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Vol. 25, No. 2 Summer, 2007 |
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Vol. 25, No. 2 Summer, 2007 |
AGL's New Gemstone Brief
by Robert G. Genis
When Collectors Universe, Inc. (NASDAQ: CLCT) purchased American Gemological
Laboratories (AGL), we expected changes in the grading reports. One of the major
complaints of AGL was their grading reports were too expensive. It appears the
new Gemstone Briefs is an attempt to solve that problem. If you submit 25
stones, the price of these briefs are $25 each. This is almost unheard of in the
gemstone business.
The great thing about these reports is they make the seller FTC compliant with treatment disclosure guidelines. Now you can market stones as natural with full enhancement disclosure. Of course, this also allows collectors or jewelry buyers to purchase gemstones with a great deal of confidence.
Let's look at the document. Because we submitted a gem red spinel, the card is color coded red. If the stone was a tanzanite the card would be blue or if the stone was an emerald it would be green. On the left hand-side of the document is a photo of the gemstone. Right below the photo is the Gem Brief's lab number. In the middle and right hand side of the document is the date the gemstone was submitted to the lab, the identification, the MM size of the gemstone, the shape of the stone, the primary color of the stone and whether the stone is enhanced.
On the reverse side are comments about spinel and where they are mined. On the bottom of the document, is a statement saying the grading is guaranteed.
Originally planned as a tent-like document that would stand up in a jewelry
case, the Gem Brief ended up looking just like a credit card. Although the
document does not grade the stone for country of origin, color/tone, clarity,
brilliancy, cutting and finish, it really gives a great deal of information for
the price. The gem's photograph allows instant confirmation the stone matches
the document. For dealers who say grading their stones is too expensive, this
document offers and inexpensive alternative. Clients are demanding this
information and it probably makes sense to stay ahead of the curve. Although
most collectors will stay with the full AGL document they already know, this Gem
Brief gives basic information helpful for certain gemstone transactions.
A Book Critique - Gemstones
Understanding-Identifying-Buying
by Keith Wallis
Antique Collectors' Club Ltd.
127 pages, 2006
"Rubies are the investment stone"
Keith Wallis received his FGA degree in 1978. It appears he spent most of his
life traveling the world as an export manager for an air conditioning company.
The book has beautiful photographs and is filled with information. However, I
have mixed feelings about the book. Let's discuss what is good about the book
and what is bad about the book.
Good Parts
Investment
The author states investment gemstones are increasing in price because the
worldwide economic situation has given a boost to hard assets. He warns that
investing in gems is only for the very rich. He also states you should only buy
untreated gemstones. You should buy them for their beauty and enjoyment and if
they appreciate, it is a bonus. He warns against gem investment scams and that
gem shows are no guarantee of reputation.
Country of Origin
The author discusses how many dealers call gemstones Burmese Ruby or Kashmir
sapphire when they are not actually from these locations. Some dealers use these
descriptions to signify color rather then true country of origin. Beware.
Buying Gemstones-Treatments
The author states the most common treatments must be declared on the sales
receipt or certificate and that all treated stones will sell for less than
untreated stones. Then he states that many dealers who sell run-of-the-mill
gemstones believe that declaring treatment is irrelevant.
Ruby Treatment
The author discusses glass treatment and the filling of fractures in ruby in
this book. He recommends you get a gemological laboratory grading report if you
want to buy a ruby for investment. Of course, he is talking about the Mong Hsu
material from Burma but we are happy he points this fact out.
The Gemstones
A large section of this book includes great information on gemstones found in
jewelry stores, television shopping and the internet. This is an excellent
section if you want to learn about lesser known gems. A few examples are
benitoite, danburite, jade, peridot, spinel, topaz and tourmaline.
Organic Gems
Another well done section includes gems such as pearls, jet, ivory, amber and
others.
Jade Warning
The author correctly warns people not to buy jade overseas. You cannot detect
treatments with simple gemological instruments. He states you should not buy
from street traders but only reliable sources. I cannot tell you how many people
get ripped off in the Orient.
