Publication Year: 2014 Title: Innovative Optical Effects, Unique Rings with Raw Crystals – Tucson 2014 Abstract: "Wheels of light" are innovative quartz disks with sealed inserts of colored gems or minerals, creating multiple reflections to lend color to otherwise transparent rock crystal. Inside these examples are Paraíba tourmaline (left) and realgar (right). Photos by Eric Welch; courtesy of Nature’s Geometry.

              At GJX, Brian and Kendra Cook (Nature’s Geometry, Graton, California) showed an innovative series of clear quartz disks they call “wheels of light.” These disks are mounted in work-hardened 24K yellow gold for use as pendants or earrings. The center of each disk contains a tube where an insert of colored gem material can be placed. The tube is subsequently sealed with clear quartz. When the disk is viewed face up, the insert’s color reflects and suffuses the disk with bright color (figure 1).

	Brian and Kendra CookNature's Geometry

Husband-and-wife team Brian and Kendra Cook reveal the design philosophy behind their unique gemstone products, which use ‘raw’ gem crystals, clever optical effects, or carry aromatic oils in tiny wells to tantalize the senses in a combination of texture, color, and scent.
For red, Brian Cook uses ruby or even realgar (also known as “ruby sulfur,” a very soft arsenic sulfide mineral), and Paraíba tourmaline or haüyne (a brittle sodium calcium sulfate) for rich blues. As the insert is completely enclosed within the quartz, the materials are protected from wear.

	Figure 2. This ring’s centerpiece is a euhedral 2.76 ct ruby crystal from Winza, Tanzania, flanked by a pair of Canadian rough diamonds. Two green diamonds from Venezuela complete the piece. Photo by Eric Welch; courtesy of Nature’s Geometry.

	Figure 3. This ring features cat’s-eye spessartine garnet with Paraíba tourmaline shoulder stones in a 24K work-hardened gold mounting. Photo by Eric Welch; courtesy of Nature’s Geometry.
Brian Cook displayed several intriguing rings with rough crystals, including ruby (figure 2), alexandrite, and diamond, also in work-hardened gold. Another standout featured a cat’s-eye spessartine garnet with Paraíba tourmaline cabochons in a similar mounting (figure 3).

In the accompanying video, Kendra Cook answers the rhetorical question, “What could be better than jewelry that affects your emotions pleasantly?” with her innovative aroma jewels. She places essential oils that calm or energize the wearer within tiny wells in gemstones that are left open to evaporation. She also coordinates color with scent, using warm scents for gems like sunstone and cool scents for gems like aquamarine.

The result is “a mélange of color,” a combination of design, gem crystals, and color that work in synergy with aromatherapy like a wearable potpourri. Brian Cook helps source for unusual gem crystals, such as a clear oligoclase, for fashioning into sliding gem beads where essential oils nestle to comfort and revive the wearer. @chapter:18


Publication Year: - Title: Alumni Members: Stand Out by Taking Advantage of Opportunities, Events Abstract: Cincinnati chapter members gathered to learn about advancements in jewelry manufacturing from specialist and guest speaker Chris Glazer, who featured a review of 3-D scanning technology. Courtesy of the Cincinnati Chapter.

Summer time and the living is easy … at least for our alumni worldwide, because in my opinion, we work in the greatest industry in the world. When you have a passion for what you do, it simply is not work. You see this in industry members and alumni who light up when they begin to talk about what they do.

To quote E.M. Foster: “One person with passion is better than forty people merely interested.”

I love this quote and can think of an extensive list of names of people in our industry whose passion proceeds them. They are industry beacons who draw us to them and inspire us with their drive to increase their expertise and knowledge and their reflection of integrity. The most remarkable thing about these people is that they measure or value their personal success by their ability to share their knowledge, act as mentors and provide service to the industry they love.

Some of these folks may be in our personal contact list and some may be on our get-to-know wish list. I suggest you put yourself out there and try to meet these beacons of the industry. Go to shows and approach an expert if you have questions, attend alumni events where industry leaders speak or attend, commit to continued learning by attending lectures and conferences. Each of these steps will help you grow your personal network of contacts and become that alumnus who stands out.

Be a person with passion. Leverage the interests that brought us all to this inspiring industry. Whether you are just starting out, in the twilight of your career, or somewhere in between, the connection we all have to GIA as alumni members and lifetime students bring us together with shared passion for an education and excellence. This is the foundation of the GIA Alumni Association.

I have highlighted alumni events below that have occurred since our last report in May and those that are on the horizon. Each activity is an opportunity to align yourself with others who share our passion for our industry. Please note the topics, speakers and locations of alumni activities that occur across the globe and take advantage of these opportunities.

Alumni chapter and GIA-hosted events are available for you to invest in yourself and become a GIA Alumni member who stands out.

Global tradeshows provide the opportunity for alumni chapter leaders to connect with GIA in person. Above, Rong Julius Zheng, president of Shanghai chapter, left, and Kate Donovan, GIA Global Alumni Relations Manager, with a cardboard cutout of Richard T. Liddicoat on display in celebration of the centennial year of his birth at the JCK Las Vegas show. Photo courtesy of Rong Julius Zheng.
GIA Hosted Opportunities

108th Gemstone Gathering – A lecture series organized by GIA Bangkok, featured “A Brief History of Colored Gemstone Faceting,” by Justin K Prim, gem cutter, author and lapidary instructor. Find out more details  on this event and future events.
GIA Alumni at JCK Las Vegas – The largest gem, jewelry and watch fair in the U.S brings more than 30,000 people together for commerce and comradery. The GIA Alumni Association and our members participated in a number of social events, including the Red Square Meet-Up and the Rocks the Bowl Party, and met up regularly at the GIA booth. Each of these were wonderful opportunities for our global alumni to connect as attendees and vendors and brought alumni members and industry friends from across the globe together.
GIA Career Fair New York – Provided a day of opportunity to all who attended and participated in July. From a dynamic opening panel of speakers and one-on-one recruiting and career coaching, this annual GIA event delivers a platform for the Institute’s student and graduates, industry leaders and the public to converge. This event helps ensure the success of our industry and its future. GIA has hosted GIA Career Fair for more than 25 years in New York and in California, and held the first-ever in Career Fair in London earlier this year. Visit the Career Fair website for more details.
GIA Advanced Synthetic Diamond Seminar – The first series of this new training program was held in Hong Kong in June and upcoming seminars will be held in Mumbai, London and Carlsbad. Read more in the press release.

GIA’s commitment to support our alumni chapters and members
Delivering a promise from GIA to expand benefits and grow support for our alumni network worldwide, the Institute arranged GIA speakers at seven global alumni chapter events since May:

Dr. Wuyi Wang, vice president of research and development, offered insight on laboratory developments, research conducted on synthetic diamonds, and the latest gem testing devices and screening services offered by GIA, in Macau and Taiwan.
Dr. James Shigley, Distinguished Research Fellow at GIA, and Brenda Harwick, GIA GG and senior manager of on campus instruction, delivered a synthetic diamond update and hands-on session, in Ohio.
Andy Lucas provided a GIA field gemology update and discussed recent expeditions to Greenland ruby mines and Ethiopia sapphire mines to alumni in San Diego and members of American Society of Appraisers (ASA) who were visiting GIA’s Carlsbad campus for an education opportunity.
Shelly Verwymeren, GIA GG and instructor, provided a synthetic diamond lecture and the opportunity to view natural diamond and samples of HPHT and CVD grown synthetic diamonds, in Wisconsin.
Crystal Nel and Elizabeth Bokaba, from GIA’s Africa staff, presented GIA Gemkids and shared tools available from GIA to step up your marketing game, to alumni in Tanzania.
Three members of the GIA Laboratory Gem Identification Department – Daniel Girma, Tyler Smith and Jessica Jasso – provided a lab update for Manhattan.

London alumni chapter leaders Lubica Micatkova, treasurer, (left), Sharon Dale, president, (second from left) and Eloise Mathieu, secretary (right) pose with Sarah Hue-Williams, guest lecturer (second from right) at the end of another successful London alumni chapter event. Photo courtesy of the London Chapter.

Recognizing Longtime GIA Alumni Leaders for Commitment and Giving Back as Mentors
The benefits of involving yourself in GIA Alumni activities or within your chapter as a leader, or otherwise, is immeasurable and it is FUN. Just ask any of the following volunteer alumni leaders. From life-long friendships, expanding business opportunities and staying relevant with up-to-date education in today’s marketplace, there’s a reason why these exceptional alumni leaders have remained actively involved with the GIA Alumni Association for more than 25 years – and continue to do so today.

