# Publication Year: 2022
# Title: Treated “Nickel-Rich” Green Diamond
# Abstract: Figure 1. This 2.12 ct Fancy yellow-green diamond owes its color to both the nickel-related absorption band and the artificially introduced GR1 absorption. Photo by Jian Xin (Jae) Liao.
Natural-color green diamonds are extremely rare. The cause of color for most green diamonds is attributed primarily to radiation damage resulting from exposure to radioactive elements over geologic time (W. Wang et al., “Natural type Ia diamond with green-yellow color due to Ni-related defects,” Fall 2007 G&G, pp. 240–243). The New York laboratory recently received a 2.12 ct pear-shaped diamond measuring 9.52 × 7.24 × 4.27 mm that was graded as Fancy yellow-green (figure 1), and testing attributed the color to several mechanisms.

Figure 2. DiamondView imaging reveals greenish yellow fluorescence that is typical for nickel-rich diamond. Image by Luthfia Syarbaini.
Microscopic examination revealed dark crystals and clouds throughout the stone, and infrared spectroscopy confirmed it was a type Ia diamond. DiamondView imaging showed greenish yellow fluorescence (figure 2), typical for “nickel-rich” diamond.

Figure 3. UV-Vis-NIR spectra show the nickel-related absorption band and 883 peak in both a natural diamond from the GIA database and the 2.12 ct treated diamond. In addition, the spectrum for the treated diamond shows the GR1 peak around 740 nm. Spectra are offset vertically for clarity.
The ultraviolet/visible/near-infrared (UV-Vis-NIR) absorption spectrum showed a nickel-related absorption band at around 670 nm, a peak at 883 nm (an attributed peak in “nickel-rich” diamonds), and a GR1 (general radiation damage) peak at about 740 nm (figure 3). This is an uncommon combination of spectral features in diamond. The Ni-related absorption band is usually responsible for the green color in this type of diamond (Fall 2013 Lab Notes, pp. 173–174; Spring 2022 Lab Notes, pp. 50–51). In this particular diamond, the yellow-green color saturation can be attributed to both the nickel-related absorption band and the GR1 absorption. We have not observed these two features together in natural-color green diamond. Additional testing and gemological observations confirmed that the GR1 peak was artificially introduced, and we concluded that the color was treated. The color was likely a lighter and less saturated green before treatment.
This stone illustrates the importance of combining gemological observations with spectroscopic characteristics to separate natural- and treated-color green diamonds. @chapter:22 @chapter:1 @chapter:22


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

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

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

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

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

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

Candala’s client base includes Indian, German, U.S., and Thai buyers. At this year’s Tucson show, most of the chrysoprase carvings went to collectors, as well as one television shopping channel. @chapter:17 @chapter:0 @chapter:17


# Publication Year: 1998
# Title: Modeling the Appearance of the Round Brilliant Cut Diamond: An Analysis of Brilliance
# Abstract: Of the “four C’s,” cut has historically been the most complex to understand and assess. This article presents a three-dimensional mathematical model to study the interaction of light with a fully faceted, colorless, symmetrical round-brilliant-cut diamond. With this model, one can analyze how various appearance factors (brilliance, fire, and scintillation) depend on proportions. The model generates images and a numerical measurement of the optical efficiency of the round brilliant—called weighted light return (WLR)—which approximates overall brilliance. This article examines how WLR values change with variations in cut proportions, in particular crown angle, pavilion angle, and table size. The results of this study suggest that there are many combinations of proportions with equal or higher WLR than “Ideal” cuts. In addition, they do not support analyzing cut by examining each proportion parameter independently. However, because brilliance is just one aspect of the appearance of a faceted diamond, ongoing research will investigate the added effects of fire and scintillation. @chapter:41 @chapter:1 @chapter:41


# Publication Year: 1989
# Title: The Growth of Brazil-Twinned Synthetic Quartz and the Potential for Synthetic Amethyst Twinned on the Brazil Law
# Abstract: Colorless synthetic quartz that shows obvious Brazil-law twinning has been grown over a seed plate of natural amethyst that is twinned according to the Brazil law. Although commercially available Brazil-twinned synthetic amethyst has not been reported to date, the results of this experiment cast doubt on the long-term usefulness of the so-called twinning test for the separation of natural from synthetic quartz. The twinning, which was readily visible in polarized light, and some "breadcrumb" and tiny fluid inclusions were the only internal features observed in this synthetic quartz when it was examined using a standard gemological microscope. @chapter:13 @chapter:0 @chapter:13


# Publication Year: 2019
# Title: Spurrite
# Abstract: Figure 1. A 19.68 ct gray-purple spurrite that was submitted to GIA’s Carlsbad lab. Photo by Robison McMurtry.

Recently, a 19.68 ct gray-purple stone (figure 1) was submitted to the Carlsbad laboratory for identification. The square cabochon was semitranslucent and had wispy white features throughout.

Figure 2. Raman spectroscopy identified the gray-purple stone as spurrite.
It had a refractive index of 1.68–1.64 and a hydrostatic specific gravity of 3.00. Raman spectroscopy identified it as spurrite (figure 2), which aligned with the gemological properties already measured. Spurrite is a nesosilicate with a chemical composition of Ca5(SiO4)2CO3 (J.W. Anthony et al., Handbook of Mineralogy, Vol. 2, Mineral Data
Publishing, 1995). Analysis by energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) showed high amounts of calcium and silicon.

Figure 3. Magnetite, identified using Raman spectroscopy, breaks the surface of the spurrite. Photomicrograph by Nicole Ahline; field of view 4.79 mm.

Figure 4. Raman spectroscopy identified the inclusion in the spurrite as magnetite.
Spurrite occurs in high-temperature thermal metamorphism along the contact between carbonate rock and mafic magma (Anthony et al., 1995). A common inclusion found within spurrite is black metallic magnetite crystals. Raman spectroscopy identified the metallic opaque inclusions that broke the surface (figure 3) as magnetite (figure 4), further evidence that this stone was a spurrite.
Encountering stones that require more research and a little detective work, such as this spurrite, can enhance one’s curiosity about gemology. @chapter:15 @chapter:0 @chapter:15


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

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

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

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

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

	BASELWORLD

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

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

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

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

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

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

	DIAMONDS

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

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

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

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

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

	AUCTIONS

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

	The company told Rapaport it has received offers as high as $40 million for the stone, but believes its value is well above $60 million. @chapter:37 @chapter:3 @chapter:37


# Publication Year: 2016
# Title: Andradite in Andradite
# Abstract: Figure 1. This 16.79 ct Japanese andradite garnet exhibits a very unusual rhomb-shaped “hot spot” below the surface of one crystal face. Photo by Kevin Schumacher.

Recently we had the opportunity to examine a dramatic iridescent andradite fashioned by Falk Burger (Hard Works, Tucson, Arizona) from a crystal originating from the Tenkawa area of Nara Prefecture in Japan. Known as “rainbow” andradite, this material was previously reported in Gems & Gemology (T. Hainschwang and F. Notari, “The cause of iridescence in rainbow andradite from Nara, Japan,” Winter 2006, pp. 248–258). The specimen was unique for its genesis and optical phenomenon.

Weighing 16.79 ct and measuring 15.41 × 13.86 × 10.49 mm, the andradite was very large for its species and locality, but size was not what made it special. As shown in figure 1, close examination of one of the polished crystal faces revealed a bright reddish orange “hot spot” in the center, caused by an iridescent inclusion of andradite with a different crystallographic orientation than its host. As seen in figure 2, the inclusion’s different orientation caused the iridescence of the rhomb-shaped “hot spot” to appear and disappear as the light source was passed over the crystal’s surface. To see the iridescence from both the host and inclusion at the same time, two light sources from opposite directions must be used due to the different crystallographic orientation of the host and inclusion. This elusive optical phenomenon made this Japanese andradite crystal extremely interesting for any aspiring inclusionist.

Figure 2. Using two oblique fiber-optic light sources from opposing directions, the iridescent surface of the host crystal and inclusion can be seen at the same time (center). Viewed with only one fiber-optic light, the iridescence on either the host or the inclusion alone can be seen because of their different crystallographic orientations. Photomicrographs by Nathan Renfro; field of view 5.11 mm. @chapter:3 @chapter:0 @chapter:3


# Publication Year: 2014
# Title: Books: Untamed Encounters:  Contemporary Jewelry from Extraordinary Gemstones
# Abstract: By Mimi Lipton, 245 pp., hardcover, illus., publ. by Thames & Hudson, New York, 2014. US$95.00.

Untamed Encounters: Contemporary Jewelry from Extraordinary Gemstones is a print gallery of 80 jewels commissioned by collector and author Mimi Lipton, whose interests run not to faceted and finished stones but to unfinished raw materials: mineral crystals, fragments of opal broken from the vein, gems inextricably bound to the matrix in which they have formed, coral worn by the ocean, unusual Baltic amber, and strangely shaped freshwater pearls. In her world travels, Lipton has also discovered carved pieces of amber, bone, ivory, and jade, as well as coral nuggets from old jewelry.

Crystals take millennia to form and rise to the earth’s surface, the accident of their survival a small miracle; corals are burnished by sea and sand into stark, skeletal shapes. Each unique “untamed” piece shows us the beauty and power often inherent in the unfinished and the worn. They are reminiscent of ancient talismanic jewelry in which raw materials of surpassing beauty or strange shape were thought to hold magical powers. Or perhaps they were simply beautiful to look at and to hold.

Suiting the international provenance of these raw materials, Lipton has gathered an international group of seven jewelry artists to create large, bold, unusual works that emphasize the uniqueness of each material. The pieces are often inspired by ethnic jewelry Lipton has encountered in her travels. While most are in 22K gold, some include iron, silver, driftwood, and silk cord. Many of the rough-hewn pieces echo the unfinished quality of the materials set into them. Others contrast the rugged quality of the materials with smoothly finished metal.

Illustrated with 260 large-format color photographs, many of them extreme close-ups, the book allows readers to visually examine these works in detail, from mineral and stone shapes and surfaces to material textures, craftsmanship, and connections. So that nothing interrupts the visual feast, a section at the end provides material and artist information next to thumbnails of each piece. Another section provides biographies of the artists, the photographer, and other contributors.

If anything is missing, it is the stories behind the pieces: where and how Lipton discovered each one, what they mean to her, the story behind each creation—her vision and the artists’ visions and how those met and evolved into finished jewelry. Collaboration is an art in itself, and it would have been enlightening to see how the artists and the collector communicated to create these unique pieces.