Comparative Sizes of Gems Chart
This fascinating chart compares popular gemstones to the size of a one carat
round diamond. This chart shows a one carat spinel is 2.56% smaller than a
diamond and ruby and sapphire are 13.35% smaller, due to their varying specific
gravity. Many stones appear larger than a one carat diamond, such as tanzanite,
tourmaline, emerald and others.
Comparative Gem Value Chart
This is one of the best charts I have ever seen. It places all commonly traded
gemstones into comparative values. Gemstones range from modest, for example,
blue topaz to affordable, special occasion, expensive and the sky's the limit.
For those interested, the gems that fall under the sky's the limit are black
opal, star ruby, blue sapphire, alexandrite, emerald, Paraiba tourmaline and
ruby.
Errors and Omissions
Buying Gemstones Overseas
The author has an entire section on buying gemstones overseas. This is probably
because he spent his entire life traveling overseas. He gives intricate detail
about the various gemstones you can try to buy overseas. Thankfully, he also
discusses the scams many try to pull on overseas buyers such as in Thailand. The
problem I have with this section is it is practically impossible for privates to
get a good deal overseas. More times than not, the overseas sellers know you
know nothing about gemstones and sell you gemstones at inflated prices, often
many times what you could have paid in the United States. Gem dealers are
routinely fooled by synthetics and new treatments. What chance does a novice
have? Discussing this in a gem book probably sends the wrong message.
Diamond Grading
The author is unclear why the GIA starts its grading system with D color being
the best. In the old days before independent diamond grading was universally
accepted, jewelers used to grade their stones from A to C. Rather than further
confuse the consumers of the time, the GIA threw out these letters and started
with D.
Emerald Treatments
The author states fractures in emeralds are common and fillings/oils have been
used for years to improve the appearance of emeralds. He states this is
controversial in the gem trade and enhancements should probably only be
disclosed if they change the color of emeralds. Of course, we disagree and
believe clients have the right to know exactly what was done to every gemstone.
Garnet Information Out-of-Date
The garnet section is unbelievably out-of-date. Spessartine garnet is stated by
the publication to come from Sri Lanka, Brazil and the US. Somehow, two major
finds in the last the last 20 years escaped the author. How can the 1993 find of
true mandarin garnets in Namibia have been left out? Also, the Nigerian find of
orange garnet is not discussed in the book. Finally, the recent find of Russian
demantoid garnet is not even mentioned, perhaps this omission can be excused due
to publishing deadlines.
Paraiba Tourmaline
The author forgot the the 2002 Nigerian find of Paraiba-like tourmaline. We can
understand why he did not mention the brand new find of Mozambique Paraiba-like
tourmaline.
Tanzanite
The author properly states the grading systems used to sell tanzanite on tv
shopping channels carry no validity. In the Appendix of the book, he reproduces
the colored grading system of the Tanzanite Foundation. He states the higher
degree of violet saturation, the greater the price. Actually, the Tanzanite
Foundation grading scale makes the highest degree of violitish blue and the
highest degree of bluish violet as equal. The bottom line is the blue the better
in tanzanite. You want the violet to be the secondary color. This is one problem
with the sellers creating a grading system.
Conclusion
Would I recommend this book? The answer is a qualified yes. I think the
Comparative Gem Value and Comparative Sizes of Gems Charts makes the book worth
every cent. A great deal of expense was incurred with the photographs of this
book. You can have a interesting evening simply looking at the pictures.
Although I can think of better colored gemstone publications, this book has some interesting ideas and is written from an English perspective. Simply keep in mind, some of the information is outdated, but the thrust of the information is valid.
Many of you have extensive gemological libraries and buy every book about
gemstones that comes out. You should add this one to your collection. You can purchase this book on-line in the bookstore.
Auction Reports Minnesota industrialist James J. Hill gave his wife Mary the stone on Dec.
