# Publication Year: -
# Title: Botswana: Making Beneficiation Work
# Abstract: SAFDICO specializes in large, precision-cuts. Managing director Rutang Moses (right) confers with her factory manager and a diamond polisher.

		Rutang Moses, director of the South African Diamond Corporation’s (SAFDICO) Botswana diamond manufacturing operation, unwraps a five-carat round brilliant diamond from its gem paper and rocks it in the light so the fire can play.

		“We do precision cuts here,” she says. “It’s taken us awhile to build the expertise locally because our company can never compromise its standards. But we have done it ‒ almost all from scratch.” The company has replaced most of its foreign workers with locals, including Moses, who is the first Motswana (native of Botswana) to manage a diamond operation.

		SAFDICO’s diamond manufacturing plant is located in the new Diamond Technology Park, located between the airport and Botswana’s capital Gaborone. ‘High-tech’ is the phrase to describe SAFDICO’s diamond operation: computer-driven rough planners, laser bruters and robotic polishing machines.

		And SAFDICO is only one of more than 20 such technology-driven diamond operations located in and around the Technology Park, which opened in 2010. Today, nearly 3,000 workers in Botswana are cutting and polishing diamonds to export ‒ at close to $800 million in revenue last year and closing in on the $1 billion mark by 2015. Not all of the polishing operations are profitable, but many are and others have made great strides toward that goal.

		Such was not the case more than 20 years ago when De Beers opened the first diamond cutting factory in Botswana. Some executives of the company were skeptical at first. They believed cutting diamonds in Africa was too expensive to compete with India or an emerging China, and that the business was too far removed from world markets to make it viable.

		Nevertheless, the government insisted, noting that it wanted its chief resource – diamonds – to bring more employment and value to the country’s economy.

		Today, that diamond factory, Teemane (which means “diamond” in the local language) is still flourishing, albeit with new owners; 24 other factories are up and running as well. What has made the difference?

		First, technology. The past two decades have brought a technological revolution in diamond cutting with the machines described above that have halved processing time and increased both quality of make and yield from the rough. As a result, manufacturers say the profit threshold for manufacturing in Botswana has fallen from 1 carat in 2000 to 0.40 carats today for companies that invested in the new technology.

		This technology does not come cheap. A large diamond manufacturing operation can cost $7 - $10 million to start up and get running. Then there are the costs of training local technicians to operate, calibrate and maintain the extremely sophisticated equipment.

		Second, is because they’ve had to. Botswana is the world’s largest diamond producer by value (about $4 billion last year. The government also owns a 15% stake in De Beers. Seven years ago, as part of a new partnership agreement, the government required De Beers to move most of its sorting and rough sales operations to Gaborone,  the country’s capital, and to set aside a percentage of rough diamonds for local manufacturing.

		In the beginning, some firms set up minimalist operations to conform to the letter of the law, if not its spirit, but most found that with the government adopting reasonable regulations on employment, taxes and currency exchange, it was possible to turn a profit. In addition, officials from the government’s diamond office regularly visit diamond operations to check on their progress in developing high-tech diamond operations.

		The manager of one plant that employs 300 workers noted that after four years of operation, there’s still room for improvement, but it’s profitable and capable of producing very high-quality cuts and room to become more efficient.

		“Mostly we produce half-caraters and above here, because that’s where the profit is,” he said. “Sometimes, if we don’t always have suitable goods, we will work on 20- and 30-pointers to keep workers occupied, but we try not to do this too often.”

		Most of the diamond cutting operations are clustered around the new Diamond Technology Park. The largest is run by Eurostar – one of the first to open in Gaborone, in 2004 – employing 520 workers, 490 of them local, trained by Chinese technicians from the company’s facility in that country.

		The company has demonstrated its commitment to Botswana by building Africa’s largest diamond processing facility, which has room to double its capacity, said Eric Van Pul, the manager. All new workers go through six months of training; they then work side-by-side with an experienced colleague to ensure quality standards.

		Now, the facility can produce precision cuts or any shape and size with quality on a par with any of the company’s Indian facilities.

		While a number of companies are claiming success, challenges remain. There is little diamond manufacturing and technical expertise or experience “on the ground,” so foreign workers  need to come in and train people from scratch.

		And Botswana, with its relatively high costs structure – it costs an average of about $60 per carat to manufacture diamonds there, compared to $15 to $20 in India, and $25 to $25 in China – will probably not grow into a major cutting center. The diamond manufacturers doing business there believe, however, that producing for niche markets – higher quality branded diamonds, for example – is sustainable over the long term.

		They are optimistic that the government’s local rough diamond sales, operating from the Diamond Technology Park under the banner of Okavango Diamond Company, will enable them to further expand their operations.

		Okavango began selling rough this month by tender auction and will eventually offer some three million carats yearly, about 10% of its current production, in a series of monthly sales.

		The park has room for growth and manufacturers there are optimistic that they will need that extra space after the government, trading as Okavango Diamond Tenders, begins selling rough.

		“These sales,” Rutang Moses said, “could enable Botswana to become both a marketplace and polishing center for diamonds.”

	A Chinese technician works with a local trainee on the use of rough diamond planning machines. These high tech units scan the rough inside and out and the most economical way of cutting the stone.

Eurostar’s Botswana operation, employing more than 500 workers, is Africa’s largest diamond manufacturing plant. @chapter:49 @chapter:3 @chapter:49


# Publication Year: 2015
# Title: Blue Chalcedony Partially Filled with Epoxy Resin
# Abstract: Figure 1. The eye-catching carving weighing 18.43 ct and measuring 31.7 × 15.7 × 7.6 mm, submitted for identification as blue chalcedony. Photo by Larry Tai-An Lai.

Blue chalcedony is one of Taiwan’s most famous stones; there, high-quality blue chalcedony is sometimes prized as much as jadeite jade. Compared with production from sources such as the United States, Indonesia, Peru, Mexico, and Chile, chalcedony from DuLan Mountain in Taitung, in southeast Taiwan, reveals fine texture and a saturated blue color. Locals and tourists collect the stone as it symbolizes the national spirit, and its value seems to rise year after year.

Local merchants often sell blue chalcedony under the name “Taiwanese blue sapphire,” leading to confusion among consumers who believe they are purchasing sapphire. Imitations and treatments are also of concern in the market, with blue opal the most likely imitation to confuse would-be purchasers at first glance. Dyed quartzite and dyed chalcedony also rank among the more common imitations encountered.

Figure 2. Raman peaks at 120, 196, 461, and 499 cm–1 matched the pattern expected for blue chalcedony.

Figure 3. The blue chalcedony’s Raman peaks at 638, 821, 1111, and 1607 cm–1 matched those expected for epoxy resin.
The Lai Tai-An Gem Lab in Taipei recently received for identification an 18.43 ct carving measuring 31.7 × 15.7 × 7.6 mm (figure 1). The client claimed the uneven blue and brown translucent item was blue chalcedony. The spot RI of 1.53, SG of 2.55, and FTIR results were consistent with published values for blue chalcedony. Raman peaks at 120, 196, 461, and 499 cm–1 (figure 2) confirmed the identity but displayed additional peaks not related to blue chalcedony (figure 3). Examination with a gemological microscope at 40× magnification, which was increased in increments up to 60×, revealed a structure consistent with blue chalcedony but also explained the source of the suspicious Raman peaks: numerous clear bubbles of different sizes at the border of the blue- and brown-colored areas, as seen in figures 4 and 5. The evidence pointed to an epoxy resin as the foreign material; a moderate blue reaction under long-wave UV seemed to confirm a partially filled portion on the carving. Additional Raman analysis on the area in question showed peaks at 638, 821, 1111, and 1607 cm–1 (again, see figure 3), as expected for epoxy resin.

Figure 4. Numerous transparent bubbles of different sizes were visible within a treated
portion of the blue chalcedony carving at the border of the blue and brown areas.
Photo by Larry Tai-An Lai; inset magnified 60×.

Figure 5. The epoxy resin area as seen through a gemological microscope. Photo by Larry Tai-An Lai; magnified 40×.
In our experience, blue chalcedony is seldom treated, and such treatment is usually applied to repair or conceal cavities or fractures. Even when a filling is only partial, as in this example, traders should disclose any treatments to their clients. @chapter:7 @chapter:0 @chapter:7


# Publication Year: 1998
# Title: The Rise to Prominence of the Modern Diamond Cutting Industry in India
# Abstract: The modern diamond cutting industry in India began slowly in the late 1950s but did not gain momentum until the mid-1960s. In the 30 years from 1966 to 1996, the industry grew at a remarkable rate: 82-fold by polished weight and 249-fold by polished (wholesale) value. Today, India accounts for about 70% by weight and 35% by (wholesale) value of the diamonds polished annually worldwide (excluding the effects of recent temporary surpluses of Russian rough diamonds in the market), and it has a near-monopoly in smaller (less than 7 pt) stones. Using production, sales, and other statistics, this article reviews the rise of the modern diamond cutting industry in India and its impact on the world diamond trade. India has had a profound effect on this trade because of the enormous quantities of small, low-cost diamonds manufactured there. @chapter:49 @chapter:3 @chapter:49


# Publication Year: -
# Title: Designer’s Inventive, ‘Outrageous’ Jewelry Wins Industry Awards
# Abstract: “The best part about being a designer is seeing my ideas come to life,” says Trishala Ashok, a member of GIA’s first graduating Jewelry Design and Technology class. “The whole process of sketching my idea on paper, designing it on CAD and sending it out for production – it’s exciting!” Here, a bride wears a spaceship-inspired cocktail ring from Ashok’s WANSH Fine Jewelry on her wedding day. Courtesy Priyanka Mayur

	It’s easy to imagine that an emerging artist like Trishala Ashok – whose work has won multiple design awards in just a few years’ time – might have been first inspired by a fantastic, high-end jewelry display or glittering ring on the red carpet.

	In truth, the Bangalore-based jewelry designer was first motivated by the craft bins she found as a child at a Marshalls department store. That’s what Ashok, as an 8-year-old girl on vacation with her family, remembers about her first trip to the United States.

	“I picked up a lot of beads, Sculpey polymer clay, Shrinky Dinks and wires,” she says, noting that she began making “junk” jewelry for family and friends. “As I got older I would sell jewelry to boys who wanted to gift something to their girlfriends.”

	“When I introduce myself, I feel so proud to say that I graduated from GIA,” says Trishala Ashok, GIA JDT. “I went there as a student, and came out as a confident jewelry designer. People know that if you graduated from GIA, you were trained by the best.” Photo by Sunder S.A.

