World Of Gems Conference 2017 Proceedings Book

WORLD OF GEMS CONFERENCE V - 36 - SEPTEMBER 2017 PRICING CHALLENGES gem cannot agree on the color definitions. So, many fancy color sapphires are now getting padparadscha on lab reports and boosting the price. Figure 2. With alexandrite, here too definitions have changed. The classic definition was that they must have some shade of green and some shade of red in the color change. Figure 3. Today, many labs will offer the term alexan- drite for any color change of chrysoberyl. Some reports encountered had these color descriptions. Green yellow changing to brownish yellow; greenish yellow changing to pinkish orange; brownish yellow-green chang- ing to brown. While we tend to price based on beauty, some of these are being priced much too high due to the report stating alexandrite vs. color change chrysoberyl. Origin is an issue that Gemworld is passionate about. While it is great to know the history of a gem and where it might have been mined, today, origin determination is harder than ever with many new sources and overlapping geological properties. There are known examples from all major labo- ratories of disagreeing reports on origin. This is becoming a big pricing challenge because we are all asked to price based on the paper and not the stone. Paraiba is another origin classification that has driven up the prices of some gems that may not be worthy.With many labs using terms such as “Paraiba-like” this is helping to market some lower quality tourmaline from other origins. As long as there is some copper element, these labs will add the Paraiba prefix. We have now encountered gems well over 100 carats being offered at higher prices due to this favorable relation to tourmaline of a different origin in Brazil. In conclusion, it is important to learn where to research when doing an assignment. Tucson is a great venue for col- ored gem research. Other dealers may be helpful. Auction may help but be careful here. Do you know all the facts of the item and of the buyer? Was the item bid up higher than normal? Remember, a world class gemstone has nothing to do with the price of your gemstone. Be careful of internet research because much information is questionable and you are not viewing the actual gem. Make sure you know your sources. Remember that one transaction equals the price only for that gem on that day but does not necessarily re- flect the actual value. Difficult assignments take time. Remember that there is a hierarchy of laboratories. Some carry higher respect than others in certain types of report- ing. So, if you see a very high-end gem with a lesser known laboratory, you do need to ask why? It is not necessarily wrong or worth less, but you do need to be a bit suspicious and do more research. u FIGURE 2. Padparadscha. Photo ©Tino Hammid. Courtesy of Lotus Gemology. FIGURE 3. Alexandrite 3.03 ct. Courtesy of Mayer &Watt.