24, 1886. The Kashmir sapphire was donated to the Minnesota Historical Society
in 2006, following the death of Hill's last surviving grandchild. Hill died in
1916 and gave the piece to his six daughters. After commissions and fees, the Historical Society's will receive about $2.6
million. which will be placed in an endowment to maintain the James J. Hill
House on Summit Avenue. The Historical Society thought the stone might bring
$80,000 at auction and Christie's placed its value between $250,000 and
$350,000. Many knew it is standard operating procedure to low-ball the estimates
to create action. Many who have seen the stone in person have stated the stone was not top
quality Kashmir. When you say Kashmir sapphire, it conjures up a mental photo of
a soft robinˆ¢s egg blue color. Reportedly, the tone and color of the Kashmir are
a little light and not equal to many of the smaller killer Kashmirs sometimes
available on the market. Since the stone did not have an AGL Colored Stone
Grading Report, we will never know for sure. The bottom line is large ruby and
sapphire gemstones continue to shatter previous records at auction. Grading Information Roskin showed five red stones, two from Burma, the others from Tajikistan,
Vietnam, and East Africa. The two from Burma were from Mogok and Mong Hsu. "The
Mogok stone has not been heated, but the Mong Hsu stone has been heated," Roskin
explained. "They all look very similar. Will you pay the same amount for the two
Burma stones? Or do you want to know the quality?"Roskin advised jewelers to
look for reports that tell not only where a gem comes from but also something
about the quality of the stone. He also noted that only one laboratory, AGL,
quality grades colored stones." In The News "I wanted something really beautiful and special instead of going for what is
seen as an engagement ring," she says. Diamonds have lately lost their luster in some quarters. Public awareness is
growing about conflict diamonds -- stones used to finance wars and violence in
Africa, highlighted in the recent Oscar-nominated movie "Blood Diamond" -- and
other environmental and ethical issues involved in diamond mining. Celebrities
such as the model Lily Cole and Julie Christie have spoken out against DeBeers
for the eviction of the Bushmen tribe of the central Kalahari from their land
for mining. But for some women, the diamond engagement ring is simply the victim of its
own success. "It was just too not-creative, not-individual," says Jenny Leigh
Thompson, 35, design director at Marie Claire magazine in New York, whose fiance
designed an antique-style ring with a sapphire and two smaller diamonds for her
when they got engaged two years ago. "Everybody has a diamond." Her colleague, deputy editor Julia Savacool, 31, echoes the desire to take
oneself out of the diamond race. "People look at your diamond engagement ring
and are making assumptions about you," she says. "It's insane the amount of
finger gawking that goes on." Her ring features a ruby set in platinum with two
smaller diamonds on either side. The fashion for diamond engagement rings dates back only to the early 20th
century, driven by an advertising campaign by DeBeers. In ancient times, a plain
metal ring was often used to mark an engagement. Today, however, about 93% of
all engagement rings bought annually in the U.S. are diamond-only rings,
according to DeBeers, and in the U.K., only 3% of engagement rings don't contain
diamonds. What to do if you're among the group that wants an engagement ring featuring
something other than diamonds? The easiest way to find a ring that looks like an engagement ring, says Faith
Shah, co-owner of Shah & Shah jewelers in Washington, is to pick one that
features a main stone flanked by small diamonds or other gems that highlight its
color. Here are a few tips from jewelers: "It's not about sourcing the best stones. It's about making jewels," says
Geoffroy Medinger, U.K. retail manager of French jeweler Van Cleef & Arpels. The price can be as low or as high as you want -- leaving diamonds out
doesn't necessarily lower the cost. Emeralds, rubies and sapphires are the most
costly of the colored gemstones. Large rubies, for example, are very rare and
valuable and, according to the Gemological Institute of America, can outprice an
emerald or a colorless diamond of comparable size. Bring the jeweler pictures of rings you like, browse available styles and sit
down with a store's designer to talk about the stones and look you want. Durable alternatives to diamonds include sapphires, which come in a range of
colors including yellow and pink, as well as traditional blue; rubies;
aquamarines; garnets; and tourmalines, which can range in color from black to
reddish purple. The Thompsons -- Coral Gables residents who were sailing aboard Celebrity's
Millennium -- purchased a necklace, bracelet, ring and several sets of earrings
at a total cost of $24,000. ''I had a shopping map of Santorini, but I left it on the tour bus,'' says
Courtney Thompson. ``I saw the recommended shopping sign in (the) store window.