	Ashok, an alumna of GIA’s first Jewelry Design and Technology (JDT) graduating class in 2013, eventually collected a large assortment of stones at home, gathered from aquariums, sand piles – even the street.

	“I used to think every stone was a precious gem if you cut it and gave it facets,” she says.

	She dreamed of starting her own jewelry label, so when Ashok read about GIA in the newspaper as a teenager, she “instantly fell in love with the place.” She earned a bachelor’s degree in media studies from the Center for Management Studies in Bangalore, then worked as a social media manager for a luxury boutique in Bangalore while waiting for her GIA application to process.

	Ashok was thrilled to get accepted to the Institute’s brand-new, six-month JDT program on campus in Carlsbad, though she was nervous about the technology students used.

	“The only thing I would do on my computer was check emails, so learning Rhino and Matrix 7.0 design software was really new for me,” she says. “Initially I found it challenging, but after practicing every day, I got better. Now if I even open the software, my hands do all the work. I know where every tool is and what all of the keys are for. It’s like riding a bike – you can never forget it.”

	In addition to gaining gem knowledge and software skills, Ashok discovered that she loved the design challenges that GIA instructors would announce. “I loved to compete and to be challenged,” she says.

Trishala Ashok’s diamond engagement ring was a final submission project for her JDT diploma for GIA. “Whenever I feel like giving up, I look at that design,” she says. The ring reminds her of how far she has progressed. Matrix rendering by Trishala Ashok

	Ashok says her final submission as a GIA student, a bridal engagement ring, still inspires her work.

	“It’s a very simple ring, but it took me by surprise because I was still a student and I got a taste of what I was capable of doing,” she says. “I sat for hours trying to get it right. And now, whenever I feel like giving up, I look at that design. It reminds me of how far I’ve come in this industry since I made it.”

	Ashok – newly confident and ready to start her label and career back home – graduated in 2013.

	“I am who I am because of my experience at GIA. I knew nothing about jewelry before GIA – all I knew was how to put a fancy bead on a string on a bracelet,” she says. “At the end of my JDT course, I surprised myself. I was happy to see what I’d learned and achieved in those six months.”

View Gallery

	Ashok started her new label, WANSH, which is a combination of her parents’ names, and almost immediately began winning design awards, including from direct-to-consumer fine jewelry brand Mejuri and Gem Privé, a design contest platform.

	The “heart” of WANSH, she says, is the notion of “inspirational design.” Ashok’s ability to look through the mundane, the unexpected, the minutiae of daily life and create something beautiful is a skill she consciously cultivates. She points to Vogue creative director Grace Coddington, who once said, “Always keep your eyes open. Keep watching. Because whatever you see can inspire you.”

	“It’s one of my favorite quotes because it describes me as a designer,” Ashok says. “I’ve made pieces inspired by outrageous things – shark jaws, jelly fish tentacles, spaceships. My favorite ring was inspired by a vase that I came across while watching the show ‘Modern Family.’”

	Ashok acknowledges that the challenges to a young designer are many: Competition is fierce and designs don’t always turn out the way she intended. She learns from her mistakes and allows them to help “make room for improvement.”

	“The best thing to do is to be true to yourself as a designer,” she says. “Your brand and your designs should reflect your personality.” @chapter:20 @chapter:2 @chapter:20


# Publication Year: 2015
# Title: Bicolor Double-Eye Tourmaline
# Abstract: Figure 1. Fashioned as a double cabochon and weighing 6.39 ct, this bicolor tourmaline from Newry, Maine, displays pink and white chatoyant bands on opposite sides. One side of this tourmaline is pink (left), while the reverse side is colorless (right). Even though the chatoyancy-causing growth tubes are only in the colorless portion, both sides exhibit a sharp cat’s eye. Photos by Kevin Schumacher.

              The Summer 2009 G&G Lab Notes section (pp. 139–140) described a 5.44 ct tourmaline double cabochon that displayed a sharp, silvery white chatoyant band on one side and a deep golden brownish yellow eye on the reverse side. Microscopic examination revealed that this phenomenal optical effect was due to a combination of pronounced color zoning and growth tubes that were in precise crystallographic alignment.

This same phenomenon was observed in a double cabochon cat’s-eye tourmaline cut from rough discovered at the well-known pegmatite complex in Newry, Maine. This cushion-shaped cabochon, weighing 6.39 ct and measuring 11.31 × 11.12 × 6.39 mm, was pink on one side and essentially colorless to white on the opposite side. Consequently, its chatoyant bands had clearly different colors, one pink and the other a silvery white (figure 1).

As expected of a cat’s-eye gem, when two incident light sources (fiber-optic wands) were positioned side by side above this tourmaline, two separate eyes became visible. As the gem was rotated under and between the light beams, these eyes appeared to converge, closing to form a single chatoyant band and then opening, like a winking eye. This interactive phenomenon was visible on both sides of the double cabochon.

As with the previously reported example, microscopic examination revealed very strong color zoning, with a pink layer positioned parallel to a zone of near-colorless tourmaline, also known as achroite. The gem was fashioned so that the color layers were divided parallel to the girdle plane. The achroite layer appeared silvery white because of numerous parallel reflective growth tubes uniformly distributed throughout it (figure 2), while no growth tubes were present in the transparent pink-colored zone. Reflection of light from these parallel tubes caused the silvery white eye observed on the colorless side of the cabochon. The opposite side owes its pink chatoyancy to reflection from those same tubes inhabiting the near-colorless zone as the light is transmitted back through the pink transparent layer of tourmaline.

Figure 2. Growth tubes oriented along the c-axis and present only in the colorless portion are responsible for the chatoyancy in this bicolor tourmaline, observed using fiber-optic illumination. Field of view 3.59 mm. Photomicrograph by Nathan Renfro.
This is the second time we have encountered a tourmaline displaying different colors of chatoyancy on opposite sides of a double cabochon. In order to enjoy both eyes, such a stone should be set as a pendant in a simple bezel with a swivel, allowing exposure of either the pink or the silvery white cat’s eye as desired. @chapter:26 @chapter:0 @chapter:26


# Publication Year: -
# Title: Online Gem Exploration for Kids
# Abstract: GIA’s new GemKids site is not just for kids – parents and educators will want to use it too. The interactive, online gemology, geology and jewelry education site, geared toward 9-12-year-old students, is a great way for adults and children to explore the world of gems and jewelry together. The site is also user-friendly on desktops and mobile devices, so the learning experience can take place wherever it is most comfortable and convenient.

The “Gem Explorer” section highlights 24 popular gems – such as diamond, ruby and pearl – with fun facts about color, history and lore; name origin; image galleries and micrographs of the gem under different microscope magnification levels; and a localities map. The “Find My Gem” feature lets students explore different gems based on their birthday, favorite color or by country of origin. The “Story of a Gem” section describes the world of gems, including mineralogy, mining, cutting, phenomena, gem art and more. Additional gems will be added on an ongoing basis.

GemKids’ “Jewelry Explorer” describes seven categories of jewelry including rings, necklaces, crown jewels, memorial jewelry and timepieces. A “Jewelry Time Machine” traces the evolution of jewelry from prehistory to the modern era.

More than 160 gemological, geological and jewelry terms are defined in the “Glossary,” which also offers an audio pronunciation and descriptive image for each entry. Parents and educators can use the “Classroom Guides” to prepare interactive programs on gemology, geology and birthstones, or to prepare Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts for earning a merit badge. A “Careers” section describes 16 exciting jobs in the gem and jewelry field.

“Bringing engaging gem information that is fun for kids is a great way to extend our 83-year history as the world’s leader in gem and jewelry education,” said Bev Hori, GIA’s chief learning officer and vice president of education. “Students can learn about the fascinating world of gems directly on their computers and tablets, and teachers can use this information to supplement their science curriculums.”

The lessons are adapted from GIA’s Junior Gemologist Program™, which offers 10-15 year-old students the opportunity to discover the world of gemology through hands-on, practical training. Taught by expert gemologists and regularly offered at the Institute’s Carlsbad, Calif. campus and in other global locations, the program makes the complexities of gemology easily understood by all. It also meets federal curriculum guidelines, and enriches school district and youth science programs. GIA has partnered with Boy Scouts of America and Girl Scouts of the USA to create a specialized Jr. Gemologist Program where scouts can earn geology and jewelry merit badges, belt loops and pins.

Explore GemKids: Visit gemkids.gia.edu for more details. @chapter:33 @chapter:2 @chapter:33


# Publication Year: 2023
# Title: A Fascinating Large South Sea Bead Cultured Pearl
# Abstract: Figure 1. The large round bead cultured pearl weighing 54.96 ct and measuring 19.90 × 19.53 mm. Photo by Gaurav Bera.
A recent noteworthy submission to GIA’s Mumbai laboratory contained a loose round, undrilled white pearl with strong orient, weighing 54.96 ct and measuring 19.90 × 19.53 mm (figure 1). Externally the pearl had a smooth, blemish-free surface and exhibited a homogeneous uniform color with a high luster. When viewed under 40× magnification, large and evenly spaced overlapping aragonite platelets were visible which helped account for the silky reflection on the surface. X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis gave a relatively inert reaction. Chemical analysis using energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry was performed on two surface areas. The data collected showed manganese levels on both areas below the detection level of the instrument and higher strontium levels of 1162 and 1163 ppm, confirming the pearl formed in a saltwater environment. A moderate greenish yellow reaction was observed under long-wave ultraviolet radiation, and a much weaker greenish yellow reaction was noted under short-wave UV.

Figure 2. RTX images revealing the pearl’s internal structure. Left: Diameter of the bead in four directions. Right: The size of the nacre thickness measurements around the bead from its demarcation up to the outer nacre in four directions.
Due to the pearl’s large size, it was quite intriguing to see the growth structure revealed from within. Real-time microradiography (RTX) imaging showed an extremely small bead nucleus together with distinct growth arcs flowing in an even pattern around the nucleus proving it to be a bead cultured (BC) pearl. The exceptional thickness of the nacre growth around the bead was particularly notable (figure 2) (L.M. Otter et al., “A look inside a remarkably large beaded South Sea cultured pearl,” Spring 2014 G&G, pp. 58–62). The size of the bead and the nacre thickness were measured using an option available on the RTX instrument, resulting in a reading of 6.122 mm for the thickest part of the bead and a range of 5.987 to 6.283 mm, in four different directions, for the overlying nacre. These measurements indicated a composition of more than 96% nacre and less than 4% bead nucleus by volume.

