# Publication Year: 2014
# Title: Long-Term Durability of CVD Synthetic Film on Diamond
# Abstract: Figure 1. This 0.27 ct diamond with a boron-doped CVD synthetic diamond film on the pavilion received a color grade of Fancy Dark brownish yellowish gray. The distinct color zoning seen in this photo makes it apparent that the diamond has been treated in some way and is not a natural stone. Photo by Robison McMurtry.

In 2005, a thin film (10 µm) of synthetic diamond grown by chemical vapor deposition was deposited on the pavilion of a 0.27 ct natural diamond. The CVD layer was deliberately doped with boron to create a bluish color. No subsequent polishing was performed. Rather than blue, the resulting color was a less desirable gray. This natural diamond with CVD overgrowth was then reset in a ring and worn daily by the author for the next eight years. Recently, this hybrid diamond was removed from its setting for gemological and spectroscopic characterization and to assess the current state of the CVD film.

Well-controlled durability studies have examined non-diamond coatings on diamond (e.g., A.H. Shen et al., “Serenity coated colored diamonds: Detection and durability,” Spring 2007 G&G, pp. 16–34) and nanocrystalline diamond coatings on non-diamond materials (J.E. Shigley et al., “Characterization of colorless coated cubic zirconia [Diamantine],” Spring 2012 G&G, pp. 18–30). To our knowledge, however, none have been performed on CVD diamond films grown on natural diamond. The assessment of this one sample, given the exposure a ring is usually subjected to, can indicate the long-term stability of such coatings on diamond. The expectation was that such films would remain stable, as there is no lattice mismatch in the crystal structure between the CVD synthetic film and the natural diamond. Lattice mismatch and the resulting low cohesion at the diamond/non-diamond interface typically result in moderate to very poor durability.

It was difficult to find evidence of the CVD layer using spectroscopic techniques. FTIR absorption (which generally provides data from the bulk of the diamond) revealed no CVD-specific features, only that the underlying diamond was type Ia. Using PL spectroscopy, which collects data from a limited area, it was difficult to find spectroscopic evidence of the CVD film, even when the PL data were collected in confocal mode. No CVD-related 3123 cm–1 peak was detected in IR absorption, and the silicon peak at 737 nm was not observed in PL. The best evidence of the CVD layer’s continued existence on the diamond was from its unusual appearance in visual observation (figure 1) and microscopic analysis (figure 2). The pavilion also showed electrical conductivity, which provides another indication of the boron doping.

Figure 2. This differential interference contrast image shows the irregular texture of the CVD overgrowth film on the pavilion facets of the 0.27 ct natural diamond. Each facet is a different color, and the boundaries between colors are facet junctions. Image by Nathan Renfro; field of view 246 microns.
By examining the pavilion of the diamond at high magnification, we could assess the condition of the CVD layer after eight years of daily wear. The film was still largely intact, covering the entire pavilion and containing only a few sporadic pinholes. There was no noticeable degradation at the facet junctions. The obvious color zoning in figure 1 that appears to divide the diamond into quadrants is likely due to differences in deposition and boron incorporation rates on the various facets. Recently, the diamond was annealed twice, at 600°C and 700°C for one hour each in a reducing atmosphere, in an effort to make it appear bluer. This treatment changed the color from Fancy Dark brownish yellowish gray to Fancy Dark gray.

As treatments become more sophisticated and move from the laboratory into the trade, the need for accurate detection only intensifies. Nevertheless, such semipermanent films are identifiable and reiterate the need to use both spectroscopic and traditional methods for gemological characterization. @chapter:36 @chapter:1 @chapter:36


# Publication Year: 1999
# Title: Spring 1999 G&G Lab Notes
# Abstract: Alexandrite with a Fish-Eye Effect
Diamond with a Stellate Cloud
Invisible Filler in Emerald
Glass Imitation of Peridot
Jadeite with Unusual Evidence of Enhancement
Black Cultured Pearls with Surface Enhancement
Imitation Tahitian Pearls
Cat’s-Eye Taaffeite

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


# Publication Year: -
# Title: Incredible Insects
# Abstract: View Gallery

Some have wings. Some have six legs. Some can fly. They’re insects, and they come in a stunning variety. At last count, scientists have identified more than 925,000 species of insect. They elicit a wide range of emotions in people – from repulsion to fascination – and in the hands of imaginative jewelry designers, they become majestic monarchs decorated in diamonds, rubies, pearls, and other spectacular gemstones.

Just as a caterpillar turns into a butterfly, master jewelers take raw elements and transform them into wearable works of art. Put aside whatever preconceptions you may have about insects, and prepare to step into another world – one that you have passed by countless times but may not have ever noticed.

	Bizarre Beetle
This antique (circa 1865) Egyptian scarab pendant watch is crowned with a pharaoh’s head of carved carnelian and a headdress of green and blue enameled gold. Dangling from the head is an enameled scarab with ruby eyes and diamonds set in the wings. The underside of the scarab is also realistically engraved – the finishing touches of an exceptionally complex piece.

	Photo courtesy Mona Nesseth and Michelle Laurenti

	A Pearly Caterpillar
Making a caterpillar out of pearls is a leap of creative genius. The body of this bug brooch is two large freshwater pearls that are naturally fused together (50 x 40 mm, weighing 40.4 grams) and a Keshi pearl; the head is a medium-dark gray Keshi pearl. Nine bezel-set cabochon rubies stud the body of the caterpillar. The leaf on the lower right is another freshwater cultured pearl; the leaf above it has 27 round-cut dark-green sapphires. This caterpillar is so beautiful that it doesn’t need to turn into a butterfly.

	Photo © GIA and Tino Hammid, Gift of Avi Raz, A&Z Pearls, Inc.

	Celeb Spider
Hollywood designer Tony Duquette shows how far the imagination can reinvent a common bug with his “Phoenix Spider.” With her pearled head, hanging sack, undulating golden limbs, and enamel-flecked legs, this combination brooch and pendant is a fanciful creation by the famed set designer. A goddess ready to feast or to give birth to a new brood, although not an insect, she is the queen of her realm.

	Photo courtesy The Anthony & Elizabeth Duquette Foundation for the Living Arts

	A Streamlined Moth
An Art Deco moth? Sounds strange, but that’s what you’re seeing. The layered metal gives the brooch an architectural feel of the era. The angular lines of the wings make it look as if it were in flight. The dazzling opal appears a bit surreal. So much for thinking that moths are the ugly stepsisters of the insect kingdom!

	Photo courtesy Wallace Goldsmithing

	A Praying Mantis, Immortalized in Gold
How many unusual elements are in this Praying Mantis? This objet d’art is a solid silver cast of a real Praying Mantis (a dead one was used to make the mold). This makes it an exact replica of the original. The bottom wings were made using the ancient and difficult Japanese mokume gane technique – “welding thin layers of different metals…without solder and flux.” A wood grain look is the tell-tale sign of mokume gane. The upper wings were the artist’s inspiration. Now the finished piece probably decorates someone’s desk – or is out hunting for metallic prey.

	Gift of Robert F. Officer @chapter:25 @chapter:2 @chapter:25


# Publication Year: 2016
# Title: Synthetic Quartz: A Designer Inclusion Specimen
# Abstract: Figure 1. A 50 × 27 × 13 mm synthetic quartz crystal in which almandine and pyrope garnets introduced during the growth process created a suite of inclusions in the lower right of the specimen within the same plane as an elongated liquid and gas two-phase inclusion. The six vertical prism faces and angled rhombohedral faces help orient the crystal and mirror those of natural quartz, but their unnatural surface features immediately give away the synthetic origin. In the foreground are approximately 2.5 mm water-worn pyrope crystals (left) and 1.5–2.0 mm dodecahedral almandine crystals (right) similar to those used as inclusions; the almandines were extracted from the schist matrix specimen shown in the background. Photo by Elise A. Skalwold.

	As interest in gem and mineral inclusions grows, the value of inclusion specimens has increased as well. This has led to the relatively recent trend of simulated inclusion specimens being offered in the marketplace (see E.A. Skalwold, “Evolution of the inclusion illusion,” InColor, Summer 2016, pp. 22–23). To the best of this author’s knowledge, the synthesis of a quartz host with inclusions—or for that matter, any type of synthetic crystal—for the express purpose of creating a collectable inclusion specimen has not yet been reported and therefore presents a very interesting project to pursue.

	Natural quartz plays host to a wide variety of inclusions, including several types of colorful garnets that often lend an aesthetic contrast to this already fascinating mineral. The author retained the services of a synthetic quartz manufacturer who refined and implemented her plan for growing four small specimens: one with pyrope garnets, one with almandine garnets, one with both types, and one without added garnets as control. The chosen garnets are brightly colored despite their tiny size and so fit with the desire to keep the finished quartz crystals small, given the long and expensive growth period required for the hydrothermal process.

	Using a five-meter-tall industrial high-pressure autoclave, several runs were completed over a four-month period. Prior to the second run, the garnets were introduced into holes bored into the quartz. A few of the garnets were thus successfully captured and incorporated within the host as the second run continued. The nutrient solution for the quartz growth consisted of approximately 10 wt.% of Na2CO3 in pure water, with many trace elements originating from the milky vein Arkansas quartz used as the silica source. To produce the desired crystal morphology, a seed with “c-a” cut was used to initiate growth vertically along the c-axis and elongation along the a-axis. Rather than being hung by wires in the autoclave, the growing crystals sit on a shelf, and hence there is no wire in the finished specimen. The growth temperature was approximately 350°C in a pressurized environment of 700-plus bars.

	When the autoclave was opened at the end of four months, four crystals of approximately the same size emerged intact, one of which is described here as representative of the entire set (figure 1). Along with “breadcrumb” inclusions familiar to gemologists, the suite of captured garnets was surrounded by unidentified white masses and radiating cracks. Quartz’s structure can be thought of as an open yet distorted framework of silicon and oxygen atoms. Because these bonds have angles that change rapidly with temperature, the volume of quartz changes rapidly with change in temperature—much more rapidly than the rather closely packed atoms in garnet. So it is not surprising that as the specimens cooled, the quartz shrank faster than the garnets, causing the quartz to fracture (figure 2). Having formed previous to the growth of the quartz that later captured them, these garnets would be considered “protogenetic” inclusions. Some liquid and gas originating from the autoclave’s environment was also captured as a two-phase inclusion running perpendicular to the c-axis of the quartz. The glassy prism faces of the crystals display characteristic diagonal striations, unlike the prism faces of natural quartz, which have horizontal striations (i.e., perpendicular to the c-axis). Originally, one of the four crystals was intended to be cut into a cabochon to illustrate a classic “rough and cut” suite, but it would have been a shame to sacrifice even one of these pristine and arguably unique synthetic quartz inclusion specimen simulants. Therefore, they will remain as they are in the author’s collection—as her own “designer inclusion specimens.”