I didn't think I needed it.'' Faust took the Thompsons to the ship's jeweler, who confirmed the Thompsons'
growing fear: The jewelry wasn't worth nearly what they had paid for it. Since the ship was in port for a few more hours, Thompson says they decided
to run back to the store. But when he reached the store, it was closed. Thompson made phone calls and sent e-mails from the ship to the store,
Celebrity's customer service department and Onboard Media, the company in charge
of Celebrity's shopping program. After trying unsuccessfully to resolve the issue with the store, the
Thompsons contacted their credit card company, American Express. American
Express said the incident was ''out of their jurisdiction'' since it was
considered a ''fraudulent occurrence'' outside the United States. Furthermore,
additional protection under the Fair Credit Billing Act could not apply to the
Thompson's case since the items were charged outside the United States. The Thompsons then sent letters to Celebrity executives and filed a claim
with Onboard Media. Celebrity denied responsibility and referred the complaint
to Onboard Media. Onboard Media also denied responsibility, on the grounds that
the jewelry store was not a member of its recommended shopping program. Celebrity spokeswoman Lyan Sierra-Caro said, 'It's unfortunate that the guest
purchased the jewelry from a store that was not part of our Guaranteed Shopping
Program. It was unfortunate that the store owner misrepresented himself, but
that is why we tell all our guests to visit stores that our `Discovery Shopping'
guides discuss in their port lectures or in-stateroom video, and that are listed
in our shopping maps distributed on board.'' Most cruise lines contract with outside companies to handle landside shopping
programs that vet and then recommend specific merchants. Since 1992, Celebrity
has worked with Onboard Media, a division of LVMH (Louis Vuitton-Moet Hennessy). Sarah Beth Reno, vice president of operations for Onboard Media, told me that
because the store where the Thompsons bought the jewelry isn't part of the
current Port Shopping Program, the 60-day guarantee doesn't apply. When I inquired about the company's former relationship with the store, Reno
said, the store was part of the program during the 2003 to 2005 Europe sailing
seasons. 'During the 2005 season, there was some difficulty in getting the store
to adhere to the customer service procedures on specific purchases. Even though
all claims with (the store) were ultimately closed to the guests' satisfaction,
it was decided to discontinue the relationship with this retailer.'' I asked whether there wasn't an attempt to have the Celebrity Guaranteed
Shopping sign in the shop window removed and why the passengers were not warned
about the merchant. While Reno didn't answer those questions specifically, she
did say: ``We do not interfere with a retailer's business practices if they are
not part of the program. If guests wish to shop in stores that participate in
the program, we advise them to carefully review each shopping map to ensure a
store is part of the program.'' Onboard Media's retail partners advertise their products on board Celebrity's
ships through television and magazine ads and in the shipboard shopping
lectures. According to Reno, all advertisers pay an advertising fee to
participate in the program and are required to offer a 60-day guarantee to
buyers for any merchandise problems (the guarantee does not cover buyer's
remorse or customer negligence). In the event of a problem, Onboard Media's
customer service department assists guests and works with the retailer to
resolve it. Onboard Media also checks up on its current members. ''There is continual
quality control once a retailer is accepted in the program, which consists of
secret shopping, tracking customer service claims, and meetings with the
retailer,'' Reno says. Miners in the peaks above the Panjshir Valley are blowing their way into the
rocks, hunting for emeralds that could make them a fortune in one of the world's poorest countries. "If you're lucky, you could find something that would set you up for the rest of your life," Mohamed Noor, a lean miner with a whispy beard, said at his camp on a ledge above a snowfield in the Hindu Kush mountains. Hundreds of men like Noor are searching for the green stones locked in seams
of rock in the Panjshir Valley northeast of Kabul, the old stronghold of the
anti-Soviet and anti-Taliban hero Ahmed Shah Masood, a man still widely revered.