Regardless, Untamed Encounters  is certain to be a treat for anyone who appreciates or collects jewelry. It inspires us to take a second look at the world and to question our definitions of beauty and preciousness. @chapter:28 @chapter:2 @chapter:28


# Publication Year: 2023
# Title: Cause of Color in Yellow Sapphire, Plus Characterization of Oregon Sunstone, Ukrainian Beryl, and British Columbian Iolite
# Abstract: Welcome to the Fall 2023 issue of Gems & Gemology ! This issue delivers four feature articles covering a range of colored stone topics, from a color study of yellow sapphire to a new source of violet-blue iolite in Canada.
“…investigate the various chromophores responsible for color in four types of yellow sapphire—natural, heat-treated, beryllium-diffused, and synthetic.”
In our lead article, Dr. John Emmett and coauthors investigate the various chromophores responsible for color in four types of yellow sapphire—natural, heat-treated, beryllium-diffused, and synthetic. These chromophores include Fe3+, a trapped hole associated with iron (h•-Fe3+), and a combination of the two, all of which are involved in the coloration of natural and treated yellow sapphire. Synthetic yellow sapphire, on the other hand, is usually colored by the Ni3+ chromophore or by a combination of Ni3+ and Cr3+.
Next, Dr. Shiyun Jin and colleagues share their research on the special colors and optical effects caused by metallic copper inclusions in Oregon sunstone. Using samples from different mines in Oregon, they explore absorption and scattering, pleochroism, and color zoning in this gem-quality feldspar known for its wide range of beautiful colors.
A team led by Dr. Gerhard Franz reports on the morphological characteristics of green beryl and the yellow beryl variety heliodor from the Volyn pegmatite field in Ukraine. The authors observe an abundance of characteristic etch pits throughout the samples and offer details on distinguishing Volyn green beryl and heliodor from those found in other localities.
Dr. Philippe Belley contributes our final feature article, an examination of violet-blue iolite from new deposits in the Thor-Odin dome in British Columbia, Canada. Various samples are analyzed to reveal the nature of their chemical composition, mineral and fluid inclusions, and chatoyancy. The abundance of cordierite-rich rocks in the Thor-Odin dome indicates potential for future iolite discoveries in the area.
G&G’s regular columns contain exciting gemological findings from all over the world. Lab Notes details recent noteworthy submissions to GIA’s laboratories, including a 4.04 ct ring fashioned from a single-crystal CVD-grown diamond, a nacreous atypical bead cultured pearl featuring a flame-like surface structure, and a heart-shaped ruby filled with zinc glass. Observations of fascinating internal features are captured in the Micro-World section, including a rare iridescent ferropericlase in brown diamond, bladed columbite crystals in topaz, and zigzag-patterned fingerprints in blue sapphire. Diamond Reflections returns in this issue, focusing on diamonds formed within eclogitic mantle host rocks. Finally, Gem News International offers brief studies of Burmese chameleon amber, Guatemalan omphacite jade, and other gem materials, as well as coverage of the recent Turquoise United conference and the Chicago Responsible Jewelry Conference.
Congratulations to this year’s G&G Challenge participants who received a perfect score! See a list of the top scorers on page 322. Thank you to those who put their knowledge to the test.
We hope you enjoy the latest edition of Gems & Gemology ! @chapter:13 @chapter:0 @chapter:13


# Publication Year: 2015
# Title: Oregon Sunstone Update
# Abstract: Figure 1. Fashioned by lapidary Jean-Noel Soni, this 35.50 ct mixed-cut sunstone is reportedly from a mine on Eagle Butte, in Oregon’s remote Harney Basin. Photo by Robert Weldon/GIA; courtesy of Suncrystal Mining.

At the GJX Show, Nirinjan Khalsa (Suncrystal Mining, Lake and Harney Counties, Oregon) showed us a remarkable 35.50 ct rich orangy red Oregon sunstone fashioned into a modern mixed-cut cushion by lapidary Jean-Noel Soni (Top Notch Faceting). This stone (figure 1) resembled a fine ruby under the showcase lights and was one of the most exquisite examples we had seen.

At Khalsa’s request, we followed up with Soni after the show. He told us the original rough weighed 198.82 ct. As is typical with Oregon sunstone, the rough contained spots of strong red or green color in the cores of otherwise yellow or near-colorless crystals. This crystal had two color spots, so he divided it, and this gem was the first of two he intended to cut. Rather than using CAD software to design his gems’ faceting styles, Soni treats each rough as unique and individual, cutting to maximize color and luster. He explained that the pavilion had to be deep, due to sunstone’s relatively low RI (1.563–1.572). This produced a 63.00 ct preform, from which he faceted the 35.50 ct gem we saw. The asking price for this gem—reportedly from one of the mines on Little Eagle Butte (in Harney Basin, near Plush, Oregon)—was in the region of $60,000.

Also at the GJX show, Don Buford and Mark Shore (Dust Devil Mining, Plush, Oregon) gave an update on their operations. They said 2014 was a good year at Dust Devil. They uncovered a former dried creek bed where the basalt was extensively decomposed, which has allowed easier recovery of the sunstones. Buford hopes to have the mine’s optical sorter operational for the 2015 mining season.

	Dust Devil Mining - “My precious” sunstone

Dust Devil “executive ore relocator” Mark Shore talks about the mine’s current operations. He also proudly displays his new favorite sunstone: a 156 ct “watermelon” crystal he plans to have made into a unique carving.
Shore showed us an exceptional 156.00 ct “watermelon” sunstone from recent production (figure 2). The stone has a red center surrounded by a greenish “rind.” Shore has made arrangements to have it carved by Dalan Hargrave, winner of multiple AGTA Spectrum Awards.

Figure 2. This 156.00 ct rough sunstone belongs to the Dust Devil mine’s Mark Shore and will likely become a fine carving. Photo by Duncan Pay/GIA; courtesy of Mark Shore.
At the 22nd Street show, Terry Clarke, co-owner of the Dust Devil mine, explained a recent initiative to maintain the integrity of natural, untreated Oregon sunstone and promote it to retailers and consumers as a rare and desirable “all-American” gemstone. Called the Oregon Sunstone Miners Association (OSMA), the organization includes most of the miners with working claims or mines in Lake and Harney Counties (figure 3). OSMA also offers an associate membership for sellers of loose gems or jewelry. Anyone purchasing sunstone from an OSMA member can be assured they are getting the natural, untreated Oregon product. The intention is to expand the marketplace for this unique gem and maintain stability and consumer confidence in the event of an influx of treated material from another source. The association’s website is www.oregonsunstonema.com.

Figure 3. Dust Devil Mining’s Terry Clarke holds a flyer promoting the Oregon Sunstone Miners’ Association. Photo by Duncan Pay/GIA; courtesy of Dust Devil Mining.

	Dust Devil Mining

In this interview, Terry Clarke, co-owner and president of Dust Devil Mining, explains the recently established Oregon Sunstone Miners’ Association (OSMA).
At the AGTA show, John Woodmark (Desert Sun Mining & Gems, Depoe Bay, Oregon) provided an update of his operations at the Ponderosa mine and summarized the current market for his goods. He showed us a striking 2.77 ct “spinel red” gem from recent production (figure 4).

Figure 4. This 2.77 ct “spinel red” sunstone, measuring 10.5 × 8 mm, is from Oregon’s Ponderosa mine. Photo by Robert Weldon/GIA; courtesy of Desert Sun Mining & Gems.
According to Woodmark, 2014 saw heightened interest in Oregon sunstone. He received requests for rough from clients in Australia and for finished stones from Brazil and Europe (principally the UK and Germany). At this particular show, Woodmark said he had received many more inquiries from domestic jewelers for samples and information, all following customer requests due to growing public awareness of the gem. He cited a TV shopping channel’s recent promotion of production from the Sunstone Butte mine and the growing reach of his Internet business. For more information on the Sunstone Butte mine, see www.gia.edu/gia-news-research-butte-sunstone.

Woodmark observed that Internet merchandising, often by TV jewelry shopping channels, has been transformative for low-volume, one-of-a-kind products like Oregon sunstone. Web marketing frees traditional TV merchandisers from the production costs of on-air hosts and studios, and allows the cost-effective presentation of a spectrum of Oregon sunstone from “bargain parcels” to unique designer cuts costing several thousands of dollars per piece. According to Woodmark, one buyer for a major TV jewelry retailer at the Tucson shows said that Internet business was now 40% of the company’s total sales volume.

Woodmark estimated the total volume of fashioned Oregon sunstone on the market in 2014 was approximately 70,000 carats. By his calculations, that would be sufficient to supply one large U.S. retail jewelry chain with 10 carats per store per month over the course of a year. If demand picks up in 2015, that volume will not meet the industry’s needs. Woodmark reported that business was up 25% on the previous year’s show, which was up one-third on the year before.

In the 2014 mining season, Woodmark employed up to five pickers working the screens. He worked the mine for a total of 20 days and produced almost 2,000 kg of rough in all grades. Woodmark plans to work for 40 days in 2015 and expects to recover 4,000 to 5,000 kg of rough. To start the upcoming mining season, Woodmark will bring in heavier machinery and extend the pit back into the hillside. He will also bring in a bulldozer with a ripper to tear up the pit floor and start moving downward, too. Late 2014 saw recovery of larger rough, some pieces up to 70 grams (figure 5). In addition, the pit’s “red zone,” with a higher proportion of red-cored rough (up to 20%), remained productive. Woodmark expected the trend of bigger, better stones to continue as the miners work deeper into the deposit. This is similar to the situation at Sunstone Butte, he remarked.

Figure 5. The 2014 season saw some larger rough sunstone from Ponderosa mine in the 20–70 gram range. As operations go deeper, stone size seems to increase. Photo by Duncan Pay/GIA; courtesy of Desert Sun Mining & Gems.
Anticipating higher demand, he also planned to cut more frequently in 2015. Rather than cutting two to three times per year, he will cut 2,000 to 4,000 kg per month (new production plus stockpiled rough), depending on his needs. As 4,000 kg equates to approximately 2,000 carats of finished stones, Woodmark expected his production to significantly increase market availability of Oregon sunstone in 2015.

