# Publication Year: 2017
# Title: Book Review: Italian Jewelry in the 20th Century
# Abstract: By Melissa Gabardi, hardcover, 335 pp., illus., publ. by Silvana Editoriale S.p.A., Cinisello Balsamo, Milan, 2016, US$75.00.

This richly illustrated book offers a chronological history of jewelry produced in Italy from 1900 to 1990. Author Melissa Gabardi, a decorative arts historian and curator, presents these jeweled treasures in layers of context. Throughout the book, she provides readers with historical perspectives on the political, social, and economic events that shaped Italian society, and the world, during the different eras. Among the gripping illustrations is one from the Sunday weekly La Domenica del Corriere from December 1935, during Italy’s Fascist period, depicting Mussolini’s invented “Wedding Ring Day.” It shows a woman’s hand as she drops her gold wedding ring into an upturned soldier’s helmet, filled with others’ wedding rings and festooned in the colors of the Italian flag. Below, the caption reads, “L’offerta d’amore e di fede delle donne d’Italia” (“The offer of love and faith by the women of Italy,” using fede, a word for “faith” that also means “wedding ring”).

Gabardi provides additional context with a 26-page section containing the biographies of the more than 70 Italian jewelry artists, families, and houses presented or referenced in this book. She includes the long-established Torrini family, whose Florence goldsmith workshop opened in 1369, and the line of Musys, jewelers to generations of royalty, who began in Turin in 1707. The biographical sketches help readers less familiar with Italian jewelry history navigate the sometimes tortuous text as Gabardi describes the influences of other jewelers or methods and motifs that emerged across the eras.

Finally, the more than 300 images are bookended by four chapters written by three contributors who provide additional insights into the master goldsmith nucleus of the innovative Padua School, the transformation of Arezzo from a town known for industrial workshops to “Made in Italy” cache, the handcrafting and goldsmithing rise of Valenza, and the expansion of the gold industry in Vicenza.

The mostly full-color images are drawn from a wide range of sources and help frame the actual photographs of these captivating pieces, 150 of which were part of a four-month exhibit at Milan’s Poldi Pezzoli Museum until March 2017. The book features archival images from magazines, posters, and sales catalogues, as well as lithoprints and sketches. The jewelry includes museum pieces and dozens of rarely seen pieces from private collections and the archives of the individual jewelry houses, such as the Fasano and Floriana Cusi Archives. Among the many standout pieces are the rings and brooches of Enrico Serafini (1913–1968) of Florence. Gabardi does not neglect the killer B’s of Buccellatti and Bulgari or later-century jewelers known for luxury fashion and celebrity clientele, such as Pomellato and Damiani.

The author’s diligent research also preserves the legacy of lesser-known Italian jewelers, including those who broke with earlier French influences. Gabardi provides a comprehensive, sensitive, and scholarly appreciation for many Italian jewelers who might otherwise be lost to the ages, whether through lack of successors, failed partnerships, tragedy, or engulfment by global tastemakers. These pioneers ushered in waves of jewelry artistry rooted in an Italian spirit that survived the setbacks of war and hardship to emerge as an international paragon of craftsmanship and style.

Although the writing style sometimes takes readers on a bumpy ride, the book offers those who hold on a panoramic journey that captures the origins of modern Italian design. Jewelry designers, historians, and lovers of all things Italian will appreciate this uniquely curated effort. @chapter:20 @chapter:2 @chapter:20


# Publication Year: 1999
# Title: Summer 1999 G&G Book Reviews
# Abstract: “The Complete Handbook for Gemstone Weight Estimation”
By Charles I. Carmona, 427 pp., illus., publ. by Gemania Publishing, Los Angeles, CA, 1998. US$59.95

“Gemmologist’s Compendium, 7th Edition”
By Robert Webster, revised by E. Alan Jobbins, 240 pp., illus., publ. by N.A.G. Press, London, US$35.00

“Christmas Jewelry”
By Mary Morrison, 158 pp., illus., publ. by Schiffer Books for Collectors, Atglen, PA, 1998. US$18.95

“Glossary of Mineral Synonyms”
By Jeffrey de Fourestier, 442 pp., illus., Special Publication 2 of The Canadian Mineralogist, publ. by the Mineralogical Association of Canada, Ottawa, Canada, 1999. US$50.00

“The Photo-Atlas of Minerals”
Developed by Anthony R. Kampf and George Gerhold, produced by The Gem & Mineral Council, Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History, Los Angeles, 1998. US$49.95.

“Mani-Mala, or A Treatise on Gems”
by Sourindro Mohun Tagore, reprinted by Nandishkor R. Barot, 1,046 pp., illus., publ. by Mehul Barot, Philadelphia, PA, 1996, US$200

“Edelsteine: Symbole der Schönheit und der Macht (Gemstones: Symbols of Beauty and Power)”
by Edward J. Gübelin and Franz-Xaver Erni, 240 pp., illus., publ. by Verlag Hans Schöner GmbH, Königsbach-Stein, 1999 [in German], US$43.00

To view the full section, download the PDF above. @chapter:17 @chapter:0 @chapter:17


# Publication Year: 2021
# Title: Quarterly Crystal: Heavily Etched Blue Beryl Crystals Reportedly from Pakistan
# Abstract: Figure 1. Three blue beryl crystals showing the heavily etched and corroded appearance typical of this material. The largest crystal is 236.8 g, while the other two weigh 16.1 g (left) and 13.8 g (right). Photo by Diego Sanchez.
In previous Micro-World columns, the Quarterly Crystal entry has showcased exceptional crystalline specimens masterfully crafted by geological forces. In some cases, however, it is the darker destructive forces of nature that produce a fine mineral specimen. In 2018, Raza Shah (Gems Parlor, Fremont, California) began unearthing heavily etched dark blue beryl crystals from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in northern Pakistan. Bryan Lichtenstein (3090 Gems, San Francisco, California) submitted three of these crystals to GIA’s Carlsbad lab for identification services (figure 1; see also B.M. Laurs and G.R. Rossman, “Dark blue beryl from Pakistan,” Journal of Gemmology, Vol. 36, No. 7, 2019, pp. 583–584).

Figure 2. The use of differential interference contrast imaging illustrates the complex growth and subsequent etching processes that lent the beryl crystals their unique appearance. These views are essentially parallel to the c-axis (left) and perpendicular to the c-axis (right). The left image shows terraced, stepped patterns created during crystal growth that are crosscut by oriented, elongate etch pits. Photomicrographs by Aaron Palke; field of view 2.88 mm.
The hexagonal barrel shape that must have characterized the crystals in their initial state is still apparent despite the heavy etching. The geological conditions responsible for beryl growth apparently persisted long enough for many of these crystals to grow to extreme sizes; the largest recovered so far weighs 236.8 g. At some point, these crystals appear to have fallen out of equilibrium with their natural environment and the beryl started dissolving back into the earth. Microscopic observation of the corroded surfaces shows how the dissolution process is controlled by the beryl crystal structure, with dissolution pits and the skeletal remnants of the beryl constrained by the underlying crystal lattice. Differential interference contrast (DIC) microscopy can be used to highlight both growth and dissolution features in the same image (figure 2). While Pakistan is an important source of aquamarine crystals and gems, this heavily etched dark blue aquamarine is truly a unique find. @chapter:13 @chapter:0 @chapter:13


# Publication Year: 1994
# Title: Spring 1994 Gem News International
# Abstract: Diamonds
            Cubic Zirconia Misrepresented as Diamond
Colored Stones
            Jade-Cutting Factory on the Myanmar-Thai Border
Enhancements
            Instability of Diamond Filling
            Coated Sapphires Misrepresented as Diffusion Treated
TUCSON ‘94
Colored Stones and Organic Material
            Arizona Gem Materials
            Emeralds from Brazil
            "Jurassic Park" Gems and Carvings
            Gems from Madagascar
            Myanmar Gems
            More on Obsidian
            Cat's-Eye Opal from Brazil
            Opal from Ethiopia
            Miscellaneous Notes on Peridot
            Russian Uvarovite Garnet
            Other Russian Materials
            Rubies and Other Gems from Orissa
            Miscellaneous Notes on Tourmaline
Enhancements
            Update on Diffusion Treatment
Synthetics and Simulants
            Beryl Triplets
            Chatham Flux-Grown Pink Synthetic Sapphires
            Douros Synthetic Rubies
            More on Russian Synthetics and Simulants

To view the full section, download the PDF above. @chapter:16 @chapter:0 @chapter:16


# Publication Year: 2020
# Title: 2020 World Pearl Congress
# Abstract: Figure 1. GIA consultant Nicholas Sturman presented on freshwater pearls during the conference. Photo by Lin Chen.

The World Pearl Congress was held November 13–15, 2020, in Shanxiahu Town, a division of the Chinese city of Zhuji. Known as “China’s pearl capital,” Shanxiahu Town is known for cultivating, processing, trading, and researching pearls, especially freshwater pearls. The town produces nearly 80% of China’s pearls and is currently home to more than 2,500 pearl companies. This event was organized by CIBJO, the Gems and Jewelry Trade Association of China, the Zhejiang Provincial Committee of China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, and the Shaoxing Municipal People’s Government.
The event consisted of a series of activities, presentations, and exhibitions focused on pearls. Despite the global pandemic, more than 400 attendees who live in China and represent a number of professions and industries attended this meeting in person, while several international and domestic speakers delivered a series of talks via prerecorded videos. Presentations included: “Freshwater Pearls from a Laboratory Perspective” (Nicholas Sturman, GIA consultant) (figure 1), “An Overview of the Global Pearl Industry” (Kenneth Scarratt, CIBJO Pearl Commission president), “Development of Quality and Detection of Pearls” (Taijin Lu, NGTC chief scientist), “The Importance of Design to the Pearl Industry” (Paloma Sanchez, independent designer), among many others. In addition, the World Freshwater Pearl Museum was also unveiled (figure 2), with exhibitions detailing the rich history of pearl culturing in China, pearl cultivating and processing techniques, and varieties of freshwater pearls and pearl jewelry.

Figure 2. The new World Freshwater Pearl Museum was recently opened in Zhuji, China. Photos by Lin Chen.
According to several sources at the meeting, the global pandemic caused little disruption to the production of freshwater cultured pearls, as the harvest usually takes place at the end of the year and the government’s fast control of the virus minimized the impact. However, the export of freshwater cultured pearls has been significantly affected, and dealers are trying to boost domestic sales with more emphasis on a strong online presence. Among different sales methods, livestreaming has become an ever more popular way to sell pearl jewelry in China (figure 3). From January to November 2020, online sales of pearls in Zhuji were valued at 11.85 billion yuan (US$1.8 billion), a year-over-year increase of 18.5%, according to Sina Finance.

