, and Japan (Abduriyim et al., 2017; Abduriyim et al., unpublished data). The primitive mantle–normalized trace element patterns of the Lavoketchpel jadeites reveal strong positive anomalies of Sr, Zr, and Nb (figure 4A). Such enrichment of the large-ion lithophile elements (LILE) and the high field strength elements (HFSE) in jadeites have been reported previously in jadeites from other localities (e.g., G.E. Harlow et al., “Jadeites and plate tectonics,” Annual Review of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Vol. 43, 2015, pp. 105–138). In these patterns, green jadeites from each locality show a very close overlap. In the chondrite-normalized patterns, the Levoketchpel jadeites show a right-downward slope: the light rare earth element (LREE) La, Ce, Nd, and Sm concentrations tended to be higher than the heavy rare earth element (HREE) Eu, Gd, Dy, Y, Er, Yb, and Lu contents (figure 4B). The Levoketchpel jadeites are depleted in HREE relative to the Pusyerka jadeites. Jadeites from Myanmar and Guatemala have higher total REE concentrations than the Polar Ural and Japanese jadeites (figure 4B). Burmese jadeite patterns show a gentle right-downward slope from La to Lu, and Guatemalan jadeites tend to be enriched in HREE. The Levoketchpel jadeites and some Japanese jadeites display a similar slope in REE concentration, although the former tend to be relatively depleted in HREE. @chapter:14 @chapter:0 @chapter:14


# Publication Year: 2024
# Title: Iridescent Imitation Pearl
# Abstract: Figure 1. This 8.03 ct brown oval imitation pearl resembled a pen pearl at first glance. Photo by Ravenya Atchalak.

Figure 2. Left: The material exhibited iridescent patches in its wispy, fibrous-like structure, resembling a lava cave covered in spiderwebs. Right: The iridescence phenomenon changed as the angle of view shifted under fiber-optic illumination. Photomicrographs by Ravenya Atchalak; fields of view 3.60 mm (left) and 1.88 mm (right).
An unusual brown oval specimen weighing 8.03 ct was recently submitted to GIA’s Bangkok laboratory for pearl identification. At first sight, the material resembled a pen pearl due to its dark color and non-nacreous appearance (figure 1). Upon closer inspection, however, it lacked the cellular structure characteristic of such pearls (N. Sturman et al., “Observations on pearls reportedly from the Pinnidae family (pen pearls),” Fall 2014 G&G, pp. 202–215). It instead displayed a wispy, fibrous-like pattern and mosaic patches of iridescence, resembling a lava cave sheathed in spiderwebs (figure 2, left). Under fiber-optic illumination, the iridescence phenomenon was visible within the body and varied as the item was moved and turned in the light (figure 2, right).
Observed externally were both a banding feature (commonly found in shell-related materials) and numerous lines across the base indicating it had been worked and altered from its original form. Real-time X-ray microradiography also revealed a distinct banded internal growth structure and parasite tubes. Raman spectroscopy identified this imitation pearl as calcite, and its bodycolor was likely treated. All this evidence, combined with energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence analysis, indicated that the material was not a whole pearl but likely fashioned from the shell of a marine organism.
Although GIA has encountered a variety of imitation materials, this is the most fascinating specimen seen by the author. @chapter:11 @chapter:4 @chapter:11


# Publication Year: -
# Title: Books: Heavenly Bodies: Cult Treasures and Spectacular Saints from the Catacombs
# Abstract: By Paul Koudounaris, 192 pp., hardcover, illus., publ. by Thames & Hudson, 2013, $29.95.

                      In Heavenly Bodies, Paul Koudounaris has chosen an unusual topic for research: The idea of honoring the early martyrs by adorning them with lavish metalwork and gemstones. One initial impression might be that this work has a religious theme, yet it covers many interesting historical points not tied to religion. Koudounaris’s impartial research on the so-called catacomb saints gives insight into aspects of the schism within the Christian faith in Europe following the Protestant movement.

The book examines the skeletons discovered by chance in Roman catacombs (underground tombs) in the mid-16th century. The Vatican declared the tens of thousands of skeletons found in these vast underground labyrinths to be remains of early Christian martyrs. The location alone was sufficient proof of martyrdom, and no further evidence was sought to declare their authenticity. The Catholic Church was delighted to have a substitute for the holy relics that were largely destroyed during the Protestant Reformation in German-speaking European countries. The skeletons were examined and authenticated in Rome, then dispatched to other Catholic parishes, mainly in Germany and Switzerland.

Upon their arrival, the skeletons were lavishly adorned. Fragile bones would be reinforced by animal glue; missing parts would be replaced by wood or sometimes metal. They would be preserved with wax and meticulously covered with gauze, silk, and gemstones and pearls set in silver. The decorative work took hundreds of hours and was performed by nuns and silversmiths on each skeleton that went on display. Some churches had to wait until they could collect the funds for this costly task. It is interesting that when the church couldn’t afford natural gems, it compromised and used imitation stones, and even these weren’t inexpensive at the time. Many devotees supported the cause by donating jewelry and money. After all, these luxuriously decorated skeletons were a great attraction and a source of income for the church.

By the 19th century, pride in the catacomb saints had faded. The revered relics became an embarrassment due their questionable origin. The Catholic Church itself began to doubt the authenticity and the necessity of these objects. Once considered remains of the saints, the ornately embellished skeletons began quietly disappearing from the public scene. Today, a few churches in Switzerland and Germany still maintain them, but not on public display. Paul Koudounaris was granted access to the few remaining specimens for research, and the book is magnificently illustrated with more than 100 of his photos.

Heavenly Bodies is an illuminating read for jewelry historians and gemologists alike, as it reveals an unusual aspect of jewelry and use of gems. @chapter:55 @chapter:2 @chapter:55


# Publication Year: 2004
# 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. @chapter:18 @chapter:1 @chapter:18


# Publication Year: 1982
# Title: Summer 1982 G&G Book Reviews
# Abstract: "An Illustrated Dictionary of Jewelry"
By Harold Newman, 334 pp, illus.,Thames ed Hudson, New Yolk, 1981, US $29.95.

"Photographical Atlas of Detrital Minerals"
By Pierre Devismes, 203 pp., illus.,Bureau de Recherches, B.P. 818, 45, Orleans, France, 1978, US$89.00. @chapter:31 @chapter:2 @chapter:31


# Publication Year: -
# Title: What it Takes to Mine Oregon’s Sunstone
# Abstract: Schumacher, far right, sets up to interview owner John Woodmark at the Ponderosa mine. Photo by Duncan Pay/GIA.

	It’s easy to think of southeast Oregon as the state’s “empty quarter,” where the towns are few and far between and it’s hard to get a cell phone signal, but Kevin Schumacher, a GIA digital resource specialist and videographer, thinks the landscape and the people mining for sunstone there make a unique and remarkable combination to the gem and jewelry industry.

	“The contrast between the tall trees at the Ponderosa and the broad, wide valleys and dark rolling volcanic hills near Plush was striking, although both areas have a rugged, distinctive beauty of their own,” he said.

	And the people?

	“These guys have an extra dose of character,” he said. “You need a multitude of skills to succeed in the desert and these folks really have it in spades. You have to be self-reliant … you need to prepare for the worst, but hope for the best.”

	That’s especially true in “the valley,” the miners’ name for the Rabbit basin’s sunstone digging area, about 20 miles north of the tiny hamlet of Plush. The gravel roads there ‒ Hogback and the aptly named Nasty Flat ‒ are brutal on cars.

	“Even to get there you need a tough vehicle,” Schumacher said. “Terry Clarke at the Dust Devil mine took one disdainful look at our SUV’s tires and told us to get 10-ply rather than the 4-ply next time.”

	They found out he was right when their SUV suffered a puncture close to the Dust Devil mine. That’s when they got a glimpse of the miners’ true spirit and generosity.

	“Whenever anyone’s in trouble, they’ll put aside any rivalries and help each other out,” Schumacher said. “These are not young guys anymore, yet they had that tire fixed in no time ‒ nothing was too much trouble.”

	Schumacher watches as Dust Devil’s Terry Clark labors to fix a flat front tire on the team’s SUV. Photo by Duncan Pay/GIA.

The Logistics

	“All my camera gear fits in a small suitcase, and that pretty much fits into a regular overhead locker on an airplane,” Schumacher said. “You have to check over all the equipment thoroughly ‒ charge the batteries, take spares, carry plenty of memory cards.”

	“I would hate to get out there and find a dead battery, or find I’d forgotten something. I’ve no interest in being the weak link in the team!”

	Schumacher said being a video cameraman is a far from passive pursuit. “I listen to every word the person on camera says during an interview. Any detail of the mining operation or landscape they mention, I’ll make sure I capture on film after we finish the interview.”

	“That way, I can be sure the finished video conveys the whole experience of being there,” he said.

	A view along Hogback road near the Plush sunstone area, not far from the Dust Devil mine. There was a downpour a little after this photo was taken. Photo by Duncan Pay/GIA.

	And what of the journey out and back to the mines?

		“The Ponderosa mine is about a six-hour drive from Portland and only the last little stretch is gravel roads. The Plush sunstone area is about a 150 miles further south, and a good stretch is gravel roads. The sunstone valley feels a lot more remote,” he said.

	Remote and unpredictable. The group drove past brush fires further north, and a lightning storm lit the skies the last night at Dust Devil. The miners were a little concerned that they might have to pull out because of fires, but it eventually rained heavily, so the danger of fire was averted.

	“The drive out from the Plush area was memorable,” Schumacher said. “The heavens opened and all the ruts on the gravel roads filled with water. Our truck was sliding around every time we touched the water, and we were a little concerned about the tire Terry patched, but we needn’t have worried, it held up all the way back to Portland!”

Lasting Impressions

	“Each group of miners stuck in my mind ‒ they’re all wonderful characters,” Schumacher said. “I’ll always remember sitting around the campfire sipping cinnamon bourbon with John Woodmark’s crew at the Ponderosa at the end of the first day of our trip.”