Like all the Oregon sunstone mines, Ponderosa produces a substantial quantity of yellow and near-colorless labradorite—material with little or no pink or red and no visible coppery reflections. One of the things Woodmark has learned at this show is the importance of cutting style and quality on a gem’s perceived value. He sold 2 kg of yellow rough to another vendor at the AGTA show—Ken Ivey (Ivey Gemstones, Prescott, Arizona)—and was astonished at the result.

Ivey’s use of concave cutting styles (figure 6) presented the feldspar’s bright yellow color far more effectively than conventional cuts. With conventional cutting, Woodmark struggled to get a few tens of dollars per carat for yellow goods. With only a modest investment in extra cutting costs for concave faceting—perhaps twice the expenditure—the same material can sell for up to five times as much. As the yellow rough sells for a couple hundred dollars per kilogram, this is a potentially significant value addition in the finished product.

Figure 6. The concave cutting style used on these Oregon feldspars accentuates their yellow color and raises the market value of the material. Photo by Duncan Pay/GIA; courtesy of Ivey Gemstones.
Another encouraging trend Woodmark sees is that designers and jewelers are mixing calibrated sunstones of different shapes and colors in the same jewelry piece. The casting is standardized, but because every combination is unique there is no longer the need to match them. Volume business with sunstone jewelry has always been hampered by the perception that every stone in a piece has to match and every piece must be uniform.

In Woodmark’s opinion, even home shopping channels like QVC are moving away from that concept, in essence marketing the uniqueness of the gem rather than a uniformity it can never provide. He cited a piece for which he supplied 3.0, 4.0, and 5.0 mm calibrated gems. One was a top-quality red sunstone, and the others were paler pink. In this way, the manufacturer does not have to match the stones and can use larger volumes. @chapter:17 @chapter:0 @chapter:17


# Publication Year: -
# Title: A Sunstone Odyssey, Part 3: Sunstone Butte
# Abstract: This  is what Sunstone Butte is famous for: beautiful gems with a winning blend of red and green bodycolor. The larger stone is a significant 23.40 ct, while the smaller example weighs 7.50 ct. Photo by Robert Weldon.

CRYSTALS FROM A CINDER CONE

View Gallery

	Click to view a slideshow of photos from our visit to Oregon’s Sunstone Butte mine.
David Wheatley’s tan is almost a match for the cinder that’s the source of his sunstone. With his partner, Tammy Moreau, Dave is co-owner of the Sunstone Butte mine.

We’ve come out here on the last day of our quest for Oregon sunstone. It’s about a dozen miles or so away from Dust Devil. We’ve already met both owners, as they visited Don and Terry at their mine during our stay. We’ve heard about Sunstone Butte’s large, fabulous sunstones from the other miners and we’re very eager to see them for ourselves.

When we first arrive, Dave is away, helping recover a truck that a mining acquaintance rolled over on one of the nearby dirt roads.

The mine’s camp is a clutch of trailers halfway up the slope of a hill. Blue five-gallon buckets full of feldspar concentrate surround the end of one of the trailers. Another dog—a bigger one called Sheba—barks a welcome.

	David Wheatley is a co-owner of the Sunstone Butte Mine. Photo by Duncan Pay.
Tammy invites us under a shade cover, where she shows us some of the mine’s production. A member of our party picks up a spectacular large rough sunstone with a deep green core. “This changes everything,” he says. There are many similar examples in the tray below: big clean reds, greens, and bicolors. We saw nothing like these at the other mines we visited.

There’s a crunch of gravel as a truck pulls up. Dave is back after helping right the vehicle that rolled over: The driver is OK, but the truck is a wreck.

Pretty soon, we’re standing in a manmade crater under a pure blue sky—the main pit of the Sunstone Butte mine. “It’s a vent, a volcanic vent…much more cinder dome than lava flow,” Dave explains, telling us why his operation is unique compared to other mines in the Rabbit Basin. Rather than mining a relatively thin basalt flow, the operation is excavating the center of a miniature volcano—a cinder cone: “Our pit has four different, distinct layers in it…Geologists have been to all the sunstone mines…I’ve had three or four swing by and they’re in heaven…”

Dave points to the reddish brown rocks exposed in the pit wall and tells us, “The whole side of this hill is just full of sunstones.” He bends down and picks up a bright yellow feldspar from the ground. “The amount of crystal in this pit is just incredible…every rock, just about, has a crystal in it!”

	This large yellow feldspar phenocryst is embedded in a matrix of volcanic cinder. Photo by Robert Weldon.
“What was nice about this area,” he continues, “…I’ve got a little bit of cap rock in this area…A lot of the mines in the valley, you’ve got to go through 10 to 15 or 20 feet of hard rock to get to the ore-bearing flow; this, I could dig with my backhoe.”

Dave mines the core of the hill using a backhoe. He runs the ore through a grizzly—a metal grille—to remove rocks larger than eight inches, which he stores for a later crushing process. The ore smaller than eight inches runs through a small processing plant that removes the loose dirt. Next, they hand-screen the ore on four-by-eight-foot metal-topped tables. Dave and Tammy chose metal surfaces rather than conventional mesh because the rocks roll more easily across the top and the metal reflects the light back up through the feldspar crystals and makes them much easier to spot.

Dave estimates that changing to metal allowed them to recover sunstone at four times the previous rate. Dave does admit that it’s hard work. “Tammy sits here and she does most of the screening…She’ll do this for about eight hours a day.”

Two days of running ore through the grizzly and two days of running the processing plant provides enough material for both to screen for a month. “We’ve put a lot of work and effort into this mine…When we’re up here, we’re mining, pure and simple,” he tells us.

We ask him to tell us what’s so unusual about his mine. “The most unusual thing is the size of our Oregon sunstones,” he responds. “We produce a lot between 100 and 400 to 500 carats.”

It’s not just the size though, he explains, it’s the color too: “About seventy-five percent of our sunstone has green in it, which is one of our rarest colors, and we get a lot of the teal—which is bluish green—very, very rare for sunstone.”

	This large rough sunstone displays a deep green core. Photo by Duncan Pay.
Like the other Rabbit Basin mines, the mining season typically runs from mid-May until early October. “You can push it,” Dave adds. “Last year we stayed until the middle of December…We were digging in the snow for two months, which makes it quite interesting.”

In spite of this mine’s advantages over others in the area, Dave still comes up against the universal character of his profession: “We’ll hit an area, as always with any kind of mining, that’s kind of dead…We don’t get a lot of color, get a lot of clears…But then, just a couple of feet farther, wham! Right back in the color!”

	A Cinder Cone Full of Crystals

	David Wheatley, Sunstone Butte co-owner, introduces us to the heart of the Sunstone Butte mine: an ancient volcanic vent that’s rich in large feldspar crystals.

SUNSTONE BUTTE HISTORY
Dave and Tammy aren’t the only miners who have tried their luck on this hill. Others dug, but found mainly large, clear feldspars, and few colors. They gave up, Dave tells us, “…decided it wasn’t worth it and let go.”

Dave was walking the desert looking for prospects when he found this place. He saw plenty of stones on the surface and noticed that the anthills were full of feldspar. He staked out nine claims in the area. However, because Sunstone Butte is outside the established mining area, he had to wait for a year and a half while the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) undertook a full environmental impact study.

	This view looks down into the main pit. You can judge the scale by comparing it to the trailers in the distance. Photo by Robert Weldon.
Once they started digging, they quickly found some large greens and reds, up to 800 carats, but not in any great quantity. Their luck changed when they switched to the other side of the hill: “We went down five feet and we were starting to hit greens, just green, green, green, green, green, green…of course this is where we’ve been digging since!”

	Sunstone Butte had been open to fee diggers in the past. As Dave and Tammy’s business grew, they cut down on fee digging to concentrate their efforts on more serious mining. Photo by Duncan Pay.

	Why We Dig at Sunstone Butte

	David Wheatley explains why he chose to mine at the Sunstone Butte site.

WHAT DRIVES YOU TO MINE SUNSTONE?
We eventually get to the questions of why mine here, and why this particular gem? “A friend of mine,” Dave answers, “…his dad’s been coming down here for 50 years, and he was coming down to visit him…He was a co-owner in a co-op down in the sunstone valley and I came down with him on a weekend.” Dave was lucky and found a nice red, so his friend’s father faceted it for him.

	This fine 7.70-ct. red sunstone displays broad bars of aventurescent copper particles. Photo by Robert Weldon.
That was the beginning of his fascination with sunstone. He was intrigued by the gem’s varied appearances and visited many of the mines in the area, often paying to be a fee digger.

This experience gave him the intelligence he needed to look for his own claims as well as the confidence to leave his high-paying job at a major corporation and stake it all on sunstone.

	Why I Mine Sunstone

	Miner David Wheatley expresses his passion for sunstone and his love of mining.

PRESENT AND FUTURE SUCCESS
What’s the secret of the operation’s success, we ask? Dave pauses for a moment: “When I was doing fee digging, I analyzed the other miners.” He explains that, while he agrees the mine’s high-quality output is one factor, he wanted to differentiate his gems from everyone else’s: “Most of the miners were doing more basic cutting…As we started getting our volume out here, I decided I wanted to go more high end…We do a lot of concave…linear cuts…we have a designer that’s making new cuts for us…it’s really taken very well out in the marketplace.”

	Working with talented cut designers has paid dividends for Sunstone Butte’s owners by getting their gems noticed in the trade. This innovative cut blends red and green bodycolors. Photo by Robert Weldon.
To bring attention to the mine, Dave adds, he and Tammy participated in a lot of gem and mineral shows—up to 30 a year. Initially, they mounted their stones in simple sterling silver basket settings, but it wasn’t long before they started to work on higher-end products in gold. Eventually, they focused on selling fashioned stones and rough rather than finished jewelry.

Dave sums up the couple’s current approach: “Once you get into jewelry, it takes so much of your time, and we love mining…We’d rather just mine, come out in this beautiful desert and enjoy ourselves mining and take three or four months off!”

	Dave and Tammy work with a number of gemstone cutters and carvers, so they have a wide range of finished gems for sale. Photo by Duncan Pay.
While Dave notes that other sunstone mines—like the Ponderosa—might produce greater volumes of rough, he’s sure that the large sizes and unique green colors his operation produces have made an impact on the market: “We’ve brought the greens and the teals into the market…And all of a sudden it’s a new buzzword, because they’re seeing a different color of sunstone…Instead of one here and one there, they’re seeing a large volume.”

