# Publication Year: -
# Title: From the GIA Laboratory: Beryllium in Corundum – The Consequences for Blue Sapphire
# Abstract: Figure 1. The smaller stones in this group of sapphires (1.24–8.00 ct) were known to have been diffusion treated with beryllium. The four larger stones were identified as Be-treated during the investigations. Photo by C. D. Mengason.
 In 2001−2002, the gem industry witnessed the introduction of beryllium (Be)-diffused corundum in “padparadscha,” yellow, and orange colors. The treated “padparadscha” sapphires could be identified by their yellow-to-orange surface-related color zoning, which was easily seen with diffused light in immersion. The yellow and orange Be-diffused sapphires proved more challenging to identify, often requiring sophisticated means of chemical analysis such as secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS) or laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) to detect the trace levels of Be that are indicative of this treatment; Be is a light element that is not detectable by typical analytical methods used in gemological laboratories.

As both LA-ICP-MS and SIMS require expensive and complicated instrumentation, more cost-effective alternatives were explored. Another technique that has shown promise is laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS). Although this technique is not as complicated to use and can detect trace levels of Be, it is not as sensitive or accurate as the other two methods, and it is still relatively expensive compared to standard gemological instruments such as infrared and UV-visible spectrometers.

Figure 2. These unusually shaped and patterned clouds were seen in some of the Be-treated blue sapphires. Photomicrograph by Shane F. McClure; magnified 25×.
Blue Be Diffusion-Treated Sapphire. With the increasing availability of analytical methods that can detect Be, and the analysis of corundum for this element becoming more routine, gemological laboratories are identifying ever-greater numbers of blue sapphires in the international marketplace that have been treated by this technique. In mid-2006, the Gemological Association of All Japan reported that they had identified several blue sapphires that were treated with beryllium (click here for full report). Subsequently, a group of more than 50 Be-diffused blue sapphires were obtained by Vincent Pardieu, then of the AIGS laboratory in Bangkok, and sent to several laboratories for study.

The concentration of Be measured in these and other known Be-treated blue sapphires has varied from approximately 4 parts per million (ppm) to over 20 ppm.

The possibility of using Be diffusion to treat blue sapphires was initially investigated in 2002 by a team of GIA and other researchers working with John Emmett (Crystal Chemistry, Brush Prairie, Washington). As illustrated by Emmett et al. (“Beryllium diffusion of ruby and sapphire,” Summer 2003 Gems & Gemology, pp. 84–135), Be diffusion and subsequent heating can be used to lighten the color of dark blue sapphires.

Figure 3. Some Be-treated blue sapphires show rows and strings of circular inclusions that may resemble corkscrews. Photomicrograph by Shane F. McClure; magnified 25×.
 In light of the emergence of so many Be-treated blue sapphires, GIA initiated a broad-ranging project to determine the extent of Be-treated blue sapphire in the colored stone market. Laboratory staff used the GIA Laboratory's LA-ICP-MS and standard gemological techniques to analyze more than 500 sapphires from the New York trade; the majority were blue sapphires that had been heat treated, but the group also included some green, yellow, orange, and pink sapphires. Analysis of these 500 samples revealed four blue sapphires that showed consistently high levels of Be (over 3 ppm) throughout, proving they were diffusion treated (figure 1). Be diffusion−treated blue sapphires have indeed entered the marketplace in the U.S.

Certain inclusion scenes noted in the Be-diffused blue sapphires appear to be indicative of this treatment. These include unusually shaped and patterned clouds (figure 2), rows and strings of circular inclusions that sometimes resemble corkscrews (figure 3), and spherical clouds surrounding highly altered crystals (figure 4).  However, not all of the Be-diffused blue sapphires contained these inclusion scenes, and some contained no inclusions at all. In addition, Be was detected in some blue sapphires that did not appear to have been diffusion treated.

Figure 4. Also characteristic of Be-treated sapphires are these spherical clouds surrounding highly altered crystals. Photomicrograph by Shane F. McClure; magnified 20×.
Beryllium in Natural Sapphire? Pure corundum consists only of aluminum oxide (Al2O3), but in nature this mineral always contains minor-to-trace amounts of other elements as impurities. For example, natural untreated blue sapphires may contain roughly 1,000–10,000 ppm of iron and titanium, depending on the type of deposit in which they formed. Yellow sapphires normally contain tens of ppm of magnesium. However, beryllium has not been previously documented in untreated corundum. Therefore, it was assumed that the presence of any Be in corundum was indicative of beryllium treatment.

During its analysis of the 500 stones mentioned above, the Laboratory encountered 17 blue sapphires with Be concentrations that were highly variable from one area of the stone to the next. This is not consistent with the results obtained on known treated stones. One of these anomalies was a 2.63 ct. round brilliant-cut blue sapphire that showed clear evidence of heat treatment.

Initial LA-ICP-MS analyses of two spots on the girdle of this sapphire showed 3.5 ppm Be in one that coincided with the edge of an angular milky cloud within the stone, whereas the other spot (with no Be detected) was well away from any inclusions. Further analyses revealed up to 13.3 ppm Be in the cloud, and essentially no Be elsewhere in the stone. The cloud also showed consistently elevated concentrations of niobium (Nb) and tantalum (Ta).

Figure 5. The clouds that are associated with traces of Be often are extremely fine grained and appear milky white in darkfield illumination (left). However, they usually have a brownish appearance when viewed in transmitted light (right). The planar structure of this cloud can also be seen in the image on the right. Photomicrographs by Shane F. McClure; magnified 20×.
 The cloud in question had a distinctive appearance: a very fine particle size (so small that the individual particles could not be resolved with a standard gemological microscope), planar structures, a milky white appearance in darkfield illumination, and a brownish appearance in transmitted light (figure 5). It is important to note, however, that whereas clouds with a similar appearance were seen in other samples investigated, not all of these clouds contained Be. Due to the extremely fine size of the particles in these clouds, the phase(s) present have not yet been conclusively identified.

In addition to these 17 stones, the Laboratory has detected traces of Be (along with elevated levels of Ta and Nb) associated with such clouds in blue sapphires submitted to the Laboratory for identification reports. A few of these sapphires showed no signs of heat treatment. This was also the case for some samples collected by GIA researchers – and others obtained by AGTA’s Richard Hughes – at the deposits in Ilakaka, Madagascar.

For the heated samples examined, there does not appear to be a likely scenario in which Be diffusion treatment could produce such a dramatically uneven distribution of elements. This, and the detection of Be in sapphires with no evidence of heating, conclusively shows that trace amounts of Be do occur naturally in corundum, at least in conjunction with foreign mineral inclusions (forming the clouds). In addition to ongoing research to better understand this phenomenon and the nature of the clouds, GIA is collaborating on a project headed by Vincent Pardieu (now with the Gübelin Gem Lab in Lucerne, Switzerland) to investigate the effect of heat treatment on the Be that is naturally present in such sapphires. Careful chemical mapping by LA-ICP-MS is being conducted at the GIA Research facility in Bangkok as part of this project. @chapter:19 @chapter:1 @chapter:19


# Publication Year: 2021
# Title: Natural Fossil Pearls and Shell Blister from the Coast of Florida
# Abstract: Figure 1. Three fossilized specimens recently submitted to GIA’s New York laboratory: two fossil pearls (12.64 × 11.50 × 10.00 mm and 13.08 × 11.45 × 10.18 mm, left and right, respectively) and a fossil shell (45.97 × 32.03 × 10.90 mm) containing a shell blister. Photos by Sood Oil (Judy) Chia; courtesy of Kathryn Malatino and Aaron Brown.

Fossilized shells and pearls represent a unique group of specimens that are occasionally submitted to GIA, as reported in G&G previously (Winter 2015 Lab Notes, pp. 432–434; Spring 2020 Lab Notes, pp. 136–138). Those fossil samples were usually brownish in color and fully petrified, lacking any surface structures and associated luster or overtones that once belonged to them. However, two cream-colored fossil pearls (along with a fossil shell containing a shell blister; figure 1) recently submitted to GIA’s New York laboratory completely changed our earlier impressions.
The two semi-baroque-shaped pearls measuring approximately 12.64 × 11.50 × 10.00 mm (weighing 8.64 ct) and 13.08 × 11.45 × 10.18 mm (weighing 9.48 ct) exhibited a dry, chalky appearance that would be expected for such old samples, with cracks and parasite holes (figure 2, right) detectable by visual observation. More remarkably, some surface areas had delicate nacre layers showing fine nacre platelet structures and displaying subtle iridescence effect, which could be considered as orient in nacreous pearls (figure 2).

Figure 2. Nacreous spiral platy structures, parasite tunnels, and orient effects were observed on the surfaces of the two fossil pearls. Photos by Joyce Wing Yan Ho (left; field of view 1.5 mm) and Emiko Yazawa (right; field of view 5.9 mm).
EDXRF analysis detected low concentrations of manganese and high concentrations of strontium, typical for marine mollusks. Raman spectroscopy identified the composition of the materials as aragonite. Microradiography revealed internal concentric and arc growth features, which confirmed their natural origin. Out of curiosity and due to the very good condition of the two pearls, we further extracted a small amount of powder from the surface of one pearl and sent it to the Accelerator Mass Spectrometry Lab at the University of Arizona for radiocarbon dating analysis. The dating work resulted in a δ13C value of –0.8 ‰, proving the sample to be very old. The fraction of modern carbon is less than 0.0024, indicating that the age of the sample was beyond the limit of radiocarbon dating (>48,500 years), though the actual age is unknown. This result proved that the sample could be categorized as fossilized material.
The shell that was submitted along with the two fossil pearls looked more petrified but also remained relatively intact, with obvious ridges (or scutes) on the back of the shell and a shallow cream-colored “bump” on the inner side that could best be described as a shell blister. According to the owner, these fascinating specimens were found off of the west coast of Florida near St. Petersburg, approximately 25–50 feet below the sediment during dredging, along with many more shells of various kinds and even fossilized shark teeth.
The two natural fossil pearls and the shell blister created by Mother Nature have been well preserved. They provided unique insights into ancient mollusks and their associated pearls or related materials. @chapter:11 @chapter:4 @chapter:11