	Figure 2. Amid a storm of breadcrumb inclusions, two orangy red almandines and two larger red pyropes caused tension cracks to form in the quartz upon cooling. Portions of a two-phase liquid and gas inclusion running nearly the length of the crystal are indicated by the large bubbles seen at the left and right edges of the image. The guest quartz crystal (part of a multiphase inclusion at right), along with the white masses accompanying the garnets, are remnants from the nutrient environment in which the quartz crystal grew. Transmitted and oblique fiber-optic light. Photo by Elise A. Skalwold; field of view 13 mm. @chapter:26 @chapter:0 @chapter:26


# Publication Year: 2014
# Title: Yellow Sapphire Filled with Lead Glass
# Abstract: Figure 1. This 4.27 ct sapphire was filled with orangy yellow lead glass throughout the stone. Photo by Gagan Choudhary; courtesy of Dheeraj Gupta.

              This contributor has previously reported glass-filled, color-changing red and blue corundum (Spring 2008 GNI, pp. 88–89). After recent reports of green sapphire filled with lead glass (Fall 2013 Lab Notes, p. 176) and sapphires with cobalt-colored lead glass (e.g., T. Leelawatanasuk et al., “Cobalt-doped glass-filled sapphire; an update,” Australian Gemmologist, Vol. 25, No. 1, 2013, pp. 14–20), an orangy yellow sapphire filled with lead glass was presented to us by Dheeraj Gupta (Gem & Jewellery Sales Promotion Council, New Delhi).

The 4.27 ct sapphire (figure 1) was hazy throughout, with a roiled effect reminiscent of hessonite, but standard gemological properties and microscopic analysis identified the specimen as natural corundum. It gave an RI of 1.762–1.770; a hydrostatic SG of 4.03; an absorption band at around 450 nm, along with fine lines in the red end under the desk-model spectroscope; and reddish orange fluorescence in long- and short-wave UV. The sapphire showed stronger fluorescence under long-wave UV. Microscopic examination revealed numerous low-relief cracks throughout the stone with a distinct flash effect. Also visible were trapped, flattened gas bubbles, as seen in figure 2, and whitish cloudy patches; these are typically associated with filled stones. Also present were milky zones consisting of fine discs (usually rutile) and negative crystals associated with liquid films. Under diffused lighting, the glass-filled fractures appeared orangy yellow against the pale yellow bodycolor of the stone (again, see figure 2). As a result, the face-up color also appeared orangy yellow. The color of the filler glass was similar to that observed in glass-filled rubies. The lead content of the glass was further confirmed by EDXRF analysis, while the presence of iron (the cause of the sapphire’s yellow color) was confirmed by an Fe-related 450 nm band in the UV-visible spectrum.

	Figure 2. The color of glass-filled fractures appeared orangy yellow against the sapphire’s pale yellow bodycolor; thus, the face-up color also appeared orangy yellow. Note the spherical bubbles trapped within the fractures. Also present were flattened bubbles and a typical flash effect (not shown here). Photomicrograph by Gagan Choudhary, magnified 32×.
Since this was first example of lead-glass-filled yellow sapphire examined by this contributor, its market penetration is still unknown. With its transparency and color, this material qualifies as an inexpensive substitute for yellow sapphire, provided there is complete disclosure. @chapter:19 @chapter:0 @chapter:19


# Publication Year: 2015
# Title: Assembled and Bead-Cultured Pearls
# Abstract: Figure 1. The 10.27 ct baroque cultured pearl exhibited a suspicious translucent ring at one end. Photo by Nuttapol Kitdee.

              A cream and white baroque pearl weighing 10.27 ct (figure 1) was recently submitted with seven other pearls to the Bangkok laboratory for a GIA Quality Assurance Report, which provides rapid identification for sorting purposes. The pearl appeared to have been assembled, as it possessed an odd translucent ring at one end, indicating where separate components had been joined together.

Prior to examination with real-time microradiography, it seemed likely that a shell bead nucleus was hidden from view, as the banded structure of a shell was observed in the translucent area when viewed with transmitted light from a fiber-optic light source. The transparent bonding agent used to join the two parts also contained black impurities (figure 2, left). Obvious gas bubbles were visible with a loupe or gemological microscope. Out of scientific interest, the pearl was also examined with X-ray fluorescence and DiamondView imaging. X-ray fluorescence showed a strong reaction in the damaged and repaired area, as would be expected because of its thinner nacre coverage. DiamondView imaging revealed the banding within the bead, the dark inclusions in the bonding agent, and the bonding agent itself (figure 2, right).

Figure 2. Left: Weak banding was faintly visible beneath the repaired and assembled area when viewed with a strong light source. Field of view 8 mm. Right: The banding was more noticeable in the DiamondView. Photo and DiamondView image by Areeya Manustrong.
Real-time microradiography revealed the bead nucleus as well as an extremely thin nacreous cap that had been used to cover the damaged bead. While X-ray computed microtomography (μ-CT) would not normally be needed to identify such an obviously bead-nucleated pearl, it was used to display the results with even greater clarity (figure 3). This analytical technique clearly showed the broken bead and an area where a new piece of nacre had been applied to repair the pearl. This would explain the mismatching translucent ring.

Figure 3. The broken bead and the nacreous cap applied to conceal the damage are clearly visible in this X-ray computed microtomography (μ-CT) slice.
This study demonstrated how the internal secrets of pearls can be revealed by a variety of techniques. @chapter:11 @chapter:4 @chapter:11


# Publication Year: 2009
# Title: Celebrating 75 Years of Gems & Gemology
# Abstract: Gems & Gemology, the professional quarterly of GIA, debuted in 1934. Appearing in the 306th issue, this article looks back at the first 75 years. By reviewing the journal’s milestones, it also traces the history of modern gemology, as the articles, notes, and news updates in G&G represent a virtual encyclopedia of the developments that have influenced the science into the 21st century. @chapter:21 @chapter:0 @chapter:21


# Publication Year: 2013
# Title: Bright Yellow Diamonds from Sierra Leone
# Abstract: Figure 1. These two bright yellow diamonds (1.03 and 1.02 ct) are from alluvial deposits in the Zimmi mining area in southern Sierra Leone. In the rectangular stone, several black graphitized feather inclusions are visible. Photo by Robert Weldon.

              Diamonds referred to in the trade as “Canary yellow” are highly valued for their saturated yellow color, caused by isolated nitrogen impurities. When faceted, they can exhibit colors ranging from Fancy Intense to Fancy Vivid yellow in GIA’s colored diamond grading system. It is unusual to see a group of these rare colored diamonds from a known mining locality (figure 1).

Recently, GIA’s Carlsbad laboratory had the opportunity to examine eight faceted and five rough diamonds reportedly found in alluvial deposits in the Zimmi mining area in the Pujehun district of southern Sierra Leone. They were loaned to us for study by Israel Eliezri (Coldiam Ltd., Ramat Gan, Israel). According to Mr. Eliezri, bright yellow rough diamonds are recovered on a recurring basis from the Zimmi region.

The diamonds we examined showed highly saturated yellow colors and weighed between ~0.10 ct and just over 1.00 ct. Rough diamonds recovered from this locality are reported to occur in sizes up to about 4 ct. Under magnification, they often contain what appear to be crystalline sulfide mineral inclusions, with graphitized feathers extending outward (figure 2). Infrared spectroscopy analysis indicated that the samples ranged from pure type Ib to variable proportions of type Ib and IaA. Total nitrogen impurity concentrations varied from 8 ppm (all as type Ib) to ~340 ppm (~35 ppm type Ib, ~305 ppm type IaA). Hydrogen impurities were also detected in the samples with high total nitrogen content. Visible spectroscopy showed only gradually increasing absorption toward the violet end of the spectrum due to the isolated nitrogen.

	Figure 2. This diamond contains what is believed to be a metallic sulfide mineral inclusion, surrounded by a black, graphitized feather. Photomicrograph by Nathan Renfro; horizontal field of view is 1.08 mm.
Many yellow natural diamonds with isolated nitrogen occur as irregularly shaped rough crystals, often with inward faces in the form of re-entrant cubes. The rough diamonds from the Zimmi mine, however, showed smooth and rounded dodecahedral shapes. This rounded shape makes them much more suitable for cutting with minimal weight loss.

Type Ib diamonds are uncommon because with time and heat, isolated nitrogen impurities in the lattice tend to aggregate, forming more-complex defects that are characteristic of type IaA and IaB diamonds. The youngest dated diamonds are about a billion years old, and the youngest emplacement ages of diamondiferous kimberlites are less than 80 million years old. This suggests that nearly all diamonds spend most of their existence at great depths in the lower crust and upper mantle. It is unclear exactly how the isolated nitrogen impurities in type Ib diamonds avoided the aggregation process. This mystery makes the discovery of many “Canary yellow” diamonds from a single mine in Sierra Leone even more interesting, offering a potential tool for research into the formation and survival of type Ib diamonds in nature. @chapter:35 @chapter:1 @chapter:35


# Publication Year: 2017
# Title: Diamond with Unusual Fluorescence Distribution
# Abstract: Figure 1. Left: The 2 ct round (second from right) displayed an unusual fluorescence reaction confined to the culet area. Right: When observed face-up, the small fluorescent area by the culet reflected throughout the stone and appeared more intense. Images by Jian Xin (Jae) Liao.
The New York lab recently encountered a round brilliant diamond, weighing just over 2 ct, that displayed little if any reaction to long-wave UV except for a small spot confined to the area around the culet (figure 1, left). This small area appeared to have medium fluorescence intensity. While the laboratory determination of fluorescence strength and color is performed in the table-down position, we noticed a very different appearance when the diamond was observed through the crown (figure 1, right). Because of the location of the fluorescent area, it reflected evenly throughout the face-up position andappeared to have higher intensity, at approximately the strong/very strong boundary.

DiamondView imaging revealed that the diamond was cut with its growth zonation parallel to the girdle. We speculate that the area of fluorescence in the rough was larger and more centrally located, indicating that the earlier growth showed more blue fluorescence than the later growth, which was basically inert to UV radiation. With the given orientation and placement of the finished stone in the rough, a part of this fluorescent area remained at the culet in the cut stone, leading to this unusual feature.

