Wednesday, October 21, 2015
Tuesday, September 29, 2015
Gemkids
If your kids are interested in gemology or gemstones, I found a fantastic website called GemKids.
The mini-website is part of GIA and what a pleasant surprise I got when I clicked on the GemKids on their menu bar.
The site is colourful and easy to read with three major sections: gemstones, jewellery and a very comprehensive glossary where even I learned a thing or two.
The photography, clickable information and pronunciation icons is brilliant. I wish I could design our website to have this kind of functionality.
The mini-website is part of GIA and what a pleasant surprise I got when I clicked on the GemKids on their menu bar.
The site is colourful and easy to read with three major sections: gemstones, jewellery and a very comprehensive glossary where even I learned a thing or two.
The photography, clickable information and pronunciation icons is brilliant. I wish I could design our website to have this kind of functionality.
Thursday, September 10, 2015
Sapphire Quality Factors
Several types of inclusions are found in sapphires. Among these are long thin mineral inclusions called needles. Fine needles are called silk when they occur as the mineral rutile in intersecting groups. Other clarity characteristics in sapphire are included mineral crystals, partially healed breaks that look like fingerprints, colour zoning, and colour banding.
Generally, inclusions make a stone less valuable. Price can drop substantially if the inclusions threaten the stone’s durability. Even so, inclusions can actually increase the value of some sapphires. Many of the most valuable Kashmir sapphires contain tiny inclusions that give them a velvety appearance. They scatter light, causing the coveted visual effect without negatively affecting the gem’s transparency.
Star rubies and star sapphires belong to the phenomenal corundum category. The star effect is called asterism. It’s caused by reflections from tiny, needle-like inclusions that are oriented in several specific directions. Stars are usually made up of 2, 3, or 6 intersecting bands, resulting in 4, 6, or 12 rays.
The shape of a rough sapphire crystal influences the finished stone’s shape and size. Rough sapphire’s most common crystal form is a barrel- or spindle-shaped hexagonal pyramid. For this reason, finished sapphires are often deep.
To achieve the best overall colour, maintain the best proportions, and retain the most weight possible, cutters focus on factors like colour zoning, pleochroism, and the lightness or darkness of a stone.
Color zoning—areas of different colours in a stone—is a common sapphire characteristic. Blue sapphire often has angular zones of blue and lighter blue. To accommodate colour zoning in some sapphires, cutters orient the concentrated colour in a location that offers the best visible colour in the cut stone.
In Sri Lankan sapphires, the colour is often concentrated close to the surface of the crystal. If a cutter can orient the culet within the concentrated area of colour, the stone will appear entirely blue in the face-up position.
Pleochroism is different colours in different crystal directions. Blue sapphires often have greenish blue and violetish blue pleochroism. It’s most desirable to orient the cut so the stone shows the violetish blue colour when it is set in jewellery.
Article from: GIA Education
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| Rutile needles clearly seen in this Sri Lankan Sapphire. They do not detract from it's beauty |
Generally, inclusions make a stone less valuable. Price can drop substantially if the inclusions threaten the stone’s durability. Even so, inclusions can actually increase the value of some sapphires. Many of the most valuable Kashmir sapphires contain tiny inclusions that give them a velvety appearance. They scatter light, causing the coveted visual effect without negatively affecting the gem’s transparency.
Star rubies and star sapphires belong to the phenomenal corundum category. The star effect is called asterism. It’s caused by reflections from tiny, needle-like inclusions that are oriented in several specific directions. Stars are usually made up of 2, 3, or 6 intersecting bands, resulting in 4, 6, or 12 rays.
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| Star Ruby with 6 clear rays |
The shape of a rough sapphire crystal influences the finished stone’s shape and size. Rough sapphire’s most common crystal form is a barrel- or spindle-shaped hexagonal pyramid. For this reason, finished sapphires are often deep.
To achieve the best overall colour, maintain the best proportions, and retain the most weight possible, cutters focus on factors like colour zoning, pleochroism, and the lightness or darkness of a stone.
Color zoning—areas of different colours in a stone—is a common sapphire characteristic. Blue sapphire often has angular zones of blue and lighter blue. To accommodate colour zoning in some sapphires, cutters orient the concentrated colour in a location that offers the best visible colour in the cut stone.