# Publication Year: 1986
# Title: Gemstone Carving in China: Winds of Change
# Abstract: The Chinese have labored to perfect the art of gemstone carving for several thousand years. Beginning with primitive tools and limited materials, they eventually developed the iron-tipped spindles and treadle machines that were to become the traditional tools of the trade for two millennia. With these relatively simple implements and meticulous craftsmanship, Chinese master carvers have produced some of the world's most sophisticated gemstone carvings. Within the past 10 years, however, increased governmental participation, the availability of power-driven machinery, and more varied carving materials have had a major impact on gemstone carving in China. @chapter:55 @chapter:2 @chapter:55


# Publication Year: 1989
# Title: Reflectance Infrared Spectroscopy in Gemology
# Abstract: External reflectance infrared spectroscopy permits a very rapid and nondestructive determination of the species of a mineral. It is particularly useful with polished gems in that it requires no more than placing the stone, loose or mounted, on a reflection device in the infrared spectrometer and observing the recorded spectrum. Therefore, compared to the classical methods of physical measurement such as refractive index, specific gravity, and the like, reflectance spectroscopy provides a much faster means of establishing the species of the gem and, in some cases, whether it is natural or synthetic. @chapter:18 @chapter:1 @chapter:18


# Publication Year: -
# Title: Summer 2009 G&G Book Reviews
# Abstract: “Mikimoto”
By Nick Foulkes, 80 pp., illus., publ. by Assouline Publishing [www.assouline.com], New York, 2008. US$18.95

“The Occurrence of Diamonds in South Africa”
By M. G. C. Wilson, N. McKenna, and M. D. Lynn; 105 pp. with two wall charts, illus., publ. by Council for Geoscience [www.geoscience.org.za], Pretoria, South Africa, 2007. US$68.00

“Gemlore: Ancient Secrets and Modern Myths from the Stone Age to the Rock Age”
By Diane Morgan, 232 pp., publ. by Greenwood Press [www.greenwood.com], Westport, CT, 2008. US$55.00

“Gems & Jewelry Appraising: Techniques of Professional Practice, 3rd Ed.”
By Anna M. Miller, edited by Gail Brett Levine, 235 pp., illus., publ. by Gemstone Press [www.gemstonepress.com], Woodstock, VT, 2009. $39.99

“The Opal Story: A Guidebook”
By Andrew Cody and Damien Cody, 39 pp. with DVD supplement, illus., publ. by the authors [www.nationalopal.com], Melbourne, Australia, 2008, US$37.00

“Growth and Morphology of Quartz Crystals Natural and Synthetic”
By Ichiro Sunagawa, Hideo Iwasaki, and Fumiko Iwasaki, 202 pp., illus., publ. by Terrapub [www.terrapub.co.jp], Tokyo, 2009, ¥7500

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


# Publication Year: 1985
# Title: A Proposed New Classification for Gem-Quality Garnets
# Abstract: Existing methods of classifying garnets have proved to be inadequate to deal with some new types of garnets discovered recently. A new classification system based on the chemical analysis of more than 500 gem garnets is proposed for use in gemology. Chemical, optical, and physical data for a representative collection of 202 transparent gem-quality stones are summarized. Eight garnet species are defined—grossular, andradite, pyrope, pyrope-almandine, almandine-spessartine, spessartine, and pyrope-spessartine—and methods of identification are described. Properties that can be determined with standard gem-testing equipment (specifically, refractive index, color, and absorption spectrum) can be used to identify a garnet as one of the eight species and, where appropriate, more precisely as one of several varieties that are also defined. @chapter:3 @chapter:0 @chapter:3


# Publication Year: 2023
# Title: India is set to become the largest market for Lab Grown Diamonds.
# Abstract:  India is poised to become the largest market for Lab Grown Diamonds. The increasing acceptance of Lab Grown Diamonds has brought more vibrancy to India's jewelry and gem industry. Indians are increasingly accepting diamonds from laboratories due to consumer demand and concerns about ethics and sustainability. This has led to a rise in the volume of diamonds grown in labs. India's jewelry and gem industry is thus gearing up for a bright and sustainable future, friendly to the environment as it is not associated with the social and environmental damages caused by diamond mining.

The 11th edition of the Delhi Jewelry and Gem Fair (DJGF) held at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi featured a Diamond Pavilion showcasing the largest lab-grown diamonds in India. Over 550 exhibitors participated, displaying a diverse range of products from more than 1,500 brands, including jewelry collections and diamond products, along with gold and precious pearls. The main attraction was Lab Grown Diamonds, which are showing significant growth trends.
India is set to become the largest market for Lab Grown Diamonds (LGD), with a prominent role in the lab-grown diamond industry. It accounts for approximately 25% of LGD production globally, driven by advancements in technology and increasing consumer acceptance and accessibility.

The growing demand for LGDs has led to rapid growth in India's export collections. In 2023, LGD exports increased to INR 12,500 Crores, a 45% rise compared to INR 8,719 Crores in 2022. Many polishing and cutting companies in India have begun processing LGDs, accounting for around 20-25% of the market.

Moreover, the Indian government has announced numerous initiatives and incentives in the latest budget to support and position India as a leader and hub for LGDs. Despite concerns about declining prices due to technological advancements, reports and studies indicate that demand is expected to outstrip supply in the coming years. This is because global mines are decreasing, and natural diamond supplies are expected to decline.

The Lab Grown Diamond (LGD) jewelry industry currently has a value of $10 billion in the United States and is expected to touch $50 billion by the year 2573. The increasing demand is expected to be driven by consumers who desire to own diamonds but cannot afford natural ones. Currently, less than 5% of Indian women can afford natural diamonds that are expensive. Lab-grown diamonds open up opportunities for the remaining 95% to wear and purchase diamonds at more affordable prices. Overall, the LGD industry in India is poised for continuous growth and expansion, driven by both domestic and international demand. India is positioned to secure a substantial share of this $50 billion market.

India has several advantages in the LGD industry, including expertise in diamond cutting and polishing, strong manufacturing infrastructure, and a large domestic market. The demand for LGDs is expected to continually increase due to various supporting factors such as increased awareness of the environmental and economic benefits of LGDs, rising disposable incomes, and urban expansion.
1. Thailand has a renowned jewelry industry and can foster technological collaboration with India, including knowledge sharing, research, and joint development of advanced diamond production techniques.

2. Srikant Mubai suggests that Thai entrepreneurs should participate in key LGD exhibitions in Thailand, such as the India International Jewellery Show (IIJS). This could facilitate collaboration with Indian jewelry traders, especially in designing and distributing LGD jewelry collections, thereby expanding access to Indian consumers.

3. Thai entrepreneurs should focus on targeting new-generation Indian consumers who seek affordable yet luxurious everyday jewelry. This approach can help capture a broader market in India. @chapter:49 @chapter:3 @chapter:49


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


# Publication Year: 2016
# Title: Exhibition Review: Beyond Bling: Jewelry from the Lois Boardman Collection
# Abstract: Figure 1. Karl Fritsch, Ring, 2005, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, gift of Lois and Bob Boardman, © Karl Fritsch; photo © Museum Associates/LACMA.

As materials available to jewelry artists become more eclectic, so does their output. Such is the case with the 300-plus exquisite contemporary pieces from around the world (figure 1) donated to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) by Lois Boardman of Pasadena. Beyond Bling: Jewelry from the Lois Boardman Collection, LACMA’s exhibition of this donation, contains more than 50 of the pieces. The nontraditional jewelry, acquired by Boardman over several decades, features materials such as plastic, glass, steel, feathers, and even LEGO blocks alongside more traditional choices such as gold and silver. Pieces she found during her travels are no less arresting than those she commissioned, such as the gold cast of her nose, completed in 1988 (figure 2).

Figure 2. Gerd Rothmann, Die Goldene Nase Nosepiece, 1988, cast from Lois
Boardman's nose. Los Angeles County Museum of Art, gift of Lois and Bob Boardman,
© Gerd Rothmann, photo © Museum Associates/LACMA.
The exhibition space itself is modeled on the Renaissance phenomenon known as the “cabinet of curiosities,” private collections of unusual objects that defied easy classification. The pieces in the otherwise spare room are displayed in the categories available to early scientists: Animal, Vegetable, and Mineral. “Plastic” has been added as a more recent classification. Among the pieces are David Bielander’s blend of leather, silver, and thumbtacks creating the startlingly realistic Koi bracelet (figure 3, left); Miriam Hiller’s powder-coated stainless steel Loperenias brooch, which evokes the open bloom of a flower (figure 3, right); and Bernhard Schobinger’s ring, with a nail as both band and setting and a smoky quartz as its centerpiece. Many of these avant-garde pieces are displayed alongside their natural inspirations, as with David Bielander’s stainless steel teaspoon and gold Dung Beetle brooch, which is shown alongside Egyptian scarabs dating as far back as 1991 BCE. Nikki Marx’s Royal Raiment necklace of peacock feathers and suede (figure 4) is strikingly similar to a feathered Incan tunic from the late 15th to early 16th century.

Figure 3. Left: David Bielander, Koi bracelet, 2013, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, gift of Lois and Bob Boardman, © David Bielander, photo © Museum Associates/LACMA. Right: Mirjam Hiller, Loperenias brooch, 2012, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, gift of Lois and Bob Boardman, © Mirjam Hiller, photo © Museum Associates/LACMA.

Figure 4. Nikki Marx’s Royal Raiment necklace, made from peacock feathers and suede, is set beside a traditional Incan feathered tunic. Photo © Museum Associates/LACMA.
The pieces grouped in the Plastics category may be the most startling of the lot. Plastic’s malleability and versatility are well known, and these jewelers make the most of its properties. Among the plastic creations are a torso-sized “necklace” reminiscent of a superhero costume and a torque necklace by Ann Scott that uses copper and silver. The centerpiece of this section is probably Maharajah’s 6th Necklace, Emiko Oye’s recreation of the treasure made by the House of Boucheron in 1928 for the maharajah of Patiala, India. LEGO pieces are fitted together to stand in for the emeralds and diamonds in the original (figure 5).