And the couple’s focus on contemporary cutting and carving? “When somebody sees an absolutely breathtaking piece of jewelry, or a carving, it’s a buzz again…word gets out there,” Dave explains. “We’re pretty proud of how we’ve impacted the sunstone industry in the last three years,” he finishes with a smile.

	This fabulous fluted carving displays swathes of the teal-green color that Sunstone Butte is justly known for. Photo by Robert Weldon.

	Marketing Oregon Sunstone

	Sunstone Butte co-owner David Wheatley explains how he and his partner Tammy Moreau went about marketing their mine’s production. @chapter:17 @chapter:0 @chapter:17


# Publication Year: 1981
# Title: Lapis-Lazuli from Sar-E-Sang, Badakhshan, Afghanistan
# Abstract: The lapis-lazuli deposits at Sar-e-Sang in Badakhshan, Afghanistan, have provided the raw material for objects fashioned of this stone since the earliest civilizations. The mine, which lies in the Hindu-Kush Mountains, is difficult to reach and, because of climatic conditions, is opened only a few months during the summer. The lapis is found in veins in which calcite and dolomite are intimately associated with silicates such as diopside, scapolite, and forsterite. Pyrite is always present; the pure blue mineral is lazurite. The color of the lapis-lazuli varies according to the amount of the various impurities contained therein. Well-formed crystals of lazurite with the dominant {110] shape are rarely found. This article examines the crystallographic properties of lapis-lazuli, the site of Sar-e-Sang and the lapis-lazuli deposits there, and offers an explanation for the genesis of the material. @chapter:12 @chapter:0 @chapter:12


# Publication Year: 2015
# Title: Fine Tsavorite and Spinel
# Abstract: Figure 1. This spectacular 12.46 ct tsavorite recently returned to Bruce Bridges’s inventory after being in a collector’s possession for many years. Photo by Robert Weldon/GIA; courtesy of Bridges Tsavorite.

              Bruce Bridges (Bridges Tsavorite, Tucson) said that fine stones often return to his inventory after years in a collector’s possession. At the AGTA show, he showcased a vivid, top-quality 12.46 ct cushion-cut tsavorite fashioned some 15 years earlier, which made its way back into the market in the last two years (figure 1). As tsavorite rough has a high value, gems are typically cut to maximize weight. Rough is typically recovered as long, thin asymmetrical fragments that lend themselves to pear, marquise, and trilliant shapes. This example’s unusual square cushion shape, large size, color, and clarity make it a notable and rare gemstone.

Figure 2. This 18.21 ct Tanzanian red spinel was fashioned from material recovered from one of four enormous multi-kilogram crystals reputedly found in the Ipanko ruby and spinel mining area near Mahenge, Tanzania. Photo by Robert Weldon/GIA; courtesy of Bridges Tsavorite.
After seeing the wealth and variety of gems on display at the Tucson gem shows, it might be easy to come away with the impression that fine colored stones are not particularly rare. Yet the truly magnificent stones are extremely rare and often have a memorable provenance. One such gem is the 18.21 ct triangular cut red spinel Bruce Bridges showed us at his AGTA booth (figure 2). According to Bridges, this magnificent gem was cut in 2007 in Bangkok from rough recovered in one astounding find in Tanzania’s Ipanko mining area that yielded several giant spinel crystals, one of which weighed in at over 50 kg. A number of other dealers at this year’s show, including Axel Henn, also displayed fine gems from this one extraordinary discovery. @chapter:1 @chapter:0 @chapter:1


# Publication Year: 2023
# Title: Quarterly Crystal: Columbite(?) in Beryl
# Abstract: Figure 1. Measuring 26.36 mm in length and weighing 56.00 ct, this Pakistani aquamarine crystal is host to an eye-visible 7.20 mm mineral inclusion cluster. Photo by Annie Haynes.
Those in the gem and mineral community can appreciate the near-perfection of a beautifully crystallized mineral specimen or a well-cut gemstone. But these surfaces are only the exterior, covering a complex, multilayered story within. These internal contents often remain unknown unless we choose to explore below the surface. Somewhat like trees and their rings, minerals and gems form as concentric, typically crystallized layers, recording the developmental details within each layer through changes in temperature, pressure, and chemistry. While some of these growth details are submicroscopic and remain hidden during microscopic observation, other features such as mineral inclusions and encapsulated fluids are waiting to be discovered. In a very real sense, inclusions and their developmental sequencing in their host gems and minerals are descriptions of mineralogical genetics.
Researchers focused specifically on inclusions usually cannot outbid serious gem and mineral collectors for crystals and fashioned gems with interesting internal targets. As a result, many such “gems” end up in private collections, and their inclusions are rarely, if ever, fully documented. This is a tremendous missed opportunity, because inclusions contain geological information that tells a story about themselves and their host.
For this issue’s Quarterly Crystal, we recently had the opportunity to document a well-formed gem-quality, transparent, very light greenish blue terminated hexagonal crystal of aquamarine, with a small amount of light brown matrix at the base and a clearly visible inclusion cluster at the near center (figure 1). The aquamarine was obtained from Muntazir Mehdi of Shad Fine Minerals International in Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan. The geographic source was reportedly the Kharguluk mine in Baltistan Province.

Figure 2. None of the analytical techniques at our disposal were able to conclusively identify the mineral making up the 7.20 mm inclusion cluster. The distinctive morphology shown by these inclusions strongly suggests that the cluster is composed of columbite-(Mn) crystals. Photomicrograph by Nathan Renfro; field of view 10.28 mm.
At 56.00 ct with corresponding measurements of 26.36 × 16.09 × 15.02 mm, this aquamarine played host to an easily eye-visible tight cluster of randomly arranged dark reddish brown to black bladed crystals (figure 2) that resembled the mineral columbite-(Mn), Mn2+Nb2O6, as shown by E.J. Gübelin and J.I. Koivula (Photoatlas of Inclusions in Gemstones, Volume 2, Opinio Verlag, Basel, Switzerland, 2005, pp. 263, 319).
Micro-Raman has significantly reduced the time required to instrumentally identify many inclusions. Some inclusion identifications that once took hours can now be made in a matter of minutes using this technique. The Raman instrument can also analyze some subsurface inclusions at depths of more than a millimeter in certain favorable instances, which means inclusions do not need to be exposed to the surface.
After several Raman attempts from different directions, we realized that destructive analysis would be needed to clearly identify the inclusion cluster deep within this stone. Due to the value of this inclusion specimen, we opted to forgo destructive analysis and keep the beryl crystal intact for future gemological exploration. @chapter:8 @chapter:0 @chapter:8


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

                      When Bolivia’s ametrine mine reopened in the 1960s after being lost for centuries, the gem’s bicolor appearance became popular with dealers and gem designers. Its colors range from pale to intense amethyst and citrine shades.

	The rough output from the Anahi mine produces amethyst, citrine, and ametrine finished
	gems in a range of tone and color intensities. Photo © GIA and Tino Hammid.
Color
Fine ametrine shows medium dark to moderately strong orange, and vivid to strong purple or violetish purple. Larger gems, usually those over five carats, tend to show the most intensely saturated hues. Dealers look for an attractive half-and-half distribution of each color, with a sharp boundary between the two colors at the center of the fashioned gemstone.

	Rectangular cuts show off ametrine’s unique appearance. Photo by Robert Weldon/GIA, courtesy Cynthia Renee Co.
Cut
Connoisseurs prize imaginative designer cuts that display ametrine’s two colors in artfully blended or contrasting combinations.

	This 48.50-ct. ametrine, fashioned by gem designer Dalan Hargrave, dazzles the eye. Photo by Robert Weldon/GIA, courtesy Minerales y Metales del Oriente, Bolivia, SA.
Clarity
Much of the faceted ametrine in the market is eye-clean, meaning it lacks eye-visible inclusions.

	Like most faceted ametrine, this bicolor rectangular step cut has no eye-visible inclusions. Photo by Van Rossen, © ICA, courtesy Columbia Gem House.
Carat Weight
When it comes to highly prized ametrine, size matters. That’s because the best, most intense citrine and amethyst colors are found in larger sizes, usually over 5 carats.

	This 87.66-ct. ametrine displays the rich purple of amethyst along with the contrasting orangy yellow of citrine. Photo by Robert Weldon/GIA, courtesy Minerales y Metales del Oriente, Bolivia, SA. @chapter:1 @chapter:0 @chapter:1


# Publication Year: -
# Title: Jewels of Hollywood: Accessories and Jewelry that Made the Stars Shine
# Abstract: This diamond and emerald brooch set in platinum, which belonged to Faye Dunaway, contains approximately 15 cts of diamonds and 5 cts of emeralds. Courtesy of the Kazanjian Foundation’s Hollywood Collection. Photo by Orasa Weldon/GIA

Our fascination with celebrities – and their glittering jewels, accoutrements and couture clothing – has fed our imaginations since the early days of motion pictures. They represent who we think we could be in our wildest dreams.
Hollywood – and the jewels stars wear – have gone hand-in-hand for many years to attract the attention and imagination of movie-going audiences. The Golden Age of Hollywood, roughly from the end of silent movies through the 1950s and 60s, was flush with funds and a studio system that produced glittering and glamorous stars and moneymaking films.

Actress Mary Pickford's sterling silver clutch was a gift from her actor/musician husband Charles "Buddy" Rogers. Courtesy of the Kazanjian Foundation’s Hollywood Collection. Photo by Orasa Weldon/GIA
Once a potential leading lady was found, a team set about to transform her into a star, according to “Hollywood Jewels: Movies, Jewelry, Stars,” written by Penny Prodow, Debra Healy and Marion Fasel. This included developing her look, her home and her social life.
“With so much money tied up in a star, decking her out in precious jewelry was considered not an extravagance but part of the investment,” according to the book.
“Jewels of Hollywood,” on loan from the Kazanjian Foundation, showcases some of the pieces associated with Hollywood royalty of decades past. It is a window into the lives and loves of some of the entertainment industry’s most iconic members.