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| Colour zoning shown clearly in this Australian Sapphire |
In Sri Lankan sapphires, the colour is often concentrated close to the surface of the crystal. If a cutter can orient the culet within the concentrated area of colour, the stone will appear entirely blue in the face-up position.
Pleochroism is different colours in different crystal directions. Blue sapphires often have greenish blue and violetish blue pleochroism. It’s most desirable to orient the cut so the stone shows the violetish blue colour when it is set in jewellery.
Article from: GIA Education
Wednesday, September 2, 2015
Celebrites favour simple black and white
The only interesting thing happening at this year's MTV Awards besides the onstage spat between host Miley Cyrus and singer Nicki Minaj was Kanye West’s 2020 presidential bid announcement!
Was I the only one bored to death? I was hoping that the jewellery would be a little more interesting because as coloured gemstone dealers, we are always delighted to see sprays of colour on the red carpet. But for me, the main thing lacking at the MTV Awards this year, was COLOUR!
Mismatched earrings, climbers, studs, black diamonds, colourless diamonds, more colourless diamonds and a few more diamonds pretty much summed up the evening's adorned. Yellow gold and stacking rings with minimalist-inspired styles were also present.
So what does this mean for the industry's fashion forecast? Not much I am afraid. Let's hope colour makes a come-back before Christmas, otherwise it is going to be a rather dull overcast season for gemstone dealers!
Oh, I almost forgot, the good news is that if you lose an earring, you can now mis-match your studs and be the most stylish dame at the ball!
Was I the only one bored to death? I was hoping that the jewellery would be a little more interesting because as coloured gemstone dealers, we are always delighted to see sprays of colour on the red carpet. But for me, the main thing lacking at the MTV Awards this year, was COLOUR!
Mismatched earrings, climbers, studs, black diamonds, colourless diamonds, more colourless diamonds and a few more diamonds pretty much summed up the evening's adorned. Yellow gold and stacking rings with minimalist-inspired styles were also present.
So what does this mean for the industry's fashion forecast? Not much I am afraid. Let's hope colour makes a come-back before Christmas, otherwise it is going to be a rather dull overcast season for gemstone dealers!
Oh, I almost forgot, the good news is that if you lose an earring, you can now mis-match your studs and be the most stylish dame at the ball!
Thursday, August 20, 2015
Rock on Morganite.
Rocks On: Pink’s popularity boosts morganite
By Brecken Branstrator for the National Jeweler
Print
April 24, 2015
Morganite, a member of the beryl family, comes in hues from pink to a more peach shade, such as this 6.65-carat cushion-cut stone from gemstone dealer Mayer & Watt.
Click through the slideshow to see 11 pieces of morganite jewelry.
New York--The influences of fashion trends and celebrity style on the colored gemstone world can be huge, particularly when it comes to bringing forgotten gemstones to the forefront or propelling classic stones to new heights.
When musician and actress Jennifer Lopez got engaged to actor Ben Affleck back in 2002, he proposed with a 6.1-carat pink Harry Winston diamond that was estimated to be worth $1.2 million.
After that, the popularity of pink stones rose rapidly--diamonds and sapphires in the hue have been having their day ever since and, along with them, morganite, said Simon Watt of gemstone dealer Mayer & Watt.
As pink shades begin to trend, especially for engagement rings, morganite offers a great value proposition for those looking for stone in the shade at a lower price point than sapphires.
“We’re selling morganite like hot cakes,” Watt said. “It’s selling very well right now. It could be a good option for an engagement ring for those looking for color, and it’s a nice hard stone.”
Robert Weldon, manager of photography and visual communications at the Gemological Institute of America and a colored gemstone expert, confirmed that they too have seen an increase of morganite on the market, especially over the last year or so.
He attributed part of the stone’s upward trend to Pantone’s naming of “Marsala” as the color of the year and the popularity of color blocking the lighter pink shades of stones like morganite with the darker hues of the earthy red marsala.
The pink beryl--which generally is lesser known than the two popular varieties of beryl, emeralds and aquamarines--was everywhere during the Tucson gem shows in February, given an extra boost in popularity and price over the past few years.
“There are always some colors that really resonate with customers, and I don’t know what it is but right now (morganite is) really doing that,” gemstone supplier James Alger, of James Alger Co., said. “It has a really pleasant color.”