Figure 3. X-ray fluorescence reaction comparison for a freshwater non-bead cultured pearl (A), a saltwater bead cultured pearl with thin to medium nacre thickness (B), and the examined pearl with relatively thick nacre (C). Photos by Gaurav Bera.
The majority of beads used in the cultivation process of BC pearls are produced from freshwater mollusk shell (Unionidae) collected in the United States (A. Homkrajae et al., “Internal structures of known Pinctada maxima pearls: Cultured pearls from operated marine mollusks,” Fall 2021 G&G, pp. 186–205). Due to the high levels of manganese present in freshwater mollusks, such BC pearls would emit a weak or moderate yellowish green fluorescence when subjected to XRF analysis. This reaction is normally based on the size of bead nuclei used in the cultivation process and the thickness of the surrounding nacre. Hence, the reaction observed via XRF for the pearl was relatively weak due to the thickness of its nacre overgrowth (figure 3) (S. Karampelas et al., “Chemical characteristics of freshwater and saltwater natural and cultured pearls from different bivalves,” Minerals, Vol. 9, No. 6, 2019, article no. 357). Taking all these factors into consideration—external appearance, dimensions, size of the bead nucleus, nacre thickness measurements, and chemistry data—the pearl was classified as a BC pearl produced from the Pinctada maxima species.
Over the decades, South Sea BC pearls have played an important part in the global pearl trade. Larger pearls, some more than 20 mm, were also produced, but these are very rare even with today’s modern farming methods. Their uniquely large size, silky luster, and greater nacre thickness compared with BC pearls from other mollusks make them more attractive and durable. This has allowed them to establish a prominent position in the cultured pearl value chain as the primary choice of consumers looking for large white to cream, or “golden” BC pearls. As a result, they have been used by renowned jewelry designers in their exclusive collections. GIA continues to test numerous South Sea cultured pearls, and this unique submission to the Mumbai laboratory was particularly notable for its size and fine quality. @chapter:11 @chapter:4 @chapter:11


# Publication Year: 2005
# Title: Fall 2005 G&G Lab Notes
# Abstract: Unusual Synthetic Alexandrite
Dyed Rough Diamond
Strongly Colored Natural Type IIb Blue Diamonds
Large Natural Freshwater Pearl from Texas
Natural Pearl with a “Round” Core, which Appears Cultured
Large Baroque “Golden” South Sea Cultured Pearls
Synthetic Turquoise Necklace
Yttrium Zirconium Oxide

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


# Publication Year: 1990
# Title: "Emeraldolite": A New Synthetic Emerald Overgrowth on Natural Beryl
# Abstract: This article describes a new manufactured gem material marketed under the trade name "Emeraldolite," which is an epitaxial growth of flux synthetic emerald on opaque white beryl. The material has a distinctive visual appearance, and is commonly used for jewelry in its "rough" form. The gemological properties of "Emeraldolite" are very similar to those normally shown by flux-grown synthetic emeralds. @chapter:18 @chapter:1 @chapter:18


# Publication Year: 1983
# Title: Harry Winston: A Story Told in Diamonds
# Abstract: In conjunction with the celebration of the 50th anniversary of Harry Winston, Inc., the author has investigated and updated many of the "named" diamonds handled by the late Harry Winston during his long career. Fourteen of the more interesting pieces are described here, some for the first time. @chapter:50 @chapter:3 @chapter:50


# Publication Year: 1995
# Title: Rubies from Mong Hsu
# Abstract: Large quantities of rubies—both rough and faceted—from a commercially important new source in Myanmar (Burma) have been available on the Bangkok market since 1992. The ruby crystals from the Mong Hsu marble deposit have dipyramidal to barrel-shaped habits and reveal dark violet to almost black “cores” and red “rims.” With heat treatment, which removes their blue color component, the cores become intense red. The rubies grew under varying conditions in complex growth sequences. The color distribution between cores and rims is related to a different incorporation of chromium and/or titanium during crystal growth. Gemological, microscopic, chemical, and spectroscopic properties presented here permit the separation of faceted Mong Hsu rubies from their synthetic and other natural counterparts. Problems arising from artificial fracture fillings are also addressed. @chapter:14 @chapter:0 @chapter:14


# Publication Year: 2004
# Title: Amethyst from Four Peaks, Arizona
# Abstract: For more than a century, the Four Peaks mine in Maricopa County, Arizona, has produced gem-quality amethyst from crystal-lined or crystal-filled cavities and fractures in a brecciated quartzite host rock. Crystals from the deposit exhibit a range of purple colors, uneven color zoning, and variable transparency, which present challenges for obtaining a steady supply of material suitable for faceting. Faceted material may display fluid inclusions and tiny reddish brown hematite flakes, growth zoning, and Brazil-law twinning, all of which provide visual clues to separating the Four Peaks material from synthetic amethyst. Recovery of amethyst at this deposit continues at this time on a limited basis. @chapter:5 @chapter:0 @chapter:5


# Publication Year: 2023
# Title: A “Flying Insect” in Diamond
# Abstract: This partially exposed orange garnet inclusion with surrounding fractures in a brownish yellow diamond resembled a flying insect. Photomicrograph by Mei Yan Lai; field of view 1.58 mm.
The authors recently examined a 0.75 ct type IaA Fancy Light brownish yellow diamond. This diamond, with a clarity grade of I1, contained at least 10 orange inclusions, the largest one ~500 μm in its longest dimension. A partially exposed orange inclusion resembled a flying insect, with “flapping wings” and “antennae” caused by fractures around the inclusion (see above). Raman spectroscopy revealed the inclusion to be pyrope-almandine-grossular garnet, (Mg,Fe,Ca)3Al2(SiO4)3, a major constituent mineral of eclogite.
Eclogite and peridotite are the major diamond host rocks in the lithospheric mantle. Worldwide, the ratio of diamonds with eclogitic mineral inclusions to those with peridotitic inclusions is ~1:2 (T. Stachel and J.W. Harris, “The origin of cratonic diamonds – constraints from mineral inclusions,” Ore Geology Reviews, Vol. 34, No. 1-2, 2008, pp. 5–32).
Although the presence of inclusions generally reduces a diamond’s clarity grade, diamonds containing visually identifiable mineral inclusions are uncommon. Studies of some smaller diamonds (~2 mm) from South Africa and Botswana revealed a low abundance of inclusion-bearing diamonds (about 1% in a total of one million diamonds examined; Stachel and Harris, 2008). For a gem-quality diamond to contain more than 10 mineral inclusions is therefore notable. @chapter:44 @chapter:1 @chapter:44


# Publication Year: -
# Title: Sibling Design Team Embraces Family Legacy, Carves New Path
# Abstract: Tej, left, and Anar Bhansali, at the Getty Museum in their hometown of Los Angeles, credit the GIA experience as an important part of their professional development. “My time there gave me some of the greatest experiences and memories I’ve ever had or shared,” Tej Bhansali says. His sister concurs, saying, “GIA gave me a strong foundation to build upon. And the experience and feeling of community it creates were unforgettable.” Photo © Bhansali

	Third-generation diamond merchant Samir Bhansali had plenty of success in his adopted hometown of Los Angeles over two and a half decades of business there.

	But when the Mumbai-born businessman leaned into his desire for creative expression and launched an upscale jewelry line − La Reina by Bhansali − it was more than his own career that took an inspired turn: his son, Tej and daughter, Anar, found their places in the industry, too.

	Tej Bhansali, an economics graduate of the University of Southern California (USC), and Anar Bhansali, also a USC student (and a budding fashion designer with internship experience at Christian Dior and Giorgio Armani), watched their father’s career evolution with great interest.

	As Anar Bhansali’s USC graduation drew closer, the business administration and Spanish major started rethinking her plans for fashion design and started dreaming of a business that she and her brother could run together.

	“In my senior year of college, I came up with the basic concept behind the company,” she says. “I shared my vision and ideas with Tej, and he loved them. On the night before my graduation from USC, we sat in my empty apartment overlooking the downtown Los Angeles skyline and literally drew up a business plan on a gigantic roll of white paper.”

	The vision that they detailed that night – designing pieces of “wearable luxury” for women around the world – also included “establishing a culture of philanthropy and giving,” she says. They’d name their company Bhansali, paying homage both to the family’s industry heritage, and to their parents, whose support and consultation would make their dream possible.

Pearl rings, from Bhansali's “Hope” Collection, feature gemstones inlaid into pearl. From top, Tahitian pearl ring with .57 total carat weight (tcw) of diamond and .10 tcw of amethyst; white South Sea pearl ring with .57 tcw of diamond and .18 tcw of lab-created pink sapphire; Tahitian pearl ring with .57 tcw of diamond and .11 tcw of Paraiba tourmaline. Photo © Bhansali

	Though the two grew up around the diamond industry, their first order of business was heading to GIA’s Carlsbad campus. Tej Bhansali, wanting to complement his father’s diamond experience with colored stone knowledge, earned his Graduate Gemologist diploma, and Anar Bhansali earned her Graduate Diamonds diploma. Both graduated in 2013.

	“I felt very comfortable there,” Tej Bhansali says. “It was exciting to meet people who shared the same passion. We were proud of calling ourselves GGs – ‘gem geeks.’ And it was a way to learn something new and bring that to the table.”

	Anar Bhansali, who remembers seeing GIA Diamond Grading Reports on her father’s desk as a child, was captivated by her growing knowledge about the world of diamonds – beyond what she’d seen growing up.

	“I’d never thought so deeply about the history and science behind diamonds, or the industry,” she says. “It was new to me.”

	The siblings, each armed with fresh knowledge and a burgeoning industry network of friends, traveled extensively for the next year, setting up the supply chain for their company and opening a manufacturing facility in Bangkok. Returning to Los Angeles, they set up a studio in Beverly Hills, where Bhansali is designed – and where they can regularly trade ideas and insights with their father.

The Yin Yang bangle from Bhansali’s “One” collection features 18K white gold, along with a 6.30-carat (ct.) white quartz, a 6.50-ct. black onyx and 1.50 tcw of diamonds. Photo © Bhansali

Their designs include lines like “One,” featuring “simple, sophisticated” jewelry that’s intended to be the “little black dress” of accessories, and “Hope,” which is named for the designers’ mother, whose name, Asha, means “hope” in Hindi. The "Hope" line is a tribute to women with “strong character and soft hearts,” featuring diamond clusters inlaid into pearls.

	Anar Bhansali, the head designer, also manages most daily operations. As co-founder and CEO, Tej Bhansali oversees the factory in Thailand, and helps ensure that operations are running smoothly.

These 18K white gold earrings, from Bhansali’s “One” collection, feature lab-created ruby and 1.53 tcw of diamonds. Photo © Bhansali

	“Tej and I share similar vision and values, but our strengths and skills are opposite,” says Anar Bhansali of the team’s partnership. “It’s the best partnership, and very complementary.”