There are several sets of cufflinks on display, including signer/actor Bing Crosby’s, left, and comedian/actor Bob Hope’s. Crosby’s gold cufflinks are lyrically scrolled with his first name. Hope’s 14K yellow gold cufflinks are engraved "TO ROBERT" on one cufflink and "XMAS 1972 BOB HOPE" on the second. Courtesy of the Kazanjian Foundation’s Hollywood Collection. Crosby photo by Orasa Weldon/GIA. Hope photo by Emily Lane/GIA
Arranged by topic, the exhibit cases include jewelry, cufflinks and other accessories, such as watches, compacts, cigarette cases, money clips and mesh handbags. The stars and movie moguls represented include:

Leading Men – Clark Gable, Danny Kaye, Bing Crosby, Bob Hope Dean Martin, Buddy Hackett and Jack Benny.
Leading Ladies – Eva Gabor, Gloria Swanson, Mary Pickford, Shirley Temple, Mary Ann Mobley, Joan Collins, Martha Scott, Faye Dunaway and Madonna.
Behind the Scenes – Billionaire businessman producer Howard Hughes, writer and director Billy Wilder, and producer and co-founder of Twentieth Century Studios (later 20th Century Fox) Darryl F. Zanuck. The case also contains pieces by some of America’s titan families, including the Duponts and J.P. Morgan.

What is striking about many of the pieces in this collection is that they were actually picked out and owned by the stars, not selected by stylists, as is common today, says Terri Ottaway, curator of collections for the GIA Museum in Carlsbad, California.
“Jewelry is one of the most sentimental objects we can buy for ourselves or as gifts for others – and movie stars love sentimental gifts just like the rest of us,” she says. “A lot of these pieces have inscriptions that are really endearing.”

Actor Clark Gable gave this gold compact case, circa 1930s, to his third wife, actress Carole Lombard. Rubies, sapphires, demantoid garnets and diamonds frame the initials "LG" (Lombard and Gable). Courtesy of the Kazanjian Foundation’s Hollywood Collection. Photo by Orasa Weldon/GIA
Carole Lombard, for example, gave a beautiful gold cigarette case to her husband Clark Gable with the engraving: “Darling” with love from “Ma,” dated “Xmas 41,” referencing the pet names “Ma” and “Pa” Lombard and Gable called each other.
Also included in the exhibit are some of the compacts and cases stars used to carry makeup and other items.

Actress Eva Gabor’s gold compact is embellished with synthetic rubies. Courtesy of the Kazanjian Foundation’s Hollywood Collection. Photo by Orasa Weldon/GIA
“When the stars used to travel, there wasn’t a traveling jewelry box type of item to keep their baubles and personal items secure, so it wasn’t uncommon to see a grand dame using an old cigar box, or coffee can, or tobacco tin, or something along those lines to hold her jewels and makeup,” says Doug Hall, an instructor at GIA.
Soon, iconic jewelry houses, such as Van Cleef & Arpels, responded by creating elegant compacts to hold these items, he says. The cases could be personalized and embellished with gemstones and motifs.
The exhibit includes Eva Gabor’s ruby-embellished lipstick case, compact and notebook holder from Van Cleef & Arpels and compacts from Mary Pickford and Gloria Swanson.

Actress Martha Scott wore this star ruby and diamond ring set in platinum at the premiere of her movie “Hi Diddle Diddle” in 1943. Scott also appeared in such blockbusters as “The Ten Commandments” and “Ben Hur” and received an Academy Award nomination for “Our Town.” Courtesy of the Kazanjian Foundation’s Hollywood Collection. Photo by Orasa Weldon/GIA
Fans of The Golden Age of Hollywood will enjoy seeing “Jewels of Hollywood” as they tour GIA, says Ottaway.
“It’s an extra-special treat for older visitors and fans of old movies,” she says. “There is something wonderful about being able to make a personal connection with the iconic stars you remember seeing on the big screen.” @chapter:20 @chapter:2 @chapter:20


# Publication Year: 2017
# Title: Gota de Aceite in a Zambian Emerald
# Abstract: A muted gota de aceite effect, with epigenetic ilmenite, in an emerald from Zambia. Photo by Nathan Renfro; field of view 1.26 mm.

Gota de aceite (Spanish for “drop of oil”), a rare phenomenon that occurs in the finest emeralds, is typically associated with Colombian origin (R. Ringsrud, “Gota de aceite: Nomenclature for the finest Colombian emeralds,” Fall 2008 G&G, pp. 242–245). The phenomenon creates a roiled effect caused by irregularity in the emerald’s internal crystal structure. During the gemstone’s crystallization the growth conditions are altered, giving rise to rapid columnar growth. When looking down the emerald’s c-axis, the outline of the columns can be seen. This sometimes has the appearance of drops of oil, giving rise to the name. The columns typically have a slightly different trace element composition from that of the host emerald. This heterogeneity in trace element chemistry will cause a minor change in the refractive index of the columns, allowing the structure to be visible.

The Carlsbad laboratory recently received a 2.10 ct emerald for origin determination. The stone had blocky multiphase inclusions and ilmenite scattered throughout, along with mica platelets and a very subtle blue flash effect associated with some small feathers. At a certain angle, a muted gota de aceite effect was also visible (see above). The UV-Vis spectrum shows a distinct Fe2+ broad band at approximately 900 nm. Inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) confirmed the stone’s relatively high iron content and indicated a chemical composition consistent with Zambian origin.

The gota de aceite seen in this Zambian emerald was not exactly the same as the phenomenon found in Colombian emeralds. Dendritic ilmenite, an iron-rich mineral, was fully enclosed in the columnar structure. We believe the epigenetic ilmenite exsolved the increased iron content, as Zambian emeralds contain a larger amount of iron than their Colombian counterparts (J.C. Zwaan et al., “Emeralds from the Kafubu area, Zambia,” Summer 2005 G&G, pp. 116–148).

Until now, gota de aceite has only been documented in Colombian emeralds and has been an aid in origin determination. Still, this is not the first time that an inclusion indicative of a particular origin has been found elsewhere. Jagged three-phase inclusions, traditionally seen in Colombian emeralds, have also been documented in emeralds from certain mines in Afghanistan, China, and Zambia (S. Saeseaw et al., “Three-phase inclusions in emerald and their impact on origin determination,” Summer 2014 G&G, pp. 114–132). This emerald shows that inclusions may not always provide conclusive proof of origin, but they can still provide useful information. @chapter:5 @chapter:0 @chapter:5


# Publication Year: 2021
# Title: Iridescent Botryoidal Growth in Untreated Akoya Pearl
# Abstract: Iridescent and botryoidal subsurface growth seen in a pair of untreated akoya pearls. Note the nacre lines visible at the surface (top right of image B), giving context to the unusual growth and phenomenon below the surface. Photomicrographs by Britni LeCroy; field of view 3.57 (A) and 2.34 mm (B).
Cultured akoya pearls (Pinctada fucata) are typically admired for their high luster and desirable overtone. Nearly all pearls from this species undergo color treatment before entering the market. One untreated akoya pearl examined by the author exhibited an iridescent and botryoidal subsurface appearance when viewed with a fiber-optic light under microscopic magnification (see above). This was in sharp contrast to the pearl’s appearance without magnification, which showed a light gray bodycolor and smooth surface.
The light gray bodycolor of the pearl was caused by large voids or gaps surrounding its bead nucleus, which could be seen using real-time X-ray microradiography (RTX). Akoya pearls possess very thin nacre platelets that are transparent to translucent when viewed under strong lighting, allowing the viewer to see into the deeper layers of the pearl. The strong iridescence was caused by light interference within alternating layers of aragonite and conchiolin—the two substances that create nacreous pearls and that also have different refractive indices. Specifically, this iridescence is caused when incoming overhead light is reflected from the surfaces between the successive aragonite and conchiolin layers. When the reflected light rays from a bottom layer of nacre interfere with the incoming light, iridescence is created. In pearls, this feature is known as orient (E. Fritsch and G.R. Rossman, “An update on color in gems. Part 3: Colors caused by band gaps and physical phenomena,” Summer 1988 G&G, pp. 81–102). The underlying botryoidal structure combined with the iridescence from the overlying nacre was responsible for the unusual pattern or orient seen in this akoya pearl. This is the first time the author has encountered such a phenomenon in a pearl. @chapter:11 @chapter:4 @chapter:11


# Publication Year: 2015
# Title: Natural Faceted Red Rutile
# Abstract: Figure 1. The 4.40 ct natural red rutile on the left was compared with a 4.47 ct orange flame-fusion synthetic rutile. Photo by C.D. Mengason.

	The Carlsbad laboratory recently received a 4.40 ct dark red marquise brilliant (figure 1, left) for examination. Standard gemological testing revealed a refractive index that was over the limit of the RI liquid, as well as a hydrostatic specific gravity of 4.27. The specimen was inert to both long-wave and short-wave UV. Under reflected light, it showed a metallic luster. Raman testing identified the material as rutile. To distinguish it as natural or synthetic rutile, we compared it with a known flame-fusion orange synthetic rutile sample (figure 1, right).

Figure 2. In this natural red rutile, an octagonal blockage is capped at the end of the growth tube. Photomicrograph by Ziyin Sun; field of view 1.40 mm.

	Under magnification, the most distinctive internal characteristic of the dark red specimen was an octagonal blockage with a long growth tube extending to the surface (figure 2). Near the girdle, some unknown rectangular tabular inclusions were also observed, which were not identified by Raman spectroscopy (figure 3). Both internal features indicated the specimen was natural rutile. Straight and angular growth banding was also observed (figure 4). Raman spectroscopy for both the red sample and the orange synthetic revealed major peaks at 610, 446, and 242 cm–1 and minor peaks at 818, 707, and 319 cm–1, confirming their identity as rutile (see the RRUFF database at rruff.info).

Figure 3. Near the girdle, rectangular tabular inclusions are observed under fiber-optic illumination. Photomicrograph by Ziyin Sun; field of view 2.43 mm.

Figure 4. The natural rutile shows straight and angular growth banding. Photomicrograph by Ziyin Sun; field of view 4.92 mm.

	Laser ablation–inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) revealed that the dark red rutile had a composition of 98.2% TiO2 and 1.5% Fe2O3 by weight, with traces of Mg, Al, Si, Ca, Sc, V, Cr, Cu, Zn, Zr, Nb, Cd, In, Sn, Sb, Hf, Ta, W, Pb, and U. The presence of Nb (176.81–296.93 ppmw), Ta (15.13–25.81 ppmw), Hf (0.15–0.40 ppmw), Zr (3.29–4.84 ppmw), Pb (0.01–0.56 ppmw), and U (0.07–0.27 ppmw) suggested a natural origin. The orange synthetic rutile contained 99.9% TiO2, plus traces of Mg, Si, Cr, Co, Cu, and Zn. Traces of iron (1.66 ppmw, 0.0238% Fe2O3 by weight) were also detected. Synthetic rutile boules created by the Verneuil process have an orange color with 0.04% Fe2O3 and a clear reddish color with 0.2% Fe2O3 (C.H. Moore, Jr. and R. Dahlstrom, “Synthetic rutile crystal and method for making same,” U.S. Patent 2792287). The red specimen’s lower chemical purity indicates natural origin.