	Not all mining camp life is hard work. Everyone relaxes around the campfire at the end of the day to share experiences, have a drink and talk politics. Photo by Duncan Pay/GIA.

	The next part of the visit with Don Buford, Terry Clark, and Mark Shore at Dust Devil was equally memorable.

	“Don and Terry are Vietnam veterans ‒ they choose to live in the desert for half of the year because it suits them ‒ they love mining and they’re invested in making Oregon sunstone an American success story.”

	“They showed us every facet of their operation, shared the ups and the downs, the challenges they still face every day they mine here,” he said.

	Schumacher was amazed how the miners use the smallest of signs to discover gems.

	“They’ll look for tiny sunstone fragments in ant hills and differences in the vegetation,” he said. “Sometimes they even walk the desert for months to find a good prospect. And once they find the gems, they’ve often got to get them out of pretty hard rock without breaking them into pieces.”

	In the end, which experience will he remember most about the trip?

	“I think actually trying our hand at mining at Dust Devil the old-fashioned way was pretty instructive” Schumacher said. “All of us were in the pit shoveling dirt through screens, and it’s not long before you realize what a lot of earth you’ve got to move to find anything at all. I was lucky; I found a couple of nice ‘reds’ ‒ the other GIA guys weren’t so fortunate!”

	And the miners and the unique gems they seek?

	“When we were leaving, Don shook our hands and told us we fit right in, which was the biggest complement he could have paid us,” Schumacher said. “I’d go back there in a heartbeat! Maybe I’ll do a little sunstone digging on my own.” @chapter:34 @chapter:2 @chapter:34


# Publication Year: 2015
# Title: Uranium Contents of Hyalite
# Abstract: Figure 1. Two different types of Japanese hyalite rough specimens under daylight (left) and short-wave UV light (right). The photo on the right demonstrates the strong yellow-green fluorescence of pegmatite hyalite, while the spherical hyalite samples do not show the fluorescence. Photo by Masumi Saito.

Hyalite is a colorless variety of common opal with strong greenish fluorescence. Rough specimens have interesting glassy botryoidal shapes formed by vapor transport in volcanic or pegmatitic environments (O.W. Flörke, “Transport and deposition of SiO2 with H2O under supercritical conditions,” Kristall und Technik, Vol. 7, 1972, pp. 159–166). Hyalite from a new source in Zacatecas, Mexico, discovered in 2013, shows strong green fluorescence even under daylight conditions. This material was spotlighted for the first time at the 2014 Tucson gem and mineral shows (E. Fritsch et al., “Green-luminescing hyalite opal from Zacatecas, Mexico,” Journal of Gemmology, Vol. 34, 2015, pp. 490–508).

GIA’s Tokyo laboratory recently had an opportunity to examine several faceted hyalites from Zacatecas, Mexico, along with several rough hyalites from other locations, including Japan, Hungary, and Argentina. There were two different types of Japanese hyalites in the study samples: botryoidal and spherical. The botryoidal one (figure 1) was from Gifu’s Naegi granitic pegmatite (H. Ogawa et al., “Fluorescence of hyalite in pegmatite from Naegi granite, Nakatugawa,” 2008 Annual Meeting of Japan Association of Mineralogical Sciences), while the spherical one was from Toyama’s Shin-yu hot spring (Y. Takahashi et al., “On the occurrence of opal at the Shin-yu hot spring, Tateyama,” Tateyama Caldera Research, Vol. 8, 2007, pp. 1–4.). Hungarian hyalite is known to form in the clefts of trachytic rocks in Bohemia, Czech Republic, and Auvergne, France (B. von Cotta, Rocks Classified and Described: A Treatise on Lithology, Longmans, Green, and Company, London, 1866, p. 425). Argentinean hyalite is widely distributed, but the original rocks are not described.

Standard gemological testing of the faceted Mexican stones revealed RI values of 1.460–1.461 and a hydrostatic SG of 2.13. Prominent fluorescence was observed under short-wave UV light, but only the Japanese spherical samples were inert (figure 2). Strong graining flow structures were visible at 64× magnification. Raman analysis (figure 3) revealed typical amorphous silica spectra composed of a major band between 430 and 460 cm–1 (vibration of bridging oxygen) and a band centered at 790 cm–1 representing the stretching of isolated SiO44– (P. McMillan, “A Raman spectroscopic study of glasses in the system CaO-MgO-SiO2,” American Mineralogist, Vol. 69, 1984, pp. 645–659). Laser ablation–inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) detected a very wide range of uranium contents; the maximum was 1060–1330 ppmw for the Japanese pegmatitic hyalite, while the Japanese spherical hyalite had zero uranium content. The amounts are quite inhomogeneous, but seem to correlate with the intensities of fluorescence, decreasing from Mexican (1180–3.55 ppmw) to Argentinian (2.48–2.49 ppmw) to Hungarian (0.39–0.15 ppmw) (figure 3).

Figure 2. Clockwise from top center, one Hungarian botryoidal hyalite with matrix, one Japanese pegmatite rough hyalite with matrix, twenty-three pieces of Japanese spherical hyalite, one rough and three faceted Mexican specimens, and one Argentinian botryoidal hyalite under short-wave UV light. The intensity of yellow-green fluorescence vary in the different specimens. Photo by Masumi Saito.

Figure 3. Raman spectra from (a–b) Mexican hyalites, (c) Japanese pegmatitic hyalite,
(d) Hungarian hyalite, (e) Argentinean hyalite, and (f–g) Japanese spherical hyalite. All
spectra show similar patterns, with the Mexican specimens showing the unknown specific
peak at 1548 cm–1.
Interestingly, only the Japanese pegmatitic hyalite sample was rich in rare earth elements (REE). Since Naegi granitic pegmatite is known to be an REE-enriched pegmatite (T.S. Ercit, “REE-enriched granitic pegmatites,” in R.L. Linnen and I.M. Samson, Eds., Rare-Element Geochemistry and Mineral Deposits, Geological Association of Canada, GAC Short Course Notes 17, 2005, pp. 175–199), the host rock chemistry appears to affect the silica-rich fluid. @chapter:12 @chapter:0 @chapter:12


# Publication Year: -
# Title: GIA Resources Give Retailers an Edge in Customer Education
# Abstract: Jivan Yeramian, right, custom jewelry designer and owner of Jivan Collection, says he frequently uses brochures and other resources from the Retailer Support Program when meeting with clients. Photo Courtesy of Jivan Collection.

Hand in hand, a couple opens the door and walks into a jewelry store. The sparkle in their eyes is as bright as the gems in the display case they approach.  It’s clear they are serious – about each other and the jewelry.
The engagement ring – or other special occasion jewelry – buying process is one that jewelry retailers see every day in stores around the world
For many consumers, the experience is exciting, magical and breathtaking, but it can also be overwhelming. This gives retailers an opportunity to guide their customers through the process by sharing knowledge about beautiful diamonds and colored gems so they are informed and confident in their purchase.
GIA's Retailer Support Program provides retailers with the tools to do just that. It offers a variety of resources – many available at no cost – so retailers can easily share and explain information about diamonds, gemstones and GIA reports with their customers. Since its 2007 inception, thousands of retailers have joined. The number of participating retailers has grown steadily, increasing by 30 percent in 2017 alone.
“The Retailer Support Program makes it easy for retailers around the world to educate consumers and their staff on the 4Cs of diamond quality and the value of a grading report, as well as the quality factors of sapphire, ruby, emerald, pearl and many other beautiful gems,” says Tali Nay, GIA Retailer Support Program manager.
Nay, a GIA Graduate Gemologist, says the program supports GIA’s public-benefit mission by helping ensure that consumers who purchase diamonds and gemstones are knowledgeable and confident.
Retailer Lookup: Connecting Consumers and Retailers
The program includes GIA’s Retailer Lookup, a free listing service for any retailer who offers GIA-graded diamonds or has GIA-trained employees. The Retailer Lookup lets consumers search for retailers by city or postal code and provides them with addresses, store hours and directions to registered stores.

Retailers are quick to recognize the Retailer Lookup’s ability to drive traffic to their stores.

“The Retailer Lookup is a valuable tool – it has opened up our customer network and helped us connect with those looking for a jeweler with our high standards, focus on quality and transparency,” said Jonathan Goldberg, president and CEO of Kimberfire in Toronto, Canada. “We are very excited about the potential for this tool to help us reach new customers and grow our brand.”

Consumer interest in the tool has increased dramatically in the last few years.

“So far in 2018, we’ve seen a 60 percent increase in the number of consumers using the Retailer Lookup to find retailers, which demonstrates the appeal of GIA reports and expertise,” Nay says.

Studio Jewelers, which has been in business for more than 25 years, uses GIA’s interactive 4Cs download on its website and in store. “We cast it from our website to a 55-inch flat screen TV on our showroom… people respond to it very well,” says Dan Claesson, master jeweler. Photo courtesy Studio Jewelers
Counter Tools for Retailers Around the World
Available in English, Simplified Chinese and Japanese, the retailer.GIA.edu website houses a collection of resources, including point-of-sale materials – such as counter cards, signage and brochures – and digital downloads. All printed materials can be ordered online, some in up to 18 different languages, and delivered directly to the store, with free global shipping for a limited time.

The GIA counter cards and brochures are a great “quick reference” for sales staff, says Dan Claesson, master jeweler at Studio Jewelers in Lakeland, Florida.

They make it easy to explain the 4Cs, says Jivan Yeramian, custom jewelry designer and owner of Jivan Collection in Montreal, Canada.

“The most beneficial tools (for us) are definitely the counter display tools – the diamond sorting pad and the 4Cs counter display,” he says. “As someone who has worked mostly behind a jeweler’s bench in an atelier, the GIA tools definitely helped me earn more credibility and it also provided me with knowledge. Both of these things now help me with sales.