Here are some former and present chapter leaders who provide valuable knowledge as presenters at our chapters:

Sindi Schloss (former president and residing president of the Metro-Phoenix Chapter) shared insight on “Estate Exotics” and the opportunity to find and appreciate the bead and gemstone necklace treasures of the past, in San Diego.
Richard Drucker (former president of the Chicago Chapter) delivered a colored gemstone pricing and treatment overview in Manhattan.
Suzanne Martinez and Starla Turner (former co-presidents and founding members of the Golden Gate Chapter) provided a historical review of diamond ring styles to Golden Gate, California.
Bill Korst (former chapter president and board member of the Michigan Chapter) presented “All About Garnets” at a gem study group and barbeque, in Michigan.
Note: many additional alumni leaders should be recognized here – their exclusion is simply because we are reporting on activities in the last three months – but we are no less appreciative for all of the folks who regularly serve as mentors, educators and volunteers in their chapters. To each of them, we thank you.

GIA Alumni Switzerland chapter members enjoy an interactive refresher of gemological equipment use by presenter Guillaume Chautru, head of the gemology department at Piaget SA. Photo courtesy of the Switzerland Chapter.
Here is a list of additional chapter news and events that have occurred since our last AlumConnect issue, in May.

Social Gatherings brought Hong Kong, Houston, Louisiana, Mumbai, South Carolina and Toronto alumni, students and industry friends together for networking fun, as well as for the celebration of Monterrey-Mexico chapter’s third anniversary.
Hands-on Instruments Workshop by Guillaume Chautru, head of the Gemology Department at Piaget SA, led a fun, hands-on refresher on tips to make an expert assessment (as a gemologist) with the use of classical gemological instruments, to members in Switzerland.
Gemology Tours and Excursions included an annual Gemstone Safari visit to Mexico’s Sea of Cortez, for the pearl harvest by members of Mexico City, and a field trip to the Heard Museum to view a retrospective collection of one of the Southwest’s most noted jewelry designers Richard Chavez’s 40-year career by Metro-Phoenix.
Twenty-First Century Jade was the featured presentation by author, gemologist and lecturer Renee Newman, GIA GG, in Washington, D.C.
Lab Grown (Synthetic) Diamonds: Products, Perception and Reality was presented by Stanley Zale, VP of Diamonds & Gemstone Procurement, Stuller, Inc. to a full house, in New England.
Jewelry History topics featured notable speakers in multiple chapters. Jason Adams discussed the history, identification and evaluation of jewelry from 17th to the 20th century, to an attentive audience in Ohio.  Lauren Abramowitz, GIA GG shared “With Tiffany Blue, What Rings True?” an in-depth presentation on how to recognize legitimate Tiffany jewelry and products from the mass produced and custom-made imitations found in the marketplace globally, with members of Twin Cities, in Minnesota.
Advancements in Jewelry Manufacturing was presented by manufacturing specialist Chris Glazer, and featured a review of 3-D scanning technology, in Cincinnati.
Expanding Service and Improving Profits by understanding and providing services to re-polish and/or re-cut diamonds and colored stones to add value to your client’s stone or your company’s inventory, was a well-received topic in Michigan.
An evening with Sarah Hue-Williams, noted historian, author, gemologist and lecturer, shared insight and stories surrounding the sales of some of the jewelry that has passed through Christie's salerooms around the world and her involvement in extensive research for some of the most significant jewelry auctions of recent years, enthralling attendees in London.

Upcoming GIA Education and Networking Opportunities
Mark your calendars for these upcoming events and valuable education and networking opportunities:

GIA Symposium in 2018 – The date is quickly approaching for this extraordinary gathering of gemstone and jewelry professionals. Current registrations include representatives from 38 countries from across the globe and we hope you consider joining. Do not miss the sixth ever symposium in GIA’s history, and the opportunity to participate in this historical event. Registration is available for the GIA International Gemological Symposium, to be hosted in Carlsbad, California from Oct. 7-9, 2018. Visit the event website for an outline of symposium experience and offerings.
Tucson 2019 – Party at the GIA Gem Mine: India Odyssey: The date and the theme is set and the GIA team is actively planning the Alumni Association’s biggest event each year. Please mark your calendar to join us on Friday, Feb. 8, 2019, for this annual gathering that brings alumni and industry friends together from across the globe. The night includes dinner, dancing and silent and live auctions and all proceeds benefit the Alumni Endowment Fund to support alumni benefits and programs worldwide. Visit the party web page to learn more.

I hope this overview of alumni activities has inspired you to get involved and benefit from the relationships and opportunities available through the GIA Alumni Association. As a global community, opportunity and education is there for you both digitally and in person, you simply need to make the effort to invest in yourself. @chapter:36


Publication Year: 2023 Title: Pink Zektzerite Abstract: An exceptional pink zektzerite, cut as a square modified step cut, measuring 8.08 × 7.39 × 6.89 mm and weighing 2.95 ct. Photo by Diego Sanchez.
Zektzerite, a member of the tuhualite group, is a very rare collectible mineral currently mined from only two sources: Okanogan County in the U.S. state of Washington (Spring 2011 Gem News International, p. 61), and the Darai-Pioz Valley in Tajikistan (L.A. Pautovet et al., “Zektzerite—occurrence in Tadzhikistan,” Mineralogicheskii Zhurnal, Vol. 14, pp.  75–78). With the chemical formula NaLiZrSi6O15, these rare crystals are found in miarolitic cavities in riebeckite granite, along with many other rare minerals. The zektzerite crystals found in these locations are primarily between 4 mm and 15 mm and usually yield small faceted gems weighing less than 2 ct. This material is typically found with a low transparency and muted color saturations. Perfect cleavage in two directions and a brittle tendency make this fragile stone very difficult and risky to cut. Due to its low durability and overall dull appearance, collectors tend to leave zektzerite in its natural rough state.
An outstanding example of faceted gem-quality zektzerite (see above) was recently submitted to GIA’s Carlsbad laboratory. The stone weighed 2.95 ct, measured 8.08 × 7.39 × 6.89 mm, and had a refractive index ranging between 1.578 and 1.584. A specific gravity of 2.81, along with Raman and infrared spectroscopic testing, all matched zektzerite, with no indication of dye or polymers. The outstanding pink color, relatively high clarity, and impressive size of this stone sets this specimen far above any other faceted zektzerite previously reported. @chapter:4


Publication Year: 1995 Title: Sapphires from Southern Vietnam Abstract: Gem-quality blue to bluish green sapphires from basaltic terrains in southern provinces of Vietnam have been entering the gemstone market since the late 1980s.Visits to two of the sapphire-producing areas—Phan Thiet and Di Linh—confirmed that the sapphires occur in association with alkali basalts. Mining was done by hand at the Phan Thiet localities and with relatively sophisticated equipment at Di Linh. Investigation of 250 faceted samples revealed gemological, spectroscopic, and chemical properties similar to those of other basaltic sapphires. Notable internal features are prominent growth structures, distinctive color zoning, various crosshatch to lath-like "cloud" patterns, and several mineral inclusions. @chapter:3


Publication Year: - Title: Inside De Beers’ Lightbox Diamonds Abstract: GIA research scientist Dr. Sally Eaton-Magana analyzes the image of a marquise diamond in the DiamondView to determine whether or not the stone is synthetic. Photo by Russell Shor/GIA

De Beers’ line of laboratory-grown diamonds, Lightbox, made its retail debut in the fall. Shortly afterward, GIA researcher, Dr. Sally Eaton-Magana, who has been identifying and analyzing lab-grown diamonds for 11 years, took a close look at the new De Beers-produced product for the Winter 2018 issue of Gems & Gemology.

Lightbox diamonds are produced in quarter carat, half carat and full carat sizes in colorless, pink and blue, and are uniformly priced at $800 per carat. Eaton-Magana examined two colorless specimens of .24 ct and .26 ct, respectively.

Both stones had color equivalent to G on the GIA diamond color scale, with cut grades of excellent and very good. Both were very high clarity, the equivalent of VVS2 on the GIA clarity scale. The smaller diamond had a pinpoint in a bezel facet, while the other had a tiny feather in a star facet. The laser-inscribed Lightbox logo (2 equilateral triangles base to base with an isosceles triangle in the middle) under the table – large enough to be easily visible with a microscope – would reduce the equivalent clarity grade to VS2. GIA Synthetic Diamond Grading Reports use ranges, rather than specific grades, to describe the color and clarity of laboratory-grown diamonds.

