This article was developed from information submitted by Jon Phillips, Corona Jewellry Company, Toronto, Canada. A diamond that the company acquired was only .18 carat but proved to have an inter- esting purplish red inclusion. The…
Gem NotesWhile these two stories are not related based on place of purchase, they illustrate the increasing prevalence of consumers being duped with false corundum purchases. The first is a sad story of how our military…
Gem NotesRecently, a client presented a 14KT white gold and three stone engagement ring seeking confirmation of the identification of the stones. The ring featured three round brilliant cut colorless stones set in four prong heads…
Gem NotesA recent inquiry regarding the use of ultrasonic cleaners with zultanite prompted research and uncovered answers and an update to this color change diaspore from Turkey. (See Gem Market News, July/August 2006 for an in…
Gem NotesAppraisers must be on their toes at all times and it gets harder every day. We wondered when, as independent appraisers, we would encounter our first synthetic diamond repre- sented as natural. The client purchased…
Gem NotesIn August, a corporate client submitted several bead strands to our appraisal division for verification of stated identity. These were samples from a large order of thousands of pieces purchased from a Chinese vender as…
Gem NotesA gemologist colleague, Jim Swenton, relayed this gem note to us. Looking for a diamond for a customer, he had requested a diamond on memo from a supplier. The diamond came in with no indication of treatment…
Gem NotesA local dealer brought in the ring shown here for identification. The large sapphire mounted in a mans ring was reportedly belonging to the father of a client. The father had passed away and the…
Gem NotesThings are not always what they appear to be. In todays world, new treatments and synthetics are appearing on a more regular basis. Many of these newer treatments, imitations and synthetics are getting harder to…
Gem NotesIn late May, the American Gem Trade Association-Gem Testing Center informed the industry that the lab had identified several tanzanite gems that had been color enhanced by coating. As is often the case, the discovery…
Gem Notes