“Being able to better describe my work is very helpful when it comes to marketing (my business).”
Interactive Customer Education Online and In Store
Many consumers start their shopping online and the Retailer Support Program’s digital resources help retailers educate consumers behind the counter and on the screen. Free videos, images, logos, training modules and interactive digital downloads are available for use in the retailer’s advertising, websites and social media pages.

“In our store and our website, we use the interactive 4Cs tool,” says Claesson of Studio Jewelers. In addition to offering an informative, educational experience to help customers learn about the 4Cs of diamond quality, Claesson says it’s also a great tool for training staff. “They do not hesitate to use it to educate customers because it is hard to make a mistake selling a GIA-graded diamond and using GIA's tools.”

GIA's Retailer Support Program makes it easy for retailers to educate consumers about diamonds, gemstones and GIA reports with a variety of digital and print resources. MarBill Diamonds and Jewelry uses this pearl brochure and “The Passion of Colored Gemstones,” a colored stone reference book, to help educate customers at its store in Belle Vernon, Pennsylvania. Photo courtesy of MarBill Diamonds and Jewelry.
Colored Gems and Pearls: A Rainbow of Colorful Resources
When it comes to colored gemstones and pearls, there are distinct quality factors for consumers to learn. The Retailer Support Program includes brochures, counter tools and other downloads to address many of the common questions customers have about colored gems – and can also inspire them with the rich and varied hues that can be found.

“We’ve done a lot recently to expand our portfolio of tools and resources that focus on colored stones,” Nay says. “On the digital end, we launched a series of free birthstone images that can be used on retailer websites to promote seasonal sales. And our new 48-page book, “The Passion of Colored Gemstones,” features lore, quality factors, and geographical source information for 18 of the most popular colored gemstones. It’s a beautiful book that retailers are using for everything from in-store reference to customer giveaways.”

Linda Horrell, owner of MarBill Diamonds and Jewelry in Belle Vernon, Pennsylvania, says they have recently been using the new colored stone books the most. She says customers of the independent, family owned store – which has been in business for 54 years – really love the book.

“The newest colored stone books are always on our colored stone showcase and are given to our customers on almost a daily basis,” she says. “It gives me the opportunity to talk to and educate the consumer who is interested in color.”

Horrell says that MarBill hands out the GemKids Posters to local children who are interested in rocks and gems. “I also refer them to the GemKids website,” she says.

The 4Cs Interactive Counter Tool helps educate customers about the 4Cs of diamond quality and includes sliders that can be moved to show where a particular diamond’s quality characteristics fall on their respective scales. Expanded 4Cs definitions are on the back side of the display.
Helping Retailers Help Consumers
For many retailers, offering education on diamonds and colored gems helps customers feel assured and gives them the added confidence to make the purchase. And with the expanding portfolio of retailer materials – including the newest addition, the 4Cs Interactive Counter Tool – there is always something new for retailers to try out.

“We sell more GIA-graded diamonds because of the confidence instilled in the customer and our staff,” Claesson says. @chapter:42 @chapter:3 @chapter:42


# Publication Year: 2023
# Title: An “Eye” on a Tridacninae Pearl
# Abstract: A 4.77 ct near-round white Tridacninae pearl exhibited an attractive sheen-like flame structure in a pattern resembling an eye when viewed in certain directions under a single white light source. Photomicrograph by Ravenya Atchalak; field of view 7.20 mm.
The Tridacninae subfamily of giant saltwater clams consists of two genera: Hippopus and Tridacna. These bivalve mollusks live only in the shallow waters of coral reefs in the tropical parts of the Indo-Pacific Ocean (E. Strack, Pearls, Rühle-Diebener-Verlag, Stuttgart, 2001, p. 60). They are known to produce white to cream non-nacreous pearls, with yellow or orange pearls less commonly found. Tridacninae pearls frequently exhibit a porcelain-like surface with a flame structure caused by stacked layers of aragonite lamellae in a crisscross fashion. The sheen-like effect occurs when those lamellae interact with light (H.A. Hänni, “Explaining the flame structure of non-nacreous pearls,” Australian Gemmologist, Vol. 24, No. 4, 2010, pp. 85–88). Pearls with such characteristics are known as porcelaneous pearls.
A 4.77 ct near-round white Tridacninae pearl (see above) recently examined by the author displayed a well-arranged flame structure consisting of a wide base with spiky ends radiating outward from the apex of the pearl. Microscopic examination under fiber-optic light revealed a remarkable feature. A dramatic pseudo-chatoyancy occurred over the luminous flames, creating the appearance of an eye staring back at the observer. Pearls with prominent flame structures and high sheen often contain striking features. @chapter:11 @chapter:4 @chapter:11


# Publication Year: 2017
# Title: Data Supplement
# Abstract: The published versions of the authors’ microradiographs are shown here, with the original versions below them.

Figure S3. Microradiographs of sample 8, a bead-cultured saltwater pearl from Pinctada
fucata, produced with an FPD (top) and an II (bottom). The diameter of the bead is
about 4.5 mm.

Figure S4. Microradiographs of the center of sample 19 (a non-bead-cultured saltwater
pearl from Pinctada maxima), produced with an FPD (top) and an II (bottom); fields of
view approximately 7 mm.

Figure S5. Microradiographs of sample 1 (a natural saltwater pearl from Pinctada
radiata), produced with an FPD (top) and an II (bottom); fields of view approximately
3.5 mm.

Figure S6. Microradiographs of sample 21 (a non-bead-cultured freshwater pearl from
Hyriopsis species), produced with an FPD (top) and an II (bottom); fields of view
approximately 9 mm. @chapter:11 @chapter:4 @chapter:11


# Publication Year: 2021
# Title: Rare Mixed Type IaB-IIb Diamond with a Long-Lasting Phosphorescence
# Abstract: Figure 1. The 0.20 ct diamond’s FTIR spectrum. Insets show the type IaB aggregate nitrogen at 1175 and 1010 cm–1 (top inset) and IIb boron (bottom inset) at 3725 and 2803 cm–1, confirming a mixed-type stone.
Phosphorescence is an optical effect in which electromagnetic radiation absorbed by a substance is released relatively slowly in the form of light. Long-lasting UV phosphorescence of more than 10 seconds’ duration is an extremely rare property in natural diamonds, normally limited to hydrogen-rich type Ia chameleon and type IIb diamonds.
Recently, a natural round brilliant weighing 0.20 ct (E-F color, VS2-SI1 clarity) was submitted to Stuller Inc. by a client for a custom design. During our diamond screening process, using a phosphorescence imaging-based screening device, the diamond was automatically identified as having an HPHT-grown origin, conflicting with the client’s natural origin disclosure. Secondary testing, using a fluorescence spectroscopy-based screening device, identified the diamond as having a natural origin. Under magnification, only a few pinpoints were spotted.
Due to the ambiguous results, the gem was sent to Stuller’s Gem Lab for further analysis. The FTIR spectrum (figure 1) showed a mixed diamond type comprising low levels of aggregated nitrogen (IaB) and boron (IIb), indicating a natural origin. Similar results were given using fluorescence spectroscopy, which identified N3 peaks, associated with natural origin. Photoluminescence spectroscopy, using a 532 nm laser under liquid nitrogen temperature (77 K), provided results supporting the other instruments and confirming the absence of synthetic origin-related peaks.

Figure 2. The 0.20 ct diamond’s phosphorescence, as seen immediately after exposure to UV radiation (left) and after 60 seconds of elapsed time (right). Images by Guy Borenstein.
In order to identify the cause of the false positive results from the first screening device, the diamond was placed in a SWUV cabinet to analyze its phosphorescence effect. Once excited, the stone emitted a strong bluish green phosphorescence for about 120 seconds (figure 2).
The emitted color and the unusually long duration of the effect are typically associated with HPHT-grown diamonds. Consequently, these properties triggered the false positive results in the phosphorescence imaging-based screening device. In this case, the rare combination of natural diamond types, which includes a boron component, was probably the reason for the unusual phosphorescence.
This case demonstrates the complexity of diamond origin identification and the need for multiple diamond screening devices, each with a different screening technology, to cover all possibilities and ensure a 100% correct identification. @chapter:22 @chapter:1 @chapter:22


# Publication Year: 2008
# Title: Fall 2008 Gem News International
# Abstract: Colored Stones and Organic Materials
            Using Cucumbers to Unearth Dendritic Agates in Central India
            Fluorite Impersonating Blue Color-Change Garnet
            Colorless Forsterite from Mogok, Myanmar
            Colorless Forsterite from Tajikistan
            Natural Impregnation of a Rock by Copper Minerals
            Update on the John Saul Ruby Mine, Kenya
            Ruby and Other Gems from Nanyaseik, Myanmar
            An Interesting Zoned Sapphire Crystal from Winza, Tanzania
            A Tourmaline Crystal Within a Crystal
            Tourmaline from Muva, Mozambique
Inclusions in Gems
            Two Unusual Aquamarines
            An Interesting Rose Quartz from Madagascar
            Scapolite with Diopside Inclusions
            Spodumene from Afghanistan with Unusual Inclusions
Synthetics and Simulants
            Two Interesting Synthetic Rubies
Miscellaneous
            Update on U.S.-Myanmar Import Restrictions
Announcements
Gems & Gemology Wins Two Major Awards
Exhibits
            Exhibits at the GIA Museum
            The Aurora Collection at The Vault
            Gold in the Americas
            Portuguese and Brazilian Jewelry
            Nature of Diamonds at the ROM

To view the full section, download the PDF above. @chapter:6 @chapter:0 @chapter:6


# Publication Year: 2009
# Title: Aquamarine from the Masino-Bregaglia Massif, Central Alps, Italy
# Abstract: Aquamarine from granitic pegmatites of the Masino-Bregaglia Massif, Central Alps, Italy, is investigated by classical gemological methods, LA-ICP-MS chemical analyses, and UV-Vis-NIR and mid-IR spectroscopy. This beryl has typical gemological properties for aquamarine, including iron absorption features, and is characterized by a low alkali content and both types I and II water molecules. Although so far only a small amount of this aquamarine has been polished into gems, it represents an attractive gem material of potential economic interest. @chapter:3 @chapter:0 @chapter:3


# Publication Year: 2023
# Title: A Gastropod Shell in a Unique Shell Blister
# Abstract: Figure 1. The natural shell blister attached to a portion of the shell on which it formed, weighing 2.60 g (13.00 ct) total and measuring 25.54 × 18.11 × 7.79 mm. Photo by Gaurav Bera.
Natural blister pearls and natural shell blisters have long been a subject of debate for gemologists and can be very challenging to definitively identify (see G&G Lab Notes from Fall 1992, Spring 1995, Winter 1996, Winter 2015, Summer 2016, and Spring 2018). According to the World Jewellery Confederation (CIBJO), a natural blister pearl forms when a natural pearl detaches itself from the pearl sac and attaches to the inner wall of the shell, while a natural shell blister is an internal protuberance that forms on a shell’s inner surface. It is usually caused by a foreign object accidentally finding its way into the space between the mantle and shell surface.
GIA’s Mumbai laboratory recently examined an interesting dark greenish brown baroque-shaped blister attached to a portion of shell weighing 2.60 g (13.00 ct) total and measuring approximately 25.54 × 18.11 × 7.79 mm (figure 1).