Magana confirmed that the Lightbox diamonds were grown using the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process, which means they are Type IIa with no detectable nitrogen. “The identification criteria for high pressure, high temperature (HPHT) and CVD synthetics can be quite distinct from each other,” she explained, adding that synthetic products have become much more varied over the last 10-15 years.

“When the GIA synthetic diamond grading report was first launched in 2007, CVD synthetics were not commercially available,” she noted. “The commercially available sizes of lab-grown diamonds have expanded such that both very large and very small stones are possible. Also, colorless to near-colorless synthetics were once quite rare and are now the majority seen at the lab.”

Although Lightbox is new to the market, and the variety of lab grown diamonds is increasing, the fundamental identification criteria have not changed. They are based on growth morphology and optical properties. “We also regularly conduct research on emerging products and GIA has a program to grow synthetics ourselves to stay ahead of any new trends,” she said.

Similarly, the basic equipment for identification has not changed. Researchers and grading laboratory staff continue to rely on microscopy, fluorescence imaging, absorption spectroscopy, and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. What has evolved, she said, is the speed and efficiency of these devices.

The evolution of PL mapping capabilities is important, she explained, because it enables GIA to collect thousands of spectra at micron-sized intervals across the surface of a diamond in mere minutes.

“This technology allows us to map the defect concentrations of synthetic diamond to visualize the growth sectors in HPHT synthetics,” Eaton-Magana explained. “The recent ability to collect many thousands of PL spectra instead of just one spectrum on a diamond gives us opportunities to draw correlations that would not have been previously possible. We have also expanded our research into largely previously unexplored variables – such as what are the effects on spectra within the diamond at various temperatures and timescales; for example, exploring diamond’s luminescence at the nanosecond to millisecond time ranges.”

She said that PL spectra showed the Lightbox diamonds were not subjected to post-growth HPHT processing to improve their color. The researchers noted that about 75% of all CVD-grown diamonds they encounter have been subjected to such treatment. This is because quite often these diamonds are grown with a brownish color, especially if the manufacturers attempt to grow them quickly. While the HPHT treatment process is effective in improving the color of CVD diamonds, the large amount of energy used to create sufficient heat and pressure can add significantly to the cost of production. The Lightbox products, however, are priced much lower than most other lab-grown diamonds in the market.

Both diamonds showed visible red fluorescence in imaging by the DiamondView synthetic detector, but had no detectable fluorescence under long wave UV light. The lab-grown diamonds did show tell-tale CVD growth striations, but they were difficult to spot, requiring careful DiamondView imaging.

Lightbox lab-grown diamonds are readily identifiable as CVD by spectroscopic techniques, DiamondView imaging and, of course, the inscribed logo under the table, her article noted.

Magana earned her doctoral degree in chemical engineering with Dr. John Angus, one of the early pioneers of CVD synthetic diamond growth. For her Ph.D. and post-doctoral work, she worked mainly on growing CVD synthetics for engineering and semiconductor applications.

“While at my post-doc assignment, we collaborated with the Smithsonian Institution to study the phosphorescence of type IIb diamonds in their collection, including the Hope Diamond. With this introduction to gem diamonds, I wanted to transition into this field and was fortunate to obtain a position at GIA following my post-doctoral assignment,” Magana said. “Since then, I have spent much of my time delving into the physics of gem diamonds, concentrating on various treatments, detection methods, and distinguishing synthetics from their natural counterparts.” @chapter:31


Publication Year: 2016 Title: Garnet Inclusion Illusion Abstract: Figure 1. At first glance, this 42.88 ct quartz double cabochon measuring 28 × 18.5 × 15 mm resembles a beautiful garnet-included quartz gem. Photo by Elise A. Skalwold, from the Si and Ann Frazier Collection.

	A cleverly designed “garnet in quartz” double cabochon represents a new and unexpected challenge for gemologists, collectors, and designers who intend to feature inclusion gemstones in their jewelry lines. This assembled inclusion consists of a fragment of pyralspite-series garnet sandwiched between two quartz cabochons (figure 1). The garnet and quartz were identified with optical and Raman spectroscopy, respectively, at GIA’s Carlsbad laboratory. While the specimen creates the illusion of being natural, clues to its artificial origin include air bubbles and the fragment itself, which shows neither crystal faces nor the rounded appearance of an etched or eroded crystal. Rather, it is a relatively sharp fragment that resides in a pocket filled with glue (figure 2). The subtle glue layer between the cabochons becomes more apparent when viewed under UV light, which causes it to fluoresce chalky white; this fluorescence is stronger under long-wave than short-wave UV.

Figure 2. Gas bubbles can be seen in an otherwise nearly invisible glue layer between the quartz cabochons; these bubbles are abundant in the vicinity of the red garnet fragment. The fragment resides in a hollowed-out pocket and is surrounded with glue. Photomicrograph by Nathan Renfro; field of view 10.28 mm.

	This specimen was purchased at the 2016 Tucson shows from a dealer specializing in inclusion specimens. The cabochon, part a collection of otherwise natural items, was fully disclosed as a man-made novelty. Its appearance in the marketplace represents an emerging trend that gemologists and collectors will see with increasing regularity as the fascination with inclusions grows (see the author’s forthcoming article, “Evolution of the inclusion illusion,” in the Summer 2016 InColor). Careful inspection with a loupe or microscope will in most cases reveal the underlying nature of this inclusion. @chapter:19


Publication Year: 1996 Title: Sapphires from the Andranondambo Region, Madagascar Abstract: Since 1993, large amounts of gem-quality sapphires from the Andranondambo region of southern Madagascar have entered the international gem market. These sapphires, which are found in metamorphic skarn-type deposits, show a broad range of gemological and chemical properties, many of which are similar to those of sapphires from Sri Lanka, Myanmar (Burma), and even Kashmir. Most of the Andranondambo sapphires are heat treated in Bangkok; these can be separated from their non-heat-treated counterparts on the basis of inclusion features and absorption spectra. Key factors in the separation of Andranondambo sapphires from synthetic sapphires of different manufacturers are chemistry (especially the Ga content of the natural material) and internal features. @chapter:5


Publication Year: 2020 Title: Elongated Rutile Crystal in Blue Sapphire from Afghanistan Abstract: The elongated orange transparent rutile crystal observed in the faceted blue sapphire from Afghanistan. Photomicrograph by Nattida Ng-Pooresatien; field of view 3.0 mm.
Rutile, titanium dioxide (TiO2), is a tetragonal mineral that generally occurs in corundum as silk (exsolution-formed needles), dust-like exsolution particles, or macroscopic crystal inclusions. Rutile crystals can have orange to deep red-brown coloration, and the crystal shapes can be rounded or euhedral.
The author recently examined a 4.24 ct faceted transparent blue sapphire from Afghanistan. The stone contained dusty flake-like inclusions, naturally healed fractures, lathe-like inclusions, twinning, rounded colorless crystals identified as apatite (RRUFF R040098), and an unusual long prismatic orange crystal identified as rutile (RRUFF R040049). This rutile crystal shape (see above) is not typical for corundum, particularly in blue sapphire. @chapter:10


Publication Year: 2017 Title: Natural Freshwater “Fish” Pearl Abstract: Figure 1. A 2.12 ct natural freshwater pearl with the form of a fish. Photo by Sood Oil (Judy) Chia.

The increased availability of freshwater cultured pearls in the market has brought their natural counterparts to the attention of collectors and the trade. Most natural freshwater pearls have been obtained from European waters and in the United States from rivers in the Mississippi Valley. A natural pearl occurs without human intervention and takes on the characteristic color and surface properties of the mollusk in which it forms. Freshwater pearls, whether cultured or natural, are attractive due to a wide variety of distinctive shapes, hues, and overtones. The New York lab recently examined a unique fish-shaped brownish orange pearl measuring 21.34 × 6.28 × 2.81 mm and weighing 2.12 ct (figure 1).

The entire nacreous surface was composed of overlapping platelets. We observed no indications of work, such as polishing, that is sometimes performed to improve a pearl’s appearance. One end was wider and more rounded, which bore an uncanny likeness to a fish’s head, with an “eye” and “mouth” also discernible. The lustrous orient along the body narrowed to a rounded point, resembling iridescent fish scales on a tail. Natural pearls are often baroque, and American freshwater pearls in particular are often found as elongated “wing” pearls (J.L. Sweaney and J.R. Latendresse, “Freshwater pearls of North America,” Fall 1984 G&G, pp. 125–140). Energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) chemical analysis and observation of X-ray fluorescence showed higher levels of manganese, proving that the pearl formed in a freshwater mussel. No indications of treatment such as dyeing or coating were detected under magnification or using advanced analytical procedures. Real-time microradiography and X-ray computed microtomography (µ-CT) analysis revealed clear natural growth structures that conformed to the pearl’s shape. 3D rendering of the µ-CT data (figure 2) showed a remarkable likeness to a small fish swimming.