Absorption spectra in the infrared region confirmed this to be a type Ia diamond with a high concentration of aggregated nitrogen and spectral features typical of a natural diamond. The N3 defect was detected by the presence of moderate-intensity absorption in the UV-Vis absorption spectrum, which is consistent with this type of diamond. The N3 defect is a well-known cause of blue fluorescence in natural diamonds. Based on past experience, it should be pointed out that the area at the culet with medium-strength blue fluorescence does not necessarily have higher concentrations of the N3 defect. The occurrence of other impurities or lattice distortion could affect fluorescence intensity from the N3 defect as well.

The effect of blue fluorescence on the appearance of D-to-Z diamonds has been debated for more than 25 years. GIA conducted a study on this subject in the 1990s (see T.M. Moses et al., “A contribution to understanding the effect of blue fluorescence on the appearance of diamonds,” Winter 1997 G&G, pp. 244–259). The study showed that blue fluorescence had little to no impact on color appearance or transparency except in extremely rare examples of “overblues.” With this in mind, the 2 ct round brilliant offered an interesting opportunity to revisit the earlier experiment’s face-up observations.We compared the diamond, which was graded “H” color, with nonfluorescent diamonds—GIA color master stones—of similar color. As seen in figure 2, no visual difference was observed in the standard color-grading environment. This example supports the conclusion from the 1997 article that the industry would be better served by considering each diamond on its own visual merits.

Figure 2. No visible difference in color appearance or transparency was noted when the fluorescent stone was flanked by nonfluorescent diamonds of similar color in a color-grading environment. Photo by Jian Xin (Jae) Liao. @chapter:22 @chapter:1 @chapter:22


# Publication Year: 2002
# Title: Serendibite from Sri Lanka
# Abstract: Two samples of faceted serendibite, a boron-bearing mineral that is only rarely found in gem quality, are described. These samples reportedly were cut from rough discovered in secondary deposits of the Ratnapura area in Sri Lanka. The bluish green to green-blue gems are similar in color, physical and optical properties, and chemical composition to low-iron-bearing non-gem-quality serendibite from various occurrences. These gems may be confused with sapphirine and zoisite, but can be identified as serendibite on the basis of refractive indices, twinning, and spectroscopic features. @chapter:14 @chapter:0 @chapter:14


# Publication Year: 2012
# Title: Turquoise from Zhushan County, Hubei Province, China
# Abstract: A relatively new source of gem-quality turquoise is hosted within slates in Zhushan County of China’s Hubei Province. Rough and polished samples were studied using standard gemological methods, as well as FTIR and UV-Vis-NIR spectroscopy. The turquoise formed nodular, massive, and veinlet assemblages. Brown and black veinlets/patches and irregular white blebs were common, and microscopic observation also revealed microcrystalline and spherulitic structures. In general, the nodular specimens were of the highest quality. The deposits show considerable potential as a commercial source of gem-quality turquoise. @chapter:7 @chapter:0 @chapter:7


# Publication Year: -
# Title: Science Opened Doors to Art for Gemologist-Designer
# Abstract: Loretta Castoro found the moonstones in these platinum earrings on a trip to Myanmar with Bill Larson, president of Pala International Inc.. “We saw them at the same time and wanted them,” she says. Larson conceded the purchase to Castoro, who says she surrounded them with cascades of diamonds and Montana sapphire. “I was inspired by the many Tiffany & Co. pieces I had seen designed in the turn of the 19th century,” she says. Left: Courtesy of Loretta Castoro. Right: Photo  by Jeff Scovil © Loretta Castoro

                      Loretta Castoro remembers feeling a growing sense of wonder as she huddled with her elementary school class over a crystal grown during a science experiment. That sense of curiosity and excitement would stay with the Oyster Bay, Long Island student far beyond her grade school experience.

Fast forward a decade to Castoro’s high school graduation, when her great uncle, New York-based jewelry designer and manufacturer William Emmons, confirmed that attending GIA would be a smart way to begin her career.

“I had been interested in crystal growth since the fourth grade and had a strong background in math and science, so when I heard there was a school that specialized in the study of gemstones, I really wanted to learn more,” Castoro says. “I wanted to explore this passion I had from a young age and see if there was a future in it.”

She enrolled at the Institute’s New York City campus and studied under the encouraging eye of faculty and staff. Among those was longtime GIA employee Eunice Miles, who once told Castoro, “I love these gemstones so much, I eventually wanted to design jewelry to show them off.”

The sentiment surprised Castoro at the time, because she couldn’t understand the impulse to design jewelry.

“I wanted to learn the science, understand their structure, their makeup,” she says.

Castoro, who completed her GG diploma in 1984, says her studies helped establish credibility when she began her career at H. Stern Jewelers’ Fifth Avenue store.

“I started very young in the industry, and my GIA education gave me the platform of knowledge that allowed me to intelligently and confidently discuss gemological issues with clients and other members of the industry,” she says.

From H. Stern, where the Northeastern native had the opportunity to travel to Brazil to learn firsthand about colored stone sourcing, Castoro’s international career and education took flight. She next spent a decade at Tiffany & Co. in several capacities, including as director of gemstone acquisitions for colored stones, then moved to Bangkok to serve as the chief merchandising officer for GemsTV.

	Castoro, in 2009 in Bangkok, has traveled around the world with her career. Photo courtesy of Loretta Castoro
During those years, Castoro earned two more credentials in gemology – a Fellow of the Gemmological Association of Great Britain, and a certificate in Advanced Scientific Gemology from Basel’s Swiss Gemological Institute – as well as a comprehensive manufacturing degree from New York’s Studio Jewelers, and a certified gemologist appraiser designation from the American Gem Society.

As Castoro’s career unfolded, so did the realization that her professional interests were evolving. She began lecturing at gemological workshops, and eventually designing jewelry of her own.

"Years later, I understand what Eunice Miles was saying – at some point, the science of gemology melds with the art,” she says. “It surprised me at how natural designing for beautiful gemstones became after years of studying them. You love them so much you want to champion them to achieve their ultimate goal: to be the center of attention and show off their unique ‘talents.’”

Castoro, who lives in Los Angeles, launched her self-named line of luxury jewelry in 2010. She creates custom pieces for clients in her downtown studio, as well as entire collections including “Love Doves,” “Imperia” and “KissMe.”

Last fall, Castoro joined Carl K. Gumpert Inc. as vice president of Merchandising and Gemstone Acquisition. She sources gemstones for the company and builds product collections for their retail distribution, and says the position challenges her “to be innovative and forward-thinking with design and materials.”

She still lectures on gemology and sourcing, and offers a series of presentations for retailers that focuses on broadening their “scope of knowledge” about gemstones. “There is a wide range of gemstones that are very collectible, and virtually unknown to most jewelry buyers,” she says.

Castoro is grateful for the many paths she has been able to explore throughout her career.

“A GIA education opened the door to my life’s study, and the joy of learning about the fascinating world we live in,” she says. “I’m challenged and learn something new – every day. There is never a dull moment in the world of business and gemstones.”

View Gallery @chapter:47 @chapter:2 @chapter:47


# Publication Year: 2016
# Title: Almandine in Graphite Schist Specimens
# Abstract: Figure 1. Jason Baskin is seen holding his largest almandine in graphite schist specimen at the 2014 Springfield Mineral Show. This specimen is now part of the collection of the Mineralogical and Geological Museum at Harvard University. Photo courtesy of Jay’s Minerals.

At this year’s Tucson shows, the authors saw the breathtaking almandine-pyrope in graphite schist specimens that debuted at the August 2014 East Coast Gem, Mineral, and Fossil Show in Springfield, Massachusetts (figure 1). Mine owner Jason Baskin (Jay’s Minerals, Flemington, New Jersey) first encountered the material from the Red Embers mine (then called the Two Fat Guys mine) in Franklin County, Massachusetts, in the early 2000s, and his family bought the mineral rights to this property in 2008. Mr. Baskin, along with his cousin Kyle Baskin and uncle Kevin Baskin, worked the mine (currently closed to the public) by hand, with tools such as chisels and hammers, for six years before unveiling these specimens and the location of the mine (figure 2).

Figure 2. Jason Baskin displays two giant pieces of graphite schist extracted from the
mine. Hand tools such as the sledgehammer behind him are used to mine the
specimens. Photo courtesy of Jay’s Minerals.
Good-quality almandine specimens are found in various localities in the eastern United States. This deposit is located in a metamorphosed zone full of layered graphite schist. According to Mr. Baskin, the thickness of the veins can vary from about 1 to 6 feet wide. Black columnar accompanying minerals can be found in the graphite matrix in between the garnet crystals on some specimens (figure 3). This long needle-like mineral was identified as dravite tourmaline. Based on his many years of mining experience at this location, Mr. Baskin says that the garnet crystals tend to have higher quality when they occur within a fold. Some of the garnet crystals are suitable for faceting, but it is the specimens that generate the most purchases. The largest crystal found to date is 28 mm in diameter; the largest faceted stone is 4.7 ct.

Figure 3. With a strong light source behind the specimen, the garnet crystals within the graphite glow, showing an attractive burgundy color. The black columnar mineral in the graphite matrix was identified as dravite. Not all specimens contain dravite, though its presence adds charm to the piece. Photo courtesy of Jay’s Minerals.
These striking specimens displayed sharp, dark red trapezohedra in fine-grained silvery graphitic schist (R.B. Cook, “Almandine New York City, New York County, New York State,” Rocks & Minerals, Vol. 84, No. 3, 2009, pp. 244–252). In a previously published article, Raman spectroscopy identified the garnet as predominantly almandine with some spessartine and minor pyrope components (C. Williams and B. Williams, “Almandine from Erving, Massachusetts,” Journal of Gemmology, Vol. 34, No. 4, 2014, pp. 286–287). Most specimens have multiple garnet crystals embedded in them, with the largest containing more than 100 crystals.

