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Fall 2000 Gems & Gemology FALL 2000 VOLUME 36 NO. 3 pg. 197 EDITORIAL 189 New Diamond Treatments: What Do They Mean for the Gemological Laboratory? William E. Boyajian 191 LETTERS FEATURE ARTICLES pg. 217 192 GE POL Diamonds: Before and After Christopher P. Smith, George Bosshart, Johann Ponahlo, Vera M. F. Hammer, Helmut Klapper, and Karl Schmetzer The first study of GE POL diamonds before and after HPHT processing reveals important clues to their identification. 216 Sapphires from Antsiranana Province, Northern Madagascar Dietmar Schwarz, Jan Kanis, and Karl Schmetzer Learn the distinctive features of blue-green-yellow sapphires from the important basaltic deposits near Ambondromifehy. pg. 237 234 Pre-Columbian Gems and Ornamental Materials from Antigua, West Indies A. Reg Murphy, David J. Hozjan, Christy N. de Mille, and Alfred A. Levinson Nondestructive gemological techniques are used to identify ancient jewelry materials of the Saladoid culture and suggest early trade patterns in the eastern Caribbean islands. NOTES AND NEW TECHNIQUES 246 Gem-Quality Haüyne from the Eifel District, Germany Lore Kiefert and H. A. Hänni Explore the properties of this rare bright blue gem. pg. 247 REGULAR FEATURES 254 Gem Trade Lab Notes • Cat’s-eye chrysoberyl • HPHT-annealed blue and pink diamonds • Diamonds with flower-like inclusions • Historical diamond report • Black synthetic moissanite • Fracture fillers in ruby • Paraíba tourmaline 260 Gem News • APEC 2000 report • De Beers’s new direction • Mosaic ammonite • Iranian anhydrite • Indian aquamarine • Hawaiian “precious” coral • Fresnoite • International Geological Congress report • Malagasy lapidary facility • Ruby and sapphire from Colombia • Lavender sugilite with green spots • Paraíba tourmaline update • “Wine- bottle” tourmaline • Magnetic hematite imitation • Boulder opal imitations • Concave faceting of sapphires 275 2000 Challenge Winners 277 Book Reviews 280 Gemological Abstracts New Diamond Treatments: What Do They Mean for the Gemological Laboratory? n each of the last five issues of Gems & Gemology, we types. These include, but are not limited to, the De I have published articles on the high pressure/high tem- Beers DiamondSure, short-wave ultraviolet fluorescence perature (HPHT) annealing of diamonds to modify their transparency devices, and proprietary spectroscopic color. This is arguably one of the most serious challenges instruments designed to measure the presence and level the diamond industry has ever faced. Most of these arti- of trace elements, such as nitrogen, in each diamond. cles have dealt with the decoloriza- All diamonds that are determined tion of diamonds as represented by to be type II are then further screened the GE POL process. The paper by by GIA’s most experienced gemolo- Christopher Smith and his colleagues gists and research scientists. Some of in the present issue is the most recent the techniques and instruments contribution. It provides some impor- employed include UV-Vis-NIR spec- tant new data on the characteristics of troscopy, high-resolution infrared GE POL diamonds before and after spectroscopy, and (low temperature) processing. Raman analysis to determine key What, though, does all this mean photoluminescence features. Results for the jeweler and gemologist? In par- from these analyses are then com- ticular, what do all these develop- pared with our extensive database on ments mean for a laboratory that is known HPHT-annealed diamonds entrusted with the responsibility of and untreated type IIa’s. identifying these and other treated or Based on our careful examination synthetic diamonds? of well over 2,000 GE POL diamonds The role of the gemological labora- to date, we believe that the vast major- tory has changed in many ways over Robert Shipley Jr. demonstrates ity of diamonds that have been decol- the past decade. Not only have the GIA’s state-of-the-art laboratory orized by HPHT annealing can be techniques and instrumentation for equipment in 1938. identified through their properties, the gem identification become more laboratory’s grading and research expe- advanced, but the methods and steps in diamond grading rience, and the data archived in the laboratory’s Horizon have become much more extensive and sophisticated. operations and management information system. The new developments in treatments to diamonds and The proliferation of diamond treatments also raises the further advancement of synthetic diamond growth questions about the fair and accurate representation of methods have made it necessary for a gemological labora- these products to tradespeople and consumers alike. tory to become well equipped and to continually modify There are legitimate markets for enhanced diamonds the screening methods used to detect such diamonds. and an important need for consumers to know exactly While I cannot speak for all laboratories, there have what they are purchasing. As a result, we are currently always been processes incorporated into the servicing reviewing our