Figure 2. Photomicrographs show graduated cellular structures from the natural shell blister examined in the Mumbai laboratory (A and B; fields of view 4 mm and 3 mm, respectively) compared to those from a known Pinnidae shell from GIA’s Bangkok laboratory (C and D; fields of view 4 mm and 3 mm, respectively). Photomicrographs by Jayesh Surve (A and B) and Nicholas Sturman (C and D).
Examination under 40× magnification revealed a graduated hexagonal structure on the shell base (figure 2, A and B). The shell was cut and worked around the edges, and growth layers were visible when the cut surfaces were examined. Exposure to X-ray fluorescence yielded no reaction for the shell blister. Energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry on two areas (top and base) revealed manganese levels below the detection limit, and strontium levels of 1470 ppm (top) and 2431 ppm (base) were consistent with those expected for saltwater pearls.

Figure 3. Top row, left to right: RTX images of the face, the right side, and the length or thickest direction reveal a prominent gastropod shell measuring approximately 8.30 × 5.75 mm within the shell blister. Bottom row: μ-CT images show the structures for the same three directions and provide even clearer details of the entombed gastropod.
Real-time microradiography (RTX), shown in the top row of figure 3, revealed a pleasant surprise. An obvious and intriguing gastropod shell was hidden beneath the overlying layers, which resulted in further study using X-ray computed microtomography (μ-CT) (figure 3, bottom row). The minute details of a unique marine gastropod exoskeleton measuring approximately 8.30 × 5.75 mm were observed within a void feature, and the overlying growth layers on the face side (the surface that grew within the mollusk it formed in) revealed minimal growth arcs. Marine gastropods are known to vary in size, and the class consists of many thousands of species (A. Nutzel., “Larval ecology and morphology in fossil gastropods,” Paleontology, Vol. 57, No. 3, 2014, pp. 479–503). These observations provided enough evidence to make a clear distinction between a shell blister, such as this sample, and a shell blister pearl (“Natural shell blisters and blister pearls: What’s the difference?” GIA Research News, August 26, 2019).
The ultraviolet/visible reflectance spectra showed a prominent feature at around 450 nm and weaker features at 320, 330, 450, and 460 nm proving that the sample’s color was natural and lacked any treatment. Raman analysis using 514 nm laser excitation showed a series of peaks at 158, 186, 204, and 213 cm–1; a weak peak at 280 cm–1; a doublet peak around 701–704 cm–1; and a strong peak at 1085 cm–1. These were indicative of aragonite. The photoluminescence spectra were also consistent with the Raman and displayed high fluorescence and aragonite-related peaks. These results were unexpected given the cellular-looking structure observed through the microscope, as this type of structure usually results in Raman spectra indicative of calcite.
While the lustrous dark color and the cellular-looking structure indicated the host shell was likely a species from the Pinnidae family, it was not clear given the spectral data collected (N. Sturman et al., “Observations on pearls reportedly from the Pinnidae family (pen pearls),” Fall 2014 G&G, pp. 202–215). When the surface structures were compared to photomicrographs of known Pinna species shell from GIA’s Bangkok laboratory (figure 2, C and D), the results showed some similarity. However, Raman spectra indicative of calcite were obtained for the Bangkok research collection samples, which differed from the sample studied here. The Atrina vexillum species may have been responsible for producing the natural shell blister, and this would explain the aragonite-related Raman peaks since this mollusk is known to produce pearls with an aragonitic structure. However, since Atrina species pearls are often nacreous when aragonite is present and the sample in question was non-nacreous, the contradicting data still leaves some doubt as to the true identity of the host. Nevertheless, this example of a shell blister encompassing a gastropod shell represents a noteworthy phenomenon of nature that is rarely encountered. @chapter:11 @chapter:4 @chapter:11


# Publication Year: 2014
# Title: Very Large Irradiated Yellow Diamond
# Abstract: Figure 1. This 22.27 ct Fancy Vivid yellow diamond was identified as artificially irradiated and annealed. Treated diamonds of this size and attractively saturated color are rare. Photo by Sood Oil (Judy) Chia.

              Artificial irradiation, with or without annealing, has been used to improve the color of natural diamonds for several decades. This technique is usually applied to brownish or light yellow diamonds of relatively small size. The New York lab recently tested a very large yellow diamond that had been artificially irradiated.

This emerald-cut stone weighed 22.27 ct and was color graded as Fancy Vivid yellow (figure 1). Faint color concentration was observed along the culet. The diamond showed medium yellow-green, slightly chalky fluorescence to long-wave UV and weak orange fluorescence to short-wave UV. No obvious internal features were observed. Its infrared absorption spectrum showed high concentrations of nitrogen and weak absorptions from defects H1b (4935 cm–1) and H1c (5165 cm–1). A weak hydrogen-related absorption at 3107 cm–1 was also detected. In the Vis-NIR region, the absorption spectrum collected at liquid-nitrogen temperature showed strong absorptions from the N3, H4, H3, and 595 nm optical centers (figure 2). These spectroscopic and gemological features demonstrated that the diamond had been artificially irradiated and annealed to introduce additional absorptions from the H3/H4 defects, enhancing its yellow color. This Fancy Vivid yellow color would have been much lighter and less saturated before the treatment.

Figure 2. The irradiated yellow diamond’s Vis-NIR absorption spectrum, collected at liquid-nitrogen temperature, showed strong absorption from the H3 and H4 defects, which were artificially introduced to enhance the yellow color.
Artificially irradiated diamonds of this size and attractive color are rarely examined in gem laboratories. @chapter:22 @chapter:1 @chapter:22


# Publication Year: 1982
# Title: The Identification of Artificial Coloration in Diamond
# Abstract: Since Robert Crowningshield's discovery in the late 1950s that diamonds that have been artificially colored by irradiation and subsequent annealing could be identified by their characteristic absorption spectra (in particular, the band at 595 (592) nm), much more information has become available about the radiation-related bands seen in the visible spectra of diamonds. The introduction of cryogenics has made the observation by hand spectroscope or the recording by spectrophotometer of a diamond's visible spectrum less troublesome. But it has also opened the eyes of the gemologist to the fact that virtually any band that can be artificially induced in the spectrum of diamond by irradiation and subsequent annealing can also occur naturally. This makes identification of the source of color in some diamonds, particularly fluorescent green and some yellow stones, very difficult. @chapter:29 @chapter:1 @chapter:29


# Publication Year: 1981
# Title: Summer 1981 Gem News International
# Abstract: AGS Conclave '81
Argentine Rhodochrosite
Australian Developments
            View Toward Gem Cutting
            Diamond
            Emerald
            Sapphire
U.S. Peridot
Zaire Breaks With DeBeers
Exhibits
            Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History
            Smithsonian Institution National Museum of Man
            American Museum of Natural History

To view the full section, download the PDF above. @chapter:21 @chapter:0 @chapter:21


# Publication Year: -
# Title: Tucson, Centurion Upbeat, But Caution Remains
# Abstract: Diamond manufacturers are making profits again after more than two years of struggling with high-priced rough and depressed polished prices. SAFDICO in South Africa specializes is larger diamonds, which were less affected by the rough-polished price squeeze. Photo by Russell Shor/GIA

	Business at the February Centurion show in Scottsdale, Arizona, geared mainly to higher end independent retailers, was generally good according to attendee reports. The exceptions were retailers from states where the economies depend on the oil business. Demand for gemstones at Tucson reportedly was decent and in line with expectations, so the mood was generally good, according to exhibitors.

	The outlook remains cautious, however, as major jewelry retailers are forecasting little to no sales growth for 2016 in the U.S. and a slight decline in other major consumer centers.

	U.S. retail jewelry sales were up about 2% from 2015, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. Sales of retail jewelry at specialty stores, i.e. retail jewelers, were up 3.6% year-on-year, probably reflecting stronger business at the higher end. In addition, year-on-year revenue comparisons are compromised by the fact that diamonds and gold were significantly lower in price in 2015 than the previous year.

	The e-commerce diamond retailer Blue Nile, for example, reported its worst year ever: sales down 5% from the holiday season, mainly because its core engagement ring business was down 8%. The company did note, however, that unit prices were lower and profit margins actually rose slightly on the year. The company also reported fewer sales over $25,000, which may reflect the difficulties of oil-dependent regions or a trend back to brick-and-mortar for high-ticket pieces.

	The decent sell-through in the U.S. market absorbed a lot of excess inventory and helped revitalize diamond manufacturing, which nearly came to a halt at the end of 2015. Bankers and diamond analysts have cautioned that manufacturers may be resuming the speculative buying that caused a bubble several years ago, however, bank credit remains extremely tight, which will restrict such buying on a long-term basis.