A shifted focus
High-quality morganite offering the best saturation of color traditionally has come from Madagascar and Nigeria, but many said they are seeing less of that material available.Rather, Brazil has popped up as the most significant source of morganite in the current market.
Since much of the material coming out of that country tends to have a brownish-pink hue to it, most of it has been irradiated to enhance the color. “I would estimate that about 99 percent of what’s on the market right now is irradiated,” Watt said.
Since irradiation mimics a process that can be done in nature, there’s no way to tell if the morganite has been treated in a lab. However, the irradiation process doesn’t change anything about the stability or hardness of the gemstone, so it continues with its rising popularity in the market.
Weldon too said that since much of the morganite currently available on the market is pretty uniform in color, and nature doesn’t generally make it that way that often, it’s a likely indication that much of it has, in fact, been irradiated.
He added that he’s been hearing that people are beginning to re-process the tailings from the mines where morganite previously had been found to see if they can find any stones in the discarded ore.
Steeper price tags
Regardless of origin, the price of morganite of all types has skyrocketed over the past few years, bridging the gap between the natural African material and what dealers are asking for the Brazilian stones.Allen Dolberg of jewelry manufacturer Zoma Color said that he’s seen prices of the Brazilian material increase from an average of $15 to $20 per carat to somewhere between $50 and $70 per carat over the past year.
As demand and price increase, it stands to reason that supply should be waning, which is what a few of the gemstone dealers have been noticing of late.
“The Tucson show last year was ridiculous,” Dolberg, referring to the morganite supply. “There were pounds of it. This February, though, there seemed to be less. It seems that demand is using up supply.”
Dolberg notes that though he’s seeing plenty of morganite in finished goods, it’s becoming harder and harder to find the actual loose stones these days. “Dealers are seeing less available, and the price is going up, so we can deduce from that the supply is down,” he added.
The pinker morganite stones entered the market fairly recently, with availability popping up about 12 months ago, whereas Dolberg said he’s seen peach in larger numbers for the past five years.
The demand for and popularity of the peach hues has, in fact, fed into trends for other colored stones.
Over the last six months, Dolberg has seen tremendous demand for peach sapphires as well, which he believes comes from morganite rather than the other way around, as “no one really wanted it before.”
Watt too noted that there was a lot more peach morganite on the market for a few years but that more of the vivid pink has been appearing lately.
For Mayer & Watt, the highest demand currently for morganite in general is for 2- to 5-carat pieces, and the average price is around $45 to $95 per carat for their inventory.
Large and in charge
“We’ve seen dealers with trays of 40- to 50-carat pieces of morganite,” Dolberg said. “You don’t often see those size in other materials.”
Despite that, the standard calibrated sizes still are what they sell most, he said.
The difference between what kind of morganite jewelers might be looking for depends on the customer type--for those looking for the finest quality and who want to be sure of what’s been done (or, rather, hasn’t been done) to their morganite, the natural material from Madagascar is all that will do.
For others, the irradiated material from Brazil provides a great color that’s worth the value.
No matter which jewelers pick, it doesn’t appear that the demand for morganite will be slowing down any time soon.
“We think pinks will trend more and more based on last year, and we’re sort of surprised at its success over the last five years,” Dolberg said. “We think it’s really established itself in the marketplace.”
Thursday, August 13, 2015
Some fun facts about the August Birthstone - Peridot
We all know that the birthstone for August is Peridot. Living in the Southern Hemisphere, Spring is around the corner and Peridot's bright apple green loveliness makes her appearance once again in August. The bright, apple green colour of this extraterrestrial gemstone reminds me of the new life that Spring brings to our dormant garden.
The ancient Egyptians mined peridot on the Red Sea island of Zabargad, the source for many large fine peridots in the world’s museums. The Egyptians called it the “gem of the sun.” Today this gem is still prized for its restful yellowish green hues and long history.
Large strongly-coloured, examples can be spectacular, and attractive smaller gems are available for jewellery at all price points.
The ancient Egyptians mined peridot on the Red Sea island of Zabargad, the source for many large fine peridots in the world’s museums. The Egyptians called it the “gem of the sun.” Today this gem is still prized for its restful yellowish green hues and long history.
Large strongly-coloured, examples can be spectacular, and attractive smaller gems are available for jewellery at all price points.