Due to the fine-grained nature of the host rock, a dust mask must be worn during the mining process. The most attractive aspect of these specimens is the exposure of the garnet crystals from both sides of the rock, which allows the light to travel through and make the garnet glow, showing its deep burgundy color (again, see figure 3). To achieve this goal, Baskin has tried numerous abrasives to remove the schist on both sides of the garnet without affecting the crystals’ surfaces. Some of the experimental abrasives included various kinds of glass beads, plastic beads, corn cobs, and even walnut shells. Finally, a special plastic made it possible to expose the garnets from both sides efficiently. The Mineralogical and Geological Museum at Harvard University, the American Museum of Natural History, Yale University, the University of Arizona, and Bill Larson of Pala International all currently own these specimens. @chapter:4 @chapter:0 @chapter:4


# Publication Year: 2019
# Title: “Double Bubble” Multiphase Inclusion in Beryl
# Abstract: Figure 1. A 64.10 ct pale green rough beryl crystal containing noteworthy multiphase inclusions. Photo by Robison McMurtry.
Beryl often hosts multiphase inclusions consisting of all possible combinations of solid, liquid, or gas inclusions. These remnants of the growth environment become trapped within negative crystals during formation. The fluid is trapped as a homogenous liquid that separates into component phases during cooling. Jagged three-phase inclusions commonly found in Colombian emeralds are perhaps the most well-known multiphase inclusions in beryl.

Figure 2. Photo series of a prismatic multiphase inclusion displaying a “double bubble” of gas within gas at room temperature (left). The smaller bubble shrinks by about half after approximately 45 seconds of exposure to the microscope well light (center) and completely homogenizes after about a minute (right). Photomicrographs by Hollie McBride; field of view 2.34 mm.
A 64.10 ct pale green rough beryl submitted by L. Allen Brown (All That Glitters, Methuen, Massachusetts) contained a plethora of prismatic three-phase negative crystals with a notable suite of gas bubbles, several species of extremely small daughter crystals, and an aqueous solution (figure 1). At room temperature, the gas phases were out of equilibrium with each other, which gave rise to a “double bubble” nested appearance: a gas bubble within a second, larger gas bubble. Over the course of about a minute, the gentle heat of the microscope well light warmed the smaller gas bubble enough to completely homogenize with the larger bubble so that only one bubble remained (figure 2). @chapter:24 @chapter:0 @chapter:24


# Publication Year: 2015
# Title: Intense Blue Diamond with Very High Boron Concentration
# Abstract: Figure 1. This 1.18 ct Fancy Deep blue diamond was recently seen in the New York lab. Photo by Jian Xin (Jae) Liao.

Natural blue diamonds are extremely rare in nature and highly desired within the gem industry. One of the world’s most famous gemstones, the Hope diamond, is classified as a natural type IIb blue diamond. It contains the impurity boron within the diamond carbon lattice. The presence of boron as an impurity in natural diamond is rare, as the amount of uncompensated boron found is typically less than 0.5 ppm.

Housed in the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, DC, the Hope is part of a collection incorporating many boron-containing natural type IIb diamonds, and has been part of a study relating boron concentrations and the intensity of blue coloration in natural and synthetic diamond (E. Gaillou et al., “Boron in natural type IIb blue diamonds: Chemical and spectroscopic measurements,” American Mineralogist, Vol. 97, 2012, pp. 1–18).

The East Coast laboratory recently received a 1.18 ct Fancy Deep blue diamond (figure 1) for a colored diamond grading report. The diamond’s old European-style cut indicated that this was not a recently faceted gemstone. The clarity was very high, adding to the rarity of this blue diamond. When exposed to short-wave UV fluorescence (about 230 nm), the diamond displayed blue phosphorescence (figure 2). Phosphorescence is a diagnostic feature of natural type IIb diamonds; red phosphorescence is also frequently observed, the most notable example being the Hope diamond.

Figure 2. Blue phosphorescence was observed in the DiamondView after the stone’s exposure to strong short-wave UV radiation. DiamondView image by Paul Johnson.
Infrared absorption spectroscopy identified the diamond as type IIb, with a very high concentration of uncompensated boron for a natural diamond, even for a stone with synthetic boron doping (figure 3). Further analysis, including photoluminescence spectroscopy, proved it to be a natural diamond. From the mid-infrared absorption spectrum, we determined a boron concentration of 5.84 ppm atomic. By normalizing the mid-IR spectrum, we obtained the integrated intensity of an absorption peak centered at 1290 cm–1 (A.T. Collins, “Determination of the boron concentration in diamond using optical spectroscopy,” Proceedings of the 61st Diamond Conference, 2010, Warwick, UK). Most documented type IIb diamonds in this color range only have recorded uncompensated boron concentrations between approximately 0.24 and 0.36 ppm (E. Gaillou et al., “Study of the Blue Moon diamond,” Winter 2014 G&G, pp. 280–286).

Figure 3. Normalized mid-IR absorption spectrum of the 1.18 ct Fancy Deep blue type IIb diamond, with saturated boron–related absorption and a 1290 cm–1 peak.
This is the highest boron concentration ever reported in a natural diamond. Compared to other documented type IIb diamonds, the concentration is staggeringly high. This diamond’s intense blue color rivals that of the Hope, leading one to believe that boron contributes strongly to the color of natural blue type IIb diamonds. This has never been proven, however, and there is not a well-defined relationship between blue color and uncompensated boron concentration in diamond (Gaillou et al., 2012).

Further observation and analytical study may prove a correlation between optically active boron and the intensity of blue color in natural diamonds. @chapter:22 @chapter:1 @chapter:22


# Publication Year: 2014
# Title: Pyrex Bracelets
# Abstract: Figure 1. Pyrex bracelets with attractive colors and patterns were on display at the Tucson show. Photo by Eric Welch; courtesy of Kevin O’Grady.

              At the Pueblo Gem & Mineral Show, Kevin O’Grady (Scottsdale, Arizona) exhibited a line of glass bracelets and other jewelry (figures 1 and 2). O’Grady has worked with borosilicate glass, better known by the brand name Pyrex, since the late 1980s. He touted the durability and versatility of this medium, which lends itself to a variety of dramatic effects. He crafts each piece freehand using a torch, adding elements such as cobalt to achieve colors and embedding flower mosaics and other patterns that appear three-dimensional. O’Grady’s signature bracelets contain gold, silver, or a combination of both.

	Figure 2. This Pyrex bracelet displays a striking orbicular pattern that appears three-dimensional. Photo by Eric Welch; courtesy of Kevin O’Grady. @chapter:28 @chapter:2 @chapter:28


# Publication Year: 1992
# Title: Opal from Querétaro, Mexico: Fluid Inclusion Study
# Abstract: The distinctive orange-to-red “fire" opals from Querétaro have not been found in significant quantities at any other locality. Through modern analytical methods, it has been determined that these opals formed at about 160ºC, from hydrous silica gels contained in fluids with small (up to 10%) variable amounts of  NaCl and CO2. These data, combined with geologic data, help explain the rare occurrence of this type of rhyolitic opal deposit. @chapter:48 @chapter:0 @chapter:48


# Publication Year: -
# Title: Fall 2011 Gem News International
# Abstract: Diamonds
            Type Ib Greenish Brown Diamonds with a Color Shift
Colored Stones and Organic Materials
            Gem-Quality Afghanite from Afghanistan
            Iridescent Ammonite from Madagascar
            Aquamarine from Thanh Hoa Province, Vietnam: Mining Update
            Purplish Blue and Red-Brown Chalcedony from Peru
            Update on Emerald Mining in Afghanistan
            A Deep Green Fuchsite-Rich Rock
            Color-Change Garnet from Nandagala, Tanzania
            An Examination of Some Colorless Gems from Myanmar
            Nuummite from Mauritania
            Blue Opal Showing Play-of-Color from Sinaloa, Mexico
            Pallasite Pendants
            Chinese Freshwater Cultured Pearls Beaded with Baroque Freshwater Cultured Pearls
            Quartz with Spessartine Inclusions
            Pink Cat's-Eye Quartz, with Color and Chatoyancy Caused by Tourmaline Needles
            An Exceptional Rhodochrosite Carving
            Sapphire and Zircon from Ethiopia
            Update on Sapphire Mining in Sri Lanka
            Green Cat's-Eye Spodumene from Brazil
            A Color-Zoned Topaz
            Variscite from Peru
Synthetics and Simulants
            An Accidental Corundum and Lead Glass Triplet?
            Glass Triplet Resembling Coated "Mystic Topaz"
Conference Reports
            ICA Congress 2011
            Scottish Gemmological Conference 2011
            Sinkankas Diamond Symposium
Miscellaneous
            A Jewel That Survived 9/11
            Update on Myanmar Gem Sales and Production

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


# Publication Year: 2022
# Title: Topaz Crystals in Red Beryl
# Abstract: Figure 1. A 0.22 ct emerald-cut red beryl (5.08 × 3.12 × 1.91 mm). Photo by Huixin Zhao.
Gem-quality beryl comes in various colors, including green, yellow, pink, and rarely red, which has only been mined in the state of Utah to date. Recently, a red beryl (figure 1) was submitted to Guild Gem Laboratories in Shenzhen for identification. This emerald-cut sample weighed 0.22 ct and exhibited a highly saturated red color. The refractive index values of 1.562–1.569 and birefringence of 0.007 were consistent with beryl. Multiple analytical methods were applied, including FTIR and UV-Vis-NIR spectroscopy, and EDXRF for chemical analysis. FTIR confirmed the sample as beryl (figure 2), and the UV-Vis-NIR spectrum showed a prominent manganese-related broad band centered at 540 nm, as well as a weak iron-inducted band at 370 nm (figure 3).

Figure 2. The infrared reflectance spectrum confirmed the identity of the red beryl.

Figure 3. The UV-Vis-NIR spectrum of the red beryl shows a weak peak at 370 nm (Fe3+) and an intense peak at 540 nm (Mn3+).
EDXRF results showed that the beryl was rich in iron (16920 ppm) and manganese (2586 ppm), along with a trace amount of zinc (787 ppm). Such results were very close to previously reported values for red beryl from the Wah Wah Mountains of Utah: 15000 ppm iron, 2000 ppm manganese, and 700 ppm zinc, respectively (J.E. Shigley and E.E. Foord, “Gem-quality red beryl from the Wah Wah Mountains, Utah,” Winter 1984 G&G, pp. 208–221).

Figure 4. Exposed crystal inclusions in the red beryl showed a fine columnar shape and distinct cleavage fissures. Photomicrograph by Huixin Zhao; field of view 1.6 mm.