Figure 5. Emiko Oye, Maharajah’s 6th Necklace, 2008, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, gift of Lois and Bob Boardman, © Emiko Oye, photo © Museum Associates/LACMA.
As befits such a modern Collection, Beyond Bling is on Snapchat. Here visitors can insert themselves into scenes and virtually “wear” jewelry from the Boardman collection while seeing photos of previous attendees. The multimedia component combines with the show’s modern artistry to make this a truly 21st century jewelry exhibition.

Beyond Bling: Jewelry from the Lois Boardman Collection is on view at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) until February 5, 2017. Admission is $15 for adults, $10 for seniors age 65 and over and students, and free for children age 17 and under. All guests receive free general admission on the second Tuesday of every month. LACMA is open Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Friday from 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. The museum is closed on Wednesdays. @chapter:20 @chapter:2 @chapter:20


# Publication Year: 2006
# Title: Leopard Opal: Play-Of-Color Opal in Vesicular Basalt from Zimapán, Hidalgo State, Mexico
# Abstract: “Leopard opal” consists of vesicular basalt impregnated with play-of-color opal, and is known only from Zimapán, Hidalgo State, Mexico. The formation of this ornamental stone was made possible by an abundance of silica derived from the chemical breakdown of overlying volcanic ash layers, the permeability of the underlying basalt, and the presence of pores in the basalt of an aesthetically pleasing size. The even distribution and small size of the opal-filled vesicles makes the rock attractive when cut or carved and polished. Veinlets and irregular masses of play-of-color opal showing various bodycolors (red, white, and colorless to pale blue) have also been deposited along joints and fractures within the basalt flow. This opal deposit, which may have been worked in pre-Columbian times, has been explored only by a number of small test pits in recent years, and significant potential remains for its future development. @chapter:48 @chapter:0 @chapter:48


# Publication Year: 2017
# Title: Paraíba Tourmaline with Unusual Coating
# Abstract: Figure 1. The Paraíba tourmaline in this ring had an unusual submetallic surface coating. Photo by Masumi Saito.

	Paraíba tourmaline, named after the Brazilian state where it was discovered in the late 1980s, is a precious copper-bearing tourmaline variety (e.g., J.E. Shigley et al., “An update on ‘Paraíba’ tourmaline from Brazil,” Winter 2001 G&G, pp. 260–276). Treatments such as heating and clarity enhancement have been described (e.g., S.F. McClure et al., “Gemstone enhancement and its detection in the 2000s,” Fall 2010 G&G, pp. 218–240), but coating has never been reported.

	A Paraíba tourmaline ring with an unusual coating was recently submitted to GIA’s Tokyo laboratory for identification and origin service (figure 1). Standard gemological properties revealed a refractive index of 1.640–1.620, consistent with tourmaline. The stone showed medium to strong dichroism displaying greenish blue and light blue colors. Natural inclusions such as trichites and fingerprints were observed. We identified the stone as tourmaline using Raman spectroscopy. Energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) and UV-Vis spectroscopy were performed to confirm the presence of copper within the material, as well as the material’s cause of color.

	Viewed face-up with the unaided eye, the stone appeared normal. However, the coated surface looked different under reflected lighting and darkfield illumination (figure 2, left). A brassy, uneven submetallic luster was observed under reflected light, while whitish features in the submetallic luster area (figure 2, right) appeared under darkfield illumination. Coatings typically show signs of wear due to their low durability. This is often seen at the facet junctions. This coating did not show signs of wear and could not be removed using a standard ink pen eraser.

	Figure 2. Left: An uneven submetallic coating with an irregular pattern is revealed with reflected light. The white dashed box represents the area shown in the right photo. Field of view 3.33 mm. Right: Under brightfield illumination, a part of the left table facet shows whitish surface structures surrounding the metallic luster domains. Field of view 1.31 mm. Photomicrographs by Kazuko Saruwatari.

	Laser ablation–inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) chemical analyses detected elements such as B, Li, and Na, indicating elbaite tourmaline. However, strong early (near-surface) peaks of elements Pt, W, and Mo, which are not normally contained in natural tourmaline, were detected. We determined that this chemistry difference probably resulted from the submetallic surface coating. As with Pt- and Pt-related coatings, it is possible that the coating was used to improve abrasion resistance (e.g., K. Schmetzer, “Surface treatment of gemstones, especially topaz – an update of recent patent literature,” Journal of Gemmology, Vol. 31, No. 1, 2008, pp. 7–13) or to assist with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observation (e.g., I. Stokroos et al., “A comparative study of thin coatings of Au/Pd, Pt and Cr produced by magnetron supporting for FE-SEM,” Journal of Microscopy, Vol. 189, No. 1, 1998, pp. 79–89).

	The reason for applying this coating is unknown. This is the first time GIA’s laboratory has observed coated Paraíba tourmaline. @chapter:12 @chapter:0 @chapter:12


# Publication Year: 2015
# Title: Introduction to the Micro-World of Gems
# Abstract: The purpose of this new quarterly column in Gems & Gemology is to encourage the appreciation of inclusions in forensic gemology and to help build the observational skill set of the practicing gemologist. By providing concise information and vividly clear photomicrographs and photomacrographs of new or otherwise interesting inclusion specimens, the column aims to narrow the knowledge gap between advanced inclusionists and gemologists working in mainstream general practice.

The micro-world of gems lies at the very core of gemology. Sometimes its nature contributes to the allure of a gem, as is the case with such coveted gems as sunstones, star sapphires, and cat’s-eye chrysoberyls. At other times that world may seem a dreadful distraction to an otherwise beautiful, marketable specimen. But even in what appears to be a perfectly clean gem, this micro-world waits for gemologists to dive into its depths and thoroughly explore its landscape. The visitor will be greeted with a beautiful and wondrous inner space, and the unexpected secrets revealed will come to enrich one’s understanding of gem materials in innumerable ways.

While hints of the internal features may be glimpsed with the loupe or the unaided eye, true access is afforded by the microscope. This is unequivocally the most important instrument in the gemologist’s arsenal once its proper use is mastered, particularly with the application of special lighting techniques and the use of various filters (see N. Renfro, “Digital photomicrography for gemologists” in the current issue, as well as J. I. Koivula, “Photomicrography for gemologists,” Spring 2003 G&G, pp. 4–23).

For newcomers, an understanding of the micro-world may seem elusive, even daunting. Continual practice, careful observation, and patience will refine both technique and interpretive prowess for both new and experienced inclusionists. Observation through the microscope serves as the very foundation for many conclusions drawn on a specimen. This can include identification, treatment detection, separation of natural and synthetic materials, and geographic origin—even secrets of a gem’s genesis and the secrets of the earth’s depths may ultimately be revealed.

In building proficiency of the micro-world through this column, readers will also expand their personal knowledge base and ability with a microscope. Mastery of microscopy, combined with at least a basic grasp of mineralogy, is essential for understanding the nature of gems and the geologic processes that occur within the earth. This increased knowledge will eventually translate into a better comprehension of the inclusion scenes that may be encountered in one’s own micro-world.

With this column, we hope to inspire gemologists to simply take the time for a closer look. We invite you to join us for an extended tour through the astounding beauty and variety that is the micro-world of gems and other related materials. @chapter:27 @chapter:1 @chapter:27


# Publication Year: -
# Title: A Glittering Garden: A Menagerie of Designs from Mother Nature
# Abstract: Sapphires, diamonds, garnets, rubies and emerald come together in a glittering insect pin. Photo by Robert Weldon/GIA

A flower garden may seem like a quiet meditative space, but it’s actually abuzz with activity.

Butterflies, dragonflies and hummingbirds flitter about, while earth-bound spiders, caterpillars and lizards keep a slower pace. Flowers reign as the garden’s crowning jewels.

Never ceasing to fascinate, these delightful garden creatures and the flowers they visit are favorite subjects that transform beautifully into Victorian, Art Nouveau and modern jewelry designs.

Victorian jewelry in the early 19th century was influenced by a heightened interest in botany and zoology that stemmed from the scientific classification of plants and animals. These designs followed accurate representations of the natural world of insects and flowers. Fashion-conscious women pinned jeweled insects to their hairdos and gowns and a Victorian enamel spider brooch with articulating legs may have graced a coiffure.

Green enamel lends color to the clover design of this crescent brooch set with pearls. Tiny diamonds at the center of each cloverleaf add a dash of sparkle. The brooch is late Victorian or late 19th century, by Krementz. Courtesy of Mary Matthews. Photo by Valerie Power/GIA
Diamonds, discovered in South Africa in 1867, were used in pins and brooches to add sparkle to insects, animals, crescent moons and stars, as well as mythical creatures, such as dragons and griffins. Seed pearls were also used as accents in floral and natural motif Victorian jewelry.

Snakes became popular in early Victorian jewelry as a symbol of love. Their popularity was influenced by Prince Albert’s engagement ring to Queen Victoria, which featured a serpent with an emerald set in its head. British royalty continues to set trends in engagement jewelry.

In contrast, Art Nouveau, which developed in France and Belgium in the mid-1880s, also focused on the natural world, but with a tendency to interpret, rather than imitate nature. This is due in part to the influence and popularization of Japanese art, which is credited as the single most important contributing factor to the development of Art Nouveau. This new style flowed through Europe and reached as far as Russia and the Americas, a refreshing change from the more austere Victorian designs.

View Gallery

Enameling, popular in both Victorian and Art Nouveau jewelry, was the perfect technique for representing both the movement and the delicate colors and designs of flowers, leaves and insects, which in many cases could not be conveyed with gems alone. Plique à jour, an enameling process constructed in such a way that light transmits through the enamel, making it appear translucent, is well-suited to represent winged insects such as dragonflies or butterflies. Art Noveau jewelers were also attracted to opal, especially for its play-of-color.

George Fouquet, a leading jeweler of the Art Nouveau movement, created lavish, jeweled wings adorning the female figures and heads of butterflies and dragonflies, in the 1880s. He used flowing, graceful lines sometimes referred to as “whiplash,” to suggest movement.

The natural blister pearl pin, with green enamel leaves and diamond accents, is in the style of George Fouquet, a leading jeweler of the Art Nouveau movement. Photo by Robert Weldon/GIA
The natural world of flowers and insects continue to inspire modern designs. Hints of bygone eras, and new representations of flower gardens, can be seen in today’s jewelry. Colored gemstone materials are often more available than they once were, and are faceted with precision, or carved with great artistry. Pearls, still popular, are paired with colored gemstones, diamonds and enameling to help render a design.