	The brother and sister share a commitment to giving back, too, and made it an important component of their business plan.

	“Philanthropy is the soul of our company,” says Anar Bhansali. “As a family, we all feel the importance of giving back to the world that has given us our life and well-being.”

	Tej will soon move to India with another of his ventures, helping develop affordable, eco-friendly housing, schools, hospitals and public restrooms for people in lower income groups. Anar says that in a few years, they also hope to establish their own nonprofit. It will focus on empowering women in need, educating children, raising awareness of climate change and promoting social entrepreneurship.

	They’re big goals, but the Bhansalis have learned from example that it’s good to evolve and that embracing individual talents and passions helps their business and dreams thrive.

	“Everyone has those individual merits and talents,” she says. “Express yourself – don’t be afraid to be different.” @chapter:45 @chapter:2 @chapter:45


# Publication Year: 1988
# Title: An Update on Color in Gems. Part 3: Colors Caused by Band Gaps and Physical Phenomena
# Abstract: The previous two articles in this series described the origins of color in gems that derive from isolated structures of atomic dimensions—an atom (chromium in emerald), a small molecule (the carbonate group in Maxixe beryl), or particular groupings of atoms (Fe2 +-0-Fe3 + units in cordierite). The final part of this series is concerned with colors explained by band theory, such as canary yellow diamonds, or by physical optics, such as play-of-color in opal. In the case of band theory, the color-causing entity is the very structure of the entire crystal; in the case of physical phenomena, it is of microscopic dimension, but considerably larger than the clusters of a few atoms previously discussed. @chapter:43 @chapter:1 @chapter:43


# Publication Year: -
# Title: De Beers Reduces RoughPrices – Too Little?
# Abstract: De Beers lowered the prices of rough diamonds at its May sight, but the debate over how much to cut continues: Some say more reductions are needed, while others claim they would compromise the values of their inventories. Courtesy of De Beers

                      De Beers apparently heard its clients and reduced the prices and quantities of rough diamonds it offered at the May 4-8 sight. The price cut was an average of 3%, concentrated mainly in the better qualities, while the cost of goods destined for the U.S. mass market remained relatively unchanged.

The May sight totaled about $450 million, according to reports – way down from the $690 million of the March sight (there was no April sight) when clients walked away from an estimated 30-40% of their allocations because they were not profitable to cut and financing was expensive and difficult to come by. The refusal rate of the May sight, the first of the new 30-month term, was reportedly below 10%.

Diamond manufacturers had mixed views on the sight. Some believe the adjustment from De Beers was inadequate, noting that polished prices declined much more than 3% since the beginning of the year. The squeeze remains because polished prices have slipped much more than that since January. Others point out that lowering rough prices too much will compromise the value of existing rough inventories, further reducing sightholders’ available credit.

Alrosa reportedly will lower prices by a similar amount at its next sale in late May.

Diamonds Treatments Keep Evolving

In 1999 GIA embarked on a crash research program to detect natural diamonds that had been treated by the high pressure, high temperature (HPHT) to improve their color after they were introduced into the marketplace. On May 12, GIA informed the trade that approximately 500 colorless to near-colorless diamonds submitted to its Ramat Gan grading laboratory had potentially been subjected to an undisclosed temporary treatment. The Institute notified the appropriate trade bodies, terminated client agreements with several diamond firms that had submitted the stones in question, and posted the report numbers of the potentially treated stones.

The World Federation of Diamond Bourses and other trade organizations can impose sanctions, including fines and expulsion from member diamond bourses, on dealers who intentionally attempt to sell treated or synthetic diamonds without disclosure.

More Diamond News

Blue Nile, the leading online diamond seller, reported that its first quarter diamond sales fell short of its goal, coming in just 2.6% higher than the comparable period last year. The company had been reporting double-digit growth for much of its 15-year existence. A sharp decline in high ticket sales, especially those over $50,000, was responsible for the sales short fall, the company said. Blue Nile reported that its engagement ring business − its mainstay − was flat for the quarter, but that fashion jewelry and international sales did see an upturn.

Auctions

More price records fell again with Sotheby’s May 12 Geneva Magnificent Jewelry auction, which totaled more than $160.9 million, the highest total ever achieved for a jewelry sale. The highlight was the 25.59 carat (ct.) “Sunrise Ruby” by Cartier that drew a winning bid of $30.38 million – nearly $1.2 million per carat and nearly twice its pre-sale estimate. The Burmese ruby was unheated and commanded the highest price for a ruby ever achieved at auction.

Other notable sales at the May 12 Sotheby’s auction included:

		An 8.72 ct. GIA-graded Fancy Vivid pink diamond believed to have belonged to Princess Mathilde, the niece of Napoleon Bonaparte, which old for just over $16 million; about $1.8 million per carat.

		A natural pearl strand containing 78 pearls and a 4.39 ct. marquise shape diamond that went for just under $7 million.

		A 30.23 ct. Kashmir sapphire set by Cartier with 42.35 carats of diamonds, which drew a top bid of $6.1 million.

The following day, also in Geneva, Christies’ sale realized $97 million. The top lot was a 5.18 ct. GIA-graded Fancy Vivid pink diamond that sold for $10.7 million, or just over $2 million per carat. In addition, a 35.09 ct. cushion shape Kashmir sapphire sold for $7.35 million, or $209,689 per carat, a record price for a gem from that region.

An Asian buyer purchased a 55.52 ct. GIA-graded D IF pear shape diamond for $9 million, $162,000 per carat, while a single strand of 19th century natural pearl necklace sold to a dealer for $3.9 million. The pearls ranged from 7.8 mm to 11 mm.

Sotheby’s April 21 auction in New York was highlighted by the sale of a 100.2 ct. GIA-graded Type IIa D IF cut-cornered rectangular shape diamond that sold for $22 million ($220,000 per carat), square in the middle of its pre-sale estimate. This was a strong price in light of the pressures on top gems and other luxury items this year. In addition, a Type IIa 22.3 ct. marquise shape D IF diamond sold for $3.3 million (about $150,000 per carat). @chapter:37 @chapter:3 @chapter:37


# Publication Year: -
# Title: Witnessing the Creation of Jadeite Masterpieces
# Abstract: Highly skilled jadeite carvers are extraordinary artists. At Mazu, these artists transform fine-quality jadeite boulders with beautiful color zoning into artistic masterpieces. Photo by Eric Welch, courtesy Mazu Jade Co. Ltd.

                      Gemologists seldom get the opportunity to visit a factory staffed by highly skilled jadeite carvers and then get to see the final products in a retail store specializing in high-end jadeite. But this was what the authors experienced during their extensive trip through China and their stop in Sihui Guangdong province. We visited Mazu, a company synonymous with highly skilled jadeite artists and fine-quality jadeite carvings and jewelry.

	Jade Artists

	The Factory
At the carving factory we witnessed the entire production process that turns a rough jadeite boulder into an intricate object of beauty. Jadeite boulders are among the most difficult gemstones to evaluate in the rough state. Often, there is little evidence on the exterior of the quality that lies within. This is a special challenge when planning carvings, where the color zoning becomes an intricate part of the final product. The craftsman has to begin by determining the true nature of the rough jadeite boulder’s interior.

	The first step is for the artist to determine the rough jadeite’s potential and the carving design that will unlock that potential. Photo by Eric Welch, courtesy Mazu Jade Co. Ltd.
Jadeite’s coloration is commonly mottled. While it’s a challenge for jewelry when a uniformly colored piece is desired, this characteristic is a blessing for artists who are creating intricate carvings. By incorporating the natural color zoning of the material into the design, they achieve a balance between nature and artistry. The key is for the artist to determine the color zoning of the rough jadeite and then select a design that will blend it into the carving’s theme.

	The artist uses a torch to shed some light on the color zoning in this rough piece of jadeite. Photo by Eric Welch, courtesy Mazu Jade Co. Ltd.
Once the rough jadeite is examined and its internal color zoning is revealed, the artist will sketch a design for the carving. Designs are often based on classic Chinese paintings and themes. In many cases, they will depict scenes from classic Chinese life. The extent of the depiction will depend on the size and shape of the rough jadeite, as well as the nature of the color zoning. Before carving begins, the artist might draw the design on paper while viewing the face of the rough.

	This carver is a true artist. He is sketching the design he will follow when he carves into the jadeite. Photo by Eric Welch, courtesy Mazu Jade Co. Ltd.
Once the rough has been evaluated and the most appropriate design has been chosen and sketched out on paper, the carver will transfer the design to the jadeite rough. This is a crucial step, as it directly translates the design concept into a working plan for the carving, converting a two-dimensional design into a plan for a three-dimensional carving. The first step in this process is to paint the design onto the piece of jadeite rough.

	The intricate design that the carver will follow is first drawn onto the rough piece of jadeite. Photo by Eric Welch, courtesy Mazu Jade Co. Ltd.
Carving the jadeite is a time-consuming process. These highly skilled professionals often make use of burrs attached to flex shafts. As we toured the factory, we saw carvings at all stages of production, from the beginning stages where the mystery of the rough jadeite was being unlocked, to completion of the final finishing details and polishing. It was an amazing experience for us to witness the enormous complexity involved in producing a single carving. It was remarkable to witness all the stages involved.

	This carver is just beginning to unlock the magic inside this rough jadeite. Notice how water is incorporated to reduce heat and friction. Photo by Eric Welch, courtesy Mazu Jade Co. Ltd.
We began by observing a craftsman evaluating a rough piece of jadeite with a torch and then beginning to carve the jadeite with a burr. As we moved through the factory, we observed that the carvings were based mostly on naturalistic and traditional Chinese themes. Some jadeite carvings had amazing zones of green and lavender that were beautifully incorporated into them.

	This carver incorporates the green and lavender color zoning of the jadeite rough into the carving’s floral design. Photo by Eric Welch, courtesy Mazu Jade Co. Ltd.
Some of the detail incorporated into these carvings was truly amazing, especially considering the rough boulders that were often the artists’ starting material. Like fine sculptors, these artists gradually removed material to create the resulting designs. As more and more of the fine detail appeared, the artist would use smaller and smaller burrs to facilitate the intricate nature of the carving. The carvings’ details included fine floral or structural designs or people’s facial features.

	This carver uses a small burr to carve details into the floral and structural design. Photo by Eric Welch, courtesy Mazu Jade Co. Ltd.
As we continued our observations of the factory, we were impressed to see a young lady carving a Buddha figure from a piece of jadeite. I felt this symbolized the rich traditions of Chinese culture and honored the jadeite that is embraced by, and so much a part of, this culture. Along with the rest of the nationally famous carvers and the designs they were working on, it illustrated that jadeite was not just a medium for personal adornment or artistic display, but actually part of the Chinese culture.