Figure 5. The Raman spectrum of the crystal inclusion agreed with the topaz spectrum in the RRUFF database.
Microscopic observation revealed several two-phase fluid inclusions along the healed fissures, and purple-blue flashes were clearly seen within the open fissures, which indicated clarity enhancement by organic fillers. This was confirmed by FTIR, with peaks at 2854, 2871, 2927, and 2963 cm–1. Two transparent crystal inclusions were present and exposed to the surface near the girdle, showing a prismatic crystal habit (figure 4). Within the included crystals, a series of cleavage layers were prominent. Further testing by micro-confocal Raman spectroscopy in the 100–1200 cm–1 range showed distinct peaks at 240, 267, 285, 332, 430, 456, and 927 cm–1, results that agree with topaz according to the RRUFF online database (figure 5).
Topaz rhyolites are widely distributed across the western United States, and red beryl occurs in topaz-bearing rhyolites (J.E. Shigley et al., “Red beryl from Utah: A review and update,” Winter 2003 G&G, pp. 302–313). Hence, it is not surprising to see topaz as a mineral inclusion in red beryl, although such an observation does not appear to have been reported before. @chapter:10 @chapter:0 @chapter:10


# Publication Year: -
# Title: Diamonds from the Roof of the World
# Abstract: Lesotho’s remote Maluti Mountains are the most picturesque portion of this landlocked country, which is totally enclosed by the Republic of South Africa. These mountains are also the source of some of the world’s most coveted type IIa diamonds and large diamond crystals. Photo by Robert Weldon/GIA

                      Eight years ago, a worker pulled a huge crystal from the sorting area of the Letseng Mine in Lesotho. The rough diamond weighed in at just over 603 carats (cts), making it the 15th largest ever found by anyone, anywhere. The mine’s majority owner, London-based Gem Diamonds, named it the Lesotho Promise in recognition of the nation from whose soil it was unearthed.

For Mazvi Maharasoa, CEO of Letseng Diamonds, a partner in the mine, that diamond and the three 450 ct-plus diamonds that have been found there since are more than a promise—they are a source of national pride and a promise realized.

“This mine is unique, producing the highest average value diamonds ($2,043 per ct, against the global average of $106 per ct) in the world,” she says. “Lesotho is a dot on the map to some people, but these diamonds have brought us recognition.”

The mine is also one of the world’s largest sources of highly coveted type IIa diamonds. Normally, such stones comprise about 2% of diamonds recovered worldwide, but at Letseng, they are about one-quarter of the output.

Touring the mine, located about 3,100 meters (just over 10,000 feet) high in rugged mountain country, Maharasoa notes, “This mine came from nothing in 2000. Now we have 1,500 employees (and) a mine that gives our country 70% of its corporate tax revenue and 60% of our country’s foreign exchange earnings.”

Maharasoa was born in the capital city of Maseru and earned a degree in international and commercial law from the University of Buckinghamshire, north of London. She returned to Lesotho as legal advisor to the Ministry of Natural Resources.

“This is when I became acquainted with the diamond area,” she says, adding that negotiations over changes in the diamond laws and a new contract to restart Letseng were part of her work.

	Mazvi Maharasoa, CEO of Letseng Diamonds. Photo by Russell Shor/GIA
Restarting production at the mine was a challenge. The kimberlite was discovered in 1957 by South African geologist Peter Nixon deep in the Maluti Mountains, amid farming villages and shepherd huts where it seemed that time had stood still for a millennium. It wasn’t until the following year that two South African prospectors, Keith Whitlock and Jack Scott, set out in search of diamonds. They endured extreme cold and blizzards and returned with about 1,800 cts of diamonds.

For several years, the government allowed artisanal miners to file claims and work the site, but in 1968, it invited the mining giant RTZ (now Rio Tinto) to prospect the area. The company worked to develop the mine for four years but determined that the grade of the ore (less than two cts per 100
tons) was too low to mine profitably.

After RTZ moved on, the government invited then-De Beers chairman Harry Oppenheimer to have a look. As a result of his visit, De Beers set up a limited operation, mining the richest areas of the main kimberlite for almost a decade before closing it in 1982 when the global diamond industry fell into a deep crisis.

The site sat fallow for almost 20 years. Several companies leased it but couldn’t find a way to make a profit. Political instability in Maseru did not help, especially when it exploded into violence in 1998, which destroyed much of the capital and several surrounding towns.

When peace was restored the following year, the factions formed a unified government, which decided to restart Letseng to get funds flowing into the national treasury. It created the Letseng Diamond Company to acquire the mining lease from the South African gold mining firm that had held it for several years. It took five years to resume small-scale production—less than 40,000 cts per year.

By 2004, Maharasoa had become an executive with the Central Bank of Lesotho, which was working with the government on a deal for Gem Diamonds to acquire a 70% interest in the mine. “The (kimberlite) pipes at the mine were never properly explored, so there was a lot of work to do,” she says. “And even now, (there is) still a lot of work remaining.”

The Lesotho Promise turned up shortly after Gem Diamonds resumed mining operations in 2006. The company sold it for $12.4 million to Safdico, the South African polishing firm majority-owned by London-based jeweler Laurence Graff.

Graff’s cutters spent a year working on the Lesotho Promise. While potentially D-color, it was dappled with black inclusions, making the planning process look more like a battle map, according to a video Graff produced about cutting the diamond.

Twenty-six GIA-graded D-color Flawless diamonds were cut from it, the largest of them a 76.41 ct pear shape graduating down to a 0.55 ct round brilliant. Graff inscribed serial numbers on each of them to indicate their origin. All 26 diamonds were used to design a necklace with a total weight of 223 cts.

	A replica of the Lesotho Promise diamond. Photo by Russell Shor/GIA
By the time Maharasoa joined Letseng in 2009 as CEO, the company had unearthed the 493 ct Letseng Legacy (2007) that Graff/Safdico purchased for $10 million and the 478 ct Light of Letseng (2008), which yielded the 102.79 ct Graff Constellation (2009), which was graded by GIA and according to Graff is the largest known D-Flawless round brilliant diamond.

Shortly after her arrival, the company announced that it had found two colorless diamonds weighing 196 and 184 cts. In September 2014, the company sold a 198 ct potentially D-Flawless diamond at its Antwerp sale for $10.6 million. These finds have helped seal Letseng’s global reputation as a supplier of large, fine diamonds.

Mining here remains challenging, Maharasoa says.

“It is the world’s highest active diamond mine, so the weather is extremely volatile, going down to –25°C in winter,” she says. “We have to maintain our part of the road that not only supplies us with access to and from the mine, but links the town of Mokhotlong to the north of us.”

Supplying the mine with food, fuel and equipment is no small logistical matter, either.

“We use 1.5 million liters of fuel each month, which all has to come by truck,” Maharasoa says. “And then there’s the challenge of getting our 50-ton Caterpillar mining trucks up the mountains to our site.”

Despite these demands, Gem Diamonds has more than doubled the mine’s production in five years to about 100,000 cts a year.

“Letseng has a long life ahead,” Maharasoa says. “We have established a goal that Lesotho’s diamonds, now supplying about 7.5% of our country’s GDP, can achieve 15% within a few years.”

The mining output at Letseng has almost doubled in five years, despite the challenges of mining at 10,000-foot elevations. This mixed production of 204.89 ct goods is but a small portion of production achieved during a five-day mining period. Photo by Robert Weldon/GIA @chapter:50 @chapter:3 @chapter:50


# Publication Year: 1981
# Title: Fall 1981 Gem News International
# Abstract: Diamonds
            Angola: Highest Output Reached
            Australia: Argyle Mine to Begin Operation in 1985
            Botswana: New Mine to Begin Production in 1982
            Lesotho: Joint Project with Canada
            U.S.: Record-Setting Stone Discovered
            USSR: New Mine in Yakut Area
Pakistan Enters the Gem Scene
            Emerald: Fine Specimens from Swat
            Ruby: Abundance, Range of Color
            Spinel: Associated with Rubies
            Topaz: Deposit of Rare Color Depleted
            Aquamarine: Great Quantity Beneath K2
            Chrome Diopside: Cat’s-Eye Effect
            Kunzite: Found in Chitral
            Garnet: Pyrope Found Near Dir
            Chrome Tourmaline: Samples Too Small for Use as Gemstones
            Ornamental Gems: Occur Widely Throughout Country
Exhibits
            American Museum of Natural History
            Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum

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


# Publication Year: 2015
# Title: Rare Stones In Demand
# Abstract: Brightly colored sphalerite is one of the most popular “unusual” gems sold by Coast-to-Coast. Photo by Duncan Pay/GIA; courtesy of Coast-to-Coast Rare Stones International.

For Brad Wilson and John Bradshaw (Coast-to-Coast Rare Stones International, Kingston, Ontario), their inventory of corundum and other familiar gemstones never makes the trip to Tucson. Instead, their showcases are filled with rarities such as afghanite, bastnaesite, beryllonite, clinohumite, celestite, hambergite, magnesite, montebrasite, pargasite, sphalerite, violane, and zincite. These stones often are soft and near-colorless and have cleavage, making them less desirable for jewelry. But for a collector or a designer looking for the unusual who understands how to work with such challenging stones in jewelry, Coast-to-Coast at GJX is a worthwhile destination.

	Coast-to-Coast Rare Stones International

In his interview, Coast-to-Coast’s Brad Wilson explains that rare gems have a place in jewelry, too. Innovative designers seek out rare materials such as sphalerite, sphene, apatite, and even afghanite for clients who appreciate the unusual.
Some of the lesser-known stones available at Coast-to-Coast included datolite, cobaltocalcite, faceted aragonite, and tenebrescent scapolite. Fluorescent opal was a noteworthy new find. Under ordinary interior lighting, this opal is near colorless to very pale yellow. It can fluoresce bright green in response to the small UV component in ordinary daylight. Placed under an ultraviolet light or 405 nm laser, the fluorescent effect is spectacular.

With unfamiliar collectors’ stones, colorful varieties usually sell best. Wilson’s more popular items for this show included sphene, sphalerite, and apatite. He told us that other stones rise and fall in popularity. One example is tugtupite, a rosy-pink mineral, usually found in aggregate form, that exhibits both interesting fluorescence and tenebrescence. It sold out on the first day in previous shows, according to Wilson, but in 2015 only a few had sold by the third day. @chapter:30 @chapter:0 @chapter:30


# Publication Year: 2021
# Title: Rock Creek Sapphire Mining and Marketing Update
# Abstract: Figure 1. The newly equipped water clarifier at the West Fork property can nearly fully recycle the water used for mining. Courtesy of Potentate Mining

              Sapphires were discovered in Montana on the West Fork of Rock Creek in 1892. The shiny pebbles were later identified as sapphire and featured at the Paris Exposition in 1900. Four deposits, one primary and three secondary, were discovered and developed across the western portion of the state. Among them, the secondary deposit at Rock Creek has always been the richest and the most productive. It is estimated that this deposit produced about 65.8 tons of rough sapphire until 2014, which is about 90% of the total sapphire production of all four deposits.