So before you swat a caterpillar from your best friend’s shoulder, check to make sure it is not a jeweled insect! @chapter:25 @chapter:2 @chapter:25


# Publication Year: -
# Title: De Beers Ups Supply, FTC Warns About ‘Eco’ Claims
# Abstract: The principal diamond cut and polished from the 1,109 carat Lesedi La Rona rough diamond weighs 302.37 carats. The polished diamond, named the Graff Lesedi La Rona, is so large that cutters had to adapt equipment to work on the rough. Photo courtesy of Graff

After announcing that it would reduce rough diamond allocations for the near future, De Beers abruptly shifted course. Its April cycle sale, which totaled $575 million, was about 15% higher than the previous cycle in February. At the same time, Russia’s Alrosa announced that its sales were down by 37% during the first quarter compared to last year.
De Beers CEO Bruce Cleaver said diamond demand was “stable moving into the second quarter of 2019.”
Alrosa CEO Sergey Ivanov also acknowledged that demand “was stabilizing following soft demand,” noting that he is “cautiously optimistic” about second quarter sales.
Before De Beers’ April 1-5 sale, the company informed clients it would trim allocations because of the closure of its Victor mine in Canada and reduced production from the Venetia mine in South Africa, which is undergoing a transition from an open pit to an underground operation.
While these changes have affected production, the entire diamond industry is struggling with high inventories of both rough and polished, especially smaller, lower quality goods destined for mass market jewelry. Consumer demand has been insufficient to draw them down. Diamond manufacturers, faced with ever tightening credit, have said they would welcome lower supplies of some goods. The well-publicized bankruptcy in Antwerp of one of the world’s largest diamond companies, with about $2.5 billion yearly revenue, has not helped sentiment.
De Beers is faced with pressures to ramp up sales, however, and is beginning talks with the Botswana government, which owns 15% of De Beers, for a new five-year renewal of the contract that forms the basis of their 50-50 mining and marketing operation, Debswana. Debswana operates, among others, the Jwaneng and Orapa mines, two of De Beers’ largest diamond sources. In past contract talks, Botswana has proved to be a tough negotiator and has won considerable concessions, including the establishment of a substantial local diamond manufacturing base and the move of De Beers’ headquarters to the capital, Gaborone.
De Beers has also been under a great deal of pressure from clients and others to allow identification of diamonds produced at its mines. In the past, it was reluctant because many of its clients also buy from Alrosa, Rio Tinto and other producers and mix all of the rough in their cutting operations. It has done a 180-degree turn, however, and is allowing its clients and their customers to identify specific diamonds as Diamond Trading Co (DTC)-sourced, all the way to the consumer level. De Beers still does not disclose a specific country of origin, arguing that all of its diamonds are produced according to its best-practice principals and sustainable mining efforts. The company still will not allow clients to use the De Beers name, which is reserved for its retail operations, and imposes certain conditions on how the DTC name is to be used.
On March 28, GIA announced the GIA Diamond Origin Report service, which uses scientific evaluation to confirm diamond’s geographic origin. The reports will be available beginning April 30.

LABORATORY-GROWN DIAMONDS

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has issued warning letters to eight producers of for failing to conspicuously note that their diamonds were not natural. Lost in the fine print was an additional warning against claiming that such diamonds were more beneficial to the environment – a central part of the competitive strategy of laboratory-grown diamond producers, vis a vis natural stones.
The FTC statement:
“Some companies described their products as ‘eco-friendly,’ ‘eco-conscious,’ ‘sustainable,’ etc. Marketers must have a reasonable basis for any environmental claim they make. Furthermore, according to the FTC’s Green Guides, companies should steer clear of general environmental benefit claims because it’s unlikely advertisers can substantiate all reasonable interpretations of those claims.”
In the five or so years since laboratory-grown diamonds have been widely available, “eco-friendly” and “conflict free” have been major selling points of their producers. This taps in strongly to the millennial audience that these producers see as their target consumers.
JCK reported that the companies notified by the FTC have made changes in their online promotions to make it clearer that their products are man-made.

MEGA-DIAMOND

The cutting of the 1,109 ct Lesedi La Rona diamond is complete, with the signature stone being a 302.37 ct cut-corner square. The rough diamond is the second largest gem quality stone ever found, the largest being the 3106 ct Cullinan found in 1905. The 302.37 ct Graff Lesedi La Rona is the sixth largest polished diamond – and the third largest colorless – in the world behind the 545.67 ct Golden Jubilee yellow diamond; two colorless diamonds from the Cullinan (520 and 317 cts); the 407 ct Fancy Deep brownish yellow Incomparable; and the 312 ct black Spirit of de Grisogono.
London jeweler Laurence Graff, who purchased the rough diamond in 2017 for $53 million, said it took 18 months to cut. Several months ago, Graff revealed 66 smaller satellite diamonds, ranging from under one to 26 cts, made from the stone, while diamond cutters tackled the challenge of getting a signature polished diamond over 300 cts from the remainder. The diamond proved too large for conventional scanners and laser units, forcing the cutting firm to adapt its equipment to accommodate the stone.
Graff did not reveal the total weight of the diamonds polished from the rough crystal, but those who handled the rough described several inclusions and an internal fissure that potentially lowered the yield.
The Lesedi la Rona was found in November, 2015 by Lucara Diamond Co. at its Lerowe Mine in Botswana. Its name translates to “Our Light” from the Tswana language.

This 88.22-carat, D Colour, Flawless, Type IIa, oval brilliant diamond – photographed with a pigeon egg for a size comparison – recently sold for more than $13.7 million at Sotheby’s Hong Kong spring sale. Photo courtesy of Sotheby’s
AUCTIONS

Sotheby’s Hong Kong jewelry auction had mixed results with a number of big-ticket items failing to sell. Of the US $41 million total, some $13 million went for the final lot, an 88 ct D fl, Type II oval cut diamond, graded by GIA, with a final price of $156,150 per carat – a bit lower than average for a very large diamond of that grade. Similar diamonds have sold at auction for between $160,000 and $180,000 per carat in the past.
The buyer was a Japanese executive who named the diamond Manami Star, after his daughter. The auction house noted that the diamond was cut from a 242 ct rough found in De Beers’ Jwaneng Mine, Botswana.
A 13.88 cushion cut Kashmir sapphire sold for $25 million, about 10% above its initial estimate.
About one-third of the lots went unsold, including most of the fancy colored diamonds and several large colorless diamonds of VVS and VS clarity, including a Fancy Vivid blue of 3.32 cts, estimated at up to $7.6 million; a 2.56 ct Fancy Vivid blue estimated at $3.6 million; and a number of ruby pieces, including a ruby and diamond bracelet estimated at $1.2 million. Both were graded by GIA.
In New York on April 16, Christie’s sold a pair of Fancy Vivid blue diamond earrings, 3.06 cts and 2.61 cts respectively, to an undisclosed bidder for $6.7 million, about 10% above its top estimate. While the pair of diamonds achieved a higher-than-expected price, the per carat price of $1.2 million was well below what similarly graded diamonds have sold for in the recent past.
The sale was 88% sold by value, but did not feature potential record-breaking diamonds or colored stones, which reflects some caution in the ultra-high end in today’s auction market. @chapter:37 @chapter:3 @chapter:37


# Publication Year: -
# Title: Researcher, Educator Uses Gems to Explore Ancient Civilizations
# Abstract: Çiğdem Lüle, speaking at GIA’s 2006 Gemological Research Conference, has dedicated much of her career to the identification and origin investigation of gems from archaeological sites, a multidisciplinary research subject known as archaeogemology. She is director of development for Gemworld International and is in demand as a presenter at symposia, trade events and conferences around the world.  Photo by Troy Witt, Take One Productions/GIA

	Dr. Çiğdem Lüle’s work day is no typical 9-5 shift: the mineralogist and GIA Graduate Gemologist could as easily find herself on an archaeological excavation site as in front of a classroom.

	Lüle, a jet-setting researcher, educator and recipient of the 2016 Antonio C. Bonnano Award for Excellence in Gemology, spends much of her time traveling the world, both as director of development for Gemworld International and as a sought-after speaker for conferences, symposia and trade events. She has dedicated much of her career to the identification and origin investigation of gems from archaeological sites, a multidisciplinary research subject known as archaeogemology.

	In her efforts to build a network of professionals around the subject, Lüle has also become one of archaeogemology’s primary developers and advocates – saying it provides “something that, traditionally, gemology, archaeology or mineralogy alone could not.”

	“Humanity’s interest in researching prior civilizations motivated the development of many social sciences, and archaeogemology is another approach in this quest,” Lüle says. “It combines the basic principles of gemology and the latest technology in mineral identification to assist in the interpretation of archaeological artifacts, mainly ancient gems. It goes well beyond translations of old texts and uses analytical and scientific methods to examine gem artifacts in-depth. The origin information can help archaeologists, as it sheds light into cross-cultural relations of ancient civilizations.”

	On one particularly memorable trip in 2000, Lüle joined an archaeological excavation site in Van, Turkey – an important Bronze Age site where the Uratian civilization flourished between 13th and 6th century CE.

	“I was there to identify stone objects, mainly gem materials,” she says. “I had no idea how rich this collection would be until I got there, but every single person was buried with hundreds, if not thousands, of stone beads – mostly locally found agate, chalcedony, carnelian and quartz beads, with many glass and ceramic imitations. It was a wonderful experience to sort through so many ancient beads.”

	Before Lüle launched into international travel and research, she was a geological engineering student at Ankara University in her native Turkey. When she landed a part-time job in a silversmith workshop her senior year, her interest in mineralogy, petrography and geochemistry turned toward ornamental minerals and gems.

	“There were many stones fashioned as gems, and I was really intrigued by the fact that common minerals could look so beautiful and so different after cutting. Yet, I couldn’t identify them after they were fashioned,” she says. “That’s when I discovered that gemology was the discipline that enables us to identify them through non-destructive techniques – and I got the ‘gem bug.’”