Figure 2. 3D software rendering of X-ray µ-CT data revealed the pearl’s uncanny likeness to a fish. Images by Emiko Yazawa.
Although this is not the first pearl GIA has examined that bears a resemblance to a living creature (see Fall 2015 Lab Notes, pp. 319–320), it is nonetheless an extraordinary and rare formation that mirrors the form of a fish in surprising detail. @chapter:14


Publication Year: - Title: GIA's Gübelin Gem Project: Various Gems, Amblygonite - Axinite Abstract: Apatite
Photo by Robert Weldon/GIA, courtesy Dr. E. J. Gübelin Collection
GIA Collection 33765

Among the collection assembled by Dr. Edward Gübelin are a number of uncommon gemstones from many worldwide localities. Documents, like the ones below, present information on gemstones that range from occasional use in jewelry to those that are quite rare and seldom faceted because of the lack of suitable starting material.

34543

			5.92 ct Amblygonite
			Myanmar (PDF)

33908

			4.85 ct Amblygonite
			Locality not stated (PDF)

33905

			12.18 ct Amblygonite
			Locality not stated (PDF)

34539

			17.86 ct Amphibole (Actinolite)
			Myanmar (PDF)

34990

			5.44 ct Amphibole (Actinolite)
			Tanzania (PDF)

34974

			13.66 ct Amphibole (Actinolite) -
			Nephrite
			Switzerland (PDF)

35409

			2.60 ct Amphibole (Hornblende)
			Canada (PDF)

35316

			1.97 ct Anatase
			Brazil (PDF)

33918

			10.62 ct Andalusite
			Brazil (PDF)

33922

			13.22 ct Andalusite
			Brazil (PDF)

33924

			14.41 ct Andalusite
			Brazil (PDF)

33917

			16.13 ct Andalusite
			Brazil (PDF)

34263

			16.71 ct Andalusite
			Brazil (PDF)

34773

			2.25 ct Andalusite
			Sri Lanka (PDF)

33919

			9.04 ct Andalusite
			Sri Lanka (PDF)

35307

40.83 ct Anglesite
			Morocco (PDF)

34682

			13.47 ct Anglesite
			Locality not stated (PDF)

34684

			16.10 ct Anglesite
			Locality not stated (PDF)

35306

			17.54 ct Anglesite
			Locality not stated (PDF)

34967

			9.55 ct Anhydrite
			Locality not stated (PDF)

35327

			2.35 ct Apatite
			Brazil (PDF)

34265

			4.94 ct Apatite
			Brazil (PDF)

34266

			7.10 ct Apatite
			Brazil (PDF)

35323

			2.23 ct Apatite
			Madagascar (PDF)

33785

			3.60 ct Apatite
			Madagascar (PDF)

35325

			5.12 ct Apatite
			Madagascar (PDF)

34401

			9.10 ct Apatite
			Madagascar (PDF)

33765

			16.69 ct Apatite
			Mexico (PDF)

34447

			22.42 ct Apatite
			Mexico (PDF)

33783

			3.03 ct Apatite
			Myanmar (PDF)

34648

			4.80 ct Apatite
			Myanmar (PDF)

34546

			6.50 ct Apatite
			Myanmar (PDF)

34548

			11.29 ct Apatite
			Myanmar (PDF)

34760

			17.09 ct Apatite
			Sri Lanka (PDF)

34999

			3.10 ct Apatite
			Tanzania (PDF)

33779

			1.60 ct Apatite
			The United States (PDF)

35160

			2.64 ct Apatite
			The United States (PDF)

35161

			6.33 ct Apatite
			The United States (PDF)

35267

			15.54 ct Apatite
			Zimbabwe (PDF)

35251

			25.27 ct Apatite
			Zimbabwe (PDF)

35331

			7.48 ct Apophyllite
			India (PDF)

35333

			8.07 ct Aragonite
			Czech Republic (PDF)

35334

			2.83 ct Augelite
			The United States (PDF)

33911

			4.29 ct Axinite
			Mexico (PDF)

33910

			8.71 ct Axinite
			Mexico (PDF)

34448

			9.10 ct Axinite
			Mexico (PDF)

34780

			8.30 ct Axinite
			Sri Lanka (PDF) @chapter:3


Publication Year: 2018 Title: Separating Glass-Filled Rubies Using the DiamondView Abstract: Figure 1. A pair of rubies that were determined to be glass filled, partly with the assistance of DiamondView imaging. Photo by Lai Tai-An Gem Lab.

The treatment of gemstones using various filler materials is not new. In the case of corundum, silica glass was often observed filling rubies from approximately 1980 to the early 2000s, when it was largely replaced by high-lead-content glass in early 2004 (S.F. McClure et al., “Identification and durability of lead glass–filled rubies,” Spring 2006 G&G, pp. 22–34) which has since become the mainstream artificial filler in corundum. The Lai Tai-An Gem Lab in Taipei recently examined a pair of rubies (figure 1) that were quickly determined to be glass filled with the assistance of DiamondView imaging. In our experience, the DiamondView detects the presence of glass, although it does not distinguish between different types of glasses. This note shows how the DiamondView can be used to observe the presence and, perhaps more importantly, the degree of filling in rubies.
The two heart-shaped cabochons weighed 6.81 and 6.89 ct and measured approximately 10.78 × 13.55 × 5.39 mm and 11.36 × 13.10 × 5.47 mm, respectively. Each semitransparent stone exhibited a purplish red color and fluoresced a strong red to long-wave ultraviolet radiation while exhibiting a weak red reaction to short-wave ultraviolet irradiation. Standard gemological testing showed spot refractive indices of 1.76, and specific gravities of 3.94 and 3.93, respectively, which were lower than regular values and raised suspicion that the stones were filled, while advanced analysis by energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) and Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and Raman microscopy revealed data consistent with ruby. Magnification with a gemological microscope revealed natural fluid and fingerprint inclusions, but some evidence of a filler was also observed in the fractures.

Figure 2. Notable differences in the reflectance of the glass filling and corundum host were seen in the DiamondView’s visible light mode.

Figure 3. In contrast to figure 3, the DiamondView’s operational mode clearly revealed the glass-filled cavities as well as the extent of the glass (shown in blue) running throughout the rubies.
Under the DiamondView’s visible light settings, some surface-reaching filler features and filled “cavities” were also revealed. Notable differences in the surface reflectance between the filling material and surrounding corundum (figure 2) were clearly evident. After exposure to the DiamondView’s short-wave UV radiation, the treated nature of both rubies was even more apparent as the reaction not only showed the obvious cavities but the extent of the filler (in blue) running throughout the stones (figure 3). The 6.81 ct ruby revealed an even greater degree of filling than its twin, especially on the base where a greater concentration of filling material was noted.
As the DiamondView results prove, filler materials penetrate or remain on the fractures of the treated material (ruby in this case) under certain treatment conditions. Hence, some filling treatments may be revealed more clearly when exposed to the ultra-short-wave energy of the DiamondView. Chemical analysis of a filled area using EDXRF detected Si and Ba as the major elements. Minute levels of Pb were also obtained. The results proved the filler was a glass composed of these elements, which were not detected when other filler-free areas were analyzed.
Artificial glass is frequently used as a filling material in gemstones. The variable chemical compositions of these different glasses help improve the appearance (lower visibility of fractures) of the host after treatment. While the vast majority of glasses and other fillers, both organic and inorganic, can be detected with a loupe or microscope, the DiamondView is a useful identification aid should the need arise. @chapter:12


Publication Year: - Title: GIA Field Gemologists Visit Chimwadzulu Ruby Mine, Malawi Abstract: Seeking Ruby and Sapphire in Malawi

	Visit Malawi’s Chimwadzulu ruby mine with GIA field gemologists.

	In this video, you will experience the “warm heart of Africa,” as GIA field gemologists visit Malawi’s Chimwadzulu ruby mine for the very first time. Although this is one of the continent’s oldest-known ruby and sapphire deposits—discovered in 1958—it’s largely unknown to the gem trade or public at large.

	Malawi is one of the smallest African nations, bounded by Zambia to the northwest, Tanzania to the northeast, and Mozambique to the east, south, and west. The country is separated from Tanzania and Mozambique by the waters of Lake Malawi.