Discovered by Russian geologists in the 1970s, the emeralds are found at high
elevations above the valley but only on its east side. No one seems to know why.
With four brothers and only a small piece of land to share, Noor began mining
18 years ago. He went off to fight in the war and to work in Kabul but now he's
back, dreaming of striking it rich: "That's what all the fuss is about." Independent operators have hunted the green stones through years of war,
first against the Soviets and later the Taliban. Soviet aircraft prowled the skies hunting Masood and his men in the 1980s. A
rusting bomb casing lies half buried in rocks on a path down the mountain. "Back then it was more difficult, the Russian jets bombed a lot," said miner
Karam as he rested over a cup of tea in a hut at the Kamar Safaid mines, a
three-hour walk above the nearest village and road. That was when Karam made his biggest find, a stone that brought many
thousands of dollars, a car and house. Times became hard during Taliban rule,
when the Islamists besieged the valley but never captured it. Karam had to sell
the house and car. "It all depends on your luck," he says before trudging off to work higher up
the mountain. Afghanistan has rich deposits of gems including lapiz lazuli, rubies and
emeralds, but little exploration has been done for decades and war has kept
investors away. The government is trying to control the industry but many rough stones are
smuggled to Pakistan and most mining is being done by independent villagers with
crude tools. Trader Mohamed Gull, sitting at a desk laden with stones at his newly opened
Kabul gem centre, said Afghan emeralds were top quality. He estimated the business was worth up to $60mn a year. But Gull said Afghan emeralds were often damaged, especially by the blasting.
"They are much better than Colombian emeralds if they're clean and clear," Gull
said. "But 99% are damaged," he said, holding up a clear stone laced with tiny
flaws. The miners reject that. They say they know how to place their blasting
charges-they call them bombs-so the emeralds are not damaged. Miners usually work in a team of six. A syndicate of 30 or so people supplies
them with food, fuel and explosives. The proceeds are split. A miner might only get a small fraction of the
profits but on a big stone, that can be many thousands of dollars. "I dream about finding the big one," said Mohamed Bakar, a hat pulled down
over his ears and scarf wrapped under his chin, as he rested on a rock under a
blue sky. Rows of holes big enough for two or three men to crawl into pockmark the face
of an opposite ridge. A tents clings to a mountain-side in the distance where
another team is working. Boys shout as they try to coax braying donkeys laden with supplies ever
higher up a crumbing slope. Sabzuddin, at 15 the youngest member of Noor's team, started out as a donkey
driver five years ago. He's not interested in eking out a living as a farmer.
"If you find an emerald it would be better than any job in America," he says.The work is dangerous. One of Noor's brothers was injured in a blast and
later died. In a cave in the rocks where telltale signs of green have been found, Noor
and his men prepare their bombs. One man uses a pneumatic drill to bore two holes. They pack in dynamite,
light a fuse and get clear. Two blasts shake the mountain and Noor and his men crowd back, bringing down
fractured slabs of stone with crowbars. One man wields a sledgehammer, breaking stones apart. He checks them and
tosses them aside. They find nothing. "I'm a little disappointed but this has happened before," Noor said. "We have
to keep going." Many claim that they can cure diseases like cancer, anaemia, piles,
kidney-related problems and others, with their 'gemstone-therapy'. It is done by
influencing the planetary conditions through gemstones. They prefix 'Dr.' with their names. Different gemstones are prescribed for patients' after studying their
horoscopes. It is after a brief analysis of the horoscope that a patient is
suggested what planet is actually affecting his/her health. Sidhartha Singh, one of such astrologer-therapists, said: 'In astrological
therapy, ailment is treated on the basis of positions of planets and twelve
zodiacs. Like Aries and Scorpio are controlled by Mars. If Mars is creating
problem then the person could suffer from blood related ailments and injuries.