Çiğdem Lüle, PhD, FGA, GG, taught gemology at GIA’s “cosmopolitan, multinational” London campus for several years. “I’ve always enjoyed teaching for the opportunity that it offers to exchange information and ideas with others,” she says. Photo by Edward Johnson/GIA

	After graduation, Lüle earned two diplomas from the Gemmological Association of Great Britain before returning to Ankara University as a gem specialist and mineralogy research assistant. She finished her master’s degree in mineralogy there, finally relocating to the United Kingdom in 2001 to work as a sales assistant and gemologist for London’s R. Holt & Co.

	Soon after, she came into contact with GIA, earned her Graduate Gemologist diploma through the Distance Education program and started working as an on-campus instructor in 2004.

	“It was a great experience,” she says, of both her time as a student and instructor. “GIA courses train you not only for gemology, but also for the market. There is an emphasis on professionalism, customer service and integrity.”

	Lüle, a dual citizen of Turkey and the United Kingdom, appreciated the diversity she found at the Institute’s London campus – and the professional growth it encouraged.

	“It was a very cosmopolitan environment that attracted students from around the world,” she says. “It was a very colorful and interesting campus, and its multinational nature taught me that we’re all the same but may communicate differently. I learned to empathize while teaching, and once I started to put myself in my students’ shoes, it was a lot easier to convey information.”

	Committed to continuing her education, Lüle earned her doctorate in mineralogy from Hacettepe University while she was teaching at GIA. She worked for the Institute until leaving for the United States, and Gemworld International, a market research and price trend provider for the gem trade, in 2010.

“The core Gemworld team is small but very efficient and experienced,” says Çiğdem Lüle (second from left), who moved to the United States in 2010 to manage the Illinois company’s special projects then became their director of development. “Their understanding of the global gem market has no equal, in my opinion.” Lüle says that all of the company’s appraisers are GIA Graduate Gemologists and members of the GIA Alumni Association. Courtesy of Scott Drucker, © Gemworld International.

	“I wanted to carry their unequaled understanding of the global market and experience into practical work,” says Lüle, who focuses on education and special projects like the development of Gemworld’s color communication system. “I develop hands-on, practical workshops and teach pricing strategies based on market dynamics. I believe in verified scientific information, so my research is always in-depth when I work on a project, and my classes are always updated with new information and research.”

	Lüle believes that, for GIA students, their own diplomas are “a beginning.”

	“It’s a great kick start with good qualification, but you’ll need to build upon it with continuous education and practical experience in such a dynamic gem and jewelry market,” she says. “And you can’t be successful in this business without a passion for gems – it’s beyond identification or selling. I don’t know a single successful gemologist who wouldn’t get excited when they examine an unusual or newly identified gem. Just watch their face while they handle the stone and test it.”

	For Lüle, the gemstone that still captures her interest, and holds possibilities for research, is the garnet.

	“Gemologists only know of a few of them, but garnets are a large group of minerals, and their complexity is in their mineral structure – they are a great geological record of the conditions in which they’ve grown,” she says. “Despite the common belief that these early gems were sourced from India, certain archaeological and mineralogical findings suggest a much more complicated set of locations. Every time I test a garnet, I get excited, without fail.” @chapter:31 @chapter:2 @chapter:31


# Publication Year: 2004
# Title: Spring 2004 G&G Book Reviews
# Abstract: “Pearl Buying Guide: How to Evaluate, Identify and Select Pearls & Pearl Jewelry”
By Renée Newman, 134 pp., illus., publ. by International Jewelry Publications, Los Angeles, 2004. US$19.95

“Faszination Turmalin”
By Paul Rustemeyer, 309 pp., illus., publ. by Spektrum Akademischer Verlag, Heidelberg, Germany, 2003 (in German). 99.95

“Flux-Enhanced Rubies and Sapphires”
By Ted Themelis, 48 pp., illus., publ. by Gemlab Inc., Bangkok, 2004. US$20.00

“Tesouros de Arte e Devoção [Treasures of Art and Devotion]”
By Artur Goulart de Melo Borges, 336 pp., illus., publ. by Fundação Eugénio de Almeida, Évora, Portugal, 2004 (in Portuguese). 40.00

“Glitter & Greed: The Secret World of the Diamond Carte”
By Janine Roberts, 374 pp., illus., publ. by The Disinformation Co., New York, 2003. US$22.95

“Minerals of Nevada”
By Stephen B. Castor and Gregory C. Ferdock, 560 pp., illus., publ. by the University of Nevada Press, Reno, NV, 2003, US$75.00

To view the full section, download the PDF above. @chapter:28 @chapter:2 @chapter:28


# Publication Year: 2019
# Title: Gemstone Portrait Artist Angie Crabtree
# Abstract: Figure 1. This selection of Angie Crabtree’s paintings displayed at the AGTA GemFair showcases opal and cut diamond. Photo by GIA.
The 2019 AGTA show in Tucson featured the work of a gemstone portrait artist. On display in Angie Crabtree’s booth were her oil paintings (figure 1) on canvas and panel. She also had a table with paints, palettes, and other supplies so people could see her at work (figure 2).
Crabtree’s portraits range in size up to 64 × 48 inches. She said people are excited to see gemstones in great size and detail. One painting can take more than 300 hours to complete. She said because people outside the gem and jewelry industry don’t always recognize the subjects as gemstones, the paintings can also be interpreted as abstract art.

Figure 2. Angie Crabtree at work at the AGTA show. Photo by Erin Hogarth.
The San Francisco–based artist said that all of her business, even from large corporate clients, comes from Instagram. “I’ve never paid to promote,” Crabtree said. “I’m just very fortunate for that.” Instagram also allows her to sell her own work instead of relying on galleries, which take a sizeable cut (typically around 50%). “That’s hard for artists,” she said. “Because of social media, artists have the opportunity to promote and market themselves.”
Crabtree grew up on a ranch in Sonoma County, California, and was interested in nature and geology from a young age. Her grandfather used to go gold mining, and she would collect obsidian and other rocks along the way. She began painting and taking art classes at the age of five, and by 12 she was teaching painting. She attended an arts high school and college, studied abroad at Amsterdam’s Gerrit Rietveld Academie, and graduated from the San Francisco Art Institute in 2009.
In 2012, while working as a high school art teacher, she did her first gemstone painting—a diamond portrait for an art gallery. She began painting different diamond cuts and posted them to Instagram. Soon people were asking for portraits of their engagement rings and other special stones. “That’s when it really took off,” she said.
One of the first people she met in the industry—via Instagram—was gemstone cutter Jean-Noel Soni of Top Notch Faceting. He told her about the gem industry and “completely opened my eyes,” she said. “That’s when I just fell in love with the whole thing.”
In 2015, she established her business and quit her teaching job. “It was a pretty big leap,” she said. “It’s scary for any artist to do that.” Within the first year, she was commissioned by Chopard and Forevermark to paint large series. Since then, business has grown to the point that she now has a studio manager who handles sales, accounting, and communication.
In 2018, Crabtree painted her first colored stone: an opal. “I wanted something a little bit more expressive and organic,” she said. Then came a tsavorite and an alexandrite, and she has since moved into sapphires and other stones. She plans to eventually paint minerals and other natural objects.

	Gemstone portrait artist Angie Crabtree

Crabtree was trained in realism, but she said her biggest struggle has been understanding gemstone proportions and facet dimensions. She has consulted industry experts to learn how to use the correct dimensions and ratios for the stones in her paintings. She often does not see the actual stones—most clients send her photographs. Painting accurate colors can be challenging, she said, because of the way a gemstone’s color changes with movement and light. Mixing color palettes is a laborious process: She will mix 30 or so colors and write down each color recipe for future use. “People think being an artist is painting all day every day, and it’s not,” she said. “It’s numbers and talking to people, and it’s sales and it’s promotion. Even the cleanup and setup takes forever.”
Crabtree has two autoimmune diseases. “There are certain days where I wake up and my hands are just stuck in fists. Sometimes I can’t walk. Sometimes I can’t open my paint,” she said. “But I do what I love, and I get to create my own hours, and I get to travel. So I make it work and stay positive.” @chapter:28 @chapter:2 @chapter:28


# Publication Year: 1941
# Title: A Solution to Diamond Color Grading Problems
# Abstract: Although GIA’s system for evaluating diamond quality has been an industry benchmark since 1955, it all began with the efforts of Robert Shipley Sr. and Richard T. Liddicoat a decade earlier. This 1941 article troubleshoots the challenges of evaluating diamond color, including the need for controlled light in a standardized, consistent environment. The authors describe a prototype instrument called the Diamolite, which filters and diffuses light for consistent results, and introduce the GIA Colorimeter, a scale for measuring stone color. @chapter:41 @chapter:1 @chapter:41


# Publication Year: 2017
# Title: Book Review: Ruby & Sapphire: A Gemologist’s Guide
# Abstract: By Richard W. Hughes, with Wimon Manorotkul and E. Billie Hughes, hardcover, 816 pp., illus., publ. by RWH Publishing/Lotus Publishing, Bangkok, 2017, US$200.00.

Ruby & Sapphire: A Gemologist’s Guide is the updated version of the 1997 classic of this same name. This revised edition by Richard W. Hughes with coauthors Wimon Monorotkul and E. Billie Hughes offers exciting new features, including work by new contributors, updates within the text, and comprehensive analytical data. All the chapters have a beautiful new layout and are artistically designed with colored charts and diagrams, spectacular new photography, and extensive documentation. From the very first pages, Ruby & Sapphire transports the reader on a fantastic journey.

The book starts with a fascinating chapter reviewing the legends surrounding corundum throughout history. The reader will travel in this chapter from ancient civilizations through the Middle East and Europe of the Middle Ages and other eras. This chapter also introduces several antique jewels referenced in the “Ruby & Sapphire in the Ancient World” section written by Lisbet Thoresen.

The following chapters explore the sciences, beginning with the chemistry and crystallography of corundum in chapter 2. The trace-element chemistry of ruby and sapphire from different localities are detailed in a chart by contributor Kenneth Scarratt. Crystal forms, angles, twinning, shapes, and other habits are documented and described. Chapter 3 elaborates on the physics of corundum, including parting, fracture, hardness, and thermal properties. Electrical and optical properties of corundum are review together with phenomena such as color change, asterism, and chatoyancy of ruby and sapphire as well as trapiche stones.