	“I read about Chimwadzulu a very long time ago…and this is a place I’ve wanted to come to for a very long time,” says GIA Field Gemologist Vincent Pardieu. The deposit’s geology is very complex, he explains, and the mine’s sapphires provide a key to understanding it. Although the Chimwadzulu deposit is known for ruby and orange sapphire, it produces mainly pale green, blue, and yellow sapphire.

	As always, a core goal of the expedition is to procure samples for GIA’s research programs, but understanding the gems as part of the geology and the mining operation—along with the people who labor to produce it—is also tremendously important. “When you look at the stone, you don’t view it the same way when you have the story of the stone, too,” explains Pardieu.

	The country is struggling to develop, and ethical stewardship of its gem resources is a part of the solution. Some of the possible benefits to local communities are a hospital and a school funded by the Chimwadzulu mining operation—a consortium between Nyala Mines Ltd. and Columbia Gem House, Inc.

	Pardieu and his team were able to visit the facility and observe the difference it makes. “In many African countries, the right access to education and health is really a luxury,” remarks Pardieu. “…you’re bringing to these people what is normal for us, but a luxury for them.” They also visited the elementary school, gaining a snapshot of the country’s youth and their boundless potential if Malawi’s resources can be harnessed for the good of all its citizens.

	This GIA Field Expedition (FE56) took place in September 2014. Besides Pardieu, the participants were cameraman Didier Gruel and field gemologist trainee Stanislas Detroyat. @chapter:18


Publication Year: 2007 Title: A Study of Nail-head Spicule Inclusions in Natural Gemstones Abstract: Nail-head spicules are inclusions that have traditionally been associated with hydrothermal synthetic quartz and emerald. They are caused primarily by rapid growth conditions and disturbances during crystallization of their host. However, these or similar-looking inclusions have also been found in natural gems. The authors examined a natural emerald and blue sapphire showing true nail-head spicules, and a yellow sapphire, spinel, diamond, and rock crystal quartz with inclusions that strongly resembled them. Nail-head spicules remain a notable feature of rapid and disturbed growth, but they do not confirm a stone’s natural or synthetic origin without further examination. @chapter:9


Publication Year: 1991 Title: Spring 1991 G&G Lab Notes Abstract: Inscribed Alexandrite
Chalcedony "Turquoise" Color
Highly Conductive Blue Diamond
"Emerald" with Unusual Color Zoning
More Banded Lapis Lazuli
Moonstone and Iolite Beads
Pearls from Baja California
Uncommon Cultured Pearls
Period Jewelry
Synthetic Ruby "Manufactured" Mineral Specimen
Flux Grown Ruby
Diffused Star Sapphire Update
Synthetic Sapphire with Triangular Inclusions

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


Publication Year: 1957 Title: New or Unusual Gem Materials Encountered in the Institute’s Gem Trade Laboratories Abstract: One of the favorites for Gems & Gemology readers is the Lab Notes column, the brief reports in each issue describing notable or unusual gem materials that have made their way to GIA’s laboratory. In this inaugural column from Summer 1957, Robert Crowningshield launches an enduring tradition, sharing discoveries about materials as diverse as rocks masquerading as minerals, a so-called television stone, an imitation moonstone, and dyed green jadeite. @chapter:7


Publication Year: - Title: Bench Tip #6: Use a Split Mandrel for Finishing Round Bezels Abstract: Finishing round bezels

A bench jeweler typically uses a split mandrel to sand and finish the inside of a ring. Various grits of abrasive papers can be cut to size and inserted into the slit of the mandrel, where they are held by friction during the rotary filing process. With minor modification, you can use the split mandrel as a holding device to finish round bezels and other small jewelry components quickly and consistently.

	You can modify a standard split mandrel so it will hold small jewelry components for finishing.
To illustrate this, we will make a bezel for a gemstone measuring 4.5 millimeters round. The bezel will be hand-fabricated from 4 x 1 mm sterling silver flat wire. To determine the length of flat wire required to fabricate the bezel, multiply the gem’s diameter (4.5 mm) by pi (3.14) to find its circumference, which equals 14.13 mm. The bezel is cut from the flat wire, formed, soldered, then rounded and trued. The truing step, typically accomplished with a ball- or setting-style bur, is critical to rounding the inside of the bezel.

You will need to make a minor modification to the split mandrel to fit and hold the bezel for this use. Calipers, dividers and an equaling file will be required. The outside diameter of the split mandrel measures 5.5 mm and the inside diameter of the hand-fabricated bezel measures 3.5 mm, so the split mandrel must be filed down.

With the mandrel secured in the hand piece, brace it and start spinning the flexible shaft at a moderate speed. Place the equaling file flat against the mandrel shaft about 3.0 mm from the top of the tool and apply adequate pressure to begin filing down the mandrel shaft. Continue filing until the shaft diameter is reduced to 3.8 mm.

Next, squeeze the upper shaft of the split mandrel and place the bezel on it so it extends about 0.5 to 1.0 mm above the top of the tool. This makes it possible to sand the top of the bezel, too. The bezel will be held firmly in place by the tension of the split mandrel throughout the remaining steps in the finishing process.

	This split mandrel has been modified by filing down the end of the shaft.
The flexible shaft can be spun at moderate speed, and a variety of abrasives can be placed against it to smooth and polish. This technique also gives you greater hand-eye control to apply the surface finish on small areas.

	Place the bezel on the mandrel for finishing.
A modified mandrel gives you a dual-purpose tool for sanding or cleaning up bezels and other small parts. The next installment of the GIA Insider will present a stone-setting application using a different modification of the split mandrel. @chapter:28


Publication Year: 2005 Title: A Gemological Study of a Collection of Chameleon Diamonds Abstract: Chameleon diamonds are among the rarest of gem diamonds. This article reports on a unique collection of 39 chameleon diamonds ranging from 0.29 to 1.93 ct, which exhibited temporary changes in color when heated to approximately 150°C and, for some, after prolonged storage in the dark (i.e., thermochromic and photochromic color changes, respectively). Most changed from “olive” green to brownish yellow or yellow, although some changed from light yellow to a more intense greenish yellow. The thermochromic and photochromic color change observed in the “olive” green chameleon diamonds is typical of “Classic” chameleons, whereas the solely thermochromic change shown by the light yellow group was the “Reverse” of that seen in Classic chameleon diamonds. The Classic and Reverse groups showed different spectroscopic and UV fluorescence characteristics, but all stones exhibited strong long-lasting phosphorescence after shortwave UV excitation. Hydrogen was identified in all samples by FTIR spectroscopy, and minor Ni-related emissions were detected by photoluminescence spectroscopy in most. Using this combination of reaction to UV radiation and spectroscopic properties, a gemologist can separate chameleon from other green diamonds without unnecessary exposure to heat. @chapter:11


Publication Year: 2023 Title: In-depth Market Report on the Jewelry and Gemstone Market in the United Kingdom. Abstract: The situation of import and export of jewelry and ornaments in the responsible market is as follows:

Import
In 2021, the United Kingdom imported jewelry (HS code 71) worth 82,648 million US dollars, a decrease of 22.95% from 2020. The top 5 import markets were Russia (21.10%), the United States (15.04%), Canada (11.82%), South Africa (9.12%), and Switzerland (6.36%). Thailand ranked 27th with a market share of 0.37%. The main imported products were gold (53,897 million USD), platinum (11,884 million USD), and silver (6,199 million USD).

Export
In 2021, the United Kingdom exported jewelry (HS code 71) worth 65,814.79 million US dollars, an increase of 56.41% from 2020. The top 5 export markets were Switzerland (34,357 million USD), Germany (5,186 million USD), Hong Kong (3,415 million USD), the United States (3,305 million USD), and the UAE (2,790 million USD). Thailand ranked 39th with a value of 1,789 million USD. The main exported products were gold (41,396 million USD), platinum (13,637 million USD), and silver (3,636 million USD).
The trends in the jewelry and ornaments industry in 2023 in the responsible market:

After the COVID-19 pandemic, the jewelry and watch markets have rebounded, especially the bridal jewelry market and the return of international tourism, which has positively impacted the jewelry and watch market.

According to a study by Mintel, while consumers in the UK are currently facing a cost of living crisis, they are trying to reduce expenses by cutting down on non-essential purchases, especially in fashion items, impacting the mid-market and independent brands. Therefore, retail traders must have strong online sales channels and offer in-store shopping experiences to attract consumers to spend. However, in the high-end jewelry and watch market in the UK, it has not been significantly affected by the economic downturn because affluent consumers continue to purchase luxury jewelry and watches, considering high-end products as valuable assets. Additionally, Mintel found that consumers are placing increasing importance on sustainability and transparency in the origin of diamonds and jewelry.