Here are some fun facts about Peridot which until today, I did not know:
- Peridot crystals are found in meteorites: some rare extraterrestrial crystals are even big enough to facet as cut gemstones.
- Most gems are coloured by impurities such as iron. Peridot's colour is intrinsically yellow-green. Higher-quality stones have an intense colour.
- Peridot has extremely high double refraction: when you look closely through the gem, you can see two of each pavilion facet.
- Some peridot is ancient: 4.5 Billion years old! It's found in pallasite meteorites, remnants of our solar system's birth.
- Gem variety of the mineral olivine: found in peridotite rock from the earth’s upper mantle.
- In 2005, peridot was found in comet dust brought back from the
- Stardust robotic space probe.
For more information on Peridot and other gemstones, please visit our website at www.touchstonegems.co.za
Happy Peridot month!
Monday, August 3, 2015
What causes the star-effect in star sapphires and rubies?
Star rubies and sapphires display a sharp six-rayed star which seems to glide magically across the surface of the gem when the latter is moved. This is caused due to an optical phenomenon known as "Asterism".
The star is best visible when the star sapphire is seen in a single light source such as sunlight and spotlight.
Star-effect or "asterism" is caused by the dense inclusions of tiny fibres of rutile (also known as "silk"). The stars are caused by the light reflecting from needle-like inclusions of rutile aligned perpendicular to the rays of the star. However, since rutile is always present in star sapphires they are never completely transparent. In fact, star sapphire and sapphire are one of those few gemstones which actually require inclusions (i.e. rutile).
The star is best visible when the star sapphire is seen in a single light source such as sunlight and spotlight.
What causes the star-effect in star sapphires and rubies?
Star-effect or "asterism" is caused by the dense inclusions of tiny fibres of rutile (also known as "silk"). The stars are caused by the light reflecting from needle-like inclusions of rutile aligned perpendicular to the rays of the star. However, since rutile is always present in star sapphires they are never completely transparent. In fact, star sapphire and sapphire are one of those few gemstones which actually require inclusions (i.e. rutile).
Star sharpness
The star should be sharp (not blurry) and silvery / milky white. The best way to test the sharpness of the star is to look at the star sapphire in sunlight with the dome facing the sun. All six prongs should be straight and equally prominent. The complete star should be centered in the middle of the gem, but should also be able to glide effortlessly around the cabochon.Clarity
Due to the presence of rutile (silk) star sapphires and rubies are never transparent. Most natural star sapphires found are translucent and opaque (mostly opaque).Tuesday, July 21, 2015
The Benefits of jewellery Appraisals
A critical step in protecting and preserving the value of your jewellery is getting an updated appraisal on a regular basis. In fact, if the most recent appraisal of your jewellery took place five or more years ago, it’s time to get a new appraisal.
You may be asking what a jewellery appraisal does for you. The obvious answer is that an appraisal sets a value for your jewellery. And with today’s roller-coaster values for gold, platinum, silver and gemstones, knowing what your jewellery is worth can save you heartache later if your jewellery is lost or stolen.
The appraisal provides basic information most insurance carriers need to offer coverage for your jewellery. The updated value, along with the detailed description provided by an appraisal, will help smooth your settlement process if you were to suffer a loss.
Another appraisal benefit is having an updated assessment of your jewellery’s condition. Over time, prongs, clasps, settings and even stones can become loose or damaged. The review of your jewellery by a professional can help mitigate a possible loss by drawing to your attention any minor damage so an item can be repaired.
Now that I’ve convinced you to get an appraisal, who should you go to and what should it contain? The first choice for your appraisal should be a jeweler you trust. They should have the credentials necessary to do an appraisal, such as a Certified Gemologist Appraiser (CGA) from the American Gem Society, and/or be a member of one of the appraisal societies that dictate ethical appraisal practices. You may already have a grading report from AGS or another lab. These reports are used to verify the quality and authenticity of gemstones or diamonds, but do not establish value.
Your jewellery appraisal should contain:
Your name and address
Type of jewellery
What is the jewellery item made of?
What type of gemstones are used?
How are the stones graded?
How is it designed or fashioned?