	Buddha carvings are a popular jadeite theme. Photo by Eric Welch, courtesy Mazu Jade Co. Ltd.
As we were leaving the factory, we noticed a rough piece of jadeite with beautiful green zoning that was just beginning to be marked up for carving. Beside it was an almost-finished Buddha carving incorporating very light lavender and green colors. It was a striking image that demonstrated the skill and artistic eye required to see what nature offers and what it can become.

	The close proximity of the starting material and the finished piece of art illustrates the talent and skill needed to make the transformation. Photo by Eric Welch, courtesy Mazu Jade Co. Ltd.

	The Store
As both authors are very interested in the mine-to-market aspect of the gem business, it was a pleasure to be able to go from Mazu’s carving factory to one of their retail stores. The store and its jadeite inventory and staff were all highly impressive. We were greeted by two young ladies who proved to be very knowledgeable sales staff members. They were very well versed in jadeite carvings and jewelry, and also possessed the skills needed to describe their characteristics and qualities.

	The Mazu staff members were highly knowledgeable about jadeite and eager to share their passion for this stone. Photo by Eric Welch, courtesy Mazu Jade Co. Ltd.
The store itself was designed to reflect the high-end nature of the jadeite pieces it contains. After witnessing the impressive artists working in the Mazu factory, it was even more stunning to see the store’s amazing jewelry and carvings. Various traditional carving design themes were on display. The carvings also revealed the skill needed to utilize jadeite’s color zoning. We were struck by the high quality of the jadeite that was used as starting material for the carvings.

View Gallery

	Jade Carvings
Along with the amazing carvings at the Mazu store we were able to see some beautiful jadeite jewelry pieces. One of the sales professionals modeled an incredible necklace with imperial green jadeite cabochons. She also modeled a striking green jadeite bead necklace.

	Few green gems are as captivating as jadeite. Diamond accents were incorporated to
	add richness to this necklace. Photo by Eric Welch, courtesy Mazu Jade Co. Ltd.
One young lady showed us a beautiful mottled green jadeite bangle bracelet that she was wearing. The different intensities of the green color throughout the piece added character and intrigue. The young jadeite professional explained that the nature of color mottling in a piece is one of the more complex characteristics to consider when valuing a piece of jadeite jewelry. It’s one of many visual factors to consider when judging a color-zoned piece of jadeite.

	Jadeite carvings in jewelry often follow themes similar to those found in art objects, but are not as intricate (left). Color-zoned jadeite jewelry is common, but can be complicated to evaluate (right). Photo by Eric Welch, courtesy Mazu Jade Co. Ltd.
While cabochons and beads are very common for jadeite jewelry, jadeite carvings are also popular. Carvings are not just used for art objects, but also for personal adornment. The store featured jewelry in a variety of jadeite colors.

We spent the better part of a day with our Mazu hosts. It was an incredible experience, with highly talented and passionate people sharing their expert knowledge with us. Everywhere we went, we could see the enthusiasm for their work, from the talented artists in the factory to the expert sales professionals in the store.

	The knowledge, skill, and passion we found at the Mazu factory and store was contagious and left us eager to know more about jadeite. Photo by Eric Welch, courtesy Mazu Jade Co. Ltd. @chapter:55 @chapter:2 @chapter:55


# Publication Year: 2014
# Title: Fine Corundum, Paraíba Tourmaline, and Alexandrite – Tucson 2014
# Abstract: Figure 1. This remarkable 112.82 ct Sri Lankan alexandrite, seen under incandescent (left) and fluorescent lighting (right), is unusually large. Photos by Robert Weldon; courtesy of B&B Fine Gems.

              At the AGTA show, Dave Bindra (B&B Fine Gems, Los Angeles) showed us an exceptionally large fashioned alexandrite reportedly from Sri Lanka (figure 1). According to Bindra, it is very difficult to find fine specimens over 5 ct, although Sri Lanka and Madagascar are known to produce sizeable alexandrite crystals. At over 100 ct, this is certainly one of the largest our team has seen. Bindra speculates that the original crystal may have been over 300 ct.

	Figure 2. This heated 33.16 ct emerald-cut royal blue sapphire is from Sri Lanka. Photo by Robert Weldon; courtesy of B&B Fine Gems.
Also on display was a royal blue emerald-cut Sri Lanka sapphire weighing over 33 ct (figure 2). Bindra noted that supply of fine sapphire, while scarce, is currently stronger than fine ruby. Compared with rubies of equivalent price, fine sapphires offer more size and quality; as a result, prices have risen dramatically over the last two years. This is a function of constricted supply and increasing demand as the Chinese market opens up to premium goods. Only three to five years ago, the strongest demand from Chinese buyers was for mid-range to commercial material. The Chinese are currently consuming the finer items once sought only in Western Europe, the United States, and Japan. As a result, U.S. dealers and consumers have to contend with competition in this market. As Bindra pointed out, this creates “a very interesting dynamic.”

	Figure 3. Fine rubies were scarce and expensive at the 2014 Tucson gem show. According to the dealer, this 9.10 ct Mozambique ruby had only undergone low-temperature heating. Photo by Robert Weldon; courtesy of B&B Fine Gems.
Also at the B&B booth was a superb 9 ct Mozambique ruby (figure 3), one of the finest rubies Bindra has seen from this source. He explained that Mozambique’s rubies are so popular because they come in large, strongly colored crystals; once cut, they produce clean, attractive gemstones. They are very marketable because consumers readily appreciate their beauty. Bindra told us that Mozambique ruby crystals can be a little flat, which constrains the depth of fashioned stones. It is difficult to find a piece of rough above 4–5 ct with fine color suitable for cutting a clean gemstone; this makes the 9 ct ruby exceptional. A gem of this quality might sell for US$50,000 per carat or more.

By comparison, Burmese rubies are increasingly difficult for domestic dealers to obtain due to the U.S. embargo against Myanmar. Trade is limited to gems that predate the ban and were already in circulation in the United States.

	Figure 4. Dave Bindra shows off a superb 14.59 ct oval faceted Brazilian Paraíba tourmaline. Gems of this quality above 1 ct are extremely rare, making this gem exceptional. Photos by Eric Welch (left) and Robert Weldon (right); courtesy of B&B Fine Gems.
Finally, Bindra showed us what he described as the star of his show: a 14.59 ct Brazilian Paraíba tourmaline, reportedly unheated (figure 4). He was fortunate enough to acquire this stone out of a collection. The previous owner had purchased it years ago when the material first came out, making this another example of recirculation rather than current production. Bindra confirmed the importance of the secondary gem market, which has become critical to dealers because there is so little material coming from deposits. With so much competition at the source—especially when a deposit, such as Paraíba, is reportedly depleted—dealers have no choice but to look in the secondary market. @chapter:30 @chapter:0 @chapter:30


# Publication Year: -
# Title: Alumni Marry – and Create Award-Winning Fluorescent, Phosphorescent Diamond Necklace
# Abstract: Mary Kay Mohs, GG, right, says gem identification was her favorite part of the GIA curriculum. “Investigating and running different tests to determine what type of gem I was working with was like solving a mystery each time!’ she says. Patrick Nelson, Mohs’ husband and business partner at Patrick Mohs Jewelry, says the curriculum prepared him for real-world business scenarios. “I can buy, design and sell as a gemologist with confidence,” he says. Photo by Carly Milbrath © Patrick Mohs Jewelry

Maggie Nelson, who moved from her rural Minnesota hometown as a young girl in 1971 to study gemology at GIA in the Los Angeles beach community of Santa Monica, couldn’t have known that her cross-country adventure would begin a family legacy.
She was armed with a single suitcase, traveling by bus with a small amount of cash from her parents – and had no idea where she would live upon arrival in California, or with whom.
“It was a big move for someone with no history in the business, from a small family farm to the big city,” says Patrick Nelson, Maggie’s son and a 2001 graduate of GIA’s Graduate Jeweler Gemologist program. “She got to the GIA campus and met students from Mexico, Japan, India and all across the country and the world, all of whom shared her interest in gems and jewelry. She quickly found other students she could room with and began her studies.”
Maggie Nelson eventually returned to Glencoe, Minnesota, where she founded and managed a successful jewelry store.
“Her story of bravery and comfort in the GIA community gave me courage, interest and excitement to do the same,” says Patrick Nelson, who left Minnesota for Southern California to earn his own GIA diploma in 2001.

The award-winning “Night Sky” necklace, left, from Patrick Mohs Jewelry features 17 18K “skipping stones” inlaid with 149 diamonds that are mapped into the shape of various constellations. The fluorescent and phosphorescent diamonds make a dramatic visual impact under black light, right. Photos by Jeff Newcomer © Patrick Mohs Jewelry
Meanwhile, Mary Kay Mohs grew up just a couple hours’ drive northwest of Nelson, in Alexandria, Minnesota. She, too, had fostered a longtime interest in gems and jewelry.
“Growing up, I was always fascinated by rocks and gems – finding them, collecting them, reading about where different gemstones are mined and how they were formed in the earth,” says Mohs. “And I’d always admired my mother’s beautiful jewelry collection.”
Mohs, who studied economics at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul Minnesota, found that as she got closer to college graduation, she started thinking more about her lifelong enthusiasm for gemology and geology. Her jewelry-loving mother mentioned GIA as a possible road to building a career.
“When I learned about all that GIA had to offer, I thought it would be the place to follow my childhood passion and dive deeper into learning about the world of gemology,” she says.
Mohs earned her GG diploma in Carlsbad in 2004, but never crossed paths with Patrick Nelson until 2005, when they had both moved back home and were working for different locations of a Minnesota jewelry chain.
Mohs worked as a retail jewelry salesperson when Nelson noticed her, and he says he began “finding reasons” to visit that location. “I need to see one of the bench jewelers for a custom design … I need to pick up a diamond from that store … I need to speak with someone over there,” he remembers thinking.
Nelson eventually mustered the courage to ask Mohs on a date, but to his dismay, found that she had recently left the company to work as an assistant buyer and merchandise planner for fine jewelry with a large retailer. He scrambled to find her, eventually locating a co-worker who gave him her phone number. He called that day, and the next they were on a date that would lead to a personal and professional partnership.