In such cases we suggest people to use coral gem.' The gemstones are expensive and often bought by the well-off families. Dozens
of such 'clinics' have come up in various parts of Varanasi. It is claimed wearing a right stone matching one's horoscope can cure a
person of all ailments. Some of these 'astrology doctors' admit that astrological permutations and
combinations can only treat the problems indirectly and it is the allopathic
doctors that can give direct treatment. Lakshman Das, an astrologer-therapist, said: 'Astrologers can only tell when
the disease rooted as well as the planet responsible for the ailment. An
astrologer cannot do the direct treatment. He only pacifies the planetary
conditions of the concerned person.' It takes various gem stones for a 'treatment' of any disease as per these
'astrological practitioners'. Though many people visiting some of the genuine
astrologers say they have benefited through gem therapy. Vivek, a visitor to one such astrologer, said: 'He (astrologer) told me to
wear pearl for various purposes; it could give me a peace of mind and success in
my career. I followed the advice and now I am happy in my life.' Manish, another visitor to such astrological clinic, said: 'When I came here
astrologer searched my entire horoscope and advised me to use coral. From the
time I am using it, I have been benefited a lot.' In astrology, there are twelve zodiacs and three planets i.e. Mars, Venus and
Saturn which have a direct and indirect bearing on human life and health. Domestic gem traders are being urged to display their quality gems, jade and
pearls at the special show scheduled for July 4. The foreign exchange proceeds
from the sale will be designated as legal export earning, the sponsor said. The
country's special gem sale for both foreign and local gem merchants is the third
of its kind introduced four years ago in addition to the annual and mid-year
ones. During the last special gem sale held in June, 2006, nearly 1,500 foreign
and local gem traders bid on the available jade, gemstones and pearls. At the
13-day, 44th annual gems emporium held last March, 3,652 lots of jade, gems and
pearl were sold out of nearly 6,000 such lots displayed. They gained a record
high 148 million euros ($185 million). That emporium was attended by 3,421
merchants, 2,000 of them foreign. The foreigners came mostly from China, the
Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and Thailand. Burma, a well-known world producer, is the source of nine gems - ruby,
diamond, cat's eye, emerald, topaz, pearl, sapphire, coral and a variety of
garnet tinged with yellow. To develop the gem mining industry, Burma enacted the New Gemstone Law in
1995, allowing national entrepreneurs to mine, produce, transport and sell
finished gemstone and manufactured jewellery at home and abroad. Since 2000, the Burmese government has become involved in the mining of gems
and jade in joint ventures with 10 private companies under a profit-sharing
basis. Of the top 10 exporters for 2006-07, dominated by the state sector, the
Myanmar Gems Enterprise was third with sales of $296.9 million. The production
in the first half of 2006-07 (April-March) went to 10,388 tons from jade, 10.042
million carats for various gems and 56,607 mommis for pearl. Burma also is
working to establish the first ever gem merchants' association as part of its
bid to enhance the development of the country's gem mining industry. The following is for snail mail only: ADDRESS____________________ CITY________________________ STATE______________________ ZIP_________________________ PHONE______________________ For comments, questions or price quotes E-mail NGC, Attn: R. Genis
New Sapphire Auction Record
A 22.66 carat Kashmir sapphire was sold by Christie's for $3.06 million on April
25, 2007, topping the previous record for a sapphire of $135,000 per carat or
$3.038 million for a 62-carat Rockefeller sapphire in 2001. The stone was bought
by an unknown buyer.
Sotheby's Geneva
On May 17, Sotheby's concluded its Magnificent and Noble Jewels sale and sold
more than $40 million worth of gemstones and jewelry.