Figure 3. Livestreaming has become one of the most popular ways for online selling of pearls in China, as shown in this Ruans store in Zhuji. Photo by Lin Chen. @chapter:53 @chapter:4 @chapter:53


# Publication Year: 2021
# Title: Burmese Blue Sapphire and Peridot from Mogok and a History of Emerald Mining in Habachtal, Austria
# Abstract: Welcome to the Winter 2021 issue of Gems & Gemology! This exciting conclusion to the volume year features new content examining blue Burmese sapphires, the source of rich olive color peridot in Pyaung-Gaung, and the history of emerald mining in Austria’s Habachtal region.
“…an extensive gemological analysis of 248 blue sapphires from Mogok…”
Our lead article by Wasura Soonthorntantikul and coauthors features an extensive gemological analysis of 248 blue sapphires from Mogok, a source long known for producing high-grade material. This study uses samples collected on a series of expeditions by GIA’s field gemologists over the last decade, filling a gap in modern analytical data. Findings indicate that the sapphires show a wide range of blue color intensities but maintain a very consistent inclusion scene.
Next, Montira Seneewong-Na-Ayutthaya and fellow researchers investigate the internal, spectroscopic, and chemical features of peridot from the Pyaung-Gaung area in the Mogok township of Myanmar. This location is an essential source of high-quality peridot, producing rough both large in size and rich in olive green color. A combination of various gemological tests and advanced analytical methods presented in this study prove effective in differentiating Pyauang-Gaung peridot from other sources.
The final article delves into the mining history of Austria’s Habachtal region, which is considered one of the early emerald deposits, with references dating back to 1797. In part one of this two-part series, Karl Schmetzer traces the history of the Habachtal emerald mine through several centuries up to World War I, using largely unpublished works sourced from Austrian and German archives.
As always, our regular columns offer an assortment of gemological findings from around the globe. Highlights of the Lab Notes section include an impressive diamond faceted as the iconic Apple Inc. logo, exquisite antique spectacles crafted with diamond and emerald lenses in mid-seventeenth-century India, and an exceptionally large and well-saturated orange sapphire from Sri Lanka. The Micro-World section presents a demantoid faceted to showcase spectacular “horsetail” inclusions, a remarkable example of rainbow graining in a yellow diamond, and an unusual occurrence of a hematite crystal hosting a network of rutile crystals. In Gem News International, stay up to date with recent studies on biogenic carbon in pink corundum from southern West Greenland, the latest on mining the Yogo sapphire deposit in Montana, and a new blue zircon deposit discovered in Malawi.
Finally, this issue includes the debut of an exciting addition to our regular columns, Colored Stones Unearthed, exploring the formation of colored stones from the crust-mantle and below. This first installment covers some of the gemstones that provide important information on the mineralogy, composition, and evolution of the earth, including peridot, sapphire, and ruby.
We hope you enjoy the Winter issue of Gems & Gemology! @chapter:6 @chapter:0 @chapter:6


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

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

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

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

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

G&G has never been more necessary. Let no one to be in any doubt over GIA’s commitment to our journal. We see it as a vital part of a wider system, one that links GIA’s education with its ongoing research, and delivers that essential knowledge to our readers. @chapter:34 @chapter:3 @chapter:34


# Publication Year: 2001
# Title: “Voices of the Earth”: Transcending the Traditional in Lapidary Arts
# Abstract: Over the last 20 years, gemstone artists have demonstrated growing skill and variety. The diversity in their finished products comes not only from their unique artistic visions, but also from their ability to alter traditional tools or techniques. In the process, they are changing the way we define gemstones and jewelry. In a collection of 20 jewels entitled “Voices of the Earth,” scheduled for exhibit at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh, jewelry designer Paula Crevoshay showcases the work of some of North America’s leading lapidaries. @chapter:28 @chapter:2 @chapter:28


# Publication Year: -
# Title: Over the Top at BaselWorld 2015
# Abstract: The spring BaselWorld fair is full of glitz and glamour that draws 125,000 visitors each year to see the latest in watch design, high jewelry and the finest gemstones. Photo by Russell Shor/GIA

                      The BaselWorld Fair in Switzerland is a trade show unlike any other; Fifth Avenue-sized structures line the aisles, two-story high LED screens tout world-famous luxury brands and, at closing each evening, champagne and hors d’oeuvres help seal the deal between company and client.

BaselWorld, originally conceived as the yearly coming out party for the top Swiss watch brands, has evolved into a showcase for the world’s high-end jewelry brands and the diamond and gem dealers who serve them. One of the reasons for such an all-out presence is that BaselWorld is unique among trade shows because the public can buy a day pass for 60 Swiss francs (US $62) to browse all four event halls and revel in the ultra-luxury atmosphere.

Who attends? More than 125,000 visitors: everyone from families on a costly outing to gaze at the new watch offerings to billionaires on a buying spree.

The tour begins on the second floor of the main hall, appropriately called the Hall of Dreams.

On the street of jewels in this hall Graff, Garrard, Bulgari, Harry Winston, Mikimoto, Faberge, Damiani and Chopard compete for buyers’ and browsers’ attention. Lesser-known brands such as Jacob & Co., De Grisogono, Bayco and Aaron Shum spare no expense to match their glitz.

Extraordinary designs are on display in the Hall of Dreams. Mikimoto, which originated the cultured pearl market more than 100 years ago, offers a pearl-encrusted bodice, left, that is in striking contrast to the kaleidoscopic atmosphere of its surroundings. This $2 million diamond-studded Gibson guitar from Aaron Shum Jewellery, right, won’t make you a rock star, but it will certainly sparkle under stage lights. Photos by Russell Shor/GIA
Jacob & Co., from Geneva, sits at the corner in a Roman Forum-style “building” fashioned in white faux marble. Evening gown-clad models pose in the open foyer to show off the company’s creations: lacey, diamond-accented necklaces and bracelets, along with more traditional large diamond and sapphire pieces. Nearby, Mikimoto counters the models’ glamour with a cultured pearl “bodice” which, in the special lighting, seems to float inside the window, the gems’ iridescence glowing against the black background.

Around the corner, Aaron Shum attracts a crowd with a $2 million diamond and platinum guitar by Gibson, the U.S. instrument manufacturer. Called the Coronet, the guitar features just over 400 carats of small colorless diamonds set in 18K white gold clusters shaped like flower blossoms set close-in so they don’t snag your sleeve when you’re trying to make bar chords.

Golden lights lead buyers past the watches in Graff’s space to the jewel room, which is illuminated by a “diamond bracelet.” Photo by Russell Shor/GIA
If a $2 million guitar isn’t impressive, then Graff’s space, catty-corner across the atrium, certainly is. The two-story structure is covered in gold Art Deco scales, with a window-sized LED panel displaying the company’s watch creations. Inside, a long row of gold-colored ceiling lights, which look like clusters of crystals suspended in a line, lead browsers past the watch cases to the inner sanctum. A swirling light feature that resembles a diamond bracelet marks where the diamond pieces reside. This year’s signature piece, “The Fascination,” a watch that incorporates 152.96 carats of D color diamonds, includes a 38.13 carat pear-shaped diamond that can be worn separately as a ring or clipped to cover the watch dial. For $40 million, time will wait for you.

Heading for the escalator that leads down to the main watch hall, an intense red glow from the Bayco “building” attracts a crowd. The glow comes from a back-lit ring that features a 16 carat Mozambique ruby, surrounded by diamonds.

The watch hall on the ground floor is actually a misnomer because some 1,500 watch brands are scattered throughout the five sections of the fair. This, however, is where the most famous brands congregate: Rolex, Swatch, Omega, Breitling, Corum, Hublot, Tissot and several dozen others. The exhibits are even more extravagant, and much larger, than those on the jewelry floor, though getting close enough view these timepieces is like is like trying to glimpse the Mona Lisa at the Louvre.

The watch hall attracts the majority of the 125,000 visitors to the fair, so it’s often difficult to catch a glimpse of the new styles they roll out each year. Photo by Russell Shor/GIA
The Swiss Watch Federation reports that the soaring Swiss franc has added 20% to the cost of its watches, further threatening export growth that had already slowed as China’s economy softens and middle-eastern buyers pull back.

The crowds here are thick enough to slow the passage to the Hall of Minerals, the area behind the watch pavilion where the diamonds and gemstones are displayed more like a traditional trade show. The exhibits are relatively no-frills – no elaborate exhibits or 20-foot-high LED screens – as opposed to the glitzy world capital main street. But the goods are certainly not no-frills and a million dollars (or francs) will only get you so far.

Near the entrance, Bijan & Co. offers a 200.36-carat cushion cut sapphire set in a necklace with 35 carats of D, E and F color diamonds. “We cut this several months ago,” says Eliot Elihu, president. “We’re debuting it at this show.”

The question: “A million?”
The reply: “Somewhat more.”

This 200.36 carat Sri Lankan sapphire by Bijan & Co., greeted visitors near the entrance to the gemstone hall. Photo by Russell Shor/GIA
Proceeding through the hall, past a vendor displaying another 200-carat Sri Lankan sapphire, there is Taché, the venerable Antwerp diamond company. On display is a simple black presentation box holding a collection of 9 Type IIa (extraordinarily transparent) diamonds of various shapes, ranging in weight from 16 to 41 carats. All of the diamonds are D Flawless., the exceptions being a pair of matched D-E color, Very Very Slightly Included cushion brilliant cuts.

Though the asking price probably matches or surpasses Graff’s “Fascination” watch, Isaac Taché, executive director, won’t provide a number, “except for serious buyers.” He does say the collection took years to put together.

“Matching diamonds like these don’t come along very often,” he says.

Taché collected a crowd at its display with this collection of 9 Type IIa (extraordinarily transparent) diamonds of various shapes, ranging in weight from 16 to 41 carats. All of the diamonds are D Flawless., except a pair of matched D-E color, Very Very Slightly Included cushion cuts. Photo by Russell Shor/GIA
The array of gems at Cody Opal don’t carry seven-figure price tags, but some of the opals on display in the front of the showcase are large enough to make you want to live inside their lush blue-green, play-of-color world.

“We usually do well here,” says Andrew Cody, holding a large black opal with its miniature environment dappled with spots of red. "The red is what they look for, what really sets the premium.”

Move past exhibitor after exhibitor displaying 10 carat-plus fancy yellow diamonds and arrays of large colorless diamonds, until you come to a necklace created from 30 fancy Vivid Pink diamonds and 23 fancy Vivid Blue diamonds, all ranging from 0.75 to 0.90 carats. You have to stop and ask about this one, but the vendor, set in a relatively small enclosure in a row behind the main aisle, wants no pictures taken or publicity using his name.