Since 2011, Potentate Mining has been gradually developing and expanding its sapphire mining concession in the Rock Creek area through a series of land purchases. With the latest deal done in 2020, the company now possesses more than 3,500 acres of private property over the sapphire-bearing land.

In addition to the expansion, in 2019, the washing plant moved from Eureka Gulch to a new location at the West Fork property, where mining is done on the top of the hill (T. Hsu et al., “Big Sky Country sapphire: Visiting Montana’s alluvial deposits,” Summer 2017 G&G, pp. 215–227). This new washing plant includes a water clarifier that, although not required by state mining regulations, can recycle nearly 80–90% of the water used for mining (figure 1). Before the wastewater reaches the clarifier, it goes through a centrifugal concentrator to recover fine gold and very small sapphires (figure 2). This washing plant is also extremely close to the mining site, which dramatically increases the efficiency of ore processing.

Figure 2. Left: Potentate Mining marketing director Warren Boyd (on the right), mine geologist and manager John Rae (in the back), and a client gather around the centrifugal concentrator. Right: The concentrator extracts fine gold and very small sapphire crystals from the water coming out of the jig before it enters the clarifier. Courtesy of Potentate Mining.
Potentate Mining sells rough and faceted sapphire at the Tucson and JCK shows to retailers and jewelry designers. Since 2016, it also offers natural, heat-treated rough sapphire by lots to clients in North America, India, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. Most of these clients are cutting operations. The COVID-19 pandemic reduced the number of staff working onsite at the mine in 2020, but the production was not dramatically affected. Due to travel restrictions, stone viewing became extremely difficult. According to marketing director Warren Boyd, lots have been shipped to clients since the start of the pandemic. While viewing ahead of receiving lots was impossible, the company expected and has accommodated a certain amount of returns from clients. With Potentate adapting to the unexpected, 2020 sales were about the same as the year before. @chapter:34 @chapter:0 @chapter:34


# Publication Year: 2019
# Title: Book Review: Farah Khan: A Bejeweled Life
# Abstract: By Paola De Luca, hardcover, 304 pp., illus., publ. by Rizzoli, New York, 2019, $125.00.

In this complex and vast world, we often forget to pay attention to the little things around us and all the importance one object can hold. A Bejeweled Life gives us an idea of how simple it is to appreciate the minute details in and around our lives. With each flip of the page, the reader experiences the many different realms Farah Khan occupies. Because this book is a combination of an autobiography and portfolio, we are given a glimpse of Khan’s life and we are able to understand what drives her and makes her jewelry unique. Through De Luca’s use of photographs and Khan’s own sketches and words, our perspectives are altered to help us better understand the latter’s deceptively simple jewelry designs. If Khan isn’t getting inspiration in family and close friends, she sees it in the beautiful complexities found in nature and architecture. Khan does a great job showcasing the simplicities that make her jewelry so exquisite.
The book begins with the four pillars of her brand: Nature, Love, Architecture, and Ethics. She then breaks down the pillars into chapters that inspire her work: “Fluidity,” “Royal Flair,” “Naturalia,” “The Rose,” and “Surreal Vision.” We are introduced to each theme with a story and an image. “Fluidity” defines Khan as a person: her changing roles, her shifting landscapes, her expanding horizons, and her sense of freedom. Here she includes a statement cuff called “Amphitrite-Queen of the Sea,” which uses 151.24 carats of kite-shaped Colombian emeralds alongside carved aquamarine leaves and diamonds, all set in 18K yellow gold. “Royal Flair” is incorporated in her pieces with decadent jewels, immortal art, and palaces to draw attention to the great dynasties that shaped human civilization. Two 18K gold rings from her Crown collection fit into this category; the first features amethyst, citrine, and diamonds, while the other has green topaz alongside emeralds, sapphires, and diamonds. “Naturalia” is used to capture ephemeral moments of natural grace, such as sunlight filtering through a dragonfly’s wing. The ring called “Social Butterfly” uses yellow and pink sapphires with rubies and diamonds in an 18K gold setting. “The Rose” evokes romance and nostalgia, while “Surreal Vision” represents Khan’s life and where she found her calling—her art is shaped by the streets and spirits of the city where she grew up. This publication aligns perfectly with Khan’s lifestyle. Not only do we get an up-close view of her art, but we get to experience her beautiful poetry, which springs from the same deep inner thoughts as her designs.
One drawback of the book is that each theme is very different from the last, making it difficult to keep track of where the book is going and where it will end up. It is very easy to get lost in the decorative pages and sumptuous photos and lose track of her four main building blocks. It might be easier for the reader to understand the overall concept if the book only touched on those pillars. Since many factors contribute to Khan’s aesthetic, the reader can easily forget that the book is about jewelry. However, I expected that I would encounter many vibrant pages that would distract me from keeping track of the storyline.
While the organizational aspect of the book could be improved upon, people looking for the inspiration and drive to design their own jewelry would be drawn to A Bejeweled Life; I developed just such a spark to create jewelry. The book is very appealing to the eye and would be useful to anyone who gives close attention to detail. Within each page, we see all the intellectual work artists produce to create the unique jewelry that so many of us desire. @chapter:20 @chapter:2 @chapter:20


# Publication Year: 1996
# Title: Trapiche Rubies
# Abstract: Ruby crystals from Southeast Asia with a fixed six-rayed star, similar in effect to trapiche emeralds from Colombia, are described. They consist of six transparent-to-translucent ruby sectors separated by nontransparent yellow or white planes. Most samples also have a hexagonal tapered yellow, black, or red core. In the yellow or white arms of the star and in the boundary zones between the core and the six ruby sectors, a massive concentration of tube-like inclusions is seen. These inclusions are oriented perpendicular to the morphologically dominant dipyramidal crystal faces; they contain liquid, two-phase (liquid/gas), and solid fillings identified as magnesium-bearing calcite and dolomite. A trapiche-type sapphire is also described. @chapter:13 @chapter:0 @chapter:13


# Publication Year: -
# Title: Cindy Yeung Embraces Her Role in Family Jewelry Empire
# Abstract: Cindy Yeung, chairperson of Emperor Watch and Jewellery, oversees the family business begun by her grandfather. Photos by GIA

                      Cindy Yeung remembers the exact moment she embraced her destiny.

It was a summer day in her father’s shop in Kowloon, China. At 21, she was not paying much attention to the jewelry, even though her father had been encouraging her to take an interest in it since she was a young girl. She just couldn’t relate – until the moment she paused to look back into the shop on her way out and saw a “very bright diamond.”

That sparkling gem grabbed her attention and sparked her passion.

Yeung’s grandfather, Yeung Shing, opened the family’s first watch shop in Kowloon in 1942. Her father, Dr. Albert Yeung, opened his first store in 1964 and, for more than 50 years, grew the business into the one of the world’s most prestigious watch and jewelry retailers: Emperor Watch and Jewellery.

He trained his daughter on the ins-and-outs of running a jewelry store from the time she was 12. "Oh, you'll be the one who will pick up the business later on," he told her. Yeung says it didn’t mean anything to her; she didn’t think it had anything to do with her life.

“At that time, I didn't pay any attention because I was so young,” she said. “I told him ‘Oh, OK,’ but I didn't really pay attention.”

Her father, who owned three or four stores then, persisted and asked her to collect the total sales every day.

	Yeung’s father, Dr. Albert Yeung, left, trained his daughter from a very young age to run the family business.
“I had to remember the telephone number of each shop and remember all the sales of each shop,” she said. “Then I had to present it back to him. So, from that time, he trained me.”

But it wasn’t until that summer day when that diamond caught her eye and made her “feel happy” that she felt the allure of gems and knew she was ready to fully immerse herself in the family business.

She graduated from the University of San Francisco with a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a major in management and an emphasis in international business. She learned about GIA from a friend in the industry and quickly recognized that she needed the education about diamonds and gems offered at GIA’s Santa Monica, California campus.

“I gained both technical expertise and the practical skills to evaluate gemstones,” she said. “GIA gave me the comprehensive knowledge of diamonds and colored stones I need to succeed in the jewelry business. It opened up a world of opportunity for me.”

Yeung wanted to get outside experience, so she joined the sales department of Anju Jewelry Ltd., a U.S. company based in Hong Kong that trades jewelry products, before she joined the family business in 1990.

From the beginning of her career she learned the importance of building trust to establish long-term relationships with her customers. She really cares about helping her customers make the best choices for them and is careful not to present pieces she doesn’t think are suitable for their age, lifestyle or income. She learned to listen to what they were looking for and watch their reactions to pieces as she showed them.

“Maybe with their eyes they tell me they would love to have [a piece that was] a bit more expensive or a little bit less. From their gesture or expression, I can feel them,” she said. “I have a sense of what they like, what they want, and then how much they can afford. I don't want to ask them to come in and show them [pieces] they cannot afford.”

She sees her customers as her friends and often looks forward to sharing her passion for jewelry and showing them something she has found she thinks they will love.

“I love sharing delicate, wonderful things with my customers and friends. I know what they want. I know their style,” she said. “That is the most satisfaction I have, because they will say, ‘Oh, how do you know I like this? How do you know I want this?’ I feel especially contented when my customers are celebrating their special occasions with my jewelry.”

Yeung is also very passionate about jewelry design. She created the group’s design and production team, a milestone for the company. She is inspired by the natural world; leaves, animals, waterfalls and fireworks stimulate her design aesthetic. Yeung attends jewelry and fashion shows, reads the magazines for each industry and shares her insights and perspective with her staff to help the design team stay on top of trends in the market.

She says the most special design she has worked on was the necklace she wore on her wedding day.

“I think pearl is the most suitable for the wedding gown, but I didn't want it to be only pearl. I wanted to have something a bit different, so I put yellow diamonds with a pearl … a very elegant and with a simple sense of the design. I showed it to my husband and he liked it very much, too. So, he presented it to me on the day of the wedding.”

Yeung and the family’s business have grown together. She is chairperson of Emperor Watch and Jewellery, which has 24 shops in Hong Kong, 55 in China, six in Macau and four in Singapore. She has learned that every part of the business is vital for management and works closely with her staff to ensure that the family tradition of quality and service continue to define their luxury brand.

“To run a family business is never an easy task,” she says. “I have to keep an impressive track record of it and in the meantime implement innovative policies. There is a lot of pressure, but I’ve learned how to use it to motivate myself and my staff.”

Yeung has more than realized the importance and allure of gems and jewelry in her life.

	Cindy Yeung Shares Insights to Her Family Business
Want to hear more from Cindy Yeung? In these interview excerpts, this busy, attentive entrepreneur speaks from the heart about her role in the family jewelry empire.