Opportunities for Thai jewelry and ornaments in the responsible market:

Thai jewelry and ornaments still have potential in the UK market due to their quality and beautiful designs. However, due to the economic crisis in the UK, consumers are reducing spending, impacting the mid-market and independent brands more than high-end products
Therefore, entrepreneurs should continuously develop designs and maintain product quality to increase competitiveness in this market, especially in the high-end jewelry market.

Past achievements in driving the Thai jewelry and ornaments industry:

Participation in the Bangkok Gems & Jewellery Fair 2022 and collaboration with Jewellery Outlook magazine. Also, inviting representatives from the department to participate in a forum with Jewellery Outlook media through Insta live to invite UK visitors to the Bangkok Gems & Jewellery Fair 2022. @chapter:27


Publication Year: - Title: Tanzanite Journey Abstract: Few people outside the gem industry realize the true nature of a gemstone’s journey from the mine to the counter of a store. Whether the gem is being offered to consumer’s at a traditional jewelry store’s counter, an internet shopping site, or a television broadcast the journey always involves a great deal of effort.  Tons of earth and countless hours of labor are needed to being a gem from mine to
market. @chapter:28


Publication Year: - Title: U.S. Seasonal Shopping Diversifies Away from “Black Friday” Abstract: This necklace and ring, which consists of 11 translucent green jadeite cabochons, sold for a record $11.8 million at Tiancheng, a Hong Kong auction house, on Dec. 7. Photo courtesy Tiancheng

                      While retail analysts puzzle over the reported steep drop in post-Thanksgiving shopping numbers, online sales have risen strongly and there is growing evidence that seasonal buying may be becoming more diffused over a variety of retail channels. Indeed, indications point to a good season for U.S. jewelers, which account for 38% to 40% of world sales.

The National Retail Federation (NRF) reported that Black Friday – the day that typically opens the holiday shopping season – saw a 5.2% drop in traffic from 2013, with consumers planning to spend an average of 6.4% less. The NRF notes, however, that shopping is a 24/7 deal and more and more consumers have taken to smartphones, tablets and online services to make purchases.

Online purchases during Thanksgiving weekend and “Cyber Monday” rose 17% from 2013, according to comScore, the ecommerce research organization. Other reports noted that the growth in online sales came mainly from traditional retailers who have improved their online selection and buying experience.

Additionally, the movement to buy from local merchants appeared to gain strength this season, which could be one reason for the positive numbers reported by Centurion Luxury Jewelry Index. Centurion noted that more than 43% of luxury jewelers surveyed reported sales increases greater than 10% while another 23.5% logged sales increases between 1% and 10%. Some 13% said sales ran even with last year and 10% reported slight declines.

The survey also found that many shoppers, who traditionally waited until the final week before Christmas to buy, were making their purchases earlier.

A study by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, reported by Idex, on who buys jewelry indicated one obvious fact: The wealthiest buy the most. Those earning $150,000 or more a year bought 23% of the jewelry sold in the U.S. The study also reported, however, that those households earning between $40,000 and $90,000 yearly bought 42% of jewelry sold in the country.

Publicly traded retail jewelers reported mixed results for the third quarter of the calendar year, which ended Nov. 1.

Signet Jewelers, which operates Kay Jewelers, Jared Galleria and the recently acquired Zale Corp. in the U.S., reported overall same store sales growth of 4.2% and a 96% jump in online revenues against the same quarter of 2013. Online sales, however, remained a small part of Signet’s operation, accounting for sales of $44.8 million against total revenues of $1.18 billion. The Sterling brands saw a 6.8% sales increase, while Zales’ logged a decrease of 0.9%. Signet, which operates a diamond manufacturing plant in Botswana, also announced it has been named a De Beers’ sightholder, a move “that will advance its diamond sourcing efforts.”

Tiffany & Co. reported that its third quarter same-store sales rose 4% for the quarter.

By market: North American sales were up 11%; down 3% in the Asia-Pacific region (excluding Japan); down 6% in Japan; and up 2% in Europe.

In China, Chow Tai Fook, the region’s largest retailer, reported that revenues fell 22% for the quarter that ended Sept. 30. The steep decline, however, was measured again the 2013 “gold rush” that followed an abrupt decline in the price of gold. By contrast, demand for gem-set jewelry increased 25%.

AUCTIONS: The auctions have continued their record-breaking sales this fall.

Sotheby’s was expecting $15 million for a GIA-graded 9.75 carat (ct.) Fancy Vivid blue diamond from the estate of Mrs. Paul Mellon that went up for auction Nov. 21 in New York. It wound up getting more than twice that amount from a Hong Kong buyer: $32.6 million.

At $3.38 million per carat, it is far and away the highest per-carat price ever paid for any gemstone (the previous record was $2.3 million for a vivid pink diamond). It is also the highest price ever achieved by a blue diamond and the second highest price ever paid for any gem.

The buyer, not named by Sotheby’s, issued a statement that it would be named the Zoe Diamond.

Four days later in Hong Kong, Christie’s sold a 2.09 ct. Fancy red heart shape diamond, graded by GIA, for $5.09 million or $2.44 million per carat. It was the highest price ever paid for a red diamond at auction.

On Dec. 7, Tiancheng, the Hong Kong auction house, sold a cabochon jadeite necklace and ring for a record $11.8 million. The suite contained 11 translucent green jadeite cabochons, the largest a pendent measuring 25.10 x 20.39 x 8.55mm.

Gemfields’ second auction of rubies from its Montepuez mine in Mozambique achieved a record $698 per carat and saw its largest find to date, a 40.28 ct high quality ruby, go to a New York gem dealer.

The company sold more than 63,000 carats of high quality material for $43 million at its Dec. 8 Singapore auction. Fifty dealers from around the world bid on the rubies that were divided into 41 lots. When the bids were tallied, 35 of the lots met their reserve price and were sold to the high bidders.

The large ruby went for an undisclosed price to a dealer from New York, said Vincent Pardieu, GIA senior manager of field gemology, who noted that the company had named it the “Rhino Ruby” to raise the awareness about conservation issues in Africa.

After the sale, Gemfields announced that a portion of the proceeds from the sale of this gem will go toward efforts to halt poaching of rhinoceros in game preserves along the country’s long border with South Africa.

Gemfields began operating the Montepuez concession in 2012. It conducted its first auction in June 2014 with sales totaling $33.5 million.

	Buyers from KV Gems of Thailand study a ruby parcel at the Gemfields auction in Singapore. Photo by Vincent Pardieu/GIA @chapter:27


Publication Year: 2023 Title: GIA Museum’s “Paint the Town Ruby Red” Exhibit at TGMS Abstract: The GIA Museum’s “Paint the Town Ruby Red” exhibit at TGMS featured a Burmese ruby and diamond necklace and earrings, courtesy of Mona Lee Nesseth (Custom Estate Jewels) and a private collector. Photo by Terri Ottaway.
At the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show, the GIA Museum exhibited a Burmese ruby and diamond necklace and earrings against a backdrop of the necklace fluorescing in ultraviolet light (see above). The necklace contains 39 untreated rubies from Mogok totaling 83.73 carats and 302 diamonds totaling 42.62 carats. The largest ruby is 5.00 ct.
The exhibit highlighted the “magic ingredient”—chromium—that gives ruby not only its color but also its fluorescence. Mogok rubies are renowned for their high concentration of chromium and low concentration of iron. The latter element, if present in a high enough concentration, quenches all or part of the red fluorescence produced by the chromium. This fluorescence is an important factor in the high value of Mogok rubies.
TGMS began in 1955 and is one of the longest-running gem and mineral shows in the world. GIA Museum curator Terri Ottaway said she was thrilled at the opportunity to showcase such a gorgeous necklace and include a bit of chemistry and geology for the gem and mineral enthusiasts. @chapter:25


Publication Year: 2014 Title: Books: Unique by Design: Contemporary Jewelry in the Donna Schneier Collection Abstract: By Suzanne Ramljak, 136 pp., illus., publ. by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 2014, $25.00.

              This book documents the eponymous 2014 exhibition organized by New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art. As the museum does not provide an exhibit booklet, this is the only available guide to the collection of art and jewelry dealer Donna Schneier. Now retired, Schneier donated her collection of significant studio jewelry pieces to the Met in 2007.