Two large fancy intense yellow diamonds known as The Donnersmarck diamonds were
bought by the same client. The 82.48 carat pear sold for over $4.6 million and
the 102.54 carat cushion sold for over $3.2 million. The diamonds were set
originally in 1878.
In this sale, a cushion Burmese ruby weighing 11.64 carats, set into a ring
surrounded by diamonds, was sold for $735,609. It was not a top red gem.
Christie's Geneva
The Christie's sale on May 16, breached over $25 million. An interesting colored
diamond that sold was a 100.60 carat briolette cut fancy orange-brown VS2
diamond. It sold for $1,020,000.
Sotheby's Hong Kong
April 10 at Sotheby's, a Hong Kong buyer bought a 39-bead jadeite necklace for
over $3.3 million. A 5.02 carat radiant, fancy intense blue VS2 diamond sold for
$2.4 million. A radiant cotton candy pink diamond weighing 11.03 carats sold for
over $2 million
Country of Origin
JCK-Jewelers Circular Keystone,
6/1/2007
EDITOR: After 25 years of promoting independent grading reports and knowledge
of country of origin, we are happy to see these issues have finally entered the
mainstream jewelry market. Of course, the AGL is still the gold standard because
they tell the buyer about the quality of the gemstone. Due to space limitations,
this article was edited for length.
"Country-of-origin lab reporting is the number one issue of the "Top Five Hot
Color Topics" presented by Gary Roskin, gemstone editor for JCK magazine. "The
value of the gem and your reputation are at stake every time you sell a color
gemstone," said Roskin, who suggested selling gems with professional lab origin
reports. "Having a laboratory identification report, and a country of origin
report, can reinforce your professionalism, protect you from making uninformed
buying and selling decisions, and be an excellent continuing education tool"
More labs than ever are offering country of origin reports, including the
Gemological Institute of America, American Gemological Laboratories, American
Gem Trade Association's Gem Testing Center, International Gemological Institute,
European Gemological Laboratory, Gubelin Gem Lab, the Gemological Institute.
While all have some type of gem identification and country-of-origin reports to
offer the retail jeweler, Roskin reminded retailers to check their services and
fee schedules, to note how long it will take to have a stone identified, and to
note the ease of understanding the report. "Obviously your client will be asking
you, and not the lab, to explain what is on the report" Roskin agreed that it's
important to know from what country a gem comes but added that "dealers,
retailers, and consumers want to know where a gemstone comes from because of the
reputation of the locality-the quality of stones that have previously come from
that locality." Roskin asked, "Do you pay more for an emerald because it's from
Colombia? Just because the report says itˆ¢s from Colombia doesn't mean that the
gem is high quality."
Skipping the Solitaire
For Some People's Engagement Rings,
Anything But a Diamond Will Do
Wall Street Journal Free Edition
May 18,2007
By Jennifer Howze
EDITOR: We continue to see more and more people buying fine colored gemstones
for engagement rings. Here is an article which discusses this trend in detail.
Amelia Troubridge doesn't like what she calls "the big-diamond thing." "It's a
bit cheesy in my opinion," says the 32-year-old English photographer. So when
she and her fiance went shopping for her engagement ring, they didn't opt for a
conventional diamond solitaire. Instead she visited Stephen Webster, a luxury
jewelry designer in London who has made rings for Christina Aguilera and
Madonna. There she picked out a ring with a rose quartz stone surrounded by
smaller diamonds.
Design a bespoke ring
You don't have to buy a rock as big as the Ritz to work with jewelers at
creating a ring from scratch.
Think about tradition
Even when buying a ring straight from a display cabinet, you can make a highly
personal choice. "I didn't want to have something made," says Ms. Troubridge. "I
didn't want it to be a big fuss." Instead, she and her fiance picked her ring
because it looked like something she would have found in her grandmother's
jewelry box. "It had an old-world feel," she says.