“Our clients know we have this here,” he says.
The price: “It took us years to collect these stones, so you can understand that it has a price to match,” he explains.

Negotiating all those major diamond and gemstones can work up a thirst. The snack bar in the middle of the hall has some enticing, but small, water bottles on display for 6 Swiss francs each. A sandwich? Think tourmaline price.

In the end, there was not great demand for the high-end treasures at Basel this year. But a tour at the end of the show revealed that many of these one-of-a-kind pieces did find buyers, judging by some of the empty spots in the displays.

Beauty has its price and some are always willing to pay it. @chapter:47 @chapter:3 @chapter:47


# Publication Year: 1998
# Title: Topaz, Aquamarine, and Other Beryls from Klein Spitzkoppe, Namibia
# Abstract: This article presents, for the first time, both gemological and geologic information on topaz, aquamarine, and other beryls from miarolitic pegmatites at Namibia’s historic Klein Spitzkoppe mineral locality. Topaz from Klein Spitzkoppe was first reported more than 100 years ago, in 1889. Many fine specimens have been collected since then, and thousands of carats have been faceted from colorless, transparent “silver” topaz. Gemological investigations of the topaz reveal refractive index values that are somewhat lower, and specific gravity values that are slightly higher, than those of topaz from similar deposits. In fact, these values are more appropriate to topaz from rhyolitic deposits than from pegmatites, and apparently correspond to a high fluorine content. The gemological properties of the aquamarine are consistent with known parameters. @chapter:12 @chapter:0 @chapter:12


# Publication Year: -
# Title: ‘Hippie’ Designer-Appraiser Follows Her Heart, Re-ignites Local Alumni Chapter
# Abstract: “If I had known then what I know now, I would have jumped in with less reserve and taken more risks,” says Rebecca Buys, GG, of her early career in the jewelry industry. As her career evolved, so did her hobbies: she learned to ride motorcycles in her 50s and bought a Kawasaki Vulcan 1500. “I ride for the fun and adventure it brings,” she says. Courtesy of Rebecca Buys

	“Sometimes I feel like I hit the jackpot.”

	Rebecca Buys, a GIA Graduate Gemologist and a senior member of the National Association of Jewelry Appraisers, says she’s never happier than when a client brings in a special designer piece for identification and valuation.

	“Recently, a client and her 95-year-old mother brought a parcel of jewels that her mother, a French woman, was passing on to her,” she says. “The American-born daughter had little knowledge or appreciation for the items. As I gazed in wonder at some of the pieces, the mother began telling stories in her thick, delightful French accent of how she acquired signed, vintage designer jewelry from Mauboussin and Van Cleef & Arpels. She spoke of the Palace Vendome, and shopping for jewels with her beloved in the 1930s and 1940s.”

	For Buys, jewelry “tells a story of romance and love,” and that story goes back decades for the appraiser-designer, who has been captivated by rocks, minerals, gems and jewelry for as long as she can remember.

		People find me in the weirdest ways. I call it magic – I always seem to have lots of work… I enjoy the people I meet and love to hear the stories of their precious items.

		Rebecca Buys, GIA GG

	Buys grew up in Ohio and remembers exploring the area around her home − and discovering a new passion.

	“As a child of the ‘50s, I was allowed to freely roam the gorge and falls near our home,” she says, noting that there was a nearby cave with Native American paintings, as well as a tribal burial site. “It was a pristine place where I discovered artifacts and colored rocks, and the fact that rocks came in colors fascinated me.”

	Buys became a budding rock collector, spending her allowance money on a children’s collector set. As she grew and the family moved to San Diego, her interest expanded to include jewelry and beads, and her explorations reached a little further, and away from home – frequently on trips to San Francisco and Santa Cruz to find “cool and unusual” beads and findings to make into earrings. Though Buys wanted to pursue a career in the arts, her parents encouraged her to pursue what they considered a more practical path.

	“So I became a business major and worked as a legal secretary in downtown Los Angeles out of college,” she says of her life in the late 1970s. “Until I decided to become a hippie and follow my spiritual quest.”

	Following that quest would lead many places – connecting with a spiritual guru in Southern California, embracing a brief apprenticeship with a likeminded goldsmith-designer in Big Sur, and finally, moving to Poona, India for four months to live and study in an ashram.

	“While in India, I discovered faceted, colorful gemstones, and they were plentiful and inexpensive,” she says. Buys returned to Southern California to care for her ailing mother, and brought the gems with her. She found a goldsmith to set them, and began to sell her designs.

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	Eventually, Buys partnered with a colored stone dealer and opened a retail store, Charles & Co., in the heart of downtown Encinitas, a seaside enclave in north San Diego County. She often traveled to the Tucson gem and mineral shows and to colored-stone markets in Thailand.

	“We had a healthy inventory of rubies, sapphires of all colors, tourmalines, opals and tanzanite. While our strength was in our colored gemstone inventory, we were rapidly expanding in diamond sales. I didn't know much about selling diamonds, and heard about GIA from colleagues and dealers,” she says. “I took the diamond grading class at the Santa Monica campus and received my Diamond ID and Grading certificate in 1985.”

	Buys and her partner successfully operated their store for nearly 20 years, but when they sold it in 2000 she was ready for a change.

	“I didn’t believe I could have a successful career on my own,” she explains. “I thought I would leave the industry and do something else. I knew I loved it, but wasn’t sure how to make it work.”

	It turned out that Buys’ customers weren’t ready to see her go. “Clients kept finding me,” she says. They were seeking her design and repair services, and though Buys knew she didn’t want to open another retail store, she began to think about how to branch out on her own.

	She decided the first step was to come back to GIA and worked on her GG from 2002-2005 through Distance Education and lab classes in Carlsbad.

	“It took me nearly 20 years to complete my GIA education,” she says. “Being at the new campus was such an inspiration. I had a good knowledge of colored stones, but what I learned at GIA took it to a different level. Much of what I thought I knew was improved with my GIA education.”

Buys, second from left (in white blouse), leads an “active membership” as president of the GIA Alumni Association’s San Diego chapter. “I encourage everyone to become involved in their local GIA Alumni Association chapter,” she says. “Attending presentations, field trips and special events really increases your knowledge and expands your network.” She is pictured with, from left, JJ Williams, president of Number 8; Craig Danforth, GIA director of global business development; and Kate Donovan, GIA alumni relations manager.

	Buys, who says she felt “empowered” with new confidence, began attending GIA Alumni Association events to meet fellow professionals who gladly exchanged ideas and contacts. As her network and knowledge increased, she noticed that the San Diego Alumni Association chapter was struggling to plan activities and pull together a leadership board.

	“I felt like it was essential for San Diego to have a thriving, active chapter, so I volunteered to step in as temporary president,” she says. “Several years later, I’m still president! We have an active membership and our board is coming together nicely. We also have numerous volunteers and host exciting speakers nearly every other month. There are plenty of excellent opportunities for mentorship and networking.”

	Earning her AJP and GG diplomas also made it possible for Buys to join the National Association of Jewelry Appraisers, which launched the next phase of her career.

	“I knew I liked the research aspects of determining an item’s worth,” she says. “It was a good way to utilize my education, experience and knowledge outside of the retail environment.”

	Buys – who doesn’t advertise or have a studio open to the public, and operates under the name Rebecca Young Designs – says her custom design and appraisal clients mostly find her through word of mouth and referrals from local jewelers.

	“People find me in the weirdest ways,” she says. “I call it magic – I always seem to have lots of work, it always comes. I enjoy the people I meet and love to hear the stories of their precious items. It’s a privilege to be trusted to accurately identify, educate and evaluate their treasures.”

	She also finds herself lately doing more large estate jewelry parcels for attorneys, banks and executors, and finds those large assignments rewarding, too.

	“I have a deeper knowledge and understanding that if you follow your passion – do what you really love – a way to succeed will always be presented,” says Buys, who recently learned to ride motorcycles for the sake of adventure.

	“If I had known then what I know now, I would have jumped in with less reserve and taken more risks,” she says. “I couldn’t have guessed it would be so fulfilling.” @chapter:20 @chapter:2 @chapter:20


# Publication Year: -
# Title: Retail Group Sees Good Holiday; Fancy Color Diamonds Cap Auction Season
# Abstract: The 14.93 ct “Pink Promise” Fancy Vivid pink diamond may be the most expensive stone Christie’s has ever sold at its Hong Kong auction house. The diamond is expected to sell for as much as $40 million. Photo courtesy of Christie's Images.

The U.S. National Retail Federation predicts that overall holiday spending will increase 3.6% to 4% over last year, citing a strong economy and rising confidence in employment and wages.

The trade group noted that retailers have been stocking record amounts of merchandise in preparation for a good season.

As reported last month, jewelry sales in the U.S. have been running 5.6% above last year’s levels. Demand for diamonds and gemstones, however, remains concentrated in relatively narrow categories of goods. In addition, according to press reports, consumers seem to be edging from tangibles, such as jewelry, toward travel and other experience-related products. This means competition for their discretionary dollars will be keener than ever.

Retail sales in China continue to recover with most of the major retailers reporting double-digit gains over last year’s totals. Demand for gem-set jewelry declined slightly on the mainland, but grew sharply in Hong Kong and Macau.
AUCTIONS
The sale of a 24.78 ct Fancy Intense pink diamond made news around the world seven years ago for its astounding price: $46.2 million. The diamond, named the Graff Pink by its buyer, brought the highest price ever paid for a gemstone at auction.

A similarly striking diamond (both were graded by GIA) was the centerpiece of Sotheby’s Geneva Magnificent Jewels auction on Nov. 15. It is 12.5 carats larger than the Graff Pink, but carried a pre-sale estimate of $20 to $30 million.

While the final price could go higher, the pre-sale estimate price reflects a key factor in auction prices at those extreme levels: the pool of potential buyers in the market for such a stone is quite small. If one or two major buyers are out of the market for some reason, prices for these stones can fall well short of similar items in previous sales, even as demand and prices for less costly gems remain solid.

It is true that auction prices for major diamonds and colored gems are not setting records at the pace they had several years ago, but in general they have remained solid.

The other major diamonds on the block at the Sotheby’s Nov. 15 sale were a pair of Fancy Intense yellows called the Donnersmarck Diamonds, named for La Paiva the Countess Henckel von Donnersmarck. The countess began a relationship with Prussian industrialist Guido Henckel von Donnersmarck in the early 1850s and married him in 1871. The two GIA-graded diamonds are 102.54 ct and 82.48 ct which, when last sold in 2007, brought in $3.25 million and $4.66 million respectively – with the smaller stone unexpectedly realizing the higher price.