The core of this volume is a chapter titled “Seductive Tactics.” Rather than a systematically documented catalog, this chapter is actually a general essay on contemporary jewelry. Most of the examples and illustrations in the book are pieces from the collection. Maisie Broadhead’s three conceptual pieces, collectively titled “Which Weigh to Go,” are a notable exception. The first of the three pieces is a photo showing a pastiche of a Vermeer painting, depicting a young woman weighing a pearl.  The two other photos are the necklaces in the background of the previous, a gold link chain titled “Big Fake Little Real Chain” and a freshwater pearl necklace named “Big Fake Little Real Pearl.” The “Plates” chapter features more photos that highlight of the collection, such as “Brass Knuckles, a four-finger ring by Myra Mimiltsch-Gray. No explanation is provided as to the motive for this photo selection. The last chapter of the book is a very succinct bibliography on contemporary jewelry.

One strong point is the book’s use of clinically precise color photos, some showing appreciable texture and surface details. The rendering of those photos is uniform throughout the book, which is rare. The use of those pictures is partially illustrative, as this book is more art essay than a catalog. As is usual in this type of book, jewelry measurements and carat weight are not noted, and magnification is not mentioned. To properly catalog the exhibition, the book should have contained a section presenting the 132 displayed pieces, with thumbnail pictures, detailed descriptions, measurements, artist biographies, and details on how the pieces were acquired. The book gives very little insight on the collection itself and does not answer one legitimate question: If the collection was donated in 2007, why show it now?

Overall, Unique By Design reads like a general introductory art essay to studio jewelry rather than a guide to a specific exhibition. Therefore, it is more suited to jewelry students and art collectors with an interest in studio jewelry. @chapter:16


Publication Year: 2016 Title: Paula Crevoshay’s American Collection, Plus Jewelry with Nontraditional Gemstones Abstract: Figure 1. The “Rainbow Over Montana” bracelet contains 76.83 carats of Montana sapphire (71.42 carats rough and 5.41 carats faceted). The ring from the same collection contains 11.57 carats of rough and 1.12 carats of faceted Montana sapphires. Photo by Robert Weldon/GIA; courtesy of Paula Crevoshay.

Paula Crevoshay’s American Collection, created as a cultural and artistic inheritance for future generations, featured gemstones from the United States. The first pieces we saw were from her “Rainbow Over Montana” collection of rough and faceted Montana sapphires (figure 1). She used the faceted sapphires to show “the story of light” told by the gemstone after the human contribution of cutting, while the crystal slices display the natural hexagonal shape and luster of the flat crystal faces. The blue faceted stones represent the “Big Sky Country” of Montana, and the crystals demonstrate the range of rainbow colors in Montana sapphire.

The next piece was a pin featuring a 31.34 ct bicolor pink and green tourmaline (figure 2) from the Stewart Lithia mine in San Diego County, California. The stone was purchased back from a customer who had bought it from Paula’s late husband, George Edward Crevoshay, who first cut the stone more than 30 years ago. The pink and green tourmaline melee in the piece was also cut by Mr. Crevoshay and came from the Stewart Lithia mine. Besides featuring gemstones from a famous U.S. mine, this piece carries the sentiment of a great love that inspired Paula Crevoshay to move from painting and sculpture into the world of gemstones and creating jewelry.

Figure 2. This 31.34 ct bicolor tourmaline pin, which contains gemstones exclusively from the Stewart Lithia mine in San Diego County, has an emotional connection for the artist. Photo by Robert Weldon/ GIA; courtesy of Paula Crevoshay.
The third piece (figure 3) was a ring that contained one of the most intense red Oregon sunstones the authors had ever seen. The stone features the trademarked “Medicine Wheel” cut by award-winning lapidary Larry Woods. The ring also contains red spinels and diamonds.

Figure 3. While not as large as some of the other colored stones used by Paula Crevoshay,
the intense color and unique cut of the 2.77 ct Oregon sunstone makes this ring one of her
favorite pieces. The center stone’s color is complemented by 3.24 carats of red spinel.
Photo by Robert Weldon/GIA; courtesy of Paula Crevoshay.
While visiting her booth at the AGTA show, the authors also noticed some nontraditional stones ingeniously incorporated into jewelry. The first two pieces we viewed contained center stones of sphalerite (figure 4, left) and sphene (figure 4, center), both in pendants. For Ms. Crevoshay, creating jewelry is all about working with light. How she selects and combines gems depends on properties such as refractive index, bodycolor, luster, and phenomenal optical effects.

Figure 4. These Paula Crevoshay jewels include gems not typically used in jewelry. Left: The 8.25 sphalerite pendant creates an eye-catching fire, complemented by the play-of-color of the opal and the colorful sparkle of the diamond melee. Center: The green color of the 11.78 ct sphene pendant is accentuated by tsavorite melee, with the orange fire opals offering a striking contrast. Right: This dragonfly pin features a 38.24 ct hematite drusy as the insect’s body. The drusy’s iridescence and sparkle creates a shimmering effect that is intensified by the orient of the Tahitian cultured pearl used for the head. Photos by Robert Weldon/GIA; courtesy of Paula Crevoshay.
Both sphalerite and sphene are highly dispersive, and the flashes of rainbow color created by the dispersion excite the eye. For the sphalerite piece, she added Mexican opals showing a rainbow of colors, combining a highly dispersive gem with phenomenal accent stones to create a dance of colors across the pendant. The pendant also contains cognac and colorless diamonds to create even more of a symphony of colors. Ms. Crevoshay chose the sphene for its high dispersion and her attraction to the green bodycolor. As with the sphalerite pendant, she added Mexican opals showing a subtle rainbow of phenomenal colors. With both pieces, she combines gemological knowledge with art to create jewelry that paints with the surrounding light.

Another piece that caught our attention was a dragonfly containing rainbow hematite drusy as the insect’s body (figure 4, right). With the hematite, Ms. Crevoshay was able to highlight the iridescent colors and sparkle of the drusy. She finds that the rainbow colors of the hematite are not as bold as those caused by dispersion from the sphene and sphalerite but still have a seductive effect.

Public awareness of gemstones such as sphene and sphalerite has been growing thanks to high-end designers such as Paula Crevoshay and through mass marketing of commercial jewelry on television. Ms. Crevoshay told us she often piques customers’ interest by informing them about some of these lesser-known gem materials and how light interacts with them. The authors found this to be a fascinating look at how stones that were once a gemological novelty are becoming more widely known. @chapter:22


Publication Year: - Title: Sapphire Description Abstract: Sapphire comes in a variety of colors. This rare 1,126.00-ct. corundum crystal’s pinkish orange color is called padparadscha, named after the lotus flower. - © GIA & Tino Hammid

                      Blue sapphire belongs to the mineral species corundum. It can be a pure blue but ranges from greenish blue to violetish blue. The name “sapphire” can also apply to any corundum that’s not red and doesn’t qualify as ruby, another corundum variety.

	Deep, intense, velvety blue is the best way to describe the color of this sapphire from the Kashmir region on the India/Pakistan border. - Courtesy Edward Boehm, JOEB Enterprises, Chattanooga, Tennessee

	Most people who think of sapphire picture the color blue. - Courtesy Bulgari
Besides blue sapphire and ruby, the corundum family also includes so-called “fancy sapphires.” They come in violet, green, yellow, orange, pink, purple, and intermediate hues. There are also “parti-colored” sapphires that show combinations of different colors. Some stones exhibit the phenomenon known as color change, most often going from blue in daylight or fluorescent lighting to purple under incandescent light. Sapphires can even be gray, black, or brown.

	Stunning jewelry designs can be created by combining different sapphire colors.
	- Jeff Scovil
Fancy sapphires are generally less available than blue ones, and some colors are scarce, especially in very small or very large sizes. Still, fancy sapphires create a rainbow of options for people who like the romance associated with this gem, but who also want something out of the ordinary.

	Sapphires come in every color except red. Red corundum earns the name “ruby.” - Courtesy Omi Gems, Inc. Los Angeles, CA, USA
The mineral corundum is composed only of aluminum and oxygen, and it requires a growth environment that’s free of silicon. However, silicon is a very common element, making natural corundum relatively uncommon. In its purest state, corundum is actually colorless. Colorless sapphires were once popular diamond imitations, and they’ve staged a comeback as accent stones in recent years.

But colorless corundum is rare. Most corundum contains color-causing trace elements. When the trace elements are iron and titanium, the corundum is blue sapphire. Only a few hundredths of a percent of iron and titanium can cause the color, and the more iron the corundum contains, the darker the blue. Chromium can cause the red color of ruby or the pink of pink sapphire.