View Gallery

The couple married in 2006 and soon after, the newlyweds began hunting for gems in their down time.
“In the beginning it was a hobby, creating our art and things we liked with gems we found together,” Mohs says.
They continued to create under the name Patrick Mohs Jewelry for several years, often working at art and jewelry fairs. In 2013, the couple applied to JCK’s Rising Star Jewelry Designers contest and was selected as one of only five design houses to showcase at the JCK show in Las Vegas.
“That was the point when we began to really focus on our work together as a business, and not a hobby,” Nelson says. “Since then, we’ve traveled together to purchase gems for our jewelry creations at gem shows, made special pieces of jewelry for collectors, and continue to explore the art of jewelry-making as a couple.”
Nelson and Mohs say they are “are artists working together on every single piece we create” from their studio in Wayzata, Minnesota. They select stones and draw the designs together, then Mohs does the CAD work and Nelson casts the metal and sets the gems. “Each piece is made like a three-dimensional sculpture with no surface left untouched - we want the piece to be explored and create curiosity,” Mohs says.
They describe their jewelry as “contemporary with an organic feel,” and are inspired most by nature. Natives of the “Land of 10,000 Lakes,” they say water and waves play an especially large role in their designs – sometimes subtly, and other times as a focal point.
In one family visit to the north shore of Lake Superior, Nelson and Mohs were struck by the beauty of skipping stones into the lake with their children and admiring the stars and constellations that reflected over the water at night. That day prompted the couple to create an unusual – and reversible – necklace, the Night Sky, which features 17 18k yellow-gold “skipping stones,” inlaid with a total of 149 (2.84 total carat weight) diamonds. Each gold “stone” features diamonds that are both fluorescent and phosphorescent, allowing them to “glow” in black light and continue to glow afterward, and are arranged into the pattern of a Zodiac constellation. (Some of Nelson’s and Moh’s favorite constellations, like the Big and Little Dipper and Orion, are also included.)
The “Night Sky” necklace earned Patrick Mohs Jewelry second-place honors in the Manufacturing Jewelers and Suppliers of America’s 2017 Vision Awards. The couple says that they aim to create heirloom-worthy art, such as the Night Sky necklace, that clients will “wear and cherish” for generations.

Patrick Nelson, GJG, and Mary Kay Mohs, GG, enjoy spending time in nature with their daughter, Vivian; son, Oliver; and the family’s French Bulldog, Woody. Photo by Andy Opsahl © Patrick Nelson and Mary Kay Mohs
They agree that GIA was the ideal training ground for them to create such pieces.
“It’s truly amazing to think back at how much I learned – and still retain – from a short six-month program,” Mohs says. “All of my teachers were very knowledgeable, and each brought a unique perspective of the industry into the classroom. GIA gave me extensive practical knowledge with a laser focus on learning about gems in the trade."
Nelson, who calls his GIA education a “cornerstone” of success that he relies on for everything “from sales to design and buying,” says that he learned from instructors and classmates as much as the coursework.
"I found GIA to be the same welcoming, diverse, amazing community that my mom did – 30 years later!” he says.
The couple, who credit their mothers as being “the greatest forces” behind their accomplishments today, plan to increase their presence in more stores and galleries in the year ahead. More importantly, they hope to impact the way jewelry is perceived in the larger world of art and design.
“We hope to design and create beautiful jewelry that will be enjoyed for generations to come,” Mohs says. “And the greatest influence we could have on the industry would be helping to continue the movement of seeing jewelry design as a fine art, and collected as art.” @chapter:47 @chapter:2 @chapter:47


# Publication Year: 2014
# Title: Gem craftsmen of Chanthaburi _21
# Abstract: In addition, there are also gems like bussarakam, morakot (emerald), and soa kieo pilin (green sapphire), which are highly esteemed in Bangka and are characterized by their extremely hard texture, comparable to that of diamonds. @chapter:30 @chapter:0 @chapter:30


# Publication Year: 1984
# Title: An Extraordinary Calcite Gemstone
# Abstract: A 1,156-ct calcite gemstone cut from a twin crystal presents an unusual phenomenon when the interior is viewed through the table. One observes a multitude of colored images of the lower pavilion facets that change position and color with change in the viewing angle. This kaleidoscopic effect results in part from dispersion and the high birefringence of calcite, but the large number of facet images is caused by the twinning. As a single light ray enters the table, it is broken into two rays, O and E. On crossing the twin plane, each of these rays is divided into O and E rays, resulting in four rays that are reflected across the pavilion to be reflected toward the table. On this upward path, the rays again cross the twin plane and once more are divided into new O and E rays. Thus a single entering light ray emerges as four O and four E rays. @chapter:24 @chapter:0 @chapter:24


# Publication Year: 2020
# Title: Unmasking Emerald Filler
# Abstract: Figure 1. An emerald with irregularly shaped cavities, shown in darkfield illumination. Photomicrograph by E. Billie Hughes; field of view 4 mm.

Of the treatments we see in the laboratory, fissure filling has become one of the most ubiquitous. We have observed this treatment in a variety of stones, including emerald, ruby, sapphire, spinel, tourmaline, tanzanite, and more. The filling of fractures minimizes their appearance, making the gems appear cleaner. Fissure filling can be detected with a variety of methods. One way is to examine the infrared spectrum, where some fillers display distinctive peaks. Another is the hot point method, where oils can be observed leaking out in droplets. Some fillers are unmasked with simple observation in the microscope, because they display flashes of color or because they include visible dyes.
In addition to these methods, another tool in our arsenal is the long-wave ultraviolet flashlight, which can be used in conjunction with the microscope. Because some fillers display a chalky fluorescence when illuminated with long-wave UV light, shining a long-wave UV flashlight at the specimen is a simple technique that helps us to not only to detect the filler, but also to see its exact location in the stone. This helps the gemologist gauge the extent of filling and its impact on the stone’s overall appearance.

Figure 2. When the same inclusion scene is lit with a long-wave ultraviolet flashlight, it becomes evident that the cavity contains a filler that fluoresces a chalky blue color in long-wave illumination. The irregular shapes can also be seen to contain rounded gas bubbles. Photomicrograph by E. Billie Hughes; field of view 4 mm.
Figure 1 offers a great example of this. This inclusion scene in emerald shows an irregular cavity. When illuminated with a long-wave UV flashlight (figure 2), it is immediately evident that the cavity is filled with a substance that displays a chalky blue fluorescence. Observation under long-wave UV light also makes it easier to observe gas bubbles in the filled areas. @chapter:10 @chapter:0 @chapter:10


# Publication Year: 2016
# Title: Australian Opal Beads with Blue Play-of-Color
# Abstract: At Tucson’s Globe-X show, these polished Australian opal beads (in sandstone matrix) displayed blue play-of-color. Photo by Donna Beaton.

	The Australian Opal Shop (Gold Coast, Australia) had a variety of goods on display at Tucson’s Globe-X Gem & Mineral Show. Owner John McDonald primarily deals in boulder opal with a sandstone matrix from the Winton mining area in Queensland. Untreated specimens can be polished to create beautiful slabs of boulder opal with or without matrix, though sandstone with microscopic bits of opal must be treated to make the play-of-color visible. The pieces are soaked in a fatty oil (usually vegetable oil) rather than petroleum-based oils, which leave a residue. The finished product ranges from multicolored to dark blue, depending on the size of the opal pockets and the spherical structure. What appears as dark blue bodycolor is actually blue play-of-color. The treated rough is usually fashioned into beads. @chapter:48 @chapter:0 @chapter:48


# Publication Year: 2009
# Title: Solution-Generated Pink Color Surrounding Growth Tubes and Cracks in Blue to Blue-Green Copper-Bearing Tourmalines from Mozambique
# Abstract: Several transparent, faceted, blue to blue-green copper-bearing tourmalines containing growth tubes and cracks surrounded by sleeves of pink color were examined for this report. On the basis of micro-observation, it is theorized that a radioactive solution was the probable cause of the pink color. The presence of the pink zones also supplied visual evidence that the host tourmalines had not been heat treated. @chapter:12 @chapter:0 @chapter:12


# Publication Year: 2003
# Title: Winter 2003 Gem News International
# Abstract: Diamonds
            A Comparison of Three Historic Blue Diamonds
            A Natural Yellow Diamond with Nickel-Related Optical Centers
Colored Stones and Organic Materials
            Gem-Quality Afghanite
            Blue Beryl Discovery in Canada
            Gem-Quality Corundum from Colombia: Localities and Inclusions
            Emeralds from Madagascar with Strong Blue/Green Dichroism
            Peruvian Blue Opal
            Some Interesting Pearls from the North American West Coast
            “Platinum Quartz”
            Some Rare Faceted Gem Materials
            Large Scapolite from Tanzania
            Update on Tanzanite Mining by AFGEM
Synthetics and Simulants
            Chatoyant Glass Cabochons from China
            New Synthetic Opal Varieties
            Plastic Imitations of a Walrus Tusk and a Sperm Whale Tooth
Conference Reports
            Antwerp Diamond Conference
            Rapaport International Diamond Conference
Announcements
            2004 AGTA Cutting Edge Award Winners
Professional Jeweler’s Stone of the Year
            Afghanistan/Pakistan Gem Tour
Conferences
            PDAC 2004
            ICNDST-9 in Tokyo
            BASELWORLD 2004
            GAC-MAC Joint Annual Meeting
            GAA Conference
            Santa Fe Symposium
            20th Colloquium of African Geology
            GEORAMAN 2004
            Geoscience Africa 2004
            International Geological Congress
            Gems of Pacific Continental Margins
            Diamond 2004
            ICAM 2004 in Brazil
Exhibits
            Turquoise at the San Diego Museum of Man
            Jade at the Field Museum

To view the full section, download the PDF above. @chapter:1 @chapter:0 @chapter:1


# Publication Year: 2018
# Title: An Irradiated CVD Synthetic Melee Diamond Found in Irradiated Natural Melee Diamonds
# Abstract: Figure 1. This group of 300 green-blue diamonds (1.97 carats total) was screened by GIA’s Tokyo laboratory. Among these, 299 were irradiated natural melee diamonds and the one on the right was an irradiated CVD synthetic melee diamond. Photo by Shunsuke Nagai.

Mixing of synthetic melee diamonds with natural melee diamonds has been reported several times. Those examples were colorless (Winter 2016 Lab Notes, pp. 416–417; Summer 2017 Lab Notes, pp. 236–237) and yellow (Winter 2014 Lab Notes, pp. 293–294). Recently, GIA’s Tokyo lab found a single irradiated green-blue CVD synthetic melee diamond in a parcel of similarly colored irradiated natural melee.
The parcel of 300 uniformly green-blue round melee was submitted for identification (figure 1). Each diamond’s color was attributed to strong GR1 by irradiation treatment. Infrared absorption spectroscopy, photoluminescence spectroscopy, and DiamondView analysis confirmed that 299 of them were irradiated natural diamonds and one of them was an irradiated CVD synthetic diamond. The CVD synthetic diamond weighed 0.007 ct, with a diameter of 1.14 mm.