	Diamond manufacturers have apparently found De Beers’ price reduction sufficient to make a profit. Prices came down an average of 7% at the January sight and the side deals made at the same time, but many categories of goods were discounted 12% to 15%. The sight was about $450 million, with side deals adding about $90 million to the total.

	What was extraordinary about this sight was that, for the first time in its history, the company announced its monthly sales volume. This is apparently the first step in what De Beers claims will be a “major restructuring of its global sightholder system” for the sight term that will begin next year.

	De Beers' second sight of the year is this week.

	The company’s rough sales fell 40% to 20.6 million carats in 2015, while production fell 12% to 28.7 million carats. The deepest production cuts, 16%, were in Botswana’s operations, which supplies about two-thirds of the company’s output.

	Alrosa, the Russian diamond producer, reportedly doubled the quantities of rough diamonds from its December sales to match De Beers’ total. Alrosa apparently did not lower prices in January like De Beers, but the company had been selling comparable goods for a few percentage points less at its offerings over the past two years. Alrosa has continued to mine diamonds at the same rate, but has stockpiled some $3 billion worth with the central government stockpile, Gokhran.

	Although De Beers and Alrosa gave clients the right to defer their purchases (up to 50% for De Beers and 70% for Alrosa), indications are that few clients did so.

	Globally, LVMH, the luxury group that operates the De Beers stores and Bulgari, as well as the prestige watch brands Hublot and TAG Heuer, reported that its watch and jewelry sales rose 19% in 2015, led by Bulgari and TAG Heuer. @chapter:32 @chapter:3 @chapter:32


# Publication Year: -
# Title: Is There a Difference Between Natural and Laboratory-Grown Diamonds?
# Abstract: Laboratory-grown CVD rough diamond (left), laboratory-grown HPHT rough diamond (middle) and natural rough diamond (right)

Two specimens of faceted crystalized carbon - both are crystal clear and give off a kaleidoscope of spectral colors in direct light. They appear to be identical. One, however, is a billion or more years old and the other was recently grown in a laboratory.
Both are diamonds, of course. The first is a natural diamond created by forces deep within the young Earth. The second is from a laboratory and possesses essentially the same chemical, physical and optical properties as its natural counterpart.
Diamond – the material, not the gem – is a mineral consisting of “essentially pure carbon crystalized in the isometric cubic system,” according to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC), which develops trading guides for the gem and jewelry industry.
Although the FTC says diamonds are essentially pure carbon, the vast majority of natural diamonds contain trace amounts of other substances, particularly nitrogen, which gives them a yellow color or (rarely) boron, which imparts a blue color. In addition, they usually contain inclusions, tiny bits of foreign material that were trapped in the still-forming diamond millions of years ago.
Laboratory-grown diamonds (also sometimes referred to as man-made or synthetic diamonds) entered the gem and jewelry market in commercial quantities about five years ago. Although identical in appearance to natural diamonds, they have very subtle differences that can only be detected by trained gemologists and sophisticated equipment designed for that purpose.

A comparison of rough diamonds shows a 0.83 ct natural diamond crystal on the left and a 1.02 ct HPHT crystal on the right. Both crystals are from the GIA Research Collection. Photo: Orsasa Weldon/GIA
WHERE DO DIAMONDS COME FROM?

Natural Diamonds
Natural diamonds formed deep in the earth under extreme pressure and high temperature as long as three billion years ago. Volcanic activity brought them to the surface where they lay in a type of volcanic rock formation known as kimberlite pipes, waiting to be mined. Only about five percent of kimberlite pipes contain enough diamond to make them economically feasible to mine.

Open pit of the Arkhangelskaya kimberlite in Lomonosov, Russia. Photo: Karen Smit/GIA
Laboratory-Grown Diamonds
Man-made diamonds suitable for industrial use were first produced in a laboratory in the 1950s. While gem-quality diamonds were produced in a laboratory for the first time in 1971, it was not until the mid-2010s that colorless laboratory-grown diamonds entered the gem and jewelry market in commercial quantities.
Today, laboratory-grown diamonds are created by two methods, according to Dr. James Shigley, GIA Distinguished Research Fellow, who has been researching laboratory-grown diamonds at GIA for more than 30 years.
High pressure, high temperature (HPHT) diamonds are produced in a laboratory by mimicking the high pressure, high temperature conditions that form natural diamonds in the Earth. This process produces a distinctively shaped laboratory-grown diamond crystal.
The chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method involves breaking down the molecules of a carbon-rich gas, such as methane, into carbon and hydrogen atoms, which then are deposited on diamond seeds to produce a square-shaped, tabular diamond crystal.
Growing diamonds by either method typically requires less than a month for most sizes. Most CVD-grown diamonds require additional treatments like heat or irradiation to enhance or change their colors after the growth process.
Typically, laboratory-grown diamonds have weighed a carat or less, but as technology and techniques improve, larger stones have appeared in the market.

HPHT (High-Pressure and High-Temperature) presses enclosed in a factory which can produce gem-quality diamonds within a large range of sizes. Photo: Wuyi Wang/GIA
HOW CAN NATURAL AND LABORATORY-GROWN DIAMONDS BE DISTINGUISHED FROM ONE ANOTHER?
It is essential that laboratory-grown diamonds can be identified because consumers need to know what they are buying, and because there are often significant price differences between them and natural gemstones.
As part of its mission to protect and inform the gem-buying public, GIA offers diploma programs, including the GIA Graduate Gemologist credential, and seminars that teach diamond grading techniques and the latest methods used to distinguish natural from laboratory-grown diamonds and diamond simulants.
Because laboratory-grown diamonds are essentially chemically and optically the same as their natural counterparts, traditional gemological observations and old-style “diamond detectors” are not able to tell them apart. Identification at a professional gemological laboratory or using sophisticated devices developed by GIA and other organizations are the only reliable methods to separate them from natural diamonds.
Diamond Morphology – the Telltale Factor
“Natural diamonds that formed in the Earth over millions of years grow differently from diamonds created in a laboratory in a few weeks. In addition, HPHT- and CVD-created diamonds have different growth morphology, or how growth conditions influenced the shape of the diamond crystal,” said Dr. Shigley.
GIA Senior Research Scientist Dr. Sally Eaton-Magaña further explained, “The identification criteria for HPHT and CVD diamonds are quite distinct from each other,” adding that laboratory-grown diamonds have become much more varied over the last 10 to 15 years, requiring GIA researchers to keep pace with new developments.
“We also regularly conduct research on emerging products and GIA has a program to grow diamonds in the laboratory to stay ahead of any new trends,” Dr. Eaton-Magaña said.

This chart shows the different diamond rough based on how they grew, or their growth morphology. Though this shape is lost after a diamond is cut and polished, identification is still possible by looking for fluorescence patterns that result from its particular growth morphology among other things.
DOES GIA OFFER GRADING FOR LABORATORY-GROWN DIAMONDS?
GIA tests every diamond submitted to its gemstone grading and identification laboratory locations around the world to determine whether they are natural or laboratory-grown.

In July, GIA will include the full GIA color and clarity scales on its laboratory-grown diamond reports.
GIA has issued reports for laboratory-grown diamonds for more than 10 years. In March 2019, following the guidelines from the FTC, the Institute announced it will change the name of the reports to GIA Laboratory-Grown Diamond Reports starting in July 2019. To reduce the potential for confusion, GIA grading reports for laboratory-grown diamonds look significantly different from those for natural diamonds. In addition, the terms used to report color and clarity grades for laboratory-grown diamonds are different from those used for natural diamonds. Instead of D-to-Z color grades, broader category terms (Colorless, Near-Colorless, Faint, Very Light and Light) are used. Clarity grades, which are abbreviated on natural diamond reports (VVS1, SI2, etc.), use broader descriptive category terms (i.e., Very Very Slightly Included, Slightly Included) on the reports for laboratory-grown diamonds.
WHAT ABOUT DIAMONDS THAT ARE NOT SUBMITTED TO GEM LABS FOR GRADING?

The GIA iD100 allows retailers to rapidly and accurately screen loose and mounted  diamonds as small as .005 ct.
To identify laboratory-grown diamonds, GIA developed the GIA iD100® screening device. This desktop-sized instrument combines advanced spectroscopic technology with GIA’s 60 years of diamond and gemstone identification research to distinguish natural diamonds from laboratory-grown (HPHT and CVD) diamonds and diamond simulants.
GIA also offers the GIA Melee Analysis Service, which quickly and accurately screens parcels of very small diamonds – the most prevalent in the market. @chapter:39 @chapter:1 @chapter:39


# Publication Year: -
# Title: Turquoise History and Lore
# Abstract: This 15th-16th century icon of Mexican (Aztec) art, was probably worn on the chest on ceremonial occasions. ©The Trustees of the British Museum

                      Turquoise is one of the world’s most ancient gems. Archaeological excavations revealed that the rulers of ancient Egypt adorned themselves with turquoise jewelry, and Chinese artisans were carving it more than 3,000 years ago. Turquoise is the national gem of Tibet, and has long been considered a stone that guarantees health, good fortune, and protection from evil.

The gem’s name comes from the French expression pierre tourques, or “Turkish stone.” The name, which originated in the thirteenth century, reflects the fact that the material probably first arrived in Europe from Turkish sources.

Turquoise was a ceremonial gem and a medium of exchange for Native American tribes in the southwestern US. They also used it in their jewelry and amulets. The Apaches believed that turquoise attached to a bow or firearm increased a hunter’s or warrior’s accuracy.

	A turquoise and silver buckle and trim give a Southwestern flair to this leather belt.
Turquoise is plentiful and available in a wide range of sizes. It’s used for beads, cabochons, carvings, and inlays. Although well known to consumers, its popularity in the mainstream jewelry industry comes and goes. The biggest and most permanent market is in the American Southwest. It’s also popular elsewhere, among customers who are captivated by that region’s mystery and romance, as well as by the blue of its skies.