Condition of the item being appraised
colour photograph
Current precious metal values
Manufacturer, origin, or designer
Purpose of the appraisal (example: for insurance purposes)
Credentials of the appraiser
Signed and dated by the appraiser
Phillip Bosen is the Director of Business Development at Von Bargen’s jewellery and the only Certified Gemologist Appraiser in Vermont.
Taken from: AMERICAN GEM SOCIETY
By Phillip Bosen, CGA and Director of Business Development at Von Bargen’s jewellery
Friday, July 17, 2015
Which Ruby is best?
We all know that the ideal colour for ruby is bright red. The value of precious gemstones has always been determined by rarity, colour and inclusions. But, which Ruby should we be buying? Popular choices today are Burmese, Indian and Madagascan Ruby.
Burmese Pigeon Blood Ruby has always been the most desirable, the most beautiful and the most expensive Ruby. However, over the last several years this has changed due to new deposits of Ruby being found in previously inaccessible areas like Madagascar.
Top quality Vietnamese Ruby, popular in the 90's, actually surpassed the popularity of Burmese Ruby. Recently, deposits in Tanzania have been discovered and these "Winza" rubies are of remarkable quality. Rubies are mined in Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Greenland, and Tajikistan.
Conclusion: All qualities of Ruby are good, it just depends on your budget and the desire to own one.
Burmese Pigeon Blood Ruby has always been the most desirable, the most beautiful and the most expensive Ruby. However, over the last several years this has changed due to new deposits of Ruby being found in previously inaccessible areas like Madagascar.
Top quality Vietnamese Ruby, popular in the 90's, actually surpassed the popularity of Burmese Ruby. Recently, deposits in Tanzania have been discovered and these "Winza" rubies are of remarkable quality. Rubies are mined in Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Greenland, and Tajikistan.
Conclusion: All qualities of Ruby are good, it just depends on your budget and the desire to own one.
Wednesday, July 15, 2015
The beauty is included
We all know that inclusions in diamonds can be a bad thing. Nearly invisible specks inside a diamond can have a tremendous effect on value. However, inclusions play a major role in the world of coloured gemstones. Inclusions are a very important part of gemstone identification. They can be indicators of species, origin and treatments. As with diamonds, if inclusions are too numerous they can have a negative effect on beauty and value.
In some cases inclusions are desirable in coloured gemstones. Horsetail shaped inclusions inside Dementoid Garnet are not only identifying characteristics, under magnification they are quite beautiful. In fact, Dementoid Garnets with well-formed horsetails are very desirable and often carry a significant premium in the market. Collectors seek out gemstones that display inclusions that are unique to the species; Lilypads in Peridot, 3-phase inclusions in Colombian Emerald, even insects in Amber. Microscopic inclusions cause the optical effects of asterism (stars) and chatoyancy (cat’s eye).
The real fun comes when inclusions are large and bold enough to become an essential part of a stone’s beauty and interest. The Quartz family is known for interesting inclusions. Rutilated Quartz contains crystals of Titanium Dioxide, sometimes radiating from a dark grey cube of Hematite in a captivating starburst of brilliant metallic gold needles. Tourmalinated Quartz looks like small black or dark green rods frozen in clear ice. Many minerals can form inside Quartz; sometimes as floating crystals other times appearing more like a colourful coral reef captured in stone. They are beautiful to the eye and even more fascinating under a microscope.
One of the hottest collectable inclusion stones are Trapiches. Meaning “wagon-wheel” Trapiches are usually cut as a cabochon or as a flat slab. The typical appearance shows spokes radiating out from a central hub with contrasting colours or a different mineral between the spokes. First found in Colombian Emeralds, we now find Trapiches in Sapphire, Ruby, Quartz and several other species including diamonds. Trapiches of any species with good colour and distinct, well-defined spokes are in high demand and the prices are rising quickly. Grab them when you see them.
Gemstones with interesting and visible inclusions offer jewellery designers a broad palette of colour, shape and texture. Inclusion stones can be very affordable or very expensive. Commercial grade inclusion quartz can be had for less than a dollar per carat while superb examples of Rutilated Quartz could fetch over $100 per carat, even more if cut by a top artisanal gemcutter. A large Trapeiche Emerald with deep green colour and well defined spokes can run well into the thousands of dollars per carat.
Be included!
