Summer 1994 Gems & Gemology
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SUMMER 1994 VOLUME 30 NO. 2 TABL 0 F CONTENTS EDITORIAL Thank You, Donors FEATURE ARTICLES Synthetic Rubies by Douros: A New Challenge for Gemologists Henry A. Hanni, Kail Schmetzer, and Heinz-Tiirgen Bernhardt Emeralds from the Mananjary Region, Madagascar: Internal Features Dietmar Schwarz NOTES AND NEW TECHNIQUES Synthetic Forsterite and Synthetic Peridot Kurt Nassau Update on Mining Rubies and Fancy Sapphires in Northern Vietnam Robert C. Kammerling, Alice S. Keller, Kenneth V. Scarratt, and Saverio Repetto REGULAR FEATURES Gem Trade Lab Notes Gem News Book Reviews Gemological Abstracts ABOUT THE COVER: One of the most prized of colored gems, ruby is used in many forms of jewelry and decorative items. Because of its significance, the impor- tance of differentiating between natural and synthetic material cannot be overem- phasized. This issue's cover article deals with a new synthetic ruby-manufactured by Douros Created Gems in Piraeus, Greece-that may present an identification challenge for gemologists. The fine natural rubies in the contemporary Buccellati chalice and necklace on the cover are integral to these two classic designs. The necklace contains 17 pear- shaped cabochon rubies, totaling 17.69 carats, accented by 34 emeralds and 375 rose-cut diamonds. Thirty-tworubies with a total weight of 9.92 carats adorn the rock-crystal chalice, which also uses 53 emeralds and 513 grams of gold. Courtesy of Buccellati of Beverly Hills, California. The chalice will be on display at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County from November 5, 1994 to January 8, 1995, as part of the "Bc~ccellati-Artistry and Gemstones in Gold" exhibit. Photo @Harold &> Erica Van Pelt-Photographers, Los Angeles, CA. Typesetting for Gems & Gemology is by Graphix Express, Santa Monica, CA. Color separations are by Effective Graphics, Con~pton,CA. Printing is by Cadmus Journal Services, Easton, MD, 0 1994 Gemological Institute of America All rights reserved ISSN 0016-626X - - Editor-in-Chief Editor Editors, Gem Trade Lab Notes Richard T. Licldicoat Alice S. Keller Robert C. Kammerling I660 Stewart St. C. W. Fryer Associate Editors Santa Monica, CA 90404 Editors, Gem News William E. Boyajian (800)421-7250 ~251 Robert C. Kaininerling John I. Koivula D. Vincent Malison Subscriptions Robert C. Kammerling John Sinkanl<as Gail Young Emnianucl Fritsch Jin Lim Editors, Book Reviews Technical Editor (800)42 1-7250 ~201 Susan B. Johnson Carol M. Stockton Fax: (310) 453-4478 Jana E. Miyahira Assistant Editor Contributing Editor Editor, Ge~iiologiciilAbstracts Irv Dierdorff John 1. Koivula C. W. Fryer PRODUCTION Art Director Production Assistant Word Processor STAFF Lisa Joko-Gleeson Judith Lynch Ruth Patchick EDITORIAL Robert Crowningshield C. S. Hurlbut, Jr. Henry 0. A. Meyer REVIEWBOARD New York, IVY Can1 bridge, MA West Lafayette, IN Alan T. Collins Alan Jobbins Kurt Nassau London, United Kingdom Caterham, United Kingdom P.0. Lebanon, NJ Dennis Foltz Robert C. Kammerling George Rossman Santa Monica, CA Santa Monica, CA Pasadena, CA Emmanuel Fritsch Anthony R. Kampf Kenneth Scarratt Santa Monica. CA Los Angeles, CA Bangkok, Thailand C. W.Fryer Robert E. Kane Karl Schmetzer Santa Monica, CA Lake Tahoe, NV Putershausen, Germany Henry A. Hanni John I. Koivula James E. Shigley Zurich, Switzerland Santn Monica, CA Santa Monica, CA SUBSCRIPTIONS Subscriptions in the U.S.A. are pncei.1 as follows: S54.95 for one year (4 issues), S134.95 for three years (12 issues). Subscriptions sent elsewhere are S65.00 for one year, $165.00 for three years. Special annual subscription rates are available for all students actively involved in a GIA program: $44.95, U.S.A.; S55.00, elsewhere. Your student number n~ustbe listed at the time your subscription is entered. Singlc issues may be purchased for $14.00 in the U.S.A., $17.00 elsewhere. Discounts are given for bulk orders of 10 or more of any one issue. A limited number of back issues of Gei)G are also available for purchase. Please address all inquiries regarding subscriptions and the purchase of single copies or back issues to the Subscriptions Departmeni. To obtain a Japanese translation of Ge1~1.sd Gemology, contact the Association of Japan Gem Trust, Okachin~achiCy Bldg., 5-15-14 Ueno, Taito-ku, Tokyo 110, Japan. Our Canadian goods and service registration number is R126142892. Gems a) Gemology welcomes the submission of articles on all aspects of the field. Please see the suggestions fat authors in the Spring 1993 issue of the journal, or contact the editor for a copy. Letters on articles published in Gems cd Gemology and other relevant matters are also welcome. COPYRIGHT Abstracting is permitted with credit to the source. Libraries are permitted to photocopy beyond the limits of U.S. AND copyrigh~law for private use of patrons. Instructors are permitted to photocopy isolated articles for noncommercial REPRINT classroom use without fcc. Copyingof the photographs by any means other than tradi~ionalphotocopying tech- PERMISSIONS niques (Xerox, cic.) is prohibited without the express