reporting policy for some enhanced dia- procedures of the GIA Gem Trade Laboratory to meet monds and the scope of services we offer. such challenges as synthetics, coatings, fillers, laser Yes, there are challenges to the way laboratories must drilling, and irradiation. More than a dozen additional now operate. We must gather more information, using detection techniques and instruments have been added more sophisticated instrumentation, in a process that to this process in the last five years alone. often requires more time and a tremendous investment Overall, the GIA system has been designed to ensure in equipment and personnel. Because many of these new accuracy, efficiency, and client anonymity throughout treatments cannot be detected with standard gemologi- the grading process. There are meticulous electronic cal equipment, we are all serving a much broader con- routing techniques that guide a diamond through the stituency. Nevertheless, we believe that with solid laboratory, which include numerous steps that capture research, with continued cooperation from the trade, and well over 400 separate and distinct pieces of gemologi- with flexibility and ingenuity, we and other well- cal and scientific information. equipped gemological laboratories will be able to contin- After careful weighing and measuring, each diamond ue to meet the needs of both the trade and the public. is processed through a series of instruments designed to differentiate natural from treated and synthetic dia- William E. Boyajian, President monds, as well as to detect and distinguish diamond Gemological Institute of America Editorial GEMS & GEMOLOGY Fall 2000 189 Pearl Nucleation Misquote? Just the opposite is true. I wrote that I believe “at least some of the new pearls” are bead nucleated. It is difficult to correlate the statements in the Editor’s Fred Ward Summer 2000 editorial about the value of peer review Gem Book Publishers with the errors I found in the article by K. Scarratt et al. on nuclei in Chinese freshwater cultured pearls (FWCPs), In reply which appeared in that same issue [pp. 98–109]. The authors and I appreciate this opportunity to clarify the I have been misquoted twice in that article. First, in use of Mr. Ward’s article as a reference for the two sen- referencing my article in the April 2000 issue of Lapidary tences cited above. Indeed, Mr. Ward does state in his arti- Journal, the authors state (p. 98), “Most recently, articles cle only that he believes “some” of the large Chinese in the trade press (see, e.g., Matlins, 1999–2000a and b, FWCPs are bead nucleated. However, the citation of his 2000; Ward, 2000) have claimed that the vast majority of article in conjunction with these two statements was not large FWCPs currently being described as “non-nucleat- intended to indicate that they were quotations from Mr. ed” are bead nucleated, with the largest sizes obtained by Ward. Rather, as is stated in our Guidelines for Authors, multiple insertions and reinsertions of nuclei formed “References should be used . to refer the reader to other from . freshwater cultured pearls.” I did not say that sources for additional information on a particular subject.” “the vast majority” of the large round FWCPs are pearl- In his Lapidary Journal article, Mr. Ward provides a num- bead nucleated, because I know that statement is untrue. ber of quotes from others that were interpreted to be in sup- This error is repeated on page 107, with the statement: port of the argument that bead-nucleated FWCPs are pri- “The recent reports in the trade literature that tissue- marily responsible for the large Chinese FWCPs that have nucleated freshwater cultured pearls are being used as recently entered the market. For example, he quotes one ‘nuclei’ to produce most of the recent large round Chinese pearl dealer (Fuji Voll, p. 29) to the effect that “I agree with FWCPs appear to be based on growth structures observed you that nucleation with other pearls is the most likely in pearls that have been cut in half (see, e.g., Matlins, explanation for today’s big rounds” and the late John 1999–2000a, 2000; Roskin, 2000; Ward, 2000).” Again, I Latendresse (p. 30) “Like you, I have no doubt they are have never said—or written—that “most” of the large nucleating with other pearls to get the big rounds.” Chinese FWCPs are pearl-bead nucleated because I know We apologize if our intent was misconstrued, as the that statement is untrue. desire was not to put words in Mr. Ward’s mouth but rather On page 29 of my referenced Lapidary Journal article I to lead the reader to the extensive information he had gath- state very clearly, “I came to believe that at least some of ered from trade representatives, some of which appeared to the new pearls were being nucleated with old freshwater support the statements indicated. Certainly, Mr. Ward’s pearls that may have been tumbled or ground to round.” At article provided useful commentary on this topic. no time does that sentence say or suggest that I think “the Alice S.
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