Tell us your favorite part of this business.
I enjoy meeting people and building relationships with them. We get to work in partnership with our customers at some of the biggest moments in their lives. Imagine my excitement when they celebrate their special occasions with my jewelry. It’s immensely rewarding to get to know my customers, and then call them my friends.

How do you build those great customer relationships?
My job is more than management, strategy and a lot of decision-making. I like to visit our shops to ask a lot of questions of my staff and talk to customers directly. You can learn so much from your customers. By carefully listening and observing, you learn about their tastes and preferences, and how to guide them through their jewelry purchases. For example, I always tell my staff not to present the full tray, but to present two or three pieces, maximum. Make sure the design is suitable and let the customer pick up and handle the jewelry. When a customer says, “How did you know I wanted this?” that’s when I am really happy. I know we are building a relationship of trust and making our brand stronger.

What role does gemological knowledge play?
Our customers are sophisticated and they have plenty of questions. We use GIA grading reports to demonstrate the facts about a diamond’s 4Cs, which in turn leads to conversations about quality and value. We make sure new staff is trained about product sense, design, and know how to communicate features and benefits to customers. We also make sure one out of five of our staff is a trained gemologist, and use their technical expertise to evaluate gemstones.

How do you develop your staff?
Experience is very precious. Our qualified gemologists and new staff members do role play exercises and participate in morning briefings. We also bring staff to the Basel Fair and the Hong Kong Fairs to make sure they see the trends at the shows. This is how we encourage our staff to develop a passion for jewelry and become more professional.

What’s the most challenging aspect of your business?
To run a family business is never easy. There’s a lot of pressure on me to continue our amazing track record while constantly implementing innovative practices. I believe that my personal involvement in every part of the business is vital for success, which is why I work so closely with my staff each and every day.

Give us your take on the future of the jewelry business.
It seems the average customer range is expanding, along with their incomes. I think there is now and will continue to be a growing demand in the affordable luxury market. We’re planning to open 20 new shops in China because we see how much potential there is and we’re always working towards growth. Our passion for this business won’t be slowing down anytime soon.

How will changing consumer trends impact your business?
Our customers have certainly become more sophisticated and so have their demands. In their aspirational quest, they seek branded items with genuine value. So along with our new shops, we are optimizing our portfolio of brands, to capture this dynamic market.

Can you let us in on any specific plans for growth?
We'll be launching a series of innovative marketing campaigns and introducing our signature collections, which are designed for a more refined consumer with a focus on quality and craftsmanship.

What new markets are you exploring as you expand the Emperor Jewellery brand?
We believe that Southeast Asia is a growing force in the luxury market, with great potential as a source for revenue. With our goal to further establish ourselves as a global brand, we are always optimistically looking beyond where we currently are. @chapter:45 @chapter:3 @chapter:45


# Publication Year: 2001
# Title: Spessartine Garnet from Ramona, San Diego County, California
# Abstract: For most of the 20th century, the principal source of fine spessartine was the area around the Little Three mine near the town of Ramona in southern California. Two pegmatites—the Hercules-Spessartite and the Spaulding dikes—yielded most of the estimated 40,000–50,000 carats of facet-grade rough mined from 1956 to 1994. Prized for its bright orangy yellow to yellowish orange color, Ramona spessartine has similar R.I. and S.G. values to those of most other pegmatitic gem spessartines. Typical internal features are wavy two-phase partially healed fractures, negative crystals, needles/tubes, growth patterns, and anomalous birefringence; mineral inclusions are rare. The composition of four samples (ranging from light orangy yellow to yellow-orange) was Sps94.8–88.8Alm4.7–11.0Gro0.5–0.2, and the absorption spectra of all samples showed strong peaks for Mn2+ and subordinate Fe2+ bands. @chapter:3 @chapter:0 @chapter:3


# Publication Year: 2021
# Title: Josh Hyman (Philadelphia Jewelry Appraisers)
# Abstract: A 19.56 ct boulder opal is surrounded by Montana sapphire and California spessartine garnet in this brooch commissioned by Josh Hyman. Photo by Laurie Seniuk.

Just over a block from Liberty Bell and Independence Hall, between 7th and 8th on Sansom Street, lies Philadelphia’s bustling Jewelers’ Row. While other American jewelry districts like New York’s Diamond District are more well-known, Philadelphia’s Jewelers’ Row carries the distinction of being the nation’s oldest. It is home to many fourth- and fifth-generation jewelry families who took up business in converted row houses built in 1805. Those in need of valuation services can walk into the shop of Philadelphia Jewelry Appraisers and speak to Josh Hyman, the city’s only full-time jewelry appraiser.
The Hyman family’s jewelry tradition in Philadelphia began with his great grandfather Ruben Littman, a curb merchant who went door to door buying precious metals. Mr. Littman got to know the jewelers on Sansom Street, who purchased precious metals from him. Several generations later, Josh Hyman found himself working in his family’s retail shop on Jewelers’ Row. After pursuing his gemological education in Idar-Oberstein and then at GIA in Santa Monica, he worked in retail in Aruba before settling back in Philadelphia. There he found his niche as an appraiser serving the vibrant gem and jewelry industry on Jewelers’ Row. One of the most rewarding aspects of his work as an appraiser is studying the gemstones submitted to him, which pushes him to tirelessly continue his gemological education. In fact, Mr. Hyman has become quite active in the gemological community online by creating the popular “Gemology Worldwide” Facebook page and podcast series. He admits to having a somewhat ulterior motive, as he wanted to create an educational forum to not only inform others but also advance his own gemological knowledge.
At the beginning of the pandemic in March of 2020, Philadelphia Jewelry Appraisers was shut down for three months. Despite the dismal outlook at the onset, as soon as he reopened in June, demand came back at full strength. While reduced foot traffic on Jewelers’ Row may have led to fewer walk-ins, Mr. Hyman had already been driving demand for his services through heavy online advertising, especially Google Reviews. As an appraiser, Mr. Hyman has his finger on the pulse of the trade and offered some insights on the jewelry industry’s response to the pandemic crisis. The few months after reopening were a huge boon for the jewelry industry globally as well as in Philadelphia. He attributes this, in part, to the fact that people largely stopped spending discretionary money on experiences such as travel and eating out. Consumers realized that purchasing and gifting gems and jewelry could also become an experience, so the discretionary spending typically allocated to travel was diverted to jewelry. Throughout the pandemic, Mr. Hyman has seen increasing demand for sapphires over rubies and emeralds. In particular, the demand for pastel and teal sapphires has grown, especially for sapphires from Montana (see above). Although sales slowed into September and through the end of the year, the outlook is positive. However, it remains to be seen how this might change as the world navigates its way to some form of normalcy and people resume traveling again.
According to Mr. Hyman, one of the main factors keeping the gem and jewelry industry strong, despite the cancellation of major gem shows, is the consumer’s increasing confidence in buying online over the last few years. Rough and cut gems and jewelry that would have ordinarily changed hands in Tucson or Hong Kong made their way to the end consumer anyway by being sold online. The next few years will show us how the major gem shows like Tucson will adapt to this drive toward online sales. @chapter:38 @chapter:2 @chapter:38


# Publication Year: -
# Title: Books: Treasures from India: Jewels from the Al-Thani Collection
# Abstract: By Navina Najat Haidar and Courtney Ann Stewart, hardcover, 144 pp., publ. by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 2014, $40.00.

	India, home to one of the world’s oldest civilizations, is known for its glamorous jewelry and ornamental objects reflecting thousands of years of rich culture. The substantial evidence preserved through sculptures and ancient texts supports the premise that jewelry and objets d’art have long been an integral part of Indian culture. A rare collection of these artifacts was on view at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York between November 2014 and January 2015. The exhibition consisted of sixty-three objects dating from the Mughal Period (1526-1858) to present day, some of which were created by luxury brands such as Cartier and JAR. Treasures from India: Jewels from the Al-Thani Collection by Navina Najat Haidar and Courtney Ann Stewart, also the curators of the exhibition, provides insight into this dazzling array of Indian jewelry and its evolution over time.

	The lavishness of Indian jewelry is well known, yet seeing exquisite examples in a single, private collection is a rare occasion. Aspects of India’s jewelry culture reflect a traditional use of precious ornaments as both symbols of social status and as talismans. It would be an understatement to refer to this volume as an “exhibition catalogue.” The authors guide the reader through an intriguing narrative of Indian jewelry, often making connections to major historical events. For example, Anna Tonelli’s watercolor of Tipu Sultan’s throne, completed in 1793 and dismantled after the sultan’s death in 1799, clearly depicts the eight tiger’s head finials around the perimeter of the throne’s base. One of these finials is in the collection. Following the general review of the collection of more than 250 objects and their historical and cultural background, a discussion of the iconic pieces comprising the exhibition is presented in detail with attention given to their origin, style, and functionality.

	The artistry and use of valuable materials, including gold, jade, ruby, emerald and pearl demonstrate the prominence of Mughal civilization in the collection’s older pieces. Some pieces, such as jeweled flasks and large turban ornaments, are of no ordinary size.  They certainly reflect the important status of Mughal rulers. Skillfully carved, embellished and crafted pieces such as daggers, boxes, and body ornaments are presented to the reader with good photography. It is also noteworthy to mention that for almost every piece, the authors include a historical image, such as an old drawing or a painting, to help explain its utility or functionality. One notable piece is the Patiala ruby choker, seen in a 1931 photo of the Maharaja Bhupindra Singh of Patiala with his family members. In the photo, the choker is worn by one of his wives. The choker was one of many pieces that the Maharaja commissioned Cartier to model on older pieces from his treasury.

	As many gemologists may be aware, despite the details given in the history or the style of such collections, the gemstones are generally ignored when it comes to elaborating their identity. Fortunately, it is refreshing to read detailed description of the pieces in terms of style, meaning, and material, especially with specific gem names in this particular book. The later examples in the collection that once belonged to the maharajas reveal the change in taste stemming from a greater Western influence. For example, blue sapphire was never seen in early Mughal jewelry; it was considered a potentially malignant stone due to its association with the malefic planet Saturn. This perception eventually changed, and blue sapphire would achieve popularity among maharajas by the early 20th century, with designers commissioned to create pieces featuring the material for the Indian court. One notable example is a turban ornament or brooch made in 1920, later modified between 1925–1930, for Maharaja Ranjitsinhji Vibhaji. While a 109.5 ct blue sapphire surrounded by diamonds was certainly unusual for an Indian ruler, it makes sense when one understands that the maharaja was a cricket legend who played for the Sussex County Cricket Club. The club’s colors, blue and white, were represented in the ornament.