	Turquoise combines with sapphire, carved emeralds, rubies, and diamonds in this charming “Bird of Paradise.” This 18-karat gold clip brooch was made in the mid-1940s. - © GIA & Tino Hammid, courtesy private collector
In the United States, turquoise is one of the birthstones for December. (Zircon is the other option for that month).

	This Hungarian cuff bracelet combines enameling with lovely turquoise cabochons. - Courtesy Ginger Moro @chapter:55 @chapter:2 @chapter:55


# Publication Year: -
# Title: Diamond Market Forecast: Declining Credit, Soft Prices and Lab-Grown Diamonds
# Abstract: Lab-grown diamonds have become a competitive force to natural diamonds, according to a report, and competition will continue to increase.

Despite the generally strong year for jewelry retail, the diamond industry continues to face problems with ever-tightening credit, spotty demand and softening prices from continued over-production of some types of goods.
Trading sites report that prices for polished natural diamonds declined 2% to 5% since the second half of 2018 due to overproduction and a slowdown in Chinese demand. This caused inventories to climb more than 20% during the year, according to Rapaport estimates. Some analysts speculate that demand for lab-grown diamonds has begun to erode the market for lower-quality natural stones.
In India, local press reports say that available bank credit is half of what it was five years ago and that the decline of the rupee against the U.S. dollar has raised borrowing costs.
De Beers began the year with cautious cycle sales of $505 million, which is down 25% from the same period in 2018 and well below the December cycle, normally the smallest of the year. De Beers will likely follow with a cautious February/March allocation. The company held the line on prices after reducing rates on small, lower-quality goods in the fall, and is likely to continue hold prices, despite the high probability that some clients will leave some allocations on the table.
De Beers sold $5.39 billion worth of rough in 2018, an increase of $8 million from the previous year according to the company, and will release volume data later this year.
Alrosa, the world’s largest diamond miner by quantity, sold $4.412 billion worth of rough in 2018, an increase of 6%. By quantity, sales were down 8% to 36.6 million carats. Alrosa held back selling small, lower-quality diamonds that are in over-supply.
A report from ABN-Amro Bank predicts that this year will see increased pressure on natural diamonds from lab-grown diamonds. The bank says lab-grown diamonds are a game changer in the industry that will ultimately reduce demand for natural diamonds – even larger, better quality stones. The game, according to the report, was changed by De Beers’ low prices ($800 per carat) for Lightbox lab-grown diamonds, coupled with improving technology to grow larger, better quality diamonds. These lab-grown diamonds will enter the market in ever-increasing numbers.
The bank report states that this pressure may expand to larger natural diamonds with more attractive margins and notes that, while De Beers has been careful to position lab-grown diamonds as a different product, consumers are likely not to see them as such.
RETAIL
Analysists are looking at a mixed year for retail sales, including jewelry.
In the U.S., the National Retail Federation (NRF) predicts that retail sales will continue to grow through 2019, though at a slightly slower pace. The retail association says the U.S. economy will remain strong and sales will increase 3.8% to 4.4% for the year, compared to 4.6% last year.
The NRF’s total includes all sales channels, but excludes gasoline, restaurants and autos. Non-store sales, which includes online, grew $10.4% last year. The NRF is predicting a similar increase this year.
The organization noted that consumer confidence remains high and that any problems in the economy are likely to be “self-inflicted,” such as trade wars and government shutdowns.
In China, the results from the top retailers quantify the economic slowdown there. The largest jewelry retailer, Chow Tai Fook, saw its sales fall 7% (gem-set pieces were down 5%), while Luk Fook’s revenues took a 10% hit for the final quarter of 2018. Retailers blame the trade war between the U.S. and China – and no one is predicting an upturn. @chapter:37 @chapter:3 @chapter:37


# Publication Year: 2008
# Title: Copper-Bearing (Paraíba-Type) Tourmaline from Mozambique
# Abstract: Copper-bearing tourmaline from Mozambique was first recovered in 2001, but its Cu content was not recognized until 2003, and it was not widely sold with its Mozambique origin disclosed until 2005. It has been mined from alluvial deposits in an approximately 3 km2 area near Mavuco in the eastern portion of the Alto Ligonha pegmatite district. Most of the production has come from artisanal mining, with hand tools used to remove up to 5 m of overburden to reach the tourmaline-bearing layer. The stones exhibit a wide range of colors, typically pink to purple, violet to blue, and blue to green or yellowish green. Heat treatment of all but the green to yellowish green stones typically produces Paraíba-like blue-to-green hues by reducing absorption at ~520 nm caused by the presence of Mn3+. The gemological properties are typical for Cu-bearing tourmaline (including material from Brazil and Nigeria); the most common inclusions consist of partially healed fractures and elongate hollow tubes. With the exception of some green to yellow-green stones, the tourmalines examined have relatively low Cu contents and very low amounts of Fe and Ti. Mechanized mining is expected to increase production from this region in the near future.

	DATA DEPOSITORY

Electron-Microprobe Analyses of Tourmaline from Muva, Mozambique
	Submitted by Brendan M. Laurs
	Spring, 2008

Table 1: Average Chemical Composition of 59 Cu-bearing Tourmaline Samples from Mozambique
	Submitted by David Kondo
	Spring, 2008 @chapter:14 @chapter:0 @chapter:14


# Publication Year: 2023
# Title: Sixth Annual Gianmaria Buccellati Foundation Award Winner
# Abstract: Sara Guergova’s winning design sketch for the 2022 Gianmaria Buccellati Foundation Award for Excellence in Jewelry Design, featuring gold, black onyx, ruby, diamond, tourmaline, and blue sapphire.
Sara Guergova, a graduate of GIA’s Jewelry Design program in London, received the sixth annual Gianmaria Buccellati Foundation Award for Excellence in Jewelry Design. The 12 finalists and winner were announced at the GIA Alumni Collective’s “Night at the Museum” event held during the AGTA GemFair in Tucson. Guergova, the first student from the London campus to win the award, designed a stunning bracelet featuring swans to represent togetherness and loyalty (see above).
Created in partnership with the Gianmaria Buccellati Foundation in 2018, the award recognizes outstanding talent in design among GIA students worldwide. Larry French, chief officer for North America strategies at the foundation, said, “On behalf of the Gianmaria Buccellati Foundation, we want to congratulate Ms. Sara Guergova, this year’s winner, plus all the other finalists whose work so enriched this year’s competition. We also want to recognize the talented GIA design instructors who helped guide the students on their way to the final judging in Tucson.”
The 2023 Gianmaria Buccellati Foundation Award for Excellence in Jewelry Design competition is underway and open to students in GIA’s Jewelry Design courses who meet the eligibility requirements. Visit www.gia.edu/buccellati-foundation-award-jewelry-design for more information. @chapter:45 @chapter:2 @chapter:45


# Publication Year: 1996
# Title: Winter 1996 G&G Lab Notes
# Abstract: A Surprising Assemblage of Corundum and Plastic
Fracture Filled Diamond
An Unusual Cause of Uneven Color Distribution in Diamond
Synthetic Emerald
An Unusual Natural Abalone Blister Pearl
Imitation Star Ruby
An Unusual Assemblage in Imitation Spinel

To view the full section, download the PDF above. @chapter:18 @chapter:1 @chapter:18


# Publication Year: 1991
# 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. @chapter:43 @chapter:1 @chapter:43


# Publication Year: 1983
# Title: Winter 1983 G&G Lab Notes
# Abstract: Heat-Treated Corundum
"C-Ox," Another Trade Name for Cubic Zirconia
A Colored-Diamond Comet
Dendritic Inclusions in Diamond
Jade Simulant
Maw-Sit-Sit
A New Synthetic Opal from Inamori
Cultured ¾ Blister Pearls
Eroded Pearl
Reddish Brown Quartz
Synthetic Ruby
Heat Treated Yellow Sapphires
A Rare Cat's-Eye Zircon

To view the full section, download the PDF above. @chapter:18 @chapter:1 @chapter:18


# Publication Year: 2019
# Title: Faceted Milarite
# Abstract: Figure 1. This 2.07 ct oval brilliant is the first faceted milarite examined by the Carlsbad lab. Photo by Diego Sanchez.

Recently the Carlsbad lab received a light yellow 2.07 ct unknown gemstone (figure 1). The measured refractive index was 1.548–1.550 with a birefringence of 0.002. The specific gravity, measured hydrostatically, was 2.52. These properties were consistent with the mineral milarite, which was confirmed by Raman spectroscopy (figure 2). The stone showed planar/patterned liquid inclusions resembling a honeycomb pattern and also contained needle-like inclusions.

Figure 2. Raman spectroscopy confirmed the gem to be milarite.
Milarite is fairly rare but gives its name to a somewhat large group of silicates, namely the milarite-osumilite group. This group is composed of similar cyclosilicate minerals that are very rare and obscure. Crystals are generally small and often have a muted green or yellow color, and they occur as well-formed prismatic hexagonal crystals. Milarite is a hexagonal-dihexagonal dipyramidal mineral with a composition of K2Ca4Al2Be4Si24O60•H2O. It forms as a primary mineral in granitic pegmatite, low-temperature hydrothermal veins, and alpine clefts.
The mineral was named by Gustav Kenngott (1870) after he mistakenly identified its provenance as Val Milar, located in eastern Switzerland. The original specimens actually came from neighboring Val Giuf. Even though milarite was the first newly described mineral from a Swiss Alpine fissure, it took more than 60 years to identify the mineral’s true chemical nature, in particular its Be content. Milarite was originally known as a green mineral, until fine yellow crystals were discovered in Mexico in 1968. Larger Mexican crystals with transparent areas have occasionally been faceted into small gems with a pleasing appearance, but these are exceedingly rare.
Outside of Switzerland, notable occurrences have been recorded in Brazil, Mexico, Germany, Russia, Canada, Italy, Norway, and the Czech Republic. Nevertheless, this is the first example of faceted milarite ever examined by the Carlsbad laboratory. @chapter:15 @chapter:0 @chapter:15


# Publication Year: 2023
# Title: Blackish Green Omphacite Jade from Guatemala
# Abstract: Figure 1. Yongchuliao samples collected for testing. The rough sample on the left weighs 30.1 ct, and the carving on the right weighs 12.85 ct. Photos by Shilong Xu.
In recent years, a new kind of Guatemalan jade has entered the Chinese jewelry market, where it is called yongchuliao fei cui (or yongchuliao for short). Prior to the availability of yongchuliao, Chinese consumers had a negative impression of Guatemalan material and preferred Burmese jade. However, the recent emergence of this new high-quality blackish green jade has attracted the attention of Chinese buyers.