Along with contributors John Emmett, Emily Dubinsky, and Kenneth Scarratt, Hughes defines the role of color in perception in chapter 4. “A Guide to Understanding Color” reviews the chromophores of natural corundum and their colors, using density color diagrams and absorption spectra to illustrate the concentration in ppma. It also analyzes the interactions of trace elements in corundum. This chapter also describes corundum’s visible absorption with the use of handheld spectroscopes. The different sections further explore the topics of absorption and transmission of light in corundum, with data collected by today’s modern spectrophotometers used for advanced gemology testing and research. Quantitative absorption spectra graphs and absorption coefficient formulae enrich this chapter as well.  IR spectra are introduced and detailed in “Seeing Infrared: Deconstructing the Infrared Spectra of Corundum” section by contributor Kenneth Scarratt. Paragraphs on luminescence and pleochroism conclude this chapter.

Hughes considers the next chapter, on the history of inclusion research and microscope illumination techniques as well as inclusion types and their formation “one of the most fascinating and rewarding aspects of gemology.” This chapter may be the most visually striking; it features photomicrographs from authors Richard Hughes and E. Billie Hughes as well as renowned gemologists John Koivula, Nathan Renfro, and Danny Sanchez. Iridescent features in Thai ruby, spectacular crystal inclusions in Mogok sapphire, exsolved rutile needles in Burmese ruby, and other scenes from the fascinating internal world of corundum are explored.

“Treatments” starts with the history of heat treatment in corundum, then moves into types of modern heat treatment (including diffusion treatments). Chapter 6 documents the treatment of several corundum varieties, including geuda sapphire, Mong Hsu ruby, Montana’s Rock Creek sapphire, with photographs before and after treatment. This chapter also describes how to detect treatment, with photomicrographs of altered inclusions, fissure filling, and other examples. Chapter 7 takes the reader into the world of synthetic corundum, including the different crystal growing processes, internal features, and gemological properties. This chapter also offers insight into advanced synthetic corundum growth techniques from Jennifer Stone-Sundberg.

With chapter 8, the book transitions into reviewing assembled materials and coated stones. Chapter 9 focuses on methods of fashioning, with splendid photographs and diagrams detailing cut orientation and shapes. Chapter 10 incorporates explains the qualities by which corundum is judged, including tone and saturation; clarity, cut and weight; phenomenon (when applicable); and quality ranking by locality. It also explores market trends and trade names, and judging phenomenon stones. The auction records of historic rubies and sapphires of note, such as the the 330 ct “Star of Asia,” are also detailed.

Chapter 11 elaborates on the material’s geological features, including rock types, corundum-bearing orogenic belts, and secondary deposits. This geology chapter prepares the reader for the following chapter on world sources. Chapter 12 features stunning photographs of landscapes and mines, rough and faceted specimens, and miners, as well as photomicrographs of ruby and sapphire that display the defining characteristics of different localities. Examples include the Kashmir “snowflake” and exsolved rutile silk in Mozambique ruby. Comprehensive maps and illustrations, timelines of ruby and sapphire discoveries in these countries, and photographs are included.

Since the first edition, a significant amount of information on African ruby and sapphire sources has been added. Gem corundum mines all over the continent are referenced, from southern Africa; southwestern Namibia; central and west African regions like Nigeria, Cameroon, Congo; to eastern countries mines in Uganda, Rwanda, Somalia, Malawi, and Tanzania. The largest sections covering African mines are devoted to Mozambique and Madagascar, which have been the sites of major corundum rushes since the first edition was published. Hughes offers exhaustive description and documentation of these localities. The Asian ruby and sapphire deposits have been also considerably documented and updated, particularly those in Myanmar (Burma), Thailand, Cambodia, and Sri Lanka.

The corundum localities along the Silk Road—Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Pakistan, Nepal, and China, for example—are explored, with their characteristics and properties thoroughly detailed and documented. In the American section, photography of Yogo Gulch sapphires from the William Larson collection, Rock Creek material, and Eldorado Bar Missouri River’s specimens show the beauty of corundum from Montana.

Finally Appendix A on Tagore’s Ruby & Sapphire are sections from the classic Mani-Mala (1879, 1881) by Tagore, featuring illustrations from the book. Appendix B concludes this wonderful book with prices and ID flow charts updated with new localities.

The book also features full-page advertisements from various gem trading companies between each chapter. Without these sponsors, such an amazing book could have not been printed, at least not at this incredibly affordable price point. This advertising also shows the trade industry vision and marketing approach at the time of publication; therefore, these serve as valuable references.

The impressive quantity of references, updates, and amount of information available in the new edition make Ruby & Sapphire an invaluable resource for people in the gem industry. But this book can captivate any reader, thanks to the fascinating crossroads between science, history, art, travel, and other fields. @chapter:10 @chapter:0 @chapter:10


# Publication Year: 1994
# Title: Winter 1994 Gem News International
# Abstract: Diamonds
            Native Appalachian Diamonds
            Diamond Developments in Tanzania
            Other African Diamond Mining Ventures
            Canadian Diamond Rush Bruised but Still Alive
            Diamonds Found in Finland
Colored Stones
            Amethyst from Namibia
            Chatoyant Demantoid Garnet
            Color-Change Diaspore from Turkey
            Feldspar with Ruby Inclusions
            Gems from North Carolina
            More on Peridot from Pakistan
            Sapphire from Scotland
            Update on Montana Sapphires
            "Teal" Blue Cobalt-Colored Spinel
            Update on Sri Lanka
            "Zebra Stone" from Arizona
Synthetics and Simulants
            "Minkovite" from Russia
            Visit to Russian Synthetics Facility VNIISIMS...
            Additional Visits to Two Centers in Chernogolovka
            Miscellaneous Synthetics and Simulants
Announcements
            Visit Gems & Gemology at the Basel show

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


# Publication Year: 2021
# Title: Update on Mining Activity at Yogo Gulch, Montana
# Abstract: Figure 1. Underground operations in the Vortex mine at Yogo Gulch, Montana. Photo by Don Baide.
The Yogo sapphire deposit, discovered more than 100 years ago, has seen renewed mining interest over the last few years. The fame of Yogo sapphires was established in the first few decades the deposit was worked by the London-based New Mine Sapphire Syndicate. Then, a catastrophic flood in 1923 destroyed the mine infrastructure and operations ground to a halt. Production was sparse and unpredictable for the next several decades. Notable events in the modern history of Yogo Gulch include the arrival of Chikara Kunisaki and the Roncor Corporation in 1973, which drilled the 3,000-foot Kunisaki tunnel at the old American mine, and the discovery of a new extension of the sapphire-bearing dike to the west of the deposit, which became the Vortex mine. Since 2017, there has been renewed interest in bringing back large-scale mining operations, and the authors had the chance to observe these activities firsthand in the summer of 2021.
In 2017, Don Baide, a jeweler out of Bozeman, acquired the Vortex mine and started revamping the underground operations to bring the mine back online. In the 1990s, a modern 3,000-foot spiral ramp descending 475 feet was installed at Vortex. Due to years of inactivity, Baide and his miners have had to spend considerable time pumping water out of the underground shafts and rehabilitating the mine, but they are now working through the winter down to the 400-foot level (figure 1). They have uncovered new exposures of the sapphire-bearing dike rock and expect to process ore from this level by the end of 2021.

Figure 2. A large portion of the Roncor property is home to the Gadsden house (lower left) and the eastern portion of the Yogo dike, which stretches for miles as a long trench (white arrow). Photo by Nathan Renfro.

Figure 3. A view up the valley known as Kelly Coulee to the west of Yogo Creek. Photo by Aaron Palke.
While Vortex is the most recently worked mine at Yogo Gulch, the bulk of the deposit lies to the east of Yogo Creek in what has become known as the Roncor property. This includes the old English mine at the far east of the deposit (figure 2), as well as the Kelly Coulee and the American mine (figure 3). In 2021, a new venture, Yogold U.S.A. Corporation, was created and acquired a lease to resume mining operations on the Roncor property. Yogold spent the summer mining open cuts of the Yogo dike as well as installing a washing plant to recover sapphires. Yogold is also actively rehabilitating the Kunisaki tunnel, which has been dormant for nearly 35 years. They plan to resume underground mining through the Kunisaki tunnel and significantly increase sapphire recovery underground.
The jewelry company Parle’ of Pocatello, Idaho, has a strategic partnership with Yogold to market loose stones and manufacture jewelry featuring Yogo sapphires. Also of interest, documentary filmmaker Orin Mazzoni is producing a short film featuring the Yogo deposit that should be of interest to anyone fascinated by these brilliant blue gems. The film is expected to be released in early 2022.

Figure 4. A miner shows off his collection of Yogo sapphires. Photo by Aaron Palke.
There are certainly many more treasures to be unearthed at this rich deposit. While Yogo sapphires often carry a premium in the gem market for their rich cornflower blue color (figure 4) and lack of treatment, the higher overhead costs of mining in the United States pose the main challenge. But with sustained and serious mining activity in progress, the gem trade may be seeing more of the famous Yogo sapphire in the coming years. @chapter:34 @chapter:0 @chapter:34


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

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


# Publication Year: -
# Title: Bench Tip #4: How To Adjust Earring Backs
# Abstract: Adjusting earring backs

There are many types of backs available to hold earrings securely in place. Clutch, friction or butterfly backs are discs with curled-up tabs that oppose one another, acting as springs that pinch the ear post. The post has notches on it that function as stops so the clutch backs can hold the earring in place. Adjusting the tension of these springs so the earrings fit comfortably and securely is a routine service task for the bench jeweler.

Loosening the tension in the curled springs reduces the friction on the post but makes the catch less distinct, posing a very real risk of losing the earring. Tightening the curled springs, on the other hand, increases the friction on the post and gives the catch a better connection. But this can make it uncomfortable, even painful, for your customer to put on and take off the earrings.

Simply deepening the grooves on the ear post also has limitations, because the post is weakened without a noticeable effect on the catch. The curled springs bridge the notches, leaving a barely noticeable stop.