A pink diamond that Christie’s calls “the most expensive jewel ever offered” at its Hong Kong house is expected to bring as much as $40 million on Nov. 17. The 14.93 ct “Pink Promise” diamond is a GIA-graded Fancy Vivid pink oval cut diamond mounted into a ring.

The same sale will also feature an 8.8 ct Fancy Intense pink diamond expected to sell for $8 to $12 million and an 8.17 ct Burmese ruby ring that is estimated to sell at $5.8 to $8 million. @chapter:37 @chapter:3 @chapter:37


# Publication Year: 2018
# Title: Interview with a Kenyan Miner and Dealer
# Abstract: Figure 1. Left: These faceted tsavorites were extracted from Miriam Kamau’s mining operation in northern Kenya. Right: Kamau also brought Kenyan red spinel to Tucson. Photos by Kevin Schumacher.
Miriam Kamau, owner of Mimo Gems Traders Ltd. in Nairobi, transformed from an office assistant to a dealer and miner to a representative of her country on the international stage of the colored gemstone trade. Her career has not only changed her life but also inspired many women in Kenya to pursue their dreams in the gem and jewelry industry.

Born and raised in Nairobi, she entered the trade working for an American gem dealer in her hometown. In the beginning, she greeted the clients and took care of errands for her boss. She gradually realized the big fortune these small stones can carry as she passed the stones and money between the dealer and his clients. Kamau started to pay more attention to trading activities in the office and ask more questions. Luckily enough, her boss generously shared his knowledge of the gems he dealt and did not mind her interacting with his clientele and even doing business with them. When he was away and the rest of the office staff was gone for the day, Kamau visited the mining area to talk to the clients, generally women, who brought stones to the office. She learned a lot from these female miners. She also realized she needed to go back to school for a formal education on gemstones. This led her to enroll in courses in Nairobi and Johannesburg to systematically study diamond and colored gemstone identification.

After returning to Kenya, Kamau started her own gem business in Nairobi, buying from the miners and selling wholesale and retail. During this time, she got to know many important people in the industry, including the late Campbell Bridges. Finally, an opportunity came to represent a Kenyan woman dealer who exported stones to Thailand. Kamau, who wanted to travel overseas, did not let this opportunity go. This trip opened her eyes to the world outside of Africa. Her trade contacts then introduced her to the International Colored Gemstone Association, and she became the ICA ambassador to Kenya. In that role, she gained the trust of Kenyan local miners to represent their interests.

Miriam Kamau Looks Back
Miner and dealer Miriam Kamau discusses her entry into the gem trade and her current mining activities in Kenya.
As she seeks to bring added value to the local miners, her own business has expanded. She now has her own tsavorite mine in Kenya. She informed us that the mine’s operation tunnel is about 90 feet deep, and the first extractions have been quite exciting (figure 1, left).

Kamau admits that when she started her own business, she experienced prejudice in the Kenyan trade, which has traditionally been dominated by men. Only very recently did Kenya begin to grant mining licenses to women, which allowed her to own an operation. While it is often considered unsafe for women to work in remote mining areas in Africa, Kamau readily adapted to the bush life and built a thriving business. She now works with her brother and other male miners in the mining operation.

As more women in Kenya learn about Miriam Kamau, many of them ask her for career advice. Kamau is now a key member of a Kenyan association dedicated to empowering women in mining. Kamau helped organize the first gem and jewelry show devoted to Kenyan women in the trade. The second show will take place in July 2018. Kamau is very optimistic about Kenya’s future as a gem trading hub in Africa. She says the government is very supportive, and she sees a lot of positive changes happening in the mining sector. Kamau also brought with her some spinel (figure 1, right) and fancy sapphire from the same area where she mines tsavorite. @chapter:38 @chapter:3 @chapter:38


# Publication Year: 1986
# Title: Summer 1986 Gem News International
# Abstract: Colored Stones at Tucson 1986
            Cat’s-eye Kunzite: From South Dakota Deposit
            Covellite: Several Firms Selling
            Lepidolite: Cabochons up to 20 ct.
            Magnesite: Dyed Blue to Imitate Turquoise
            Pectolite: From Santo Domingo
            “Rainbow” Moonstone: Cabochons from India
            Spurrite: Numerous Specimens of Rough
            Taaffeite: Two Unusual Crystals
Other Colored Stones
            Twinned Star Spinel
            Wagon-Wheel Quartz
Announcements
            Sams Collection on Display in Houston
            GIA GemFest Scheduled
            New Categories, Winners, in Scheutz Design Contest
            Joint Committee Formed
            India Gems & Jewellery Fair
            INTERGEM ‘86
            Hong Kong Jewellery and Watch Fair

To view the full section, download the PDF above. @chapter:4 @chapter:0 @chapter:4


# Publication Year: 2018
# Title: Five CVD Synthetic Diamonds Greater Than Three Carats
# Abstract: This 3.52 ct sample was the largest of a selection of recently submitted CVD synthetics. Photo by Robison McMurtry.

The quality and carat weight of CVD synthetic gem diamonds has increased dramatically over the last ten years (S. Eaton-Magaña and J.E. Shigley, “Observations on CVD-grown synthetic diamonds: A review,” Fall 2016 G&G, pp. 222–245). Very recently a 6 ct round CVD synthetic was reported (“US lab creates 6ct. CVD synthetic,” Rapaport News, Feb. 1, 2018). However, we still only occasionally receive CVD synthetic diamonds for grading reports, and very rarely do these submissions weigh more than three carats. In fact, GIA graded its first CVD synthetic over three carats not long ago, in October 2015 (Winter 2015 Lab Notes, pp. 437–439), and as of January 2018 had only examined a total of eight. So it was quite interesting when, in late January 2018, we received five CVD synthetics simultaneously (four known to be from the same client) that were all above three carats. The quality factors for these five samples submitted for synthetic diamond grading reports are presented in table 1, and the largest of the five is shown above.

As table 1 shows, four of the five were in the near-colorless range and the smallest one was in the colorless range. Four had clarity grades equivalent to VS1 or VS2, while the largest was equivalent to SI2. All three round brilliants received Excellent cut grades. These results are consistent with a recent survey (Eaton-Magaña and Shigley, 2016), which found that a majority of D-to-Z CVD synthetics are in the near-colorless range (67%) and that a slight majority have clarity grades equivalent to VVS2–VS1.

In keeping with standard GIA procedure, we performed IR absorption and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy on all five samples. As expected for CVD synthetics, all were identified as type IIa, showed pronounced silicon-related peaks in their PL spectra, and displayed striations in DiamondView imaging that are characteristic for CVD synthetics. All except the 3.52 ct sample also showed nickel-related peaks at 883/884 nm in their PL spectra with 830 nm excitation. We expect that submissions of CVD synthetics in this weight range and beyond will become more common in the next few years. @chapter:36 @chapter:1 @chapter:36


# Publication Year: -
# Title: Oscar Jewels: Diamonds, Opaque Gems and Yellow Gold Shine
# Abstract: Best Actress winner Cate Blanchett stunned in white opal and diamond chandelier earrings by Chopard. Photo courtesy of JoeSeer/ Shutterstock.com

                      Like host Ellen DeGeneres, who donned a series of black and white tuxedos, many celebrities attending the 2014 Academy Awards opted for classic black, dark blue, or pale-hued gowns such as beige, off-white, or white. Bold colors and printed fabrics were almost absent from the red carpet, which gave the stars and their stylists the opportunity to select an abundance of statement necklaces and earrings that took center stage.

Black played a role in providing a setting for some truly outstanding gems. Charlize Theron took the conventional “little black dress” to the next level in a gown with almost invisible tulle straps. Her plunging neckline framed a stunning necklace from the Harry Winston Incredibles collection featuring a 31 carat D-color, IF-clarity center diamond. “August: Osage County” Best Supporting Actress Oscar nominee Julia Roberts chose diamond earrings, rings, and stackable bracelets by Bulgari to complement her black lace sleeveless peplum gown.

Olivia Wilde gave new meaning to maternity style in an elegant black and white gown. She added glamour to the simplicity of her attire with Lorraine Schwartz jewels: a pair of white jade and diamond drop earrings in platinum; black and white jade, diamond and platinum bangles; and a black and white diamond and platinum ring.

	Charlize Theron’s 31 carat diamond necklace from the Harry Winston Incredibles collection took center stage at the 2014 Oscars. Photo courtesy of JoeSeer/ Shutterstock.com
Platinum made an impression among this year’s attendees. Anne Hathaway wore platinum bracelets with 100 carat total weight of diamonds, a square-cut emerald and platinum ring, and diamond stud earrings by Neil Lane to complement her black silk crepe, crystal-embellished column dress. Best Actress nominee Sandra Bullock opted for a pair of platinum and pear-shaped diamond cluster climber earrings by Lorraine Schwartz.

Blue, in various tones and saturations, was one of the most represented hues on the red carpet, and jewelry reflected the trend. Amy Adams, Best Supporting Actress nominee for her performance in “American Hustle,” accessorized with statement pendant earrings of rhodochrosite, lapis, turquoise and diamonds in yellow gold, as well as a fire opal ring, all from Tiffany & Co.

Many attendees of the 2014 Oscars wore beige or soft-colored gowns, which were particularly conducive to showcasing opaque or diamond jewelry. “Blue Jasmine” star and Best Actress winner Cate Blanchett revived an era of classic Hollywood glamour with a form-fitting beige sequined gown. Her Chopard jewels included a large pair of 33-carat iridescent white opal and diamond chandelier earrings, a Toi et Moi diamond ring, and yellow diamond line bracelets.

Calista Flockhart stepped on the red carpet in an ivory cap-sleeved gown she adorned with round emerald and diamond cluster earrings by Jacob & Co. jewels. Naomi Watts accessorized her lace and sequined snowy white gown with a Bulgari spider-web necklace.

Not to be outdone by their female counterparts, men sported some notable accessories this year. Ice-skater and Olympic commentator Johnny Weir wore a pave-set diamond ring by Le Vian and a Demarco diamond brooch. Singer Pharrell, who performed the Oscar-nominated “Happy,” turned to Lorraine Schwartz for gold and yellow diamond studs; he also wore Be Happy gold bracelets, along with Ofira Jewels gold ball bracelets with multicolor diamonds. Brad Pitt’s yellow gold and diamond tuxedo buttons and cufflinks by Robert Procop coordinated with partner Angelina Jolie’s ensemble. Jolie, the 2014 Humanitarian Award recipient, donned a sleek metallic beaded gown accented by a pair of 42 carat total weight diamond and yellow gold bezel-set earrings by Robert Procop Exceptional Jewels.