Treasures from India: Jewels from the Al-Thani Collection is an excellent resource for jewelry historians, gemologists, and lapidarists, all of whom will find plenty of information while enjoying beautiful images of this stunning array of jewelry. @chapter:56 @chapter:2 @chapter:56


# Publication Year: 2014
# Title: Two Fancy Dark Gray CVD Synthetic Diamonds
# Abstract: Figure 1. This 1.50 ct Fancy Dark gray CVD synthetic diamond was unusual for its combination of color grade and large size. Photo by Jian Xin (Jae) Liao.

              Recently, two colored synthetic diamonds examined in the Carlsbad laboratory were determined to have been grown by the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method. Both received an unusual color grade of Fancy Dark gray. GIA has graded other gray CVD synthetics before, but within the Fancy Light to Fancy range; it is rare for a synthetic to receive a Fancy Dark color grade. The few Fancy Dark synthetic diamonds submitted in the past have all been HPHT synthetics (most of them Fancy Dark reddish brown) with post-growth treatment that created NV centers. The two gray CVD specimens were also noted for their size—0.80 and 1.50 ct. The latter is shown in figure 1.

In addition to their color grade, both showed similar spectra. Neither sample’s UV-visible-NIR spectrum displayed any distinct absorption peaks. The mid-IR spectra identified them as type IIa diamond but did not contain features that confirmed synthetic origin. Their photoluminescence (PL) spectra had nearly identical features, suggesting that they originated from similar manufacturing processes. Both PL spectra featured a large silicon-vacancy doublet at 737 nm, a strong indicator of CVD growth (though natural diamonds will occasionally show a weak silicon peak along with other natural features); this was confirmed by the DiamondView images. The 1.50 ct specimen showed light blue fluorescence and striations commonly observed in CVD synthetics (figure 2, left) (P. Martineau et al., “Identification of synthetic diamond grown using chemical vapor deposition (CVD),” Spring 2004 G&G, pp. 1–25). The 0.80 ct sample offered a more unusual DiamondView image, with yellow fluorescence interspersed with regions of purple mottling. The purple mottling is seen occasionally in CVD synthetics, but usually combined with a background of pink fluorescence (W. Wang et al., “Latest-generation CVD-grown synthetic diamonds from Apollo Diamond Inc.,” Winter 2007 G&G, pp. 294–312) instead of the yellow fluorescence seen here. Some regions of the 0.80 ct synthetic had natural-looking fluorescence features (figure 2, right), but a thorough examination of the DiamondView fluorescence in conjunction with the silicon peak unambiguously identified it as CVD.

Figure 2. Left: In the DiamondView, the 1.50 ct sample showed the familiar color and striations of CVD synthetics. Right: The 0.80 ct specimen displayed a combination of natural-appearing features in some regions (as shown) and CVD-related striations and purple mottling in others. Images by Sally Magaña.
The DiamondView images of both synthetics also demonstrated blue phosphorescence, which is often associated with boron impurities. No known boron-related peaks were detected in the PL or mid-IR spectra, so the boron concentration would be below the level of detection by FTIR spectroscopy. Boron-related peaks seen in natural and treated type IIb diamonds often are not detected in known IIb HPHT- and CVD-grown synthetics. It is unclear whether the low boron concentration was deliberately introduced to improve growth rate and quality (S. Eaton et al., “Diamond growth in the presence of boron and sulfur,” Diamond and Related Materials, Vol. 12, 2003, pp. 1627–1632). Boron-containing diamonds with low color saturation often appear gray, making this element the likely cause of color in both of these CVD synthetic diamonds. @chapter:9 @chapter:1 @chapter:9


# Publication Year: 2006
# Title: The Characterization of Tortoise Shell and its Imitations
# Abstract: Tortoise shell has long been used as an ornamental gem material for art objects, jewelry, and personal items such as combs and eyeglass frames. Though humans have used tortoise shell for thousands of years, the material reached the height of its popularity during the 18th, 19th, and early 20th centuries. The advent of plastic imitations, as well as the passage of laws protecting sea turtles beginning in the 1970s, have led to a drastic reduction in the amount of tortoise shell in the market. Nevertheless, because older material can still be traded, especially in antique pieces, and because numerous imitations exist, proper identification is still important. This study summarizes the gemological properties of tortoise shell and its imitations. In addition to standard gemological data, the results of several spectroscopic techniques are presented; transmission and specular reflectance infrared spectroscopy were found to be of particular value. @chapter:51 @chapter:0 @chapter:51


# Publication Year: 2013
# Title: Une Découverte Exceptionnelle de Béryls Gemmes à Chaves, District de Vila Real, Portugal [An Exceptional Find of Gemmy Beryls at Chaves, District of Vila Real, Portugal]
# Abstract: The numerous pegmatites in northern Portugal are known as sources of fine mineral specimens for collectors. A passionate rockhounding couple describes how, after hard work in constant bad weather, they hit upon a pocket with gemmy aquamarines and heliodors in 2011. The crystals measured 2.1–14.2 cm (0.8–5.7 inches). Their surfaces were slightly to moderately etched. Considering the relatively few gemstone occurrences in Western Europe, this find can be regarded as outstanding. The most beautiful crystals are shown in color photos.

Abstracted by Rolf Tatje @chapter:0 @chapter:0 @chapter:0


# Publication Year: -
# Title: 2017 Las Vegas Trade Spotty, Designers and Diamonds Lead
# Abstract: A 4.10 ct colorless diamond “slice” pendant with black inclusions set in white gold and surrounded by colorless to brown pavé diamonds by Rachel Boston, London. Photo courtesy Rachel Boston

The bling look continued to retreat at the annual Las Vegas shows earlier this month as retail buyers favored smaller pieces, especially those that could be layered or paired to create a personalized look.

Designers at the Couture and Luxury shows used pale-colored faceted amethyst, corundum, tanzanite and varieties of tourmaline bezel set in gold or silver. Also, designers were using diamond slices – thin-cut pieces of highly included or opaque rough diamonds – to create distinctive pieces.

Their aim, they explained, was to create jewelry that could be worn, in the words of one, “…in the gym or an evening out on the town.”

Business was spotty, but diamond traders at the main JCK show found demand better than expected. All exhibitors agreed that traffic was down, although serious buyers were there to do business.  At the Couture show, geared to higher-end exhibitors and up-scale independent retailers, some exhibitors reported strong demand, while others found the show slow going.

Luxury, the part of the JCK show geared to higher-end exhibitors, was slow across the board. Most of the buying occurred during the invitation-only portion of the show (two days before the main show opened), but exhibitors reported traffic was down from last year.

In general, retailers stuck to their open-to-buy and avoided expensive, showy pieces unless they had a specific customer in mind.

As noted, diamond dealers who went into the JCK show expecting sales declines of 10% to 15%, generally found demand slightly ahead of last year. As usual, some of the dealers who did best were those who discounted to other dealers before the show opened to raise cash.

Trading at the American Gem Trade Association show also saw diminished traffic and slow sales.

The “Candy” bracelet by VTse Jewelry is comprised of a red oval cabochon tourmaline and multi-colored sapphires. Courtesy VTse Jewelry

DIAMONDS
The Diamond Producers Association announced at the JCK show that it will up its spending on the “…real is rare...” campaign to $57 million ($50 million in the U.S.) for the fall holiday season. The funds will be used for a fourth quarter advertising campaign though various channels, as well as in-store retailer support.

In addition, ForeverMark plans to increase its diamond advertising with an emphasis on women’s self-purchase, which accounts for 31% of all diamond sales. This is up 6% from three years ago. De Beers noted that engagement rings accounted for 28% of diamond sales last year and men’s gifts to their wives comprised an additional 37% of the diamond jewelry market in the U.S.

The company, which recently acquired LVMH’s 50% share in their joint retailing venture, said its entire growth strategy would be focused on China “where heritage brands are powerful … and trusted,” according to CEO Bruce Cleaver in an interview with JCK.

Cleaver said he doesn’t see significant growth for the De Beers’ store brand in the U.S., but the retail operation will remain “an important part of (De Beers’) brand proposition.”
COLORED STONES
Gemfields, the ruby and sapphire mining company, is the object of a bidding war.

The company’s largest shareholder, Pallinghurst Resources, London, offered to buy the 53% of the company it does not own. Some analysts criticized the offer of $275.6 million in stock trades as low, even though the gem company’s stock has languished. The company earned $23.5 million on revenues of $191.1 million in 2016.

Now, however, Fosun Gold, a Chinese holding company based in Shanghai, has offered a cash price 10% above Pallinghurst’s offer and 15% above the current stock price.

Gemfields operates the Kagem emerald mine in Zambia and the Montepuez ruby mine in Mozambique. The company claims to be the single largest producer of both gemstones and also owns a 100% stake in the luxury jeweler, Faberge. @chapter:32 @chapter:3 @chapter:32


# Publication Year: 2018
# Title: Unheated and Unusual Colors
# Abstract: Figure 1. Madagascar Imports exhibited an array of small unheated stones, including 3.3 mm round brilliant lavender spinel from the Bekily region (left), and 2.5 mm round brilliant purple sapphire from Ilakaka (right). Photos by Jennifer Stone-Sundberg.
Margit Thorndal of Madagascar Imports, Ltd. (Laurel, Montana) was one of several AGTA vendors carrying small stones in today’s hottest colors. Thorndal showed two of her most popular stones from Madagascar: lavender spinel from the Bekily region and purple sapphire from Ilakaka (figure 1). Both materials are unheated and represent unique colors, particularly the lavender spinel.

Thorndal indicated that buyers appreciate the unheated and nontypical colors. Along with purple stones from Madagascar, she has been doing very well with pink and orange Malaya garnet from the Bekily region and bright yellow-green demantoid. The rough from Madagascar is all precision cut by hand into melee at a single facility in Bangkok. The finished stones are used by designers creating one-of-a-kind pieces, jewelers performing custom work, and manufacturers producing higher-end goods. She also showed a suite of 21 unheated Ilakaka sapphires totaling 22 carats that displayed attractive pastel hues (figure 2).

Figure 2. Suite of 21 unheated Ilakaka sapphires, approximately 1 ct each. Photo by Jennifer Stone-Sundberg.
Another item that has been doing very well for Madagascar Imports is unheated Montana sapphire, particularly in teal hues, a sentiment echoed at many other AGTA booths. There is strong demand for American gemstones, particularly untreated ones. @chapter:31 @chapter:2 @chapter:31