Figure 2. DiamondView imaging revealing weak linear striations in the pavilion of the irradiated CVD synthetic melee diamond.

Figure 3. The photoluminescence spectrum of the green-blue CVD synthetic melee diamond at liquid nitrogen temperature shows a strong GR1 peak. The SiV– center defect can be observed at around 736 nm. The doublet at 596/597 nm indicates that this diamond did not undergo annealing after synthesis.
DiamondView images of the synthetic showed very weak linear striations in the pavilion (figure 2). Dark inclusions were observed under the microscope. The infrared spectrum showed a peak at 3123 cm–1, and the photoluminescence spectrum showed doublet peaks at 596/597 nm (figure 3). These peaks are seen in CVD synthetic diamonds without post-annealing. The photoluminescence spectrum also showed a small, broad SiV– center defect at 737 nm next to a very strong GR1 center at 741 nm (figure 3). From the peak at 3123 cm–1 and the 596/597 nm doublet peak, this diamond was concluded to be irradiated without pre-annealing.
Irradiated CVD synthetic diamonds are rarely seen at GIA, which had examined only six of them before this report (Fall 2014 Lab Notes, pp. 240–241; Fall 2015 Lab Notes, pp. 320–321; Summer 2018 Lab Notes, pp. 215–216). Previously reported irradiated CVD synthetic diamonds were relatively large, from 0.43 to 1.34 ct. This is the first melee-sized irradiated CVD synthetic diamond examined by GIA. @chapter:9 @chapter:1 @chapter:9


# Publication Year: -
# Title: Global Chapters Host a Variety of Networking, Education Events
# Abstract: View Gallery

Each time I sit down to compile this quarterly summary of chapter news, I am amazed by the variety and multitude of events and activities our alumni chapters have accomplished. Even in the “busy months,” by jewelry industry standards, alumni chapters’ activities did not slow down, delivering education sessions, social events and gemological updates to members – in fact, our chapters have hosted 40 events since my last report!

Since our last Alum Connect edition in December 2013, the alumni office is pleased to report:

		Alumni around the world officially welcomed Susan Jacques as GIA president and CEO on Jan. 1. She is the sixth leader in GIA’s 83-year history and, as a GG from the Santa Monica campus class of 1980, is a fellow alumnus.

		The global industry descends upon Tucson, Arizona every February as the city hosts 40 gem and mineral fairs in a three-week period. I am proud to say that GIA alums were there in full force – as exhibitors, show attendees, lecturers and buyers. Seeing so many familiar faces and hearing about your achievements makes the show beyond a success for me. Plus, more than 300 guests from 24 countries attended our “Party at the GIA Gem Mine” dinner dance and annual alumni reunion.

Alumni Awards were presented at the Tucson event. These awards are given to chapter members who represent outstanding leadership and achievement within our chapters across the globe. (See  Alumni Award story for more information.)

2013 Continuing Education Recognition Program successful completers were also recognized. The program was created to offer GIA GGs across the globe access to the latest gemological education to help graduates stay relevant.

Here are some of the chapter activities and events that have occurred since early December:

		Chapter expansion continues: Alumni in Singapore and Spain are working to create a chapter; Bangkok leadership has been identified; South Carolina hosted its first meeting; and Las Vegas will host its first meeting later this month.

		Year-end festivities were held by North Carolina, Washington, D.C. and Vancouver and officer elections and chapter dinners took center stage in Hong Kong and Minnesota – Twin Cities.

		Museum exhibitions featuring the high-end jewelry of David Webb and Van Cleef & Arpels were visited by South Florida and our three Southern California Chapters. The Mile High chapter visited its home state’s famous mineral collection at the Colorado School of Mines.

		Hands-on gemological sessions on lead-glass filled rubies were presented by California – Golden Gate and a trifecta of multi-day classes on corundum treatments, emerald fillers and pearl grading were hosted by Florida – Gulf Coast.

		Jewelry history was a hot topic for three chapters: Manhattan hosted “The Gilded Age – New York”; while California – Golden Gate, London and Manhattan featured renowned British jewelry historians Dr. Jack Ogden and John Benjamin (who is regularly seen on the BBC’s “Antiques Roadshow”).

 John Benjamin, a long-time contributor to the BBC’s Antiques Roadshow, spoke at a  London Alumni Association chapter meeting  and shared the importance of looking at jewelry design in the context of its time. Photo by GIA

		Colored gemstone buying, selling, trends and a Tucson report were topics for Washington D.C., California – San Diego and Golden Gate, as well as Florida – Gulf Coast and Jacksonville.

		Diamonds and industry news were covered in Manhattan by industry veterans Alan Bronstein and Diane Waria Argas, while South Florida hosted Alexander Elbin, on the “Emerging Roles of the Auction Market.”

		Beneficiation, industry responsibility and empowering local industry was discussed at two chapters: Martin Harmon, a GIA staff gemologist, spoke at Africa’s first event in Namibia and Patricia Syvrud, on behalf of the Diamond Development Initiative, spoke to California – Golden Gate.

	Many members of the GIA Alumni Association in Africa attended the first event in Namibia. Photo by GIA

		Chapters hosting social gatherings included: Houston and Ontario (CAN) monthly meet-ups and Malaysia, Arizona – Phoenix and North Carolina’s “Meet & Greets.”

		Collaborations between chapters are on the rise. Co-activities have included Texas – Houston and Lone Star who joined forces to host visiting Scottish gemologist, Alan Hodgkinson; three California Chapters (Los Angeles, Orange County and San Diego) that planned a group museum tour; Texas – Lone Star coordinated an annual dinner gathering open to all visiting alums at Tucson; plus London hosted Hawaii president Brenda Reichel as a guest lecturer who spoke on the historical connection between the Hawaiian Crown Jewels and the British royals.

		An Alumni Leadership Breakfast Forum was also held in Tucson. This gathering brought 30 leaders from 16 alumni chapters together with GIA leadership, including Susan Jacques, president and CEO; and representatives from finance, education, communications and alumni. The group met to foster expanded chapter-to-chapter dialogue and relationships, as well as to share best practices that deliver value to their members.

 Alumni chapter leaders meet to share ideas at a breakfast in Tucson. Standing from left: Denise Nelson, Washington, D.C. Chapter ambassador; Suzanne Martinez, co-president of the Golden Gate Chapter; Merle Koblenz, president of the Manhattan Chapter; Rebecca Buys, president of the San Diego Chapter; and Gail Levine, secretary and treasurer of the Manhattan Chapter. Sitting from left: Kate Donovan, GIA Manager of Alumni Relations, and Katharyn Zava, treasurer of the North Carolina Chapter.
Chapter travel events:

Malaysia is planning an excursion to Myanmar this fall and all global alumni are welcome to attend. This is the second “International Alumni Gathering” trip planned by the chapter. All interested parties should contact the Malaysia Alumni Chapter’s Dorothy Jen for more information or to let them know you may be interested in joining.

View Gallery

	Attendees at the Alumni Association party in Tucson had the chance to commemorate the evening with photos using props from the "mine." @chapter:47 @chapter:3 @chapter:47


# Publication Year: 1981
# Title: The Cutting Properties of Kunzite
# Abstract: In the process of cutting kunzite, a lapidary comes face-to-face with problem properties that sometimes remain hidden from the jeweler. By way of examining these problems, we present the example of a one-kilo kunzite crystal being cut. The cutting problems shown give ample warning to the jeweler to take care in working with kunzite and demonstrate the necessity of cautioning customers to avoid shocking the stone when they wear it in jewelry. @chapter:27 @chapter:0 @chapter:27


# Publication Year: -
# Title: Visit Two of Mogok’s Most Important Mines with GIA
# Abstract: Dattaw and Baw Mar

	In this video, you’ll visit Mogok’s bustling gem markets and two important working mines: the Dattaw ruby mine and Baw Mar sapphire mine.

	Mogok’s history as a premier gem-producing locale looms large in this new video from GIA’s field gemology department. Join Vincent Pardieu and his team as they explore Mogok’s past and present. You’ll get a glimpse of Mogok’s teeming gem markets and an insider’s look at two of the region’s most important working mine operations: the Dattaw ruby and Baw Mar blue sapphire mines.

	Ashim Roy, the Montepuez ruby mine’s general manager, is here to learn from all that Mogok has to offer. “We hear so much and we read so much about Mogok,” he says. “With over a thousand years of history of ruby mining, my expectation is that when I go back, I should have knowledge of not only the geology or the gemology, but also the mining, the social, the economic…I have a lot of expectations for this visit.”

	Mogok is about 200 km (124 miles) northeast of Mandalay in Myanmar’s north. This most famous of all gem-producing areas is made up of several valleys and their towns. The principal ones are Mogok and Kyatpyin, but gems are also found in the fertile valleys surrounding the villages of Bernardymo, Chaung Gyi, and Kyauk Pya That, along with the Kabaing and Kin valleys. Besides ruby and sapphire, Mogok also produces a wealth of other gems, including spinel, apatite, peridot, tourmaline, scapolite, moonstone, zircon, garnet, iolite, and amethyst.

	From a vantage point high above Mogok, Pardieu points to a hillside on the other side of the valley, where bright white marble tailings are visible from quite a distance. “You have a mine on top of the mountain, this is Dattaw,” he observes, “probably the most famous in all Mogok.”

	The mine is located about 5 km (3 miles) out of town, and the team has to climb a steep path to reach it. “Dattaw is the highest ruby mine in the eastern part of Mogok,” says Pardieu. “It’s also one of the most important, where several very significant rubies were mined.” In fact, this mine has produced some exceptionally large gems, including the infamous 496.5-ct. SLORC ruby (named after the acronym for State Law and Order Restoration Council, the ruling government body at the time of its recovery in 1990).

	Dattaw is a hard rock, tunneling operation in crisp, white calcite marble. There, the team witnesses drilling and preparations for blasting. “Currently, they are drilling and placing the explosives in for the blast,” says Pardieu. “Usually, the blast is at the end of the day…You can see that they are putting a lot of explosives in…They are slow power, so they will break the marble, they will break the calcite, but they will not break the rubies.” Gemologist Wim Vertriest is very taken with the mine’s geology. “The marble is so crystalline!” he exclaims. “There are huge crystals of calcite that give it a very strange appearance—it looks like we’re in some kind of video game!”