permission of the photographer (where listed) or author of the article in which ihe photo appears (where no photographer is listed). For other copying, reprint, or republication per- mission please contact the editor. Gems el Gemology is published quarterly by the Gemological Institute of America, a nonprofit educational organi- zaiion for the jewelry industry, 1660 Stcwart St., Santa Monica, CA 90404. Postmaster: Return undeliverable copies of Gems a) Gemology to 1660 Stewart St., Santa Monica, CA 90404. Any opinions expressed in signed articles are understood to he the opinions of the authors and not of the publishers. THANKYou, DONORS The Gemological Institute of America extends its sincerest appreciation to all of the people and firms in 1993 who helped the Institute W its comnitment to the industry through donations of "afts-in-kind1'-gems for reference, research, and classroom use, as well as written materials for the Richard T. Liddicoat Gemologcal Library and Information Center. We are pleased to acknowledge many of you below." Sue Adams Gem Reflections of New Yorlz Chapter, GIA Adris Oriental Gems & California Alumni Association Arts Corp. The Getty Center for the Officers Michael Allbritton History of Art and the Kusum Naotunne American Association of Humanities Glenn R. Nord Crystal Growth Edward Gubelin OroAmerica American Pearl Company Talzetoshi Hayakawa C. M. Ou Yang Amsterdam Sauer Mark P. Herschede, Jr. Pinky Trading Co. Aucoin-Hart Jewelers House of Diamonds Platinum Guild Barzel Custom Gems & Durward Howes UI International (Italia) Lapidary Cornelius S. Hurlbut .Pranda Intergems Co. Wendy- Beclzerson Idaho Opal & Gem Rainbow Mineral & G. S. Bhatnagar Corporation Crystal Co. Bors heim's International Mines Outlet Stephane Salerno William E. Boyajian Craig Jackson Rosa Santorroman Bruce Chai E. Alan Jobbins Scheherazade Tom Chatham Johnson Gems Service Merchandise Santpal Singh Chawla Jonz Jewels James E. Shigley CISGEM Robert C. Kaminerling John Sinkanlzas Don Clark Robert E. Kane Mauro Souja Don Clary Christopher Keenan T. L. C. Gems Company Jo Ellen Cole Kimberley Created Louise Thomas Commercial Mineral Emeralds Tuckrnan International Company John I. Koivula U. S. A. Frances D'Angelo Lee Larson Doug Turet Frederick Darling Lehrer Designs Bill Underwood De Beers Central Selling Jack Lowell V.O.I.C.E.of Gold Organisation Jurgen Maerz West Coast Semi-Precious R. Evans Jeweler Manning Opal & Gem Co. Stone Farrar Jewelers Marshall Martin Ron Yehuda Emmanuel Fritsch Kay Morrow C. W. Fryer Pascal Mouawad 'Partial listing For more information about GIA's Gift-In-Kind Program, please call (800)421-7250, ext. 208, or from outside the U.S. (310)829-2991, ext, 208. GEMS & GEMOLOGY Summer 1994 71 By Henry A. Hanni, Karl Schrnetzer, and Heinz-Jiirgen Bernhardt Greek manufacturer 1. a) A. Douros intro- ecently, a new type of flux-grown synthetic ruby duced a new flux synthetic ruby in early entered the gem market (figure 1).Manufactured by 1993. Grown bv, spontaneousA nucleation in a J. & A. Douros Created Gems in Piraeus, Greece, the lead-based solvent, the Douros synthetic ruby Douros synthetic ruby poses new challenges for gemolo- occurs as rhombohedra1 single crystals and gists. Like the Ramaura flux-grown synthetic rubies intro- twinned tabular crystals, as well as in clus- duced in 1982 (Bosshart, 1983; Kane, 1983), stones faceted ters. The tabular crystals typically have intense red cores that gradually decrease in from the Douros laboratory-grown crystals may create con- sat~uationto a near-colorless outermost layer; siderable difficulties for identification. Standard gemological the rhombohedra1 crystals have a deep red tests are inadequate for clean or only slightly included sam- body and a thin near-colorless laver on the ples. Even with advanced tests such as U.V.-visible spec- rhombohedra1 faces, with umbrella-like trophotometry, EDXRF chemical analysis, or identification growth patterns in some areas. Some samples of growth planes, the present material may cause difficul- contain distinctive inclusions of yellow resid- ties in identification (see, e.g., Hanni and Bosshart, 1993; ual flux with spherical bubbles. Chemically, Hanni and Schmetzer, 1993; and Smith and Bosshart, 1993). the crystals are heavily zoned, and EDXRF This article reports on our examination of several crys- analyses revealed variable trace amounts of tals and faceted samples of the Douros material. To help Ti, Fe, Cr, and Ga, as well as some Pb, SEM- establish criteria by which the Douros synthetic rubies can EDS identified the flux particles as lead bear- ing. Microprobe analyses showed high Cr val- be separated from their natural counterparts, we will ues in the crystal cores; in certain growth describe in detail the mineralogical, gemological, and chem- zones, Fe replaces Cr in the outermost layers. ical characteristics of this new flux-grown synthetic ruby. If inclusions or typical growth structures are not present, chemical composition appears to PRODUCTION be the best means of separating these DOLUOS Brothers John and Angelos Douros run a small family busi- synthetic rubies from natural rubies.