	Visible spectra of both stones were taken. The red bodycolor of the natural rutile matched the transmission window between 650 and 700 nm in the red portion of the spectrum, which was likely caused by iron.

	Although rutile is a common inclusion in many minerals, the few crystals that are faceted usually weigh less than 1 ct. This faceted stone was very rare because of its large size. It was the first faceted natural rutile examined by GIA’s Carlsbad laboratory. @chapter:24 @chapter:0 @chapter:24


# Publication Year: -
# Title: GIA Scholarship Helps Designer Build Technical Skills, Creativity
# Abstract: Wisner’s final project for his JDT class at GIA was this 18K yellow gold, emerald and lariat suite. The green is a vitreous transparent enamel, and the lariat features a 30-ct, round brilliant emerald. “This suite is one of my greatest prides as a designer,” Wisner says. “I used everything I had ever learned in making it.” Courtesy of Daniel Wisner.

Daniel Wisner’s pulse quickened as he walked down the hallway with his mother to pick up his older brother from metalsmithing class. The closer they got, the louder the strains of Black Sabbath and rhythmically clanging hammers echoed down the hallway. The wide-eyed 9-year-old entered the arts center classroom and was immediately captivated.

“People were hunched over mandrills and forming stakes, hammering away at silver bowls, while my brother, Justin, was in the corner with a blow torch and massive, Mad Max-style goggles shielding his face,” remembers Wisner, a GIA Jewelry Design and Technology (JDT) graduate and co-owner of Brooklyn jewelry design firm Matthias & Wisner. “The instructor stood front and center, hair past her waist, encrusted in silver from head to toe. I immediately felt at home in the metal shop and from that point on, I wanted to be a jeweler.”

Wisner anxiously waited for his 11th birthday when he could join his brother in an apprenticeship with the instructor, silversmith Kristen Alice Urffer. The brothers studied alongside Urffer for the next five years.

“Kristen did things the old way, and really drove home the ‘practice makes perfect’ maxim,” he says. “She instilled in us patience and dedication to the craft. Her focus and ‘do it again’ mentality gave me the backbone to continue in the industry.”

Daniel Wisner, JDT, has a diverse artistic background including sculpture and performance art, though jewelry has been his focus since an apprenticeship with a silversmith at just 11 years old. Wisner operates the Brooklyn-based design firm, Matthias & Wisner, with his brother, Justin. Courtesy of Daniel Wisner.
Wisner then apprenticed with a production jeweler before heading to Kutztown University of Pennsylvania to earn his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Enamel and Jewelry Arts. While there, he worked as a studio monitor in the school’s metal and jewelry arts program and began a small business creating commissioned jewelry pieces.

He graduated from Kutztown in 2014 and was awarded a residency and yearlong staff artist position at the Vermont Studio Center (VSC) in Johnson, Vermont. As the end of Wisner’s year of experimenting with sculpture, performance art, and his longtime favorite – jewelry design – at VSC drew near, he began to explore work as a designer in New York City. He was soon hit with an uncomfortable reality.

“I quickly found that while my artistic skills were on par with industry expectations, my technical knowledge was lacking,” he says. “I’d spent years working on techniques that were no longer used industry-wide. Though I knew how to talk to a jeweler about making a three-stone engagement ring with a cathedral setting and could show them a sketch, I didn’t know how to produce it in CAD – or even what CAD was.”

After one disappointing job-hunting trip, Wisner remembered that another mentor, jeweler Janna Gregonis, had told him about GIA and how it could give him an “unparalleled education” and “a better edge against competition in the job market.” He did some research and was surprised to learn that GIA offered a seven-month intensive program in Carlsbad on CAD and design. He applied to the program and for a scholarship the next day.

A few months later, Wisner received a letter stating he had received the scholarship in whole.

“I could barely speak,” he says. “I knew from that moment that my life just made a major shift.”

View Gallery

That life change was dramatic: Wisner moved from the East Coast to Southern California in 2016. His brother Justin, who had also trained as a jeweler and blacksmith and was working in jewelry sales, moved with him to help support him while he threw himself into the intensive program. Wisner attended every student lecture, checked out stacks of books at the “second-to-none” Richard T. Liddicoat Gemological Library and Information Center almost daily, and focused on showing up every time.

“These classes are grueling and long, filled with painstaking detail and work, but that’s exactly why you should come to class every single day,” he says. “So much happens in one day, it can set you back more than you think just by missing even an hour.”

Wisner clearly remembers a day in class when he was “mesmerized” by the “absurd levels of detail” he and his classmates learned to create a piece of jewelry in Matrix. His instructor told him it was “just the beginning” of what was to come in technology.

“At the time I couldn’t believe that CAD could get any more advanced than what I’d just experienced, but now I know how right he was,” Wisner says. “The JDT program prepared me to enter the industry as a technical designer and gave me the tools and knowledge I needed to get started.

“I learned more in seven months about technology, stone grading and business practices than I ever thought possible, and my base of knowledge is more expansive than I ever hoped. I feel more confident and in control of my work than ever before and know that I’m able to create exactly what I’ve drawn on paper using the knowledge I gained during my time at GIA.”

The Wisner family – from left, mother Lydia, Daniel, Justin and father Peter – celebrate Daniel Wisner’s 2017 graduation at GIA in Carlsbad. “The community one can create while attending GIA is without a doubt a cornerstone to building a successful career as a jeweler, designer, gemologist or business owner,” Wisner says. “The people I met during my time at GIA have become my support group and lifeline for how to navigate the industry.” Wisner and his brother often source stones for their design house, Matthias & Wisner, through friends he met at GIA. Courtesy of Daniel Wisner.
Wisner’s hard work paid off – within six months he had a full-time job as an assistant technical designer at Alexis Bittar. Though his own company was successful, he felt it was important to work for and with other professionals.

He also continues to operate Matthias & Wisner – homage to his parents’ surnames – with his brother. They create commissioned jewelry together, and Wisner says their work complements each other.

“I tend to focus on the stones, and Justin is more metal-focused,” Wisner explains. “And I hold fast to some of the ‘rules’ of design, while Justin’s organic design background frees him of that cage. Our aesthetics are quite similar, though, and we both have classic taste, focusing on using the best materials and creating timeless profiles. This leads to a harmony of contemporary classics.”

They’re both avid students of history and distance themselves from trends in favor of comfortable, wearable jewelry and lasting style, looking to “the greats” like Audrey Hepburn, Steve McQueen, Jackie Onassis and David Bowie for inspiration.

“This piece is super-fun,” Wisner says. “It’s a two-piece construction that allows the owner to put anything they want inside the ‘cage’ prior to completion, from a pearl to a rough stone to a memorial object. The ‘cage’ is then laser-welded together to ensure the object’s safety.” Courtesy of Matthias & Wisner.
“Style is inherently personal,” Wisner says. “Learning how to interpret style gives someone the key to learning how to design what a client really wants.”

As the brothers look forward to growing the business and create a new line of jewelry, Wisner has no plans to stop learning.

“Technique and technology are crucial to successful design,” he says. “Staying current with technology in our industry allows for new possibilities within design – when we stop being restricted by possibility and are allowed to express ourselves, we can create without concern. That’s why I attended GIA, and why I continue to push for development today. Our industry grows every day, and with it, so should we.” @chapter:45 @chapter:2 @chapter:45


# Publication Year: 2007
# Title: Spring 2007 G&G Book Reviews
# Abstract: “Pearls”
By Elisabeth Strack, 678 pp., illus., publ. by Rühle-Diebener-Verlag, Stuttgart, Germany, 2006. C= 106.10 (US$115.00)

“Not Your Mama’s Beading: The Cool and Creative Way to String ‘Em Along”
By Kate Shoup Welsh, 224 pp., illus., publ. by Wiley Publishing [www.wiley.com], Hoboken, NJ, 2006. US$14.99

“Special Exhibition Jadeite: Treasure of Orient”
By the National Science Museum [www.kahaku.go.jp/english], 202 pp., illus., publ. by the Mainichi Newspapers Co., Tokyo, 2004 [in Japanese; no price information available]

“Hope Diamond: The Legendary History of a Cursed Gem”
By Richard Kurin, 388 pp., illus., publ. by Smithsonian Books [www.smithsonianstore.com], Washington, DC, 2006. $24.95

“Precious Minerals (Gemology)”
By Ruslan I. Kostov, 453 pp., illus., publ. by PENSOFT [www.pensoft.net], Sofia, Bulgaria, 2003 [in Bulgarian; no price information available]

“Faceting History: Cutting Diamonds and Colored Stones”
By Glenn Klein, 242 pp., illus., publ. by the author [www.glennklein.com], Lake Forest, CA, 2005, US$21.99

“Symposium on Agate and Crypto- crystalline Quartz”
Daniel Kile, Thomas Michalski, and Peter Modreski, Eds., 144 pp., illus., publ. by Friends of Mineralogy (Colorado Chapter), Colorado School of Mines Geology Museum, and U.S. Geological Survey, 2005, US$20.00

“The Art of Diamond Cutting, 2nd ed.”
By Sofus S. Michelsen and Basil Watermeyer, 147 pp., illus., publ. by Sofus S. Michelsen [sofus_sidney@ direcway.com], Port Angeles, WA, 2005, US$49.95

“Alexandrite”
By Yury S. Kozlov, 143 pp., illus., publ. by Nauka Publishers [www.maik.rssi.ru], Moscow, 2005, C= 33.00

Aphrodite’s Drop: The Power of Pearls”
A Faction Films production [www.factionfilms.co.uk], London, 75 min., 2005, available in DVD format, £30.00

To view the full section, download the PDF above. @chapter:31 @chapter:2 @chapter:31


# Publication Year: -
# Title: Citrine Description
# Abstract: Citrine is one of the most popular yellow gems on the market. This designer cut shows off the warm glow of citrine’s sunny color. – Lydia Dyer, gem courtesy John Dyer & Co.