Choose a durable stone
Diamonds are the hardest substance found in nature -- cue that "diamonds are
forever" slogan -- so if you're choosing a different gem, make sure it can
withstand day-to-day wear.
A soft, fragile stone like tanzanite or emerald can chip or scratch, says Melvyn
Kirtley, president of Tiffany & Co. in the U.K. And their crystalline structure
even makes it possible to shatter them if they are knocked at just the right
spot, says Ms. Shah, the Washington jeweler. "It's like cleaving wood," she
says.
Get in shape
More-delicate gemstones benefit from a shape such as round or cushion cut,
rather than something like a marquis, which creates a point where the gem is
more vulnerable. "Usually oval or cushion cut is the norm for most colored
gemstones," says Ms. Shah. She recommends brilliant cuts, which start from a
center point and radiate outward. Brilliant cuts can come in oval, marquis, pear
and round shapes.
Consider the setting
Many jewelers say platinum is the most protective material to use for settings,
because of its hardness and its ability to maintain its color and to complement
the color of most gemstones. Gold, however, remains a favorite to use with
emeralds and other green stones. White gold is less desirable, but is a more
affordable alternative. "White gold has a bad reputation because of the plating,
which can wear off," says Mr. Medinger. "It is a little more gray than platinum,
and it will age differently."
Make a fashion statement
If you go for a colored stone, you needn't worry about being matchy-matchy with
fashion. "I couldn't say there's a wrong way to wear a ruby or a sapphire or an
emerald," says Mr. Medinger. "If (you) want to wear an emerald with a color that
doesn't match, why not? It's (your) creativity that's expressed."
Shopping Ashore
Cruise passengers rocked by unscrupulous jeweler
The Miami Herald
by Anita Dunham-Potter
June 3, 2007
EDITOR: The Gemstone Forecaster is hearing more and more horror stories about
people buying diamonds,gemstones and jewelry on these cruises. Our
recommendation remains caveat emptor when buying overseas on cruises. Due to
space limitations, this article was edited for length.
Last summer, while cruise passengers Courtney Thompson and his wife were
shopping during a port stop in Santorini, Greece, they came upon a store that
had some beautiful jewelry items. It also displayed a sign stating that the shop
was a member of Celebrity's ``Guaranteed Shopping Program.''
When the Thompsons reboarded the Millennium, the ship's shopping director,
Jennifer Faust, noticed their shopping bag and informed them that the store was
no longer part of Celebrity's shopping program because of complaints from past
Celebrity guests. Indeed, the store was not listed on the shopping flier that
Celebrity had distributed to its passengers.
The Bad News
When the Thompsons returned home to Florida, they had the jewelry appraised. The
certified appraisal value was $8,800, a far cry from the $24,000 the Thompsons
had paid. The appraiser said the jewelry store misrepresented the carat weights
and clarity of most of the stones. For the diamond necklace, the store
documented the weight to be 4.5 carats; the appraiser said it was 2.25 carats.
Moreover, the quality of the gemstones was sub-par.
Celebrity's Position
I tried to contact the store but my calls were never answered. Celebrity and
Onboard Media did get back to me.
Miners dream of fortune in emerald mountains in Afghanistan
Gulf Times
Reuters
May 4, 2007
An explosion booms across the Afghan mountains, bouncing off jagged ridges and
setting a clatter of stones off down a slope. But this is not a Taliban bomb or
a Nato strike.
Treating illness with gemstones
newkerala.com
By Girish Kumar Dubey
June 11, 2007
Varansi, a place known for its religious fervour, is emerging as a haven for
many gemstone traders who style themselves as 'Astrology Doctors'.
Burma to hold special gem auction
Bangkokpost.com
June 12, 2007
Burma is to hold a special gem sale in Rangoon starting on July 4 to boost
foreign exchange earnings, the Central Committee for Sponsoring the Special Sale
of Gems, Jade and Pearls announced.
Write:
NGC
P. O. Box 42468
Tucson, AZ 85733
Call: 1-800-458-6453 or (520)-577-6222
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