Last but not least, yellow gold jewelry made a strong comeback. Kristin Chenoweth paired her gold corset outfit with yellow gold Neil Lane jewels, including pinwheel diamond earrings, a chain bracelet, and a diamond ring. Best Supporting Actress winner Lupita Nyong’o accessorized her ethereal light-blue pleated gown with Fred Leighton jewels: a dazzling gold and diamond headband, a 19th-century coiled yellow gold and diamond snake bracelet, yellow gold and rose-cut diamond crescent earrings, several diamond rings, and a 1960s turquoise and diamond gold ring.

View Gallery @chapter:20 @chapter:2 @chapter:20


# Publication Year: 2022
# Title: Gemological Characteristics of Low-Temperature “Gel-Filled” Turquoise
# Abstract: Figure 1. Untreated rough turquoise material produced in Zhushan County, Hubei Province, China, including one piece (indicated with the dotted line) that was selected to be cut into several square pieces. Photo by Andi Zhao.
In the past decade, low-temperature “gel-filled” turquoise (X. Yating and Y. Mingxing, “Filling material and characteristic of polymer-impregnated turquoise in Anhui Province,” Journal of Gems and Gemmology, Vol. 21, No. 1, 2019, pp. 20–30) has been sold in the Chinese market. This special gel filling treatment is quite different from previous resin-filling or impregnation treatments (L. Liu et al., “Technical evolution and identification of resin-filled turquoise,” Spring 2021 G&G, pp. 22–35). The rough turquoise materials are soaked in a polymer composite gel at –10° to –15°C (without pressure) for filling and enhancement of appearance. According to the information obtained from a turquoise factory in Shiyan city, Hubei Province, the process can be generally summarized as follows:

The rough turquoise material is selected, cut, washed, and dried at about 100°C.
The material is immersed in a polymer composite gel solution, then put in the refrigerator and soaked at –10° to –15°C for 7–10 days.
The turquoise material is removed from the refrigerator and heated from room temperature to 80° at 1°C/min, followed by soaking at 80°C for four hours.
The material is further heated by ramping the temperature from 80° to 120°C at 1°C/min, followed by soaking at 120°C for eight to ten hours.
The turquoise material is then cooled from 120°C to room temperature at 3°C/min.
After removal from the furnace, the gel residue is removed by polishing off the surface layer.

Figure 2. These images show the untreated turquoise, the gel-filled turquoise, and the gel solution in glassware under normal light (A–C) and under UV light (D–F). Photos by Andi Zhao.
The authors selected a piece of rough turquoise material (figure 1) produced in Zhushan County in Hubei Province, China, and cut it into several square pieces. According to the above treatment process, the turquoise was filled using the gel solution provided by the turquoise factory in Hubei. The material before treatment (N-1) was light whitish blue, with uneven color distribution, and black impurities were locally distributed. After treatment, the material’s color deepened to a more desirable blue-green and became more uniform (figure 2), still retaining the original black impurities. After polishing, the surface of the gel-filled turquoise had a waxy luster and the hydrostatic specific gravity changed from approximately 2.32 to 2.21 due to the lower SG of the gel (approximately 1.00). The turquoise before treatment showed medium-light bluish white fluorescence with an abundance of white spots. After treatment, it showed uniform medium bluish white fluorescence (figure 2) under long-wave UV fluorescence. The turquoise was inert to short-wave UV before and after treatment. The light yellow gel solution showed a strong bluish white fluorescence along the edge of the glassware under long-wave UV and was inert under short-wave UV.

Figure 3. FTIR spectra of the gel, untreated turquoise, and low-temperature gel-filled turquoise. The characteristic peaks for gel-filled turquoise are a series of peaks at 2966, 2928, 1727, 1637, 1456, 1405, 1378, 1324, and 1297 cm–1 that are caused by the gel.
Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectra of the gel and turquoise samples (before and after treatment) are shown in figure 3. Typical peaks for turquoise were observed, namely two absorption peaks at 3509 and 3463 cm–1 caused by the stretching vibration of hydroxyls (OH) (Q. Chen et al., “Turquoise from Zhushan County, Hubei Province, China,” Fall 2012 G&G, pp. 198–204). Due to strong hydrogen bonding associated with the hydroxyl groups, the absorption peaks are relatively sharp. The absorption peaks at 3288 and 3077 cm–1 caused by OH stretching of water molecules are relatively flat, while the peak associated with the bending vibration of water is near 1637 cm–1 and the intensity of the absorption peak is relatively weak. There are four absorption peaks produced by the PO4 stretching vibration between 1000 and 1200 cm–1, which appear near 1153, 1006, 1056, and 1010 cm–1. In addition, the gel-filled turquoise showed a weak absorption peak (2928 cm–1) caused by a CH2 stretching vibration and a strong stretching vibration peak (1727 cm–1) caused by C=O (Yating and Mingxing, 2019). A series of weak small absorption peaks also appeared at 1456, 1324, and 1297 cm–1. These spectral peaks are consistent with the FTIR spectra of the gel. The spectral peaks can also be used to distinguish between untreated and gel-filled turquoise. Gas chromotography–mass spectrometry identified the main components of the gel as methyl isocrotonate (C5H8O2, 46.05 wt.%), cyclooctatetraene (C8H8, 35.8 wt.%), and oxirane (C2H4O, 5.93 wt.%). @chapter:5 @chapter:0 @chapter:5


# Publication Year: -
# Title: Spinel Quality Factors
# Abstract: The vivid red color in these spinel specimens from Myanmar equals the finest red color in any gem. - © GIA & Tino Hammid

                      Spinel is generally highly sought after by gem connoisseurs, and well-formed spinel crystals are in high demand among collectors.

Spinel comes in a variety of colors, but the most commercially important are red and pink. Mauve- or lilac-colored spinels are also attractive, and some blue spinel colors can be intense.

	Red, pink, lilac, and blue are commercially important spinel colors.
Color
Some spinel colors are more rare and valuable than others. In general, red spinel is the most desirable, followed by fine cobalt-blue spinel, then by vibrant hot pink and vivid orange stones. Violet and bluish purple to purple, or lavender, stones tend to be less attractive, and less in demand than other, rarer colors.

	Spinel can be found in intense pink to red to purple colors.
Red spinel ranges from orangy red to purplish red, with pure red to slightly purplish red hues of medium to medium-dark tone considered the finest of all. A top-quality 5-ct. red spinel might sell for around a tenth the price of an equivalent-quality ruby, and pink spinel often sells for less than pink sapphire.

	Myanmar also produces fine pink spinel. - Courtesy Pala International
Spinel has been making a name for itself over the last couple of decades, and demand for fine stones well exceeds supply. In fact, spinel is in great demand among gemologists and gem connoisseurs. This has, to some degree, closed the spinel vs. ruby-and-sapphire price gap.

Blue spinel hues range from violet blue through very slightly greenish blue.

Most stones have low saturation, and the blue hues take on a distinctly grayish look. The best and most highly valued blue spinel colors parallel blue sapphire, with intense violet-blue to pure blue colors that are neither too dark nor too light.

Clarity
Spinel that has no inclusions visible to the eye is more valuable than spinel with inclusions that can be seen. The more visible any inclusions are, the more the value drops.

	Spinel without any eye-visible inclusions is highly valued.

	Well-placed inclusions can cause the star effect in spinel.
Spinel can have some very beautiful inclusions that reflect the gem’s usual octahedral crystal growth. Some appear in groups that resemble human fingerprints.

	This inclusion in a spinel has the appearance of a human fingerprint.
Cut
Spinel is cut in a variety of shapes and cutting styles. As with many colored stones, ovals and cushion shapes are very popular.

	The cutter often decides on the gem’s final shape based on the potential weight recovery from the rough. - © GIA & Tino Hammid, courtesy Gordon Bleck
Because of the scarcity of spinel on the market, most fine-quality rough is cut in non-standard sizes to save weight, instead of in standard industry sizes. The standard-cut, or calibrated, stones that are available tend to be mixed-cut ovals, usually in 6×4-mm and 7×5-mm sizes, suitable for center stones in rings. Commercial qualities are more commonly cut to standard sizes for jewelry.

	This intense pink spinel from Tanzania is a well-cut, very bright stone. - Courtesy Edward Boehm, JOEB Enterprises

	Matched sets of large, high-quality, well-cut spinels are very rare. These stones from Tajikistan will be used for a very high-end jewelry suite. - Courtesy Pamir Gems Co. Ltd
Carat Weight
Larger spinel sizes rise considerably in per-carat price. Availability drops and prices rise sharply for fine red, pink, and blue stones above five carats.

	This 123.14-ct. spinel was cut from a 532-ct. piece of rough that came from Tajikistan’s Pamir Mountains. - Courtesy Evan Caplan, Los Angeles @chapter:1 @chapter:0 @chapter:1


# Publication Year: -
# Title: 2018: A Banner Year for GIA Alumni to Stay Connected and Informed
# Abstract: GIA research scientist Dr. Ulrika D’Haenens-Johansson meets with leaders of the Korea chapter for a discussion on the latest information on synthetic diamond research. Photo courtesy of the Korea Chapter

A new year has begun with a promise to be better than ever for our graduates. GIA is committed to growing and serving our alumni community by continuing to share knowledge, develop and deliver education, and provide opportunity for our alumni throughout their careers.

The ability to benefit from your GIA alumni affiliation is easy, you must simply make the effort to participate. GIA provides countless opportunities to connect at tradeshows and GIA Career Fairs; stay informed via online and in-person delivery of education; or participate in the network of alumni chapters that serve the global GIA Alumni Association community. Each of these opportunities deliver the chance for you to grow your professional knowledge and network.

Your education should not end when you receive a diploma. Staying up-to-date, connected and informed is paramount for your success.

Robert Weldon, director of the Richard T. Liddicoat Gemological Library and Information Center, with a surprise guest – Mr. Ole, a visiting Masai tribal member in traditional clothing – at a San Diego chapter presentation on GIA’s beneficiation project to provide education to east African artisanal miners. Photo courtesy of Robert Gessner

Our alumni also have access to a variety of experiences and education events through GIA Alumni Chapters. Below is a list of the more than 25 chapter offerings just since November – delivered during and around the busiest season.