In the 1990s, discoveries in East Africa and Madagascar brought fancy sapphires widespread recognition. The new sources supplemented production from traditional ones like Sri Lanka and Madagascar and increased the availability of yellows, oranges, pinks, and purples.

The colors attracted jewelry designers who wanted to move away from traditional hues of red, blue, and green. Now, contemporary designers arrange fancy sapphires in stunning rainbow suites.

Corundum can show a phenomenon called asterism, or the star effect. This phenomenon usually appears as a six-ray star pattern across a cabochon-cut stone’s curved surface. The star effect can be seen in ruby or any color of sapphire, and it arises from white light reflecting from numerous tiny, oriented needle-like inclusions.

Besides fancy sapphire and star corundum, there’s another interesting variety: color-change sapphire. These fascinating stones change color under different lighting. Their presence adds a special dimension to the already amazing corundum family of gems.

Both blue and fancy sapphires come from a variety of exotic sources including Madagascar, Tanzania, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, and Australia. @chapter:1


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

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

Figure 3. UV-Vis-NIR spectra show the nickel-related absorption band and 883 peak in both a natural diamond from the GIA database and the 2.12 ct treated diamond. In addition, the spectrum for the treated diamond shows the GR1 peak around 740 nm. Spectra are offset vertically for clarity.
The ultraviolet/visible/near-infrared (UV-Vis-NIR) absorption spectrum showed a nickel-related absorption band at around 670 nm, a peak at 883 nm (an attributed peak in “nickel-rich” diamonds), and a GR1 (general radiation damage) peak at about 740 nm (figure 3). This is an uncommon combination of spectral features in diamond. The Ni-related absorption band is usually responsible for the green color in this type of diamond (Fall 2013 Lab Notes, pp. 173–174; Spring 2022 Lab Notes, pp. 50–51). In this particular diamond, the yellow-green color saturation can be attributed to both the nickel-related absorption band and the GR1 absorption. We have not observed these two features together in natural-color green diamond. Additional testing and gemological observations confirmed that the GR1 peak was artificially introduced, and we concluded that the color was treated. The color was likely a lighter and less saturated green before treatment.
This stone illustrates the importance of combining gemological observations with spectroscopic characteristics to separate natural- and treated-color green diamonds. @chapter:11


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

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

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

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

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

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

Candala’s client base includes Indian, German, U.S., and Thai buyers. At this year’s Tucson show, most of the chrysoprase carvings went to collectors, as well as one television shopping channel. @chapter:18


Publication Year: 1998 Title: Modeling the Appearance of the Round Brilliant Cut Diamond: An Analysis of Brilliance Abstract: Of the “four C’s,” cut has historically been the most complex to understand and assess. This article presents a three-dimensional mathematical model to study the interaction of light with a fully faceted, colorless, symmetrical round-brilliant-cut diamond. With this model, one can analyze how various appearance factors (brilliance, fire, and scintillation) depend on proportions. The model generates images and a numerical measurement of the optical efficiency of the round brilliant—called weighted light return (WLR)—which approximates overall brilliance. This article examines how WLR values change with variations in cut proportions, in particular crown angle, pavilion angle, and table size. The results of this study suggest that there are many combinations of proportions with equal or higher WLR than “Ideal” cuts. In addition, they do not support analyzing cut by examining each proportion parameter independently. However, because brilliance is just one aspect of the appearance of a faceted diamond, ongoing research will investigate the added effects of fire and scintillation. @chapter:31


Publication Year: 1989 Title: The Growth of Brazil-Twinned Synthetic Quartz and the Potential for Synthetic Amethyst Twinned on the Brazil Law Abstract: Colorless synthetic quartz that shows obvious Brazil-law twinning has been grown over a seed plate of natural amethyst that is twinned according to the Brazil law. Although commercially available Brazil-twinned synthetic amethyst has not been reported to date, the results of this experiment cast doubt on the long-term usefulness of the so-called twinning test for the separation of natural from synthetic quartz. The twinning, which was readily visible in polarized light, and some "breadcrumb" and tiny fluid inclusions were the only internal features observed in this synthetic quartz when it was examined using a standard gemological microscope. @chapter:10


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

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

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

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

Figure 4. Raman spectroscopy identified the inclusion in the spurrite as magnetite.
Spurrite occurs in high-temperature thermal metamorphism along the contact between carbonate rock and mafic magma (Anthony et al., 1995). A common inclusion found within spurrite is black metallic magnetite crystals. Raman spectroscopy identified the metallic opaque inclusions that broke the surface (figure 3) as magnetite (figure 4), further evidence that this stone was a spurrite.
Encountering stones that require more research and a little detective work, such as this spurrite, can enhance one’s curiosity about gemology. @chapter:13


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

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

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

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

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

	BASELWORLD

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

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

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

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

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

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

	DIAMONDS

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

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

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

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

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

	AUCTIONS

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

	The company told Rapaport it has received offers as high as $40 million for the stone, but believes its value is well above $60 million. @chapter:30


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

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

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

Figure 2. Using two oblique fiber-optic light sources from opposing directions, the iridescent surface of the host crystal and inclusion can be seen at the same time (center). Viewed with only one fiber-optic light, the iridescence on either the host or the inclusion alone can be seen because of their different crystallographic orientations. Photomicrographs by Nathan Renfro; field of view 5.11 mm. @chapter:10


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

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

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

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

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

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

Regardless, Untamed Encounters  is certain to be a treat for anyone who appreciates or collects jewelry. It inspires us to take a second look at the world and to question our definitions of beauty and preciousness. @chapter:21


Publication Year: 2023 Title: Cause of Color in Yellow Sapphire, Plus Characterization of Oregon Sunstone, Ukrainian Beryl, and British Columbian Iolite Abstract: Welcome to the Fall 2023 issue of Gems & Gemology ! This issue delivers four feature articles covering a range of colored stone topics, from a color study of yellow sapphire to a new source of violet-blue iolite in Canada.
“…investigate the various chromophores responsible for color in four types of yellow sapphire—natural, heat-treated, beryllium-diffused, and synthetic.”
In our lead article, Dr. John Emmett and coauthors investigate the various chromophores responsible for color in four types of yellow sapphire—natural, heat-treated, beryllium-diffused, and synthetic. These chromophores include Fe3+, a trapped hole associated with iron (h•-Fe3+), and a combination of the two, all of which are involved in the coloration of natural and treated yellow sapphire. Synthetic yellow sapphire, on the other hand, is usually colored by the Ni3+ chromophore or by a combination of Ni3+ and Cr3+.
Next, Dr. Shiyun Jin and colleagues share their research on the special colors and optical effects caused by metallic copper inclusions in Oregon sunstone. Using samples from different mines in Oregon, they explore absorption and scattering, pleochroism, and color zoning in this gem-quality feldspar known for its wide range of beautiful colors.
A team led by Dr. Gerhard Franz reports on the morphological characteristics of green beryl and the yellow beryl variety heliodor from the Volyn pegmatite field in Ukraine. The authors observe an abundance of characteristic etch pits throughout the samples and offer details on distinguishing Volyn green beryl and heliodor from those found in other localities.
Dr. Philippe Belley contributes our final feature article, an examination of violet-blue iolite from new deposits in the Thor-Odin dome in British Columbia, Canada. Various samples are analyzed to reveal the nature of their chemical composition, mineral and fluid inclusions, and chatoyancy. The abundance of cordierite-rich rocks in the Thor-Odin dome indicates potential for future iolite discoveries in the area.
G&G’s regular columns contain exciting gemological findings from all over the world. Lab Notes details recent noteworthy submissions to GIA’s laboratories, including a 4.04 ct ring fashioned from a single-crystal CVD-grown diamond, a nacreous atypical bead cultured pearl featuring a flame-like surface structure, and a heart-shaped ruby filled with zinc glass. Observations of fascinating internal features are captured in the Micro-World section, including a rare iridescent ferropericlase in brown diamond, bladed columbite crystals in topaz, and zigzag-patterned fingerprints in blue sapphire. Diamond Reflections returns in this issue, focusing on diamonds formed within eclogitic mantle host rocks. Finally, Gem News International offers brief studies of Burmese chameleon amber, Guatemalan omphacite jade, and other gem materials, as well as coverage of the recent Turquoise United conference and the Chicago Responsible Jewelry Conference.
Congratulations to this year’s G&G Challenge participants who received a perfect score! See a list of the top scorers on page 322. Thank you to those who put their knowledge to the test.
We hope you enjoy the latest edition of Gems & Gemology ! @chapter:10