	Finally, the team reaches the deepest levels of the mine. “Here we are in the depths of Dattaw, about 200 meters underground,” says Pardieu, “and we are with a team of Burmese miners bringing back some calcite from the depths of the mine, and they will bring that to the surface. At the surface, they will hammer the calcite…to see if there is any ruby inside.” Some of the hammered pieces look as delectable as prime sushi, or perhaps a selection of exotic desserts. In each, a brilliant red ruby crystal sits at the edge of rhombus-shaped, translucent—almost transparent—calcite. They look almost good enough to eat.

	Next, they visit the Baw Lon Gyi mine and village. “What is interesting is the system they have with the Kanase,” explains Pardieu. Kanase are the women who, by tradition, sort through the mine’s tailings in search of gems overlooked by the miners. “You have the people from Baw Lon Gyi village queuing in order to get all the waste of the mine,” continues Pardieu. “Sometimes, hundreds of people are breaking the calcite in order to be able to find the small rubies.” The area resounds with the pounding of hammers as the townspeople methodically break down the calcite. “I think it’s a good way to have the mine also care for people who are not working at the mines, so sustaining the entire community,” attests Vertriest. “And this also gives a market for the small low-quality stones.”

	Some of these smaller gems might well appear at Kyatpyin’s afternoon gem market, which is the group’s next stop. “This is a very interesting market with about one or two thousand people,” says Pardieu, “and it’s a market mainly with blue sapphires.” Asked where the sapphires come from, the merchants respond “Baw Mar.” Since 2008, fine blue sapphires from the Baw Mar area of Mogok have been reaching the market. The mine itself is located in the Kyat Pyin area, west of Mogok. It’s equipped with heavy machinery and combines open-pit mining with tunneling. “This is the largest sapphire mine in all Mogok,” remarks Pardieu, “and it’s the largest primary mine.” The operation—which can produce rough big enough for polished sapphires up to 15 cts.—employs about 300 miners and other workers.

	The team explores Baw Mar’s underground operations, where at the end of timber-lined tunnels, workers extract sapphire crystals from the weathered rock by hand. “It’s about 20 to 30 meters underground,” relates Stanislas Detroyat, “and we are fascinated by what we’re seeing now, because we can see sapphire pockets inside the rock.” As they watch a miner recovering sapphires, Vertriest remarks, “You see this guy, he’s just working with an iron pick and just going for the areas that contain the most sapphire.”

	This is one of the things a field gemologist most wants to see first-hand—recovery of the gems directly from the mine. “So this is great to actually see sapphire in the rock, inside the mine, still in-situ in the matrix!” exclaims Pardieu. “This is the reason why I’m traveling around the world to visit all ruby and sapphire mines to collect all these samples on site at the mine and build the GIA reference collection.”

	This GIA Field Expedition (FE75) took place in 2015. Besides Pardieu, the participants were video cameraman Didier Barriere-Doleac and expedition members Stanislas Detroyat, Wim Vertriest, Ashim Roy, Victoria Raynaud, Lauriane Pinsault, and Floriane Duret. @chapter:40 @chapter:2 @chapter:40


# Publication Year: 2000
# Title: Summer 2000 G&G Book Reviews
# Abstract: “Proceedings of the VIIth International Kimberlite Conference”
Edited by J. J. Gurney, J. L. Gurney, M. D. Pascoe, and S. H. Richardson, 947 pp. in two volumes, illus., publ. by Red Roof Design, Cape Town, South Africa, 1999. US$150 (plus postage)

“Gems & Jewelry Appraising, 2nd Edition”
By Anna M. Miller, 222 pp., illus., publ. by Gemstone Press, Woodstock, VT, 1999, US$39.95

“1000 Photos of Minerals and Fossils”
By Alain Eid, photography by Michel Viard, 127 pp., illus., publ. by Barron’s Educational Series, Hauppauge, NY, 2000. US$24.95

“Fire Into Ice: Charles Fipke and the Great Diamond Hunt”
By Vernon Frolick, 354 pp., illus.,
publ. by Raincoast Books, Vancouver, 1999. US$21.95

To view the full section, download the PDF above. @chapter:23 @chapter:2 @chapter:23


# Publication Year: 2022
# Title: The Big Find: Celebrating 50 Years of Maine Tourmaline
# Abstract: Figure 1. These 12 tourmalines from The Big Find will be featured in one-of-a-kind jewelry pieces. Photos courtesy of the Maine Mineral & Gem Museum.
October 2022 will mark 50 years since North America’s largest and most significant unearthing of gem-quality tourmaline. The astounding 1972 discovery, known as “The Big Find,” unveiled vast pockets of tourmaline of every color at an abandoned mine near the top of Plumbago Mountain in Newry, Maine. Yielding more than a ton of tourmaline rough from 1972 to 1974, The Big Find reawakened gem mining in the state of Maine. To celebrate the 50th anniversary of this historic discovery, the newly opened Maine Mineral & Gem Museum has big plans underway.
The Big Find: A Legend Continues began last year when the museum sought jewelry designers from across the country to create jewelry using 12 stones from the 1972 find, ranging in weight from 9.78 to 49.30 ct (figure 1). Twelve designers selected by jury are now at work crafting one-of-a-kind pieces to be presented on October 8, 2022, at a runway extravaganza in Newry. Event and ticket information can be found at https://mainemineralmuseum.org/the-big-find/.

Figure 2. Tourmaline bears on a frosted quartz base, carved by Gerhard Becker using tourmaline from The Big Find in Newry, Maine. Gifted to GIA by John Staver and currently on loan to the Maine Mineral & Gem Museum. (See more tourmaline carvings from GIA’s collection at www.gia.edu/gia-museum-tourmaline-carvings.) Photo by Orasa Weldon.
The museum is also commemorating the anniversary with special tourmaline exhibits and guest lectures all year, including various Maine tourmaline carvings on loan from the GIA Museum (figure 2). After the event, all 12 pieces of tourmaline jewelry will be on display at the Maine Mineral & Gem Museum and then at the 2023 Tucson Gem & Mineral Show before being auctioned off to raise money for the museum. @chapter:31 @chapter:2 @chapter:31


# Publication Year: 2020
# Title: Rare Inclusion of Chabazite in a Precious Opal from Ethiopia
# Abstract: Chabazite inclusion in an Ethiopian opal. Photomicrograph by Aurélien Delaunay; field of view 1.42 mm.

An opal received for analysis at the Laboratoire Français de Gemmologie (LFG) in Paris was classified as a light opal, with a bodycolor that matched to neutral gray N8 on the Munsell scale. The play-of-color was divided into sections with well-defined outlines that fit together or were rounded off in the form of digits (B. Rondeau et al., “On the origin of digit patterns in gem opal,” Fall 2013 G&G, pp. 138–146). The drilled bead weighed 12.02 ct and measured 13.4 mm in diameter. It contained small black inclusions of pyrite but also a crystalline inclusion in the form of aggregated pseudocubes (see above). This inclusion was identified as chabazite via Raman analysis. The pseudocubes were in fact near-cubic rhombohedra.
While this mineral has already been documented in veins and opal nodules from Ethiopia, it is rarely seen in cut stones (B. Chauviré, “Genèse de silice supergène sur Terre et implications sur Mars,” PhD thesis, University of Nantes, 2015; N.D. Renfro and S.F. McClure, “Dyed purple hydrophane opal,” Winter 2011 G&G, pp. 260–270). Chabazite, CaAl2Si4O12·6H2O, is a member of the zeolite family. This mineral is formed in gaseous cavities of extrusive volcanic rocks, which is similar to how opals from Ethiopia form. This inclusion is also proof of the Ethiopian geographic origin of this gem, as it has not been described in opal from other localities. @chapter:48 @chapter:0 @chapter:48


# Publication Year: 2016
# Title: Emeralds and the Power of the Pink City
# Abstract: The theme of emerald unites three of our Winter issue’s papers. First, lead authors Andrew Lucas and Nirupa Bhatt profile Jaipur’s gem and jewelry industry. Renowned as a modern emerald cutting center, Jaipur has been a hub of jewelry craftsmanship since Jai Singh II founded the Rajasthani capital in 1727. Now the maharaja’s city is a global powerhouse of jewelry design, manufacture, and retail, fusing traditional Indian design with a Western aesthetic to reach the market through innovative online retail and television shopping networks.

		A global powerhouse of jewelry design, manufacture, and retail....

	Our second paper, by Karl Schmetzer, H. Albert Gilg, and Elisabeth Vaupel, explores an early frontier of gem synthesis. The authors detail Prof. Richard Nacken’s pioneering work and describe a previously unknown type of flux-grown synthetic emerald from the 1920s. Their paper is a valuable addition to the literature and a fascinating detective story, too.

	Until recently, danburite was an underappreciated gem, but new sources are bringing this attractive yellow stone a larger audience. In our third paper, Le Thi-Thu Huong and her coauthors characterize a promising find of gem-quality danburite from Yen Bai Province, Vietnam.

	Our fourth article returns to the emerald theme. We are proud to present a new wall chart illustrating some of the internal features of natural, treated, and synthetic emeralds. The chart, with contributions by inclusion specialists Nathan Renfro, John Koivula, Jonathan Muyal, and Shane McClure, provides a tantalizing look into the micro-world of emeralds.

	Next, GIA field gemologists Wim Vertriest and Vincent Pardieu report on the latest developments in northern Mozambique, including the Montepuez ruby deposit and new discoveries of high-quality tourmaline and pink spinel.

	I’d like to draw your attention to our three regular sections. Lab Notes includes entries on the largest near-colorless CVD-grown and HPHT-grown synthetic diamonds seen to date.

G&G Micro-World features a chalcedony containing more than a dozen clear hexagonal quartz windows, an iridescent ferropericlase inclusion in a diamond that might indicate a “superdeep” origin for its host, and a synthetic quartz crystal intentionally seeded with garnet inclusions.

	Gem News International has something for everyone, including unusual tourmaline from Afghanistan, a new sapphire rush in Madagascar, and trapiche-type sapphire from Tasmania.

	This issue also includes voting instructions for the Dr. Edward J. Gübelin Most Valuable Article Award. We had the best response ever to our 2015 reader ballot, so please do vote for your favorite 2016 articles. And don’t forget to check out our additional online media content for the Jaipur article and this issue’s Micro-World column.

	Finally, we’d like to congratulate GIA postdoctoral research associate Evan Smith and his coauthors on their recent publication in Science—one of the world’s top academic journals. Their paper on large type IIa diamonds suggests that these rare gems grew within liquid metal deep in the earth’s mantle. It’s a valuable contribution to understanding the origin of these big stones, which we hope to tell in a future issue.

	Thank you for all your support through 2016. We look forward to the upcoming year in gemology! @chapter:4 @chapter:0 @chapter:4