Figure 2. Left: Fibrous inclusions observed in the 12.85 ct carved sample; field of view 8.94 mm. Right: The carved sample appeared bright green rather than blackish green under transmitted light. Photos by Shilong Xu.
The authors recently tested a rough stone and a carved pendant of yongchuliao (figure 1). Under reflected light, these samples appeared blackish green with a greasy luster similar to Burmese inky black jade. The rough stone was opaque and had numerous fine white inclusions measuring approximately 300 μm in diameter on its surface. The carved sample was bright green with coarse texture and medium transparency under transmitted light (figure 2). The rough and carved samples had a refractive index of 1.67 and specific gravities of 3.342 and 3.332, respectively. These gemological characteristics are consistent with both jadeite-type jade and omphacite-type jade.
Qualitative analysis using energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry revealed magnesium, aluminum, silicon, calcium, chromium, manganese, and iron, among other elements. It should be noted that the ideal chemical formula of jadeite is NaAlSi2O6 and that of omphacite is (Ca,Na)(Mg,Fe,Al)Si2O6 (S.F. McClure, “The jadeite/omphacite nomenclature question,” GIA Research News, April 12, 2012). Jadeite and omphacite can form a complete solid solution. The occurrence of calcium, magnesium, and other elements implies that the mineral composition of yongchuliao is not pure jadeite.

Figure 3. The mineral species were confirmed by comparison with samples from the RRUFF database. Spectra are offset vertically for clarity. Left: The host mineral and fibrous inclusions of the samples matched with omphacite. Right: The white dotted mineral inclusions in the rough sample matched with titanite. Titanite in the carved sample could also be observed in micro-Raman imaging.
Raman shifts at 681, 514, 411, 378, 340, and 209 cm–1 were consistent with those of omphacite (figure 3). The Raman spectra of fibrous inclusions in the carved sample also matched those of omphacite rather than jadeite. The strongest Raman shift at 681 cm–1 was attributed to the symmetrical Si-O-Si stretching vibration (B. Xing et al., “Locality determination of inky black omphacite jades from Myanmar and Guatemala by nondestructive analysis,” Journal of Raman Spectroscopy, Vol. 53, No. 11, 2022, pp. 2009–2018). Raman spectroscopy was used to compare the samples’ mineral composition against the RRUFF database (B. Lafuente et al., https://rruff.info/about/downloads/HMC1-30.pdf), revealing that yongchuliao material consists almost entirely of omphacite. The fine white inclusions distributed evenly in the rough sample were coincident with titanite (figure 3). In addition, some of the sample was ground into powder for X-ray diffraction analysis to obtain the mineral composition of the whole rock. The results showed an omphacite content of about 98.49% (with a 5% margin of error), and the rest was magnesian calcite. The results from Fourier-transform infrared absorption spectroscopy were consistent with the Raman spectra, identifying the main mineral composition of the samples as omphacite.

Figure 4. In the UV-Vis-NIR spectrum of a piece cut from the rough sample, absorption peaks were observed within the visible range at 437, 637, 657, and 688 nm.
A double-sided polished piece was cut from the rough sample for testing. Its ultraviolet/visible/near-infrared (UV-Vis-NIR) absorption spectrum (figure 4) showed an absorption peak at 437 nm, indicating the presence of Fe3+. Absorption peaks at 637, 657, and 688 nm were also observed and attributed to Cr3+ (G.R. Rossman, “Color in gems: The new technologies,” Summer 1981 G&G, pp. 61–62).
Based on testing, both samples were omphacite-type jade containing titanite inclusions. Since almost all of the yongchuliao we have observed exhibited nearly the same colors and textures as these samples, it is likely that other yongchuliao may also have similar mineral compositions. @chapter:46 @chapter:4 @chapter:46


# Publication Year: -
# Title: A Perfect Combination of Craftsmanship and Design: An Interview with Leading Chinese Jewelry Designer Shirley Zhang
# Abstract: Shirley Zhang is a well-known Chinese jewelry designer. Her designs combine western craftsmanship and oriental aesthetic standards. – Photo courtesy Shenzhen Meiher Jewelry Ltd.

                      Shirley Zhang had never planned to be a jewelry designer when she took her first job as an accounting officer in the subsidiary jewelry company of People’s Bank of China. Due to her dedication and passion, she quickly became involved in that company’s management. Influenced by the business she dealt with every day, Shirley fell in love with the colorful world of gemstones and jewelry.

After receiving her FGA gemology degree in the early 1990s, Shirley stepped into the jewelry industry. Since then, she has steadily grown her own career as a jewelry designer. She is now one of the leading jewelry designers in China—one who is also recognized by professionals of the western world.

Shirley has created her special “z” style jewelry concept, which places emphasis on a combination of western craftsmanship and oriental aesthetic standards, and encompasses use of multiple materials and haute couture services. This concept has brought Shirley’s designs industry recognition as being representative of modern, elegant Chinese jewelry.

	From retailer to designer
Between 1978 and 1990, the jewelry trade slowly grew out of the ruins left by China’s Cultural Revolution.  The industry’s revival began after China re-opened the country to trade in 1978. Most merchandise on the market consisted of fine gold products, including some jewelry styles made with very simple craftsmanship. Consumer choices were very limited and they generally lacked knowledge about gemstones or jewelry.

The next five years (about 1989 to 1995) witnessed a huge expansion of the industry. Many local jewelers opened businesses with big investments. Several Hong Kong and Taiwan jewelry companies sensed the potential of the mainland China market and started acting on that awareness. Consumers started paying more attention to jewelry styles and fashion trends, but their tastes were usually influenced by big promotional campaigns like those run by De Beers and others.

At that time, very few Chinese businesses understood the important role that branding played in merchandise promotion. Shirley opened a chain of retail jewelry stores in 1994. In 1996, she wrote her English name, “Shirley,” by hand, and used it as her brand. Within a short period of time, she had opened branded retail stores in 14 different cities in mainland China. Their success brought her more opportunities and access to the western world.

After 1995, the market became more regulated and consumers more mature. Shirley had started her retail stores right at the beginning of this period. Although business was good and profit was guaranteed, her merchandise had nothing—no “stories” of its own—to distinguish it from other brands.

Around 1999, Shirley was, for the first time, shocked by the big gap in jewelry design between the western world and the newly expanding Chinese market. During her first trip to Italy, she visited many jewelry stores and came to the realization that something was missing from her own brand in China. Instead of keeping the stores running, she made the very brave decision to shut them down.

She became a full-time buyer for Chinese jewelry import companies. This turned out to be a smart move and a turning point in her career. As a buyer, she had the opportunity to travel the world and meet experienced jewelry professionals. Her most important goal was to learn from their experiences and use that knowledge for her own career development.

Some of Shirley’s clients in Europe consider her jewelry taste to be very unique. Unlike many of her Chinese peers, she tended to purchase higher-quality goods that were also highly fashionable. This left very positive and pleasant impressions in her clients’ minds. Along with her unique tastes, Shirley is also a fast learner, pays a lot of attention to detail, and grasps every opportunity to learn from others.

Shirley’s design career really began with an education in craftsmanship. In Europe, she purchased jewelry pieces with elegant or complicated craftsmanship. Instead of wearing them, she took them apart and re-assembled them to analyze the manufacturing techniques used to make them. She also attended workshops and learned from master goldsmiths.
The experience Shirley gained from participating in the European market also triggered her consciousness of the oriental aesthetic. At the same time, the design concept of oriental artistic jewelry started to form and grow in her mind.

Taking the advice of an Italian friend, after seven years as a buyer she opened her own studio in 2004 and started to manufacture jewelry for some of her European clients. Although she designed some pieces here and there, most of the designs were still provided by her western colleagues. Gradually, her role started to shift. Eventually, she became both designer and manufacturer. Now she focuses solely on designing jewelry and developing new manufacturing techniques. She leaves most of the actual manufacturing work to the employees in her studio.

	In the molding department of her jewelry manufacturing studio in Shenzhen, Shirley displays a silver mold of one of her designs. – Photo by Eric Welch, © GIA

	Shirley now spends more time on high-end jewelry design and leaves most of the manufacturing work to her employees. – Photo by Eric Welch, © GIA

	A perfect combination of western craftsmanship and oriental aesthetic standards
Shirley’s design inspirations come mostly from her daily life. For example, her love of birds and flowers inspired her to design the series called “The Spirit of Peacock” and “The Love of Flowers.” In her work, she pays special attention to color and the arrangement of various objects in a design.

As a newly assigned board member of the ICA (International Colored Gemstone Association), Shirley made a presentation about color’s influence on her jewelry designs at the 2013 ICA Congress in Changsha, China.

Color played a very important role in the development of China’s jewelry design industry. From the all-the-same green and gray uniforms people wore during the Cultural Revolution to the pale red and blue sapphire rings people preferred in the 1980s and 1990s, Chinese consumers have made a lot of progress, gradually adjusting to the fast-developing economy and changes in lifestyle. Life in this new century has been colorful to a level unprecedented in China’s history.

Sensing this change, Shirley uses colors boldly in her designs. In some designs, she emphasizes the fine colors of the gemstones themselves. In other pieces, she tries to demonstrate harmony by combining different colors. She also likes to match colors with different shapes or cultural themes. She loves to use colors but is not limited by them.