                      Citrine—the transparent, pale yellow to brownish orange variety of quartz—is rare in nature. In the days before modern gemology, its tawny color caused it to be confused with topaz. Citrine’s attractive color, plus the durability and affordability it shares with most other quartzes, makes it the top-selling yellow-to-orange gem. It’s an attractive alternative not only for topaz, but also for yellow sapphire. The finest citrine color is a saturated yellow to reddish orange free of brownish tints.

	These gems, ranging from orangy yellow to reddish orange, are examples of fine citrine color. - Courtesy C. Y. Sheng
Since natural citrine is rare, most of the citrine on the market is the result of heat treatment, which causes some amethyst to change color from undesirable pale violet to an attractive yellow. The amethyst’s original hue can determine the richness of the resulting citrine’s yellow color.

	Low-temperature heat treatment transformed an amethyst into this orangy citrine. A gem carver created the attractive fantasy cut. - GIA & Tino Hammid
Citrine crystals occur in a wide range of sizes, and citrine sizes up to 20 carats are readily available in jewelry. Although citrine is available in standard shapes and sizes, many high-end jewelry designers and gem carvers have fashioned the warm yellow gem into unusual cuts for jewelry and carvings.

	This citrine carving weighs 167.78 carats. - Courtesy ICA @chapter:21 @chapter:1 @chapter:21


# Publication Year: 2019
# Title: Resin Imitation Ivory with a Pseudo “Engine-Turned” Structure
# Abstract: Figure 1. Left: Material A, 24.40 mm in diameter and sold under the name “Arvorin Plus,” shows parallel linear striations along its length and unorganized perpendicular striations along the horizontal plane. Right: Material B, 18.93 mm in diameter and marketed as “Resin-Ivory+S,” exhibits parallel linear striations along its length and perpendicular striations with an average angle of 90° along its horizontal plane. Photo by Dylan Hand.

Resin materials marketed as imitation ivory were recently acquired by a GIA gemologist. Material A, marketed under the name “Arvorin Plus,” was purchased from a billiard store. Material B, sold as “Resin-Ivory+S,” was purchased from a guitar store. These are manufactured as rods that can be purchased in a variety of lengths. Both show fine parallel linear striations along their length and a distinct pattern reminiscent of Schreger lines, commonly referred to as an “engine-turned” effect, when viewed across their horizontal plane (figure 1). These are also characteristics seen in genuine elephant and mammoth ivory.
The resin materials were found to have nearly identical gemological properties. Both had a Mohs hardness around 2, indented when pressed firmly with a pointer probe, and melted rapidly when touched with a hot point. They also had a spot refractive index reading of 1.57, a hydrostatic specific gravity of 1.24, and were inert to long-wave and short-wave ultraviolet light. Raman spectroscopy further confirmed their identity as a polymer substance.

Figure 2. Left: Elephant ivory with Schreger lines intersecting at an average angle of 109°; field of view 19.27 mm. GIA Collection no. 4287. Right: Mammoth ivory with Schreger lines intersecting at an average angle of 69°; field of view 19.27 mm. Part of GIA Collection no. 19267, donated in 1995 by Richard Marcus of Mammoth Enterprises, Inc. Photos by Dylan Hand and Britni LeCroy.
Genuine elephant and mammoth ivory typically show a refractive index of 1.540, a specific gravity between 1.70 and 2.00, and weak white to blue fluorescence under both long-wave and short-wave UV. Ivory’s most distinguishing characteristic is a display of Schreger lines (“engine turning”), an inherent growth property that is visible when specimens are cut perpendicular to the length of the tusk. These Schreger lines create unique angles that distinguish between mammoth and elephant species. When concave angles that open to the inner area of the tusk are measured, mammoth ivory will show an average angle of less than 90°, while elephant ivory will show an average angle greater than 90°. Figure 2 shows elephant and mammoth specimens oriented with their concave angles opening to the inner area of the tusk. Their Schreger lines intersect at average angles of 109° and 69°, respectively. These can be compared to materials A and B. While material A did show perpendicular striations along the horizontal plane, the angles were not particularly organized or consistently measurable. However, material B had “engine-turned” striations at an average angle of 90° along this same plane.

Figure 3. Three ivory imitations carved for this study. The tusk (52.23 ct) and the cabochon on the right (35.37 ct) were created from material A. The cabochon on the left (14.67 ct) was created from material B. Photo and lapidary by Dylan Hand.
Cabochons were cut from both types of resin, and the form of a small elephant tusk was carved out of material A (figure 3). The resins’ low hardness allowed them to be quickly ground down for shaping, while their high toughness prevented any chipping or fracturing even on small details. The resins each consist of two components with slightly different hardness, which produces the engine-turned pattern. One difficulty is that when attempting to shape a smooth surface, the darker and lighter areas erode at different speeds, creating an uneven texture. This effect is minimized, though, at the prepolishing stage of the carving. The low melting point of the ivory imitations posed an added challenge during the polishing process. When attempting to polish with a compound applied to a felt wheel, the resins can melt and deform relatively quickly.
Elephant ivory was first regulated under the Endangered Species Act in 1976, with more recent laws creating a near-total ban on its import and export. Laws regarding mammoth ivory vary by state. Ivory imitations are now commonly used in their place for furniture and musical instrument inlays, jewelry, and various accessories. Both resins are purportedly composed of spun polyester and are being produced in China. @chapter:51 @chapter:0 @chapter:51


# Publication Year: -
# Title: Fall 2019 G&G: Gem Art of the Taj Mahal, Fancy White and Black Diamonds, and Unique Inclusions in Thai Corundum
# Abstract: The Fall 2019 edition of Gems & Gemology opens with a look at the rich gem history of the Mughal dynasty and the intricate gem inlay work of the Taj Mahal. The issue also features an investigation into the cause of color in Fancy white and Fancy black diamonds, mineral inclusions in corundum from the Bo Welu deposit in Thailand, characteristics of hydrothermally treated amber, and more.
Gemstones in the Era of the Taj Mahal and the Mughals
The lead article, by Dona Mary Dirlam and co-authors, looks back to the seventeenth century and the Mughal dynasty that ruled much of India. The Mughals collected extraordinary jewelry and gems and transported these riches across intricate trade routes. Emperor Shah Jahan commissioned the building of the iconic Taj Mahal, which features elaborate decorative parchin kari inlay of ornamental and fine gems.
Natural-Color Fancy White and Fancy Black Diamonds: Where Color and Clarity Converge
Sally Eaton-Magaña and Christopher M. Breeding continue their series of colored diamond characterization studies with a look at Fancy white and Fancy black diamonds. These two colors are distinctive for their cause of color: nanometer- to micrometer-sized inclusions that reduce the diamond’s transparency, rather than atomic-scale defects typical of other fancy-color diamonds.
Unique Vanadium-Rich Emerald from Malipo, China
Yang Hu and Ren Lu provide an overview of the history, resource potential, and geology for emeralds from Malipo County in southwestern China. Malipo emerald has unique multiphase inclusions and a distinct chemical composition that helps separate it from other deposits.
Mineral Inclusions in Ruby and Sapphire from the Bo Welu Gem Deposit in Chanthaburi, Thailand
Supparat Promwongnan and Chakkaphan Sutthirat discuss the various mineral inclusions observed in Bo Welu ruby and sapphire. Some newly reported mineral inclusions in Thai corundum—sillimanite, nepheline, quartz, alkali feldspar, spinel, and anhydrite for ruby and purple sapphire, and sulfide for blue sapphire—can be used to support origin determination.
Characteristics of Hydrothermally Treated Beeswax Amber
Hydrothermal treatment optimizes the appearance of semi-translucent to opaque “beeswax” amber and expands the availability of amber products. Yamei Wang and co-authors explore the characteristics of hydrothermally treated beeswax amber to assist with identification challenges.
Effects of Mollusk Size on Growth and Color of Cultured Half-Pearls from Phuket, Thailand
In order to find ways to increase the overall production and value of cultured half-pearls, Kannika Kanjanachatree and a team of researchers studied 400 Pteria penguin mollusks over a period of 10 months. They set out to determine the optimum mollusk size, compare rejection and mortality rates, and chart the color and quality of cultured half-pearl samples from month to month. Their findings have important consequences for color-matching of half-pearls.
Hydrogen-Rich Green Diamond Color-Treated by Multi-Step Processing
Identifying the color origin of green diamonds is sometimes difficult for gemological laboratories. In this article, Wenqing Huang and co-authors propose two alternative multi-step treatment procedures that would explain the combination of spectroscopic features observed in a 0.25 ct color-treated yellowish green diamond.
Pressed Gibbsite and Calcite as a Rhodochrosite Imitation
Hanyue Xu and Xiaoyan Yu investigate the differences between rhodochrosite and a new rhodochrosite imitation that has recently appeared in the market. Standard gemological testing can identify the imitations, which are composed of pressed gibbsite and calcite powder with a granular structure.
Lab Notes
GIA laboratory staff members present their latest findings in the Lab Notes section, including a star-shaped cloud inclusion in a faceted diamond, new resin imitations of ivory, and a cobalt-coated sapphire.
Micro-World
The Micro-World section, dedicated to the inner world of gemstones, features a rain cloud in alexandrite, an intergrowth of iolite and sunstone, and an abundance of pyrite inclusions in dravite from Mozambique.
Gem News International
Finally, GNI correspondents from around the world report on a new source of Nigerian aquamarine, black non-nacreous pearl imitations made of beads cut from shell, and the new mineral johnkoivulaite, named after renowned gemologist and photomicrographer John Koivula. @chapter:6 @chapter:0 @chapter:6


# Publication Year: 1986
# Title: The Gemological Properties of the Sumitomo Gem-Quality Synthetic Yellow Diamonds
# Abstract: The distinctive gemological properties of the gem-quality synthetic yellow diamonds grown by Sumitomo Electric Industries are described. These synthetic diamonds, produced on a commercial basis, are grown as deep yellow single crystals in sizes up to 2 ct. The material is currently marketed for industrial applications only, in pieces up to about 0.40 ct. The synthetic diamonds can be distinguished by their ultraviolet fluorescence (inert to long-wave; greenish yellow or yellow to short-wave); their unusual graining, veining, and color zonation under magnification; and the absence of distinct absorption bands in their spectra. @chapter:36 @chapter:1 @chapter:36


# Publication Year: 2014
# Title: Exceptional Gem Artistry in Sunstone, Rutilated Quartz, and Beryl – Tucson 2014
# Abstract: Figure 1. The morganite carving on the left was inspired by the floating watches in the famous Salvador Dali painting “The Persistence of Memory.” The geometric carvings on the right look simple when the stone is viewed from the base but produce an array of bright reflections and crystalline brilliance when viewed from above. Photo by Eric Welch; courtesy of Sonja Kreis.