A Tucson Chapter Welcome was successfully organized by our newest chapter and was attended by local and visiting alumni and the GIA alumni team during February’s gem fairs. We congratulate the Tucson chapter on its first event.
A 32-Year Chapter Anniversary was celebrated by Golden Gate – California with a soiree in December. GIA extends our appreciation and thanks to this hands-on chapter and its committed volunteer leadership, loyal chapter members and each of the speakers who have delivered the extraordinary education presentations at chapter events through the years.
A Synthetic Diamond Update was delivered by Dr. Ulrika D’Haenens-Johansson, a research scientist at GIA, to members in Korea.
Educating Artisanal Miners, a GIA beneficiation initiative, was presented by Robert Weldon, director of GIA’s Richard T. Liddicoat Gemological Library and Information Center, to a full audience in San Diego. Attendees learned about GIA’s pilot program and Weldon’s visits to deliver education to miners in Tanzania. The event opened with a surprise visit from a Masai guest dressed in traditional clothing who shared a song and dance.
Mineral Complexity and Diversity was presented by Jeffrey Bergman, founder and director of Primagem, who shared his 40 years of experience in trading rare and unusual colored gems with the Houston chapter.
Selling Techniques for the Jewelry Industry was hosted by Monterrey – Mexico.
A Gem Study Group wrapped up the year for Twin Cities, Minnesota and concluded a year-long series of hands-on sessions for practicing gemology education.
A Night Among Gems, organized by Los Angeles, gave attendees the opportunity to view a special colored diamond exhibition at the Museum of Natural History in Los Angeles.
Colored Diamonds, the causes and origin understanding, was presented by Thomas Gelb to Manhattan.
Colored Gemstones was a topic for multiple chapters at the end of the year. These talks featured industry notable speakers, such as Roland Schluessel who spoke about ruby, sapphire and emerald at Golden Gate – California; David Baker, the American Gem Trade Association’s Membership and Education Manager (AGTA), who provided an AGTA update to Houston; and author and educator Dr. Joel Arem, who shared his insight “From Collector to Commercial” with Washington, D.C.
Diamond and Gemstone Pricing was covered by two chapters. Diamond price factors and buying tools was discussed by Prashant Bhojani, manager of RapNet in Hong Kong, while “Valuing Ruby, Emerald and Sapphire” was presented by Richard Drucker, president and CEO of Gemworld International and Dr. Cigdem Lule in Houston.
A Gemologist’s Journey through Madagascar was shared by chapter president, Michelle Rahm with Mile High, Colorado.
Social Gatherings and holiday parties brought Greater Cincinnati, Houston, Mumbai, South Florida, Toronto and Washington, D.C. alumni, students and industry friends together.
Brand Safety protection, advice and recommendations from Angel Ramos with the Mexican Institute of Industrial Property was well received by members in Monterrey, Mexico.
Auction Insights were shared by Justin Rogers, an academic and senior jewelry specialist in London.
Gemology Tours and Excursions brought Mexico City members to visit southern California in February. The trip included stops at GIA’s World Headquarters and campus in Carlsbad, a visit to the world-renown gem and mineral collection at the Museum of Natural History Los Angeles, and a day tour and digging at the Oceanview Mine in Pala, California.
My Brilliant Life in Jewels was the featured presentation by renown colored gemstone trader Cynthia Renee, in Manhattan.
Jewelry History topics featured notable speakers Debra Finleon, GIA GG, who discussed “The Fascinating Life and Fabulous Jewels of Marjorie Merriweather Post” in Manhattan and Dr. Wilfried Zeisler, chief curator of Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens in Washington, D.C., who explored the history of the House of Fabergé.

The Los Angeles chapter celebrated “A Night Among Gems,” a viewing of a special collection of colored diamonds on temporary display at the Museum of Natural History in Los Angeles. From left: Aaron Celestian, associate curator of mineralogy at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County; Kate Donovan, GIA manager of global alumni relations; and Los Angeles alumni chapter leadership: Charles Carmona, Maryanna Nagle, Evelyn Huang and Dave Bindra. Photo courtesy of the Los Angeles Chapter
Alumni News – Take Note

The 2018 Continuing Education Recognition Program is open for registration and the first module has been released. Developed by GIA to keep our graduates relevant and informed, the program offers eight interactive modules – released February through September – that cover mining, lapidary, jewelry manufacturing and more. Participants have 24/7 online access to the program and must complete all module activities before Dec. 31 to receive their 2018 acknowledgement of completion. For those who have not signed up, visit the Continuing Education page on our website.
Special Registration Extended to GIA Alumni – organizers of the fourth Mediterranean Gemmological and Jewellery Conference, which will take place May 18-20 in Budva, Montenegro, are extending a discounted registration for GIA alumni worldwide to attend.

Mexico City chapter members visited GIA’s World Headquarters on a Southern California excursion. Photo courtesy of the Mexico City Chapter
Upcoming GIA Education and Networking Opportunities in Europe
Mark your calendars for these upcoming European trade fairs and GIA activities, including the first-ever GIA Jewelry Career Fair in Europe. We hope to see you at these events.

GIA Education, Laboratory Services and Networking Opportunities:
Baselworld (March 22-27) – Visit GIA representatives at our booth in Hall 2.0 for the latest news, education and instrument offerings and be sure to inquire about your invitation to join the GIA Reception in Basel on March 24. In addition, the GIA Show Service Laboratory in Hall 3.0 will be accepting colored gemstones for laboratory services, such as gem identification and country of origin report services for select colored gemstones. (Diamonds and pearls will not be accepted for reports during the show.)
GIA Gemfest Europe and Carat + Show, in Antwerp (May 6-8) – Visit GIA representatives for the latest information on GIA education, instruments and services. Also, join us at GIA Gemfest Europe, featuring a presentation by Tom Moses, GIA’s executive vice president and chief research and laboratory officer, on May 7. Additional details will be released by GIA as the date nears or on the Carat + Show website.
GIA at GemGenève (May 10-13) – GIA will participate in the first-ever GemGenève International Geneva Gem & Jewellery Show, in Switzerland. Visit GIA representatives for the latest information on GIA education, instruments and services and make the most of the GIA Show Service Laboratory available to accept and provide laboratory gem identification and country of origin report services on colored gemstones. Additional details will be released by GIA as the date nears.
GIA Career Fair in London
	GIA will host its first-ever Jewelry Career Fair in London on April 23. The opening panel, “Job Success in Today’s Marketplace,” includes Michael Asscher, vice president of Royal Asscher; Nadja Swarovski, executive board member of Swarovski; and Michael Wainwright, managing director of Boodles. The day will also offer opportunities for career coaching and recruiting from top U.K. and global firms.

	GIA Jewelry Career Fair is the gem and jewelry industry’s largest recruiting event. Whether you’re looking for a rewarding career or seeking to hire a qualified gem and jewelry professional, GIA Jewelry Career Fair is where opportunity happens.
GIA Symposium in 2018
	Registration is open for the GIA International Gemological Symposium, to be held in Carlsbad, California Oct. 7-9. Join industry members from around the globe at the sixth-ever symposium in GIA’s history. Visit the event website for an outline of the symposium experience and to register.

The Manhattan chapter hosted renown colored gemstone trader Cynthia Renee for “My Brilliant Life in Jewels.” Above, Cynthia Renee, left, and Michaelene Mason. Photo courtesy of the Manhattan Chapter
I have a feeling 2018 will be a banner year and we are off to a remarkable start! As seen from the commitment of our chapters that deliver valuable education and network events, as well as GIA’s extensive activities around the world, alumni support is there. It’s simply up to you to stay connected and stay informed. @chapter:38 @chapter:3 @chapter:38


# Publication Year: 2023
# Title: Hollandite in Amethyst
# Abstract: Hollandite crystals inside a natural amethyst from Bahia, Brazil. Photomicrograph by Liviano Soprani; field of view 2.20 mm.
We are used to seeing groups of dark hollandite crystals that resemble sea urchins, but this time Mother Nature offered up a completely different and evocative vision. Crystals of hollandite, with the chemical formula Ba(Mn4+6Mn3+2)O16, were observed inside a 15.00 ct amethyst cabochon. The arrangement of the acicular crystals created a shape resembling ears of barley (see above), making this photomicrograph look more like a botanical image. It was taken in darkfield illumination and oblique fiber-optic illumination with the use of image stacking. To obtain a good focus, the author took multiple photos on different focal planes and then used specific software to reconstruct the image—in this case, 67 stacked images. @chapter:15 @chapter:0 @chapter:15


# Publication Year: 2022
# Title: Quarterly Crystal: Cinnabar in Fluorite
# Abstract: Figure 1. Several bright red to dark red well-formed trigonal crystals of cinnabar highlight the interior of the fluorite crystals in this fluorite and calcite cluster from Spain. Photo by Diego Sanchez.
This issue’s Quarterly Crystal deals with a 362.09 ct crystal cluster of fluorite and calcite recently examined by the authors. The 55.79 × 42.80 × 38.63 mm specimen was colorless and transparent to translucent and played host to several small bright red to dark red well-formed trigonal crystals, visible in figure 1. These crystals were all situated on the same growth plane in the fluorite portion.