Besides color awareness, Shirley also has the unique ability to combine different materials. She often lays out a lot of different materials in her studio and tries different combinations of a variety of materials and jewelry parts and varied types of craftsmanship. For example, she tries to combine faceted stones and cabochons, metal and wood, china and crystal gems, enamel and gems, and more. Her creative combinations awaken the spirits of all these varied materials.

	Shirley has designed many jewelry pieces with animal themes. She used a very unique inlay method to show the peacock’s colors in this jewelry set, which is called “The Spirit of Peacock.” – Photo courtesy Shenzhen Meiher Jewelry Ltd.

	Shirley created this design to demonstrate harmony among different colors and shapes. She used carved jadeite to symbolize Chinese culture. – Photo courtesy Shenzhen Meiher Jewelry Ltd.
Unlike many other designers, Shirley was not an art major. She started her design career by learning craftsmanship from experts in the field. Aside from design concepts and ideas, whether or not a design can be turned into an actual jewelry piece is another serious consideration. Besides designing jewelry, Shirley has spent a huge amount of time researching and developing new craft skills and techniques. The combination of traditional lost-wax casting and die-striking in the creation of a single jewelry piece is one of her famed inventions.

Over the past 10 years, she and her colleagues have gained numerous patents for jewelry manufacturing and stone-cutting techniques. Her research and exploration distinguished her from her competitors and gave her a leading position in China’s jewelry design industry. Shirley is very familiar with jewelry manufacturing techniques and the market’s current fashion trends. When faced with the question of how to make her “Shirley” brand stand out, she chose to combine western and oriental cultural elements in her own unique way.

	This is a see-through enamel finished product. Shirley Zhang’s factory is the only manufacturer of see-through enamel in China. – Photo courtesy Shenzhen Meiher Jewelry Ltd.
Consumers’ needs inspire and guide Shirley’s designs. She states that before she sketches a design for a consumer, she needs to have knowledge of new fashion trends as well as of the consumer’s personality and color preferences. If she is designing for a brand, she must know what the brand strategy is. She needs answers to all these questions before she starts working. In her eyes, whether a design is pretty or not is not as important as whether or not it matches the customer’s style. She wants her design to best represent the heart and inner being of her client.

	Artistic jewelry: new ideas for the rapidly developing Chinese jewelry market
Shirley’s more than 20 years’ experience as a jewelry professional parallel the biggest changes in the history of the Chinese jewelry industry. Shirley and her business experienced a lot of those changes along with the industry.

Market changes are usually directly influenced by consumers. Twenty years ago, because Chinese consumers focused only on the material the jewelry was made of, most jewelry stores carried only fine gold jewelry. Besides the rich history of gold jewelry in China, value retention was the main reason for consumers to buy. Later, people slowly gained knowledge about gemstones like diamond, ruby, and sapphire. The promotions done by some international brands influenced Chinese consumers to start accepting jewelry pieces set with gems, even while they remained focused mainly on the value of the precious metal and stones.

At the time, all stone-set jewelry had a similar look, so the emphasis was on specific jewelry features. For example, a buyer looking for a piece of jewelry would insist that it be set with a 10-point diamond with a clarity grade of VVS or above and color grade of G or better.

About five years ago, Shirley noticed some sharp shifts in the market. Before that, her clients had been mostly from overseas. Today, she serves mainly domestic clients, both individuals and known brands. Her customers fall into four main categories: investors, collectors, accessory-driven clients, and those who value China’s cultural inheritance. Consumers no longer focus only on materials. Today, they pay more attention to jewelry designs. She admits that there are still big differences among various demographic groups. Older consumers still want better-quality materials that keep their value, while young people prefer fashionable and unique designs without much regard for the stones used.

	This is an example of the designs Shirley creates for her high-end customers. It’s a great combination of manufacturing skills, color, and shape. – Photo courtesy Shenzhen Meiher Jewelry Ltd.
Shirley shares the same views as other designers in terms of jewelry buyers’ motivations. She sees no big difference between international and domestic consumers. She does see that more and more young Chinese office workers are buying jewelry for themselves as rewards or gifts. This is similar to what happened in the US, when more women became independent and went off to work.

To satisfy the mature western jewelry market as well as the newly developed Chinese market, Shirley and her team have designed many jewelry series that have been well accepted and appreciated by consumers. Some examples are “The Love of Flowers,” “Birds Chirping,” “Spirit of Jadeite,” and “Dancing on the Flowers” as well as some new-technique enamels. These products all provide a combination of western craftsmanship and oriental aesthetic standards that have become consumer favorites.

Shirley and her colleagues are very optimistic about the future of the Chinese jewelry market. Chinese consumers are fast learners as well as great inheritors of their ancestral culture. They are quickly educating themselves and becoming some of the most powerful buyers in the world. Shirley says that all designers should realize this and be ready to supply this market without being left behind.

	Skilled craftsmanship and western and oriental aesthetic standards combined with haute couture services
Successful jewelry designers usually have their own art studios. Shirley’s business model is quite different from most of the others. Its uniqueness is apparent in the company name: Meiher Jewelry Styling Research Center.

The GIA team visited Shirley’s company in June of 2013. The visit began with a factory tour. It was not a big factory. Shirley repeatedly emphasized that she tries to include every step, from design to finished product, in this small factory. She maintains full contact with all these steps so she can research and develop new techniques. The factory serves as both a production line and a lab.

She proudly informed us that Meiher is the only jewelry company in China that can make transparent enamel. Enamel is usually painted on some sort of base material. This new technique eliminates the base and lets the enamel stand alone, allowing people to see through it. Several technicians are working hard to develop this technique and they already have created some finished product.

	In Shirley’s factory, you can observe every jewelry-making step. The facility includes a die-striking department. – Photo by Eric Welch, © GIA
For the past ten years, Shirley has designed for many famous jewelry brands in China—both commercial quality and high-end. Today, she focuses mainly on the haute couture market. Her design studio in Beijing serves only celebrities and other high-end customers.

	This exhibition, held for high-end clients, displays customized jewelry designs by Shirley Zhang. – Photo courtesy Shenzhen Meiher Jewelry Ltd.

	A milestone in Shirley’s design career
When many people think about Shirley, the first design that comes to mind is her award-winning piece, “Dancing on the Flowers.” Inspired by the way bees interact and work together diligently, Shirley brought her passion for gemstones and manufacturing skills into designing this jewelry suite. The suite was given a special award as the gift for the “20 years’ accomplishments of the Chinese jewelry industry” at the 2012 NGTC (National Gems & Jewelry Technology Administrative Center) jewelry design and manufacturing skills competition.

	This is Shirley’s award-winning jewelry suite called “Dancing on the Flowers.” The suite was designed and manufactured by Shirley Zhang. – Photo courtesy Shenzhen Meiher Jewelry Ltd.
To emphasize the “accomplishments” aspect, along with the theme of the jewelry design competition, which was “impression,” Shirley chose to use different gemstone varieties and apply different mounting and cutting styles. The suite includes a cape, a cuff bracelet, and a pair of earrings. Colorful bees are busily working on the flowers and bringing honey back to their beehives, which consist of numerous cells. The design symbolizes the people in China’s jewelry industry who, like the bees, diligently contribute to the industry’s accomplishments and growth over the past 20 years.

Of the three items, the cape is the most breathtaking. It is more than 1 meter (3 feet) long, and made by applying traditional lost-wax casting and die-striking. It features newly developed “dumbbell” buckle links and a patented “honeycomb” setting. The “dumbbell” buckle link effectively connects all the beehive cells and allows them to move freely together as well as individually. When it is worn, it drapes on the wearer’s shoulder and conforms to the body. The wearer feels the fabric-like softness created by the special link system.

Another advantage of this link system is that it is easily assembled or taken apart, which gives its wearer maximum wearing flexibility. The owner of this cape can actually create other jewelry pieces by disassembling it or assembling it in a different way.

Close attention to the flowers on the cape and the cuff bracelet reveals the special mounting, called a “honeycomb” setting. By applying this technique, both sides look the same because light is able to travel through the gemstones. Previously, it was difficult to mount stones in a floral design because larger stones don’t easily fit in and the backs of the flowers have a very unpleasant look because the light is blocked. The earrings are also delicate in their design. The honeycomb pattern allows people a 360-degree view of the earring. The inner and outer spheres can move individually.

This jewelry suite is set with 1,002 colored stones and 4,986 diamonds. It contains both extremely expensive, high-quality jadeite cabochons and very affordable chalcedony cabochons. Shirley also tried to use gemstones of different cuts and sizes. Shirley has many famous designs, but she says this is definitely her favorite, since it is a perfect combination of her design and delicate craftsmanship techniques.

Through the years, Shirley has devoted herself to the study of different gem materials and jewelry manufacturing techniques. She created and patented new jewelry-making methods and revived old ones. Her designs express her love of nature. Shirley and her colleagues have kept bringing surprises to the industry.

	Suggestions and expectations for future designers
Before our formal interview, Shirley talked about her experience as a mentor and advisor of young jewelry designers and jewelry design students. As a NGTC professional instructor, she travels to different cities to give lectures on jewelry design and manufacturing. At the same time, she gets invitations from universities with jewelry design programs to lecture the students. Shirley came to notice that when she looked at the designs the students presented to her, she realized that many of them couldn’t be manufactured.

The students were good at presenting innovative ideas, but did not know much about the craftsmanship side of the business. Many of their educational programs only teach the students how to design a piece of jewelry instead of how to design and then make it. Based on her personal experience, Shirley believes that it makes more sense to learn craftsmanship before design concepts.

In this information era, young people are surrounded and sometimes overwhelmed by all the information they can easily access. Shirley hopes that students can “stay down to earth.” She says that young designers can’t be successful without being good at both craftsmanship and design ideas. @chapter:45 @chapter:2 @chapter:45