	Alexander KreisUnique Jewelry

	In this series of three videos, Idar Oberstein-trained gem cutter Alexander Kreis relates the different approaches he takes to unlock the beauty of a variety of rough gemstones, which include Oregon sunstone, various beryl colors, and rutilated quartz. He tells us the influences that play into his unique designs; it might be the pure, crystalline beauty of a flawless piece of rough or the presence of striking inclusions, which drive him to produce beautiful pieces of wearable art.
At the GJX show, Sonja Kreis (Unique Jewelry, Niederworresbach, Germany) displayed exceptional examples of the jeweler’s and gem carver’s art. Kreis designs the jewelry, and her son Alexander cuts the gems.

	Figure 2. The Oregon sunstones in this fantasy-cut pendant and ring, displaying deep red color and intense stripes of schiller, were cut from the same piece of rough. Photo by Eric Welch; courtesy of Sonja Kreis.

	Figure 3. Left: Alexander Kreis displays one of his unique pieces: a star-shaped rutilated quartz. Right: This superb 442.78 ct faceted Brazilian quartz with rutile inclusions is typical of Kreis’s art. According to Kreis, the orientation of the needles is the most important decision in the design of the finished gem. Photos by Eric Welch (left) and Robert Weldon (right); courtesy of Sonja Kreis.
Alexander Kreis explained that their family has a tradition of over 500 years of gemstone cutting and jewelry manufacture. He apprenticed as a traditional gem cutter, but elected to find his own path to unlock the beauty of fine gem crystals. His cutting is a spectacular blend of freeform curves and dramatic geometrical cuts. Alexander works with many materials, including tourmalines and beryls (figure 1), but Oregon sunstones (figure 2) and rutilated quartz (figure 3) are among his favorites. The fine Oregon sunstone was on display at their booth. Alexander’s father, Stefan Kreis, described their very strict criteria for selecting rough. On a visit to a set of mines in Oregon’s Rabbit Basin, they selected 395 grams of rough out of the 50 kg they were shown; one such piece of rough is featured in figure 2. @chapter:28 @chapter:2 @chapter:28


# Publication Year: 2023
# Title: An Iridescent “Insect Wing” in Diamond
# Abstract: A subsurface feather in diamond resembling an insect wing, with visible iridescence caused by thin-film interference. Photomicrograph by Matthew Hardman; field of view 2.90 mm.
Diamond is very resistant to scratching and is often referred to as the hardest mineral on Earth due to its compact crystal structure. However, diamond is not indestructible, and it can be fractured or even broken apart during ascent from the mantle to the earth’s surface through fast, violent kimberlite eruption. Collision with rocks in high-energy rivers also results in percussion marks on the surface of alluvial diamonds (e.g., J.W. Harris et al., “Morphology of monocrystalline diamond and its inclusions,” Reviews in Mineralogy and Geochemistry, Vol. 88, No. 1, 2022, pp. 119–166). Surface cracks extending into the interior of a diamond are referred to as “feathers” in the gem trade, and these often have a negative effect on the clarity grade.
Fractures within diamond can cause fascinating optical phenomena on rare occasion. The authors recently examined a 0.39 ct Fancy Deep brownish yellowish orange type Ib/IaA diamond containing multiple feathers and graded as I2 clarity. These natural features had not been filled with a clarity-enhancing material. The largest feather located on the table facet of the diamond resembled an iridescent insect wing (see above).
Iridescence is an optical phenomenon caused by interference of light, typically seen in gemstones with cleavage or repeating submicroscopic structures (e.g., X. Lin and P.J. Heaney, “Causes of iridescence in natural quartz,” Spring 2017 G&G, pp. 68–81). In this diamond, the feather’s iridescence was due to thin-film interference caused by a thin film of air with a thickness similar to the wavelength range of visible light. As diamond and air have very different refractive indices, there is a phase difference between the incident light reflected from the upper and lower boundaries of the thin film, resulting in constructive and destructive interference. When viewed using a broadband light source (light consisting of a wide range of wavelengths), constructive or destructive interference intensifies or attenuates certain wavelengths (colors), respectively, producing a rainbow-like interference pattern. @chapter:39 @chapter:1 @chapter:39


# Publication Year: 2000
# Title: Fall 2000 G&G Book Reviews
# Abstract: “The Microworld of Diamonds”
By John I. Koivula, 157 pp., illus., publ. by Gemworld International, Northbrook, IL, 2000. US$95.00

“Gemstones: Quality and Value, Volume 1”
By Yasukazu Suwa, 143 pp., illus., publ. by Sekai Bunka Publishing, Tokyo (2nd ed., English translation), 1999. US$84.00

“The Diamond Formula— Diamond Synthesis: A Gemmological Perspective”
By Amanda S. Barnard, 166 pp., illus., publ. by Butterworth-Heinemann, Oxford, England, 2000. US$39.95

“Gems and Gem Industry in India.”
By R. V. Karanth, 406 pp., illus., publ. by the Geological Society of India, Bangalore, India, 2000. US$75.00 (hardbound), US$60.00 (paperback). E-mail: gsocind@bgl.vsnl.net.in

“Black Opal”
By Greg Pardey, hardcover, 204 pp., illus., publ. by GP Creations, Urungan, Queensland, Australia, 1999. With video (running time 1 hour 52 min.). US$99.95. www.gpcreations.senet.com.au

“Diamonds and Mantle Source Rocks in the Wyoming Craton with a Discussion of Other U.S. Occurrences”
by W. Dan Hausel, Report of Investigations No. 53, 93 pp., illus., publ. by the Wyoming State Geological Survey, Laramie, WY, 1998, US$10.00

To view the full section, download the PDF above. @chapter:35 @chapter:1 @chapter:35


# Publication Year: 2013
# Title: Books: Fashion Jewellery: Made In Italy
# Abstract: By Deanna Farneti Cera, 392 pp., hardcover, illus., publ. by the Antique Collectors Club, Woodbridge, UK, 2013. US$85.00

              This hefty tome’s frontispiece, a nearly foot-long image of an early 1970s Gianfranco Ferré silvery metal brooch hand-fashioned in the shape of Italy, alerts readers that they are in for a wild ride.

Written by Deanna Farneti Cera, a curator for international jewelry exhibits and formerly of the Municipal Museum of Modern Art in Bologna, the book chronicles the rise of Italian fashion jewelry from traditional roots to the most raucous of catwalks.

Italian fashion jewelry from the first half of the 20th century left little in the way of artistic footprinting, as years of war, a Fascist regime, and economic hardship all took a toll. Nonetheless, pieces by Edoardo Saronni from the early part of the century display the ingenuity and craftsmanship that would mark the work of later Italian artisans and artists. After World War II, Giuliano Fratti achieved fame using materials that were allowed during Fascist rule such as raffia, wood, berries, and nuts.

Despite a pervasive Francophilia among fashionistas, Italian fashion jewelry began to take flight in earnest during the 1950s, with the rise of an industrial bourgeoisie and the birth of organized fashion consortia in Milan, Florence, and Rome. Moving beyond roots in theatre, opera, and fine jewelry, Italian designers not only embraced mid-century trends but also forged ahead with bold, inventive designs that stood apart from the staid and two-dimensional.

By the 1970s, “Made in Italy” had become the de rigueur fashion statement, as illustrated by Ugo Correani’s designs for Valentino and the architectural accessories of Gianfranco Ferré, whose celebrated fashion career began with non-precious jewelry. Farneti Cera continues the visually stunning romp through the over-the-top ’80s the colorful supermodel years of the ’90s, and into the millennium’s rock-inspired catwalks and fashion show happenings.

The author offers a few pages of introductory text to each era, followed by a barrage of captivating images of the pieces themselves and as worn by fashion models. Some pieces are shown in advertisements or featured on magazine covers of the time. A few sketches, images from private collections, and photographs from fashion house archives round out the book’s colorful, eye-popping appeal.

The text cites many cultural and historical touchstones that help set the tone for the period, which helps explain the artistic expressions that flowed from these trends. American readers may not be aware of the fear of terrorism that loomed over Italy during the 1970s and 1980s. Some of these passages make for difficult reading in a book focused on beauty and art, yet such events help frame the brazen fashion fringe, typified by Moschino, that emerged once those fears had been exorcised.

Toward the end of the book, Farneti Cera devotes 17 pages to profiles of the jewelry manufacturers whose works graced the preceding pages. These individuals and houses are listed alphabetically, which may strike some readers as being at odds with the book’s chronological focus. The narrative sometimes lacks the flow to deliver such an engaging subject.  Readers may find it easier to navigate some of the book’s occasionally impenetrable and stilted text by referring back to these manufacturers’ profiles as they peruse the images of their works, instead of waiting to reach the back pages.

The book concludes with two “Will They Be Famous?” sections—one with the work of up-and-coming artists, and the other comprising their biographies. The author uses these pages to express her own wish lists for these and future artists, with a reasoned proposal for a craftsman/artist cooperative to help aspiring talents overcome some of the difficulties associated with the business side of their art. Farneti Cera also bemoans the dearth of jewelry galleries or museums in Italy that serve to engage and educate the public about the rich history of ornamentation.

In piecing together this treasure trove of signature Italian style, the book brings readers closer to understanding the appeal and artistry of jewelry making beyond that which is traditionally associated with fine jewelry. Here, fashion jewelry reigns as contextual art. Jewelry designers, illustrators, manufacturers, historians, and curators will enjoy this book, as will readers who long for an Italian holiday or those who are merely intrigued by fashion’s sublime and at times allegorical roots. @chapter:20 @chapter:2 @chapter:20


# Publication Year: 1987
# Title: The Rutilated Topaz Misnomer
# Abstract: Recently a number of faceted Brazilian topazes containing brownish yellow acicular inclusions of what has been described by some gem dealers as the mineral rutile have appeared on the market. An investigation of this material shows that these inclusions are not rutile but rather are open channels colored by limonite. @chapter:6 @chapter:0 @chapter:6