Figure 2. A combination of optical microscopy and Raman analysis served to identify the trigonal inclusions as the mercury sulfide cinnabar. Photomicrograph by Nathan Renfro; field of view 2.35 mm.
The fluorite and calcite specimen was obtained from Jordi Fabre of Fabre Minerals in Barcelona. It is from the Emilio mine in the Caravia mining area in the Asturias region of northwestern Spain. The Emilio mine is known to produce fluorite crystals with inclusions of various sulfides, including cinnabar. Therefore, the pure red bodycolor of these inclusions, together with the trigonal symmetry shown in figure 2, strongly suggested they were cinnabar. Using Raman microspectrometry, we were able to identify the inclusions as cinnabar, thereby confirming our initial impression. @chapter:15 @chapter:0 @chapter:15


# Publication Year: 2024
# Title: Gems & Gemology Turns 90!
# Abstract: Welcome to the Spring 2024 issue of Gems & Gemology ! With this new volume year, we reach a special milestone at G&G: our 90th anniversary. In this first issue of our 90th year, we present research studies on colored stones and treatments, recap the Tucson gem shows, highlight an extraordinary garnet necklace, and offer our annual G&G Challenge quiz.
“…we reach a special milestone at G&G: our 90th anniversay”
Turquoise has been highly valued in China for thousands of years. Our lead article examines turquoise from the Tianhu East deposit in Xinjiang, China. Following a summary of the area’s geology and the results of studied samples, Ling Liu and coauthors identify atacamite as a unique geographic origin indicator differentiating Tianhu East turquoise from other Chinese turquoise. The authors also propose a hypothesis for the origin of the deposit.
Next, a team led by Zhaoying Huang investigates a translucent variety of jadeite jade from Guatemala known as “ice jade” that has become prominent in the Chinese market, second to jadeite jade from Myanmar. The authors detail the structural characteristics, mineral compositions, and color origin of the pale green material from the Morales mine in the Izabal Department of Guatemala.
In our final feature article, Tsung-Jen Wu’s research team analyzes colored gemstone coatings, using coated synthetic moissanite as a case study. Applying nanoscale analytical methods, the authors provide a basis for characterizing colored coatings on gemstones and identifying possible techniques used in the coating process.
Our regular features have much to offer as well. Lab Notes continues to deliver interesting reports from GIA’s global laboratories, including a natural blue diamond colored by fine milky cloud inclusions, a resubmission of a CVD-grown diamond after HPHT treatment, and a study of pearls from windowpane oysters. Micro-World provides a glimpse at the inner beauty of gemstones, highlighting an intriguing inclusion in a Kashmir sapphire, stunning pink and red epidote crystals in quartz, colorful parallel rays of light in rainbow lattice sunstone, and more. The latest installment of Diamond Reflections explores how superdeep diamonds make their way to the earth’s surface. Our Gem News International section begins with 30 pages covering the 2024 Tucson gem shows: trends, noteworthy designs, and interesting finds. The GNI regular features report on beryl with emerald rims from Newfoundland, phenomenal emeralds from Pakistan, Liberian ruby, and more. Also in this issue, we put a spectacular collaboration by Mary van der Aa and Todd Wacks In the Spotlight. The “Garanatus” necklace, featuring 28 garnets from all over the world, recently won two AGTA Spectrum Awards.
Finally, test your knowledge of our 2023 feature articles in the annual G&G Challenge, and find out which of those articles earned a Dr. Edward J. Gübelin Most Valuable Article Award.
Throughout our 90th anniversary year, we will renew the journal’s longstanding commitment to the gem trade with a variety of special content features. We hope you enjoy this first issue! @chapter:14 @chapter:0 @chapter:14


# Publication Year: 2024
# Title: Tourmaline Inclusion with Included Crystals in Kashmir Sapphire
# Abstract: This tourmaline inclusion in a 1.81 ct Kashmir sapphire contains a few unusual “daughter” crystals with rounded edges. Photomicrograph by Yusuke Katsurada; field of view 0.73 mm.
The authors recently examined a 1.81 ct blue cushion mixed cut identified as sapphire. Microscopic examination showed sharp-banded milky clouds, particle stringers, and a well-formed euhedral greenish crystal. The crystal displayed a triangular prismatic habit with sharp basal pinacoids. This is typical of tourmaline, and the inclusion’s identity was later confirmed by Raman spectroscopy.
Tourmaline inclusions in sapphire are diagnostic of a Kashmir origin (see R. Schwieger, “Diagnostic features and heat treatment of Kashmir sapphires,” Winter 1990 G&G, pp. 267–280). Trace element analysis with laser ablation–inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry supported the microscopic observations, revealing a chemistry consistent with classic Kashmir samples from GIA’s colored stone reference collection.
Interestingly, the tourmaline possessed uneven rounded inclusions of its own (see above). These crystals were presumably a different material, given their lighter tone and sharp boundaries, which contrasted with the tourmaline host. Unfortunately, they could not be identified with Raman spectroscopy, leaving us to speculate about their true nature. @chapter:26 @chapter:0 @chapter:26


# Publication Year: 2017
# Title: Aragonite Spheres in Ethiopian Opal
# Abstract: Figure 1. This Ethiopian opal contained an interesting inclusion scene consisting of a string of octahedral pyrite crystals and aragonite spheres. Photomicrograph by Charuwan Khowpong; field of view 1.40 mm.

Recently, the authors examined an 88.51 ct pear-shaped white precious opal that displayed typical digit patterns and hydrophane behavior (see Fall 2013 Lab Notes, pp. 175–176). These properties were consistent with opal from the Wollo mining area in Ethiopia (see B. Rondeau et al., “Play-of-color opal from Wegel Tena, Wollo Province, Ethiopia,” Summer 2010 G&G, pp. 90–105). The stone also showed weak whitish blue fluorescence in long-wave UV and was inert to short-wave UV. No phosphorescence was observed.

Figure 2. A single pyrite crystal is seen among spheres and clusters of translucent aragonite inclusions, both of which were identified by Raman spectroscopy. Oblique fiber-optic illumination. Photomicrograph by Charuwan Khowpong; field of view 1.05 mm.
In addition to its attractive digit pattern with spectral play-of-color, this opal hosted a number of unusual inclusions: opaque black octahedrons and translucent spheres. When viewed with a fiber-optic light, the opaque black octahedrons appeared a dark brassy metallic yellow (figure 1). Raman analysis identified them as pyrite, which has been previously reported in Ethiopian opal (N. Renfro and S.F. McClure, “Dyed purple hydrophane opal,” Winter 2011 G&G, pp. 260–270). Of particular interest is that the translucent spherical inclusions (figure 2), which formed as isolated spheres and clusters, were identified by Raman analysis as aragonite. The presence of aragonite spheres in opal is quite uncommon and has not been previously reported in precious opal from Ethiopia. @chapter:48 @chapter:0 @chapter:48


# Publication Year: -
# Title: Spinel Submitted as Diamond
# Abstract: Figure 1. This rough spinel, submitted as a diamond, displayed trigons oriented in the direction opposite that of the crystal face. Photo by Joshua Balduf, © GIA

                      Diamond simulants remain in wide circulation and are a common sight in the GIA laboratory. Even so, it is rare that we encounter a natural gemstone masquerading as a colored diamond. The New York laboratory recently received a 0.50 ct rough sample with a remarkably saturated Fancy Intense to Vivid pink color (figure 1) for a Colored Diamond Identification and Origin Report. The stone displayed octahedral crystal form with numerous trigons on its crystal faces. These triangular etch pits, caused by chemical dissolution, are common characteristics of both natural diamond and spinel but have also been observed in flux synthetic spinels (M.S. Krzemnicki, “Trade Alert: Flux grown synthetic red spinels again on the market,” SSEF Newsletter, October 14, 2008, p. 3). When found on octahedrons, trigons point in the direction opposite that of the crystal face (again, see figure 1). Figure 2 shows a distinctive conchoidal fracture amid the trigons, a feature alien to diamond. This feature, along with the sample’s striking color, indicated something other than diamond.

	Figure 2. In addition to trigons, the spinel displayed a conchoidal fracture (see arrow), a feature not found in diamond. Photomicrograph by Martha Martha Altobelli, © GIA. Magnified 40x.
The high-resolution UV-Vis spectrum displayed emission bands and absorption peaks not seen in natural diamond. Closer examination of the photoluminescence spectrum affirmed chromium peaks at 685, 687, 689, and 700 nm. Chromium causes the red/pink color in spinel but is not present in diamond. The narrow bandwidth of the 685 nm peak, along with the presence of the ~533 nm band in the UV-Vis spectrum, proved this was an untreated stone (S. Saeseaw et. al., “Distinguishing heated spinels from unheated natural spinels and from synthetic spinels: A short review of on-going research,”   www.giathai.net/pdf/Heated_spinel_Identification_at_May_25
_2009.pdf ). Other observations included a specific gravity of 3.45–3.48, consistent with spinel, as well as medium to strong red long-wave and short-wave UV. Though submitted for a diamond report, this stone was actually a natural pink spinel.

This finding serves as a reminder of the importance of both standard gemological techniques and advanced spectroscopy in identifying gem materials. @chapter:43 @chapter:1 @chapter:43


# Publication Year: 2017
# Title: Unusual Bodycolors ofPrecious Opal
# Abstract: Figure 1. Both of these precious opals show an unusual and attractive bodycolor. The opal on the left is a 6.71 ct transparent pink cushion brilliant. On the right is a 2.37 ct transparent orange round brilliant. Photo by Robison McMurtry.

Two faceted loose stones with unusual bodycolors (figure 1) were recently submitted to the Carlsbad laboratory for an identification report. The first, a 2.37 ct transparent round brilliant, showed a weak to moderate play-of-color with irregular color patches and brushstrokes. It exhibited an attractive orange bodycolor (similar to the hue of some padparadscha sapphires) and a light degree of haziness. Careful microscopic examination revealed turbid orangy clouds and waves of coarse particles. The larger specimen, a 6.71 ct transparent cushion brilliant, also displayed a weak to moderate play-of-color but more of a pink bodycolor. A similarly hazy appearance from clouds of orangy red particles and tiny black inclusions was also observed (figure 2).

Figure 2. The pink opal contained clouds of tiny orangy red particles. Photo by Nathan Renfro; field of view 2.88 mm.
Standard gemological properties were consistent with opal. The orange and pink stones both had a specific gravity of 2.03, with refractive indices of 1.442 and 1.445, respectively. Both were inert to long-wave and short-wave UV light. No indication of clarity enhancement, color treatment, or dye was observed in either. The two stones were therefore identified as natural opal with natural color.

A single drop of water placed on the surface of each stone was observed under direct transmitted light with the microscope in brightfield mode. The opals showed no indication of porosity and did not absorb the water, suggesting they were not hydrophane material (Fall 2013 Lab Notes, pp. 175–176). Crazing was not seen in either opal.

Advanced gemological testing with energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) showed properties consistent with natural opal (SiO2· nH2O), but also the presence of Fe, most likely from the clouds of particles.

While the exact cause of these pink and orange bodycolors is unknown, the minute inclusions might be influencing the perceived color.

Our gemological observations confirmed the natural origin. However, further study on additional samples would be required to better understand the cause of color in these unique opals. They were reported to be from Mexico, but the author could find no reference consistent with this material. @chapter:48 @chapter:0 @chapter:48


# Publication Year: -
# Title: Grad's Career, Jewelry Line Celebrate Modern Women
# Abstract: Noëlle Vieillard-Jordi on one of her annual trips to Vicenza, Italy to select Venetian glass cameos for Bahina Jewels’ designs. Courtesy Bahina Jewels

                      Noëlle Vieillard-Jordi watched her new boss, a respected antique gem and jewelry dealer, inspect the Burmese ruby a dealer brought to their Geneva offices.

She worked up her courage and asked if she, too, could have a look.

Vieillard-Jordi, a recent GIA graduate only a few months into her first job in the jewelry industry, got a knot in her stomach when she got a close look at the stone. Her extensive laboratory class training told her something was off.

The “Burmese ruby” looked to Vieillard-Jordi like a synthetic stone, and her boss agreed. They asked the dealer to have the stone identified in a local gem lab, which confirmed two days later that the ruby was a synthetic.