Here is a better way to tighten earring springs. First, you need to make the curvature of the springs smaller at the point of contact with the post. This allows the curls to sink deeper into the notches and create a more secure catch. Mark this point of contact on the outside thickness of the clutch back with a marker. Next, open the curled springs to the point where they can be grasped with the appropriate pair of pliers and give each spring a little extra curl at the mark you made. Then restore the original curvature to the remainder of the spring, adjusting for the desired tension as you go. In many cases, this sufficiently enhances the hold of the catch.

This may not be tight enough for some, so use a 1.0 to 1.3 mm ball burr to make miniscule indents in the curled springs of the clutch back. This will enable them to sink even deeper into the ear post notches and make the catch considerably more pronounced. Working from the top of the clutch back, simultaneously rest the ball burr on both springs as you cut a tiny indent dead center. Repeat this step from below the connection with the ear post. You will likely have to pinch the shaft of the burr between the curled springs and pull back on the burr to avoid excessive widening of the hole in the disc.

	A close-up of the earring post and back shows how the back catches in the grooves of the post.
Bear in mind that commercially available clutch backs can be less than 0.2 mm thick, so it takes little to burr right through them. But very small indents can create secure stops that are safer than even the strongest possible tension between the curled springs. If properly positioned, these indents should stabilize the position of the clutch back on the post. @chapter:28 @chapter:2 @chapter:28


# Publication Year: -
# Title: Zircon History and Lore
# Abstract: Zircon has a rich tradition as a gemstone and continues to be popular with designers. - Gift of Mary Armatis, Armatis Fine Design

                      Many people have heard of zircon but never seen it. This is mostly because of colorless zircon’s wide use as a diamond simulant in the early 1900s. It was long ago replaced in that role by more convincing look-alikes, but its name still means “imitation” to many people. That’s unfortunate because zircon is a beautiful colored stone with its own fair share of folklore and charm.

In the Middle Ages, this gem was thought to induce sound sleep, drive away evil spirits, and promote riches, honor, and wisdom.

Many scholars think the stone’s name comes from the Arabic word zarkun, meaning “cinnabar” or “vermilion.” Others believe the source is the Persian word zargun, or “gold colored.” Considering zircon’s color range, either derivation seems possible.

Blue zircon was a particular favorite in Victorian times, when fine gems were often featured in English estate jewelry dating from the 1880s. Gemologist George Kunz—Tiffany’s famed gem buyer—was a notable zircon advocate. He once proposed the name “starlite” to promote the gem’s fiery nature. The name never caught on. @chapter:40 @chapter:0 @chapter:40


# Publication Year: 2014
# Title: Flux-Grown Synthetic Ruby with Hydrothermal Synthetic Seed Crystal
# Abstract: Figure 1. The zigzag-like growth structure observed in this 1.18 ct synthetic ruby is characteristic of hydrothermal growth. Photomicrograph by Nathan Renfro; field of view 1.42 mm.

              The Carlsbad laboratory recently received a 1.18 ct transparent red octagonal step-cut stone for ruby report service. Standard gemological testing established the following properties: RI—1.762 to 1.770; birefringence—0.008; optic sign—uniaxial negative; pleochroism—orangy red to purplish red; specific gravity—4.01; fluorescence reaction—strong red to long-wave, weak red to short-wave UV radiation. Examination with a desk-model spectroscope revealed a typical ruby spectrum. All of these properties were consistent with natural or synthetic ruby.

Under magnification, the most distinctive internal characteristic in the crown was the presence of strong irregular growth features: zigzag- or mosaic-like striated patterns (figure 1), typical of a hydrothermal synthetic. Other areas of the ruby lacking these irregular growth features contained hexagonal metallic platelets and high-relief, whitish flux inclusions (figure 2), typical of a flux-grown synthetic. Flux and hydrothermal inclusions have not been previously documented in the same specimen.

	Figure 2. When the synthetic ruby was examined under diffused fiber-optic lighting and darkfield illumination, hexagonal platinum platelets and trapped flux residue became apparent. Photomicrograph by Nathan Renfro; field of view 1.42 mm.
Laser ablation–inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) analysis revealed traces of Ca, Ti, Cr, Fe, Mo, Rh, Sn, W, and Pt. The low amount of Fe and Ti, the absence of V and Ga, and the presence of Pt were consistent with flux-grown corundum.

Both natural and flame-fusion synthetic ruby have been used as seed crystals in the flux growth of ruby (J.I. Koivula, “Induced fingerprints,” Winter 1983 G&G, pp. 220–227; Summer 1991 Lab Notes, p. 112). The seed crystals are generally removed during the cutting process but may, on rare occasions, be detected in finished specimens. Upon close microscopic examination, we noted that several of the flux-filled healed fractures (wispy veils) extended into the areas showing hydrothermal graining. These observations led us to conclude that the hydrothermal material was a seed crystal and that the flux healing was a secondary process to the hydrothermal growth. There was an irregular separation between the materials under brightfield illumination.

This unusual combination of a hydrothermal ruby seed with flux ruby overgrowth is the first of its kind examined by GIA. @chapter:19 @chapter:0 @chapter:19


# Publication Year: 2000
# Title: Fall 2000 G&G Lab Notes
# Abstract: An Unusual Cat’s-Eye Chrysoberyl
Blue and Pink HPHT Annealed Diamond
Diamond with Flower-like Inclusions
An Historical GIA Laboratory Report
Synthetic Moissanite: A Black Diamond Substitute
An Investigation of Fracture Fillers in Mong Hsu Rubies
Rough Tourmaline from Paraíba

To view the full section, download the PDF above. @chapter:43 @chapter:1 @chapter:43


# Publication Year: -
# Title: Fall 2012 G&G Lab Notes
# Abstract: Irradiated Diamond with Green Color Introduced by H2 Optical Center
Large Multiple-Treated Pink Diamond
Coated Cat’s-Eye Gypsum
Mushroom Pearl
CVD Synthetic Diamonds Identified in Hong Kong Laboratory
Type IIb CVD Synthetic Diamond
Lead Glass-Filled Synthetic Ruby
Red Taaffeite Crystal

To view the full section, download the PDF above. @chapter:22 @chapter:1 @chapter:22


# Publication Year: 2015
# Title: Books: Imperial Jade of Burma and Mutton-Fat Jade of India
# Abstract: By S.K. Samuels, 248 pp., hardcover, publ. by SKS Enterprises, Inc., Tucson, AZ, 2014, $134.00.

              Jade is a subject that most in the Western world find hard to fathom, in no small part because much of the appreciation of this stone exists in Eastern writing. While Myanmar (Burma) has been the chief source of fine jadeite for more than two centuries, China’s history and close association with the material goes back thousands of years. As of the time of this writing (2014), the most expensive piece of jade ever sold at auction was not Burmese green jadeite from Myanmar, but white nephrite from western China. Perhaps this helps to illuminate just why the Western world considers jade to be "inscrutable."

Imperial Jade of Burma and Mutton-Fat Jade of India was written by Burmese native (and longtime U.S. resident) S.K. Samuels. There is much within its pages that will both thrill and enlighten the reader. I was particularly impressed by the author's wonderful accounts of Chinese nephrite brought to India for working by the subcontinent’s expert lapidaries during the Mughal Empire (1526–1857).

One of Samuels’s stated goals was to clarify the importance of Myanmar to the history of jade, while clearing up well-established inconsistencies. As an example, he cites the account of a British consular officer stationed in China named Mr. Warry, who visited Burma in 1888 with the first expedition of British troops. Warry not only spoke Chinese, his 7000-word essay gave a detailed description of jade in China, including the nephrite deposits in Xinjiang.  In this essay, Warry spends just 200 words relating a story told to him of the discovery of jade in Burma by a Chinese trader in the 13th century. Samuels dismisses this tale, but as evidence against it offers only vague statements by authors writing decades later, none of who had actually visited the Burmese jade mines. So whom does one believe, a China expert who visited the source and was presumably told of its discovery by someone at the site, or others who never visited the source? Samuels is free to disagree but he needs to build a better case than what is contained in this book.

In this text, Samuels repeatedly makes reference to the mistakes of other writers, but includes little in the way of quotations or citations to support his censure, and makes several unsubstantiated and inaccurate statements of his own. For instance, according to Samuels, by 2001, it was impossible for foreigners to visit either Mogok or Phakant; however, this reviewer visited both in 2004.

A full chapter is devoted to the gem material maw-sit-sit, but the name Eduard Gübelin does not appear at all. While this reviewer appreciates that maw-sit-sit had been mined for centuries and was mentioned by H.L. Chhibber in 1934, it was the Gübelin publications that put this material on the gemological map. Not to mention Gübelin’s impact is a significant omission in a book that claims to set the jade record straight.

Imperial Jade of Burma was privately published, but could have benefited greatly from a professional editor. Scholars (myself included) would welcome a comprehensive English-language volume on the history of Burmese jade, particularly one written by someone fluent in Burmese who could provide insights that only a native speaker might glean. Unfortunately, the current book falls short.

As an author myself, I appreciate the amount of work that goes into producing a book of this type. It is my sincere hope that the author will consider preparing a second, corrected edition. If done properly, it has the potential to become a valuable addition to the world gemological literature. @chapter:51 @chapter:4 @chapter:51


# Publication Year: 1998
# Title: Barite Inclusions in Fluorite
# Abstract: Hemispherical aggregates of the mineral barite were identified as inclusions in fluorite from Illinois. One of these inclusions showed a dramatic pseudo-color change because of its position in the host. The identification of these inclusions was made nondestructively using laser Raman microspectrometry. @chapter:15 @chapter:0 @chapter:15


# Publication Year: -
# Title: Gem Carver Captures True Nature of Animals
# Abstract: Patrick Dreher, a master gem carver from Idar-Oberstein, Germany, spoke to students in Carlsbad in February 2015 about his family’s history in the industry and his techniques for carving intricate, lifelike animal sculptures. Photo by Kevin Schumacher/GIA

                      Patrick Dreher sees more than just beauty when he looks at a gem.

A piece of strawberry quartz is really a starfish. Jasper is a toad. Smoky quartz is a mouse.

At least, that’s what they become.

Dreher – a fifth-generation gem carver from Idar-Oberstein, Germany – shared how he transforms rough stones into intricate lifelike animal carvings with students at GIA’s campus in Carlsbad, California. He also described his family’s history in one of the world’s major cutting and carving centers.

