What’s New With Cobalt?
By now, we should all be aware of last years discovery of the use of cobalt coatings to improve the color of Tanzanite. This treatment, as reported by the AGTA-GTC and the AGL (May 23…
Featured ArticlesThe “Crown of Light” Diamond (And Other Caribbean Questions)
The story here on the "Crown of Light" diamond is part Gem Note and part Appraisers Notebook. What is it? Who is selling it? How much is it worth? Jewelers and appraisers are often quick…
Featured ArticlesAGA Conference Report
The Accredited Gemologists Association held its annual winter Conference in Tucson on Wednesday February 4. The successful conference featured several speakers from the International gemological community. American Gemological Laboratories Vice President Christopher Smith this years…
Featured ArticlesGemstones, A complete color reference for precious and semiprecious stones of the world
The book begins with a brief lesson on the technical aspects of gems including definitions of minerals, crystals, gems, metals, and the various properties of gems (R.I., birefringence, dispersion, S.G., hardness, cleav- age, etc.). While…
Book ReviewUnderstanding the Burma Embargo
Cecilia Gardner, President, CEO & General Counsel for the Jewelers Vigilance Committee hosted an informational presentation on the “The Tom Lantos Block Burmese JADE Act of 2008.†The program was offered in cooperation with the…
Featured ArticlesDiamonds in Brief
Not a surprise the economy woes are dragging down diamond prices further after a bleak holiday season. Large diamonds hit the hardest after speculation drove prices up in 2008. Rough imports hit a three-year low…
Diamond MarketMarket Trends: Tanzanite Prices Lower
The price of rough is down in many markets around the world on soft demand and a lack of buyers. However, this does not necessarily equate to the same percentage decreases in prices for cut…
Market TrendsPearls Shine Bright in Tucson
The Tucson show is more than a colored gemstone event. One of the absolute highlights of the show each year is to examine the latest developments in the always-fascinating world of pearls. This year was…
News ArchiveSynthetic Diamond
Appraisers 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 NotesAppraising “Branded” Gemstones
A recent appraisal assignment on a branded loose gem- stone, developed into a challenge in determining a fair retail price. The story starts as many do. The client purchased a gem on a cruise, took…
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