“I was so proud,” says Vieillard-Jordi, the managing partner of Bahina Jewels. “Not only because we had seen stones like it during our GIA lab classes and I recognized it, but also because I had the courage to tell my boss.”

Vieillard-Jordi, born and raised in Berne, Switzerland, is the daughter of an architect and art history aficionado, and was raised to appreciate beauty and design. She speaks several languages (German, Swiss German, English, French and Spanish) and first pursued studies at the Hotel Management School in Lausanne, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in international hospitality management.

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Once she completed her studies, she accepted a position as operations manager of Christie’s Geneva, where she organized all Swiss auctions and daily operations, as well as managed human resources for the firm’s Geneva and Zurich offices. She left Christie’s for a year-and-a-half-long stint as product manager for L’Oreal’s luxury brand, Kerastase, but found herself missing the incredible gems and jewelry she used to see in the auction rooms.

Two friends – an expert at Christie’s and a director from a renowned jewelry company – strongly recommended she look into GIA, saying it would be nearly impossible for her to break into the gem and jewelry industry otherwise.

“When I decide to do something or to undertake something, I choose the best, whether it’s a school or employer,” Vieillard-Jordi says. “Even if it means that I have to study in a language I do not speak fluently, or live far away from my husband and family.”

So Vieillard-Jordi enrolled in GIA and moved to New York City, where she lived and immersed herself in all things gemological. She loved the city, her studies at GIA and having near-instant access to the diamond district and auction houses.

“I was one of the oldest students, and one of the most serious,” she says. “I was absolutely sure that the gem industry was my future and wanted to absorb all the knowledge the teachers were willing to share with us.”

	Vieillard-Jordi and her sister, Annick Jordi, design jewelry that celebrates the independence of modern women. Courtesy Bahina Jewels
She finished her studies in 2004, earning her Graduate Gemologist and Accredited Jewelry Professional diplomas. Vieillard-Jordi found a job – with the antique dealer in Geneva – almost immediately. Working in the small office meant she was able to learn nearly every aspect of the industry, from international trade show organization and the Swiss import/export process, to inventory and jewelry evaluation.

Vieillard-Jordi’s sister, Annick Jordi, studied design in Paris and earned her bachelor’s degree in marketing from the Fashion Institute of Technology (F.I.T.) in New York, as well as her master’s degree in political science from the University of Geneva. The two realized how complementary their skill sets were, and started to dream up a line of jewelry that would celebrate the independence of the modern woman – the one who finds joy, beauty and fun in everyday life, and who is buying her own jewelry that’s not just reserved for “special occasions.”

	Sisters and Bahina Jewels owners Noëlle Vieillard-Jordi, left, and Annick Jordi, right, with a few of their designs. “Bahina” is a Hindi term meaning “two sisters.” Photo by Guy Perrenoud, courtesy Bahina Jewels
The sisters’ dream became a reality in 2007, when they established Bahina Jewels. “Bahina,” a Hindi term for “two sisters,” captures the spirit of their venture, Vieillard-Jordi says.

Vieillard-Jordi manages stone purchases, importing and exporting, and inventory, while Jordi handles design and marketing. They work closely together, traveling to trade shows around the world, and making trips to Italy for Venetian glass cameos and to India to inspect and buy loose stones for their designs, which are set in 18K gold. Bahina’s designs are available through private viewings in Switzerland, as well as high-end boutiques in Berne and Zurich, international trade shows like JCK and the Hong Kong Jewellery and Gem Fair, and through the company’s website.
Vieilliard-Jordi, who lives in Geneva with her husband of 14 years, Stephane, and their 8- and 6-year-old children, says her GIA education was “a door-opener” and gave her the right skills to build her ideal career.

“At GIA, I learned skills like identifying high-quality stones and good cutting,” she says. “But even the small details – like knowing how to correctly use a loupe – changes the way dealers look at you.”

	Vieillard-Jordi manages stone purchases and inventory for Bahina Jewels.
	Courtesy Bahina Jewels @chapter:45 @chapter:2 @chapter:45


# Publication Year: 1996
# Title: Fall 1996 Gem News International
# Abstract: Diamonds
            Chatham Synthetic "White" Diamonds at JCK Show
            Diamond Novelty-Cut as a Seated Buddha
Colored Stones
            Nonphenomenal Vanadium-Bearing Chrysoberyl
            Large Faceted Chrome Diopsides
            "Rose" Colored Plagioclase-Corundum Rock from Sri Lanka
            Quartz-Magnesite Rock, so-Called "Lemon Chrysoprase," from Australia
            Update on Madagascar Sapphires
            Spessartine from Pakistan
            Activity Continues at the Capão do Lana "Imperial" Topaz Mine
            Gem Materials from Vietnam
Treatments
            Coated Quartz in "Natural" Colors
Synthetics and Simulants
            Flexible "Crystal" Fabric
            Fiber-Optic Glass Imitation of Tiger's-Eye
Miscellaneous
            Versatile Jewelry

To view the full section, download the PDF above. @chapter:17 @chapter:0 @chapter:17


# Publication Year: 1985
# Title: Fall 1985 Gem News International
# Abstract: Diamonds
            Australia: Exploratory Drilling in Northern Territory
            Botswana: Production Increased from 1983 to 1984
            Ghana: Government Expands Diamond-Mining Concessions
            Namibia: Two Companies Doing Underwater Diamond Mining
            Sierra Leone: Three Large Diamonds (100 ct each) Found
            U.S.: Exploration Continues Among Kimberlite Deposits in Michigan
Colored Stones
            Amethyst: Clean Faceting Grade Coming from New Find in Brazil
            Aquamarine: Steady Supply Imported into Idar-Oberstein from Nigeria
            I.C.A. Congress: First Meeting Held in Idar-Oberstein May 20-22
            Pearls: 1984 Japan Harvest Was a Disappointment
            Phantom Quartzes: Spectacular Crystals Produced in Minas Gerais Region
            Sapphire: Unique “Star of David” Uncut Yogo Specimen
Announcements
            Fabergé Imperial Egg Auctioned by Sotheby’s New York on June 11
            1986 Tucson Gem & Mineral Show Dates Confirmed as February 13-16
            Munich’s INHORGENTA 86 Will Take Place February 7-11

To view the full section, download the PDF above. @chapter:34 @chapter:1 @chapter:34


# Publication Year: -
# Title: Vanadium and Chromium-Bearing “Color-Change” Pyrope Garnet
# Abstract: An interesting type of pink pyrope garnet, probably mined in Morogoro, Tanzania, is shown under incandescent light A (left) and daylight-equivalent light D65 (right). A noticeable difference in color can be seen. Left to right: a 2.51 ct modified round brilliant faceted by Todd Wacks, a 7.61 ct modified round brilliant faceted by Meg Berry, a 13.09 ct modified round brilliant faceted by Todd Wacks, and 31.90 ct and 6.00 ct rough. The 2.51 ct and 13.09 ct faceted stones were included as part of this study. Photos by Robert Weldon/GIA.

	This peer-reviewed feature article—by three of GIA’s young research scientists, Ziyin “Nick” Sun, Aaron Palke, and Nathan Renfro—profiles interesting and attractive Tanzanian color-change garnet that recently reentered the colored gem market at the 2015 Tucson gem shows. The paper is provided here as a PDF download and will be a part of Gems & Gemology’s print and online Winter 2015 issue.

	Gem dealers and cutters Todd Wacks, Jason Doubrava, Jeff Hapeman, and Meg Berry provided the samples for the study. According to Wacks, these garnets were mined in Morogoro, Tanzania, around 1988 and were kept a safe deposit box for nearly 30 years. The group was able to obtain the rough three to four months prior to the 2015 Tucson gem shows. After cutting stones from the material, they found the gems showed a striking purple-to-pink color change. Realizing they were unlike any other garnet he’d seen, Wacks resolved to build a market for them. Under fluorescent-equivalent lighting, the larger gems look like fine purple amethyst, while under incandescent they resemble hot pink tourmaline.

	This material came to the authors’ attention when Wacks submitted a stone to GIA’s Carlsbad laboratory for analysis. A follow-up with the rest of the group yielded a representative suite of samples for more detailed examination. This study of 32 rough and polished samples up to 31.90 ct provides a comprehensive review of this attractive material’s inclusions along with a quantitative analysis of its color under different lighting conditions. Standard testing showed properties consistent with pyrope garnet, along with the noticeable color difference between incandescent and daylight-equivalent light. A key finding is that larger stones—including two faceted gems of 13.88 and 13.90 ct—appeared to show the most striking “color change.”

	Rough stones were fabricated into wafers to orient the inclusions for the best possible photomicrography. The gems were found to contain a wide array of mineral crystals including quartz, apatite, sulfides, and rutile. Raman spectra were collected to conclusively identify these mineral inclusions. Growth tubes, fingerprint-like inclusions, and negative crystals were also observed.

	The researchers performed laser ablation–inductively coupled plasma–mass spectroscopy (LA-ICP-MS) on 11 samples to determine their chemical composition. LA-ICP-MS analysis confirmed the garnets were predominantly pyrope (68.92–72.90 mol.%), grossular (4.88–5.61 mol.%), spessartine (9.55–15.08 mol.%), and almandine (5.66–10.14 mol.%), with minor amounts of other garnet species. Compared to more common gem-quality pyrope, this material had higher vanadium and chromium concentration.

	Three samples were cut into wafers of various thicknesses for UV-Vis-NIR spectroscopy. This was done to investigate the perception that larger stones, where the light travels a longer through the material, produced the most striking color change. Spectra for the larger gems were extrapolated by multiplying the spectra collected from wafers of known thickness. This allowed the authors to calculate the optimal size for a round brilliant cut from this material to produce the maximum separation between the colors shown under different lighting conditions for the strongest “color-change” effect. The researchers’ colorimetric analysis is informed by the work of physicist and longtime G&G contributor Dr. John Emmett.

	“This was an exciting project for us to work on, not only because we got to study such wonderful gem material, but also because we got the chance to hone our skills and adapt our advanced testing methodologies for an in-depth study of color perception,” said Mr. Sun. “For one thing, we had to develop a technique to accurately correct UV-Vis spectra for reflection light loss so we could extrapolate the color of a thin garnet wafer to a faceted stone of a specific size and shape. Understanding the color behavior of this material required us to be able to measure the chemistry accurately. This is where we had to develop our own method to determine the concentrations of chromophores in a complex solid solution like garnet using LA-ICP-MS.” @chapter:5 @chapter:0 @chapter:5