Dreher began his presentation with an overview of the 600-year gemstone carving tradition in Idar-Oberstein and briefly discussed his family’s work for design house Fabergé.

“It’s very important in Idar-Oberstein to have a long family legacy,” Dreher said. The Dreher family is one of the oldest gem-carving families, he said. “We are five generations – I learned from my father, he learned from his father, and his father.”

Dreher specializes in carving his animal figures from one stone, rather than as a piece of composite work, in which different stones are used in the same piece. He has carved the same animals many times, he said, but each time the position, color or expression is different. Many of the gems he uses have different colors throughout the stone so he works slowly and follows the colors. “You can’t see through the stone so you don’t know what is beneath,” he said.

Dreher uses a spindle and other tools so he can move the stone fluidly and comfortably with his hands as he carves. He shared photos of rough gems and his finished work to illustrate his vision and process.

He encouraged students to ask questions at the end of his presentation. When a student asked him his favorite gem to carve, Dreher responded without hesitation: Brazilian agate. But when asked his favorite animal, he took more time to answer: the mouse, but he also likes hippos and toads.

“Mice and toads require the most carving detail,” Dreher said. “They’re really funny objects and require a lot of work.”

View Gallery

 Students were eager to learn more about his carving process – how long it takes to carve each piece, how he creates such realistic-looking pieces and how he decides what type of animal to carve.

Dreher and his father produce about 12 to 20 carvings each year. He said there is a long waiting list for their pieces and that each can take from 100 to 400 hours to complete. He added that one of the most important parts of his work is to research the animals before he begins carving. Dreher has spent hours observing animals in person to study their physical appearance and movements. His extensive understanding of the animals helps ensure the carvings capture their true nature.

The process to determine what type of animal to carve is less scientific. Dreher said he carefully examines the shape, feel and coloring of the rough gem. But ultimately, you must listen to the gem, he said. “The stone will tell you what to make.”

Students had the opportunity to see his work on display as part of a “Generations of Mastery” museum exhibit. More than 20 carvings by Dreher and his father, Gerd Dreher, are on loan to GIA by the Larson family. Bill Larson, owner of Pala International, is a well-known collector and connoisseur of gems, minerals and carvings, and has a large collection of Dreher pieces. The family invited Dreher to visit the U.S. and was influential in organizing his appearance at GIA.

An in-depth article on the Dreher family will be published in G&G later this year.

	Carl Larson, right, introduced Dreher at the student presentation. Larson’s family helped organize the event and loaned the carvings for the museum exhibit. Photo by Kevin Schumacher/GIA @chapter:28 @chapter:2 @chapter:28


# Publication Year: 1993
# Title: Winter 1993 G&G Book Reviews
# Abstract: “Gemology, an Annotated Bibliography”
By John Sinkankas, 2 vols., 1200 pp., illus., publ. by Scarecrow Press, Metuchen, NJ, and London, 1993. US$179.50, regular edition, $250.00, limited edition

“Opal Adventures”
By Paul Downing, 234 pp., illus., publ. by Majestic Gems & Carvings, Tallahassee, FL, 1990. US$19.95

“Diamond Mine”
By Peter Read, 188 pp., publ. by Book Guild, Sussex, England, 1992. US$24.95

“Practical Uses of Diamond”
By Andrzej Bukon' and Andzej Szyman'ski, translated by Jerzy Tomaszczyk, 248 pp., illus., available from and publ. by Ellis Horwood and Polish Scientific Publishers PWN, West Sussex,
England, 1993.

“Mineraux Passion (Mineral Passion [in French])”
By Pierre and Nelly Bariand, 223 pp., illus., publ. by Bordas, Paris, France, 1992.

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


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

To view the full section, download the PDF above. @chapter:43 @chapter:1 @chapter:43


# Publication Year: 2002
# Title: “Diffusion Ruby” Proves to be Synthetic Ruby Overgrowth on Natural Corundum
# Abstract: A relatively new production of red corundum, reportedly from Bangkok, has been offered for sale in recent years. Although the producers claimed that these stones were red diffusion-treated corundum (i.e., a shallow coloration induced by the lattice diffusion of chromium), the surface layer is actually a synthetic ruby overgrowth on natural colorless to near-colorless corundum. The overgrowth layer, after re-cutting, typically ranged from 0.1 to 0.3 mm thick. This material can be distinguished from red lattice diffusion–treated corundum by the presence of a boundary plane and two different types of inclusion features: those that occur in the natural corundum core and those present only in the synthetic overgrowth. This product demonstrates that as treatment techniques continue to evolve, the distinction between natural, treated, and synthetic corundum may become increasingly difficult to define. @chapter:19 @chapter:0 @chapter:19


# Publication Year: 2018
# Title: Star Spinel with Four and Six Rays
# Abstract: Lotus Gemology receives submissions of star stones on a regular basis, so when we first saw the specimen shown here, it appeared to be one among many of our usual stones to test. Upon closer examination, however, we realized it was not a star sapphire, but something much more rarely seen: star spinel.
Upon first glance at the cabochon’s dome, the stone displays one six-rayed star (figure 1), similar to what we see in star corundum. But if we look on the sides of the stone, we can also see a four-rayed star (figure 2).

Figure 2. When viewed in a different position, the spinel also displays a four-rayed star. Photomicrograph by E. Billie Hughes; specimen courtesy of Global Spinel Gems.
>These stars are both created from numerous dense, short needle-like particles. Once we examined a small polished area on the cabochon’s base, we found that there are actually two distinct types of exsolution products in the stone. On the right side of figure 3, we can see the tiny, dense needles and particles that form both types of stars. In the center of the image we can see much larger, less densely dispersed platelets that resemble confetti.

Figure 3. In the center of the image we can see larger reflective platelet inclusions in the untreated star spinel. On the right-hand side, we see much finer dense needles that form both six-rayed and four-rayed asterism. Photomicrograph by E. Billie Hughes; specimen courtesy of Global Spinel Gems. @chapter:24 @chapter:0 @chapter:24


# Publication Year: 2022
# Title: A Type of Multi-Colored Quartz with Oriented Inclusions, Reportedly from Brazil
# Abstract: Figure 1. Multi-colored quartz traded in the Donghai jewelry market in Jiangsu Province, China. Photo by Qingfeng Wu.
A special quartz called “Auralite 23” in the Chinese trade has recently appeared in the Donghai jewelry market in Jiangsu Province (figure 1). Sellers claim the material is from Brazil. The quartz is very similar to amethyst from Minas Gerais, Brazil (B.M. Laurs and N.D. Renfro, “Amethyst from Brazil with interesting inclusion patterns,” Journal of Gemmology, Vol. 35, No. 6, 2017, pp. 468–469).

Figure 2. A: External characteristics of a piece of rough “Auralite 23” quartz measuring 8.2 × 5.5 × 3.7 cm. Well-developed rhombohedrons can be found on one side of the quartz, and the other side displays an uneven pyramidal shape with parallel striations. B: Five color zones and substantial oriented inclusions. C: Golden “broom-like” inclusions form a beautiful independent zone. D: Alternating purple and red zones. Photos by Zhuoxuan Li.
Four color zones (purple, red, greenish gray, and a second purple zone) are displayed when observed along the threefold axis. Sometimes, a separate golden zone can be formed (e.g., figure 2, B and C). The purple and greenish gray zones in the upper part of figure 2D are well defined, while the red and purple zones in the lower part show alternating growth bands. After cutting, substantial oriented inclusions can be found in each color zone. Golden “broom-like” inclusions observed in the purple zones are regularly distributed along the growth direction. Greenish gray horsetail-like inclusions are found in the middle of the quartz. In addition, red platelet inclusions appear in the red zone (figure 3). Notably, the platelet inclusions are seemingly restricted to this red zone and thus generate an agate-like zoning.

Figure 3. Three representative solid inclusions in the multi-colored quartz. A golden “broom-like” inclusion in the purple region (A), greenish gray horsetail-like inclusions in the greenish gray region (B), and red platelet inclusions in the red region (C). Photomicrographs by Huizhen Huang; fields of view 1.35 mm, 0.6 mm, and 0.71 mm.
A multi-colored quartz slice was purchased and researched. The Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) transmission spectra—with weak peaks at 3584 and 2331 cm–1, medium strong peaks at 2924, 2850, 2671, 2597, 2498, and 2136 cm–1, and strong peaks at 3454 and 2242 cm–1—indicate that this is a natural quartz (figure 4).

Figure 4. Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) transmittance spectrum of the imaged quartz sample. A slice of the tested multi-colored quartz is shown in the inset.

Figure 5. Raman spectra of representative solid inclusions are shown along with the Raman reference spectra from the RRUFF database. Left: The purple zone contained a substantial amount of golden “broom-like” inclusions that matched with goethite. Right: The red platelet inclusions produced a Raman spectrum corresponding to hematite. The black numbers in this figure indicate the Raman peaks of the inclusion, and the gray numbers indicate the peaks of the quartz.
Raman analysis identified the typical inclusions in the purple zones, with peaks at 246, 300, 387, 415, 550, and 685 cm–1 as goethite. The red platelet inclusions with peaks at 225, 245, 293, 411, 499, 611, and 1321 cm–1 are hematite (figure 5). The greenish gray horsetail-like inclusions could not be identified by Raman spectroscopy, so we carried out electron probe microanalysis (EPMA). The chemical analysis of these inclusions are mainly iron (45.49–46.51 wt.%) and sulfur (51.34–51.87 wt.%), indicating that they are FeS2 inclusions.
Considering the multi-colored zones and different oriented inclusions, this quartz likely formed and crystallized in multiple stages. However, the origin of this special pattern still remains unclear and is worth further research. @chapter:8 @chapter:0 @chapter:8


# Publication Year: 2023
# Title: The history of gemstones in Chanthaburi_31
# Abstract: As gemstone resources dwindled in Chanthaburi, there was a global search for raw materials, leading to discoveries in places like Madagascar and Mozambique, transforming them into significant potential sources of important gemstones. This shift sparked renewed interest among traders, driving a new wave of gemstone exploration. @chapter:40 @chapter:2 @chapter:40