From Jewellery Net Asia
In some cases inclusions are desirable in coloured gemstones. Horsetail shaped inclusions inside Dementoid Garnet are not only identifying characteristics, under magnification they are quite beautiful. In fact, Dementoid Garnets with well-formed horsetails are very desirable and often carry a significant premium in the market. Collectors seek out gemstones that display inclusions that are unique to the species; Lilypads in Peridot, 3-phase inclusions in Colombian Emerald, even insects in Amber. Microscopic inclusions cause the optical effects of asterism (stars) and chatoyancy (cat’s eye).
The real fun comes when inclusions are large and bold enough to become an essential part of a stone’s beauty and interest. The Quartz family is known for interesting inclusions. Rutilated Quartz contains crystals of Titanium Dioxide, sometimes radiating from a dark grey cube of Hematite in a captivating starburst of brilliant metallic gold needles. Tourmalinated Quartz looks like small black or dark green rods frozen in clear ice. Many minerals can form inside Quartz; sometimes as floating crystals other times appearing more like a colourful coral reef captured in stone. They are beautiful to the eye and even more fascinating under a microscope.
Gemstones with interesting and visible inclusions offer jewellery designers a broad palette of colour, shape and texture. Inclusion stones can be very affordable or very expensive. Commercial grade inclusion quartz can be had for less than a dollar per carat while superb examples of Rutilated Quartz could fetch over $100 per carat, even more if cut by a top artisanal gemcutter. A large Trapeiche Emerald with deep green colour and well defined spokes can run well into the thousands of dollars per carat.
Be included!
From Jewellery Net Asia
Monday, July 9, 2012
Ruby Facts
Ruby and Sapphire are members of the Corundum family. If Corundum exhibits a colour from slightly pinkish red, through red to slightly reddy brown then it is called a Ruby. All other colours of Corundum are termed Sapphires.
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| Delong Star Ruby |
Corundum is second only to Diamond in terms of its physical hardness, (although exhibiting only 1/140th of the hardness of Diamond), This hardness (9 on the Moh's scale) in relation to all other gemstones has ensured its position with Sapphire and Emerald as one of the so-called "precious gems".
Ruby is named after the Latin word "rubeus" for red. With colour varying from deposit to deposit, depending on the Chromium and Iron content of the stone. The most desirable coloUr is termed "pigeon’s blood", a pure red with a hint of blue, only currently found in the mines of Myanmar (Burma).
Ruby is one of the most expensive gems available today, with large rubies being considerably rarer than comparable diamonds. The highest price ever paid for a gemstone on auction on a per carat basis was for a Ruby.
Ruby is the birthstone for those who are born in July, and is used in certain cultures to celebrate a couple's 15th and 40th anniversary.
Sunday, November 6, 2011
November Birthstones: Citrine and Topaz
Citrine is a popular and affordable member of the Quartz group (which includes Amethyst). The name is a derivation of the French word, for the lemon yellow colour that natural Citrines exhibit. Today though most commercial Citrines are actually heat treated Amethysts and are more of a golden than lemon yellow colour. Depending on the source deposit the heat treatment can produce colours from yellow to gold to orange brown and red shades of transparent quartz. The final result being dependent on the level of heat applied. In ancient times, Citrine was carried as a talisman against the venom of snakes and scorpions. Today they are known in some cultures as the merchant's stone and are associated with success and prosperity.
The causal element that imbibes natural quartz with its lemon yellow colour is a trace amount of Iron (approximately 40ppm). Natural (untreated) citrines are mostly a pale lemon yellow to golden yellow colour, but recent demand has meant that almost all of the commercially available stones are now heat treated Amethyst, which exhibit a reddish tint to the overall yellow to golden hue of the stones.
Purchasing Citrine
Colour
While natural Citrine is much preferred over the Citrine produced by heat-treating amethyst, it is often hard to source such material as much of the rough currently available, is pre treated at source before it enters the cutting process. Paler more lemon yellow colours are preferable over the darker red tinted treated stones. Although personal preference is always the most important guide.
Clarity
Citrine, like Amethyst is an abundant member of the quartz group, and as such only transparent examples with excellent clarity, should be considered for facetted stones. A lower transparency can be considered for en cabochon cut stones
Cut
Citrines come in a wide range of calibrated shapes and sizes, constrained to a certain extent by the level of colour banding or zoning present in the stone. Portuguese cuts have become popular in recent years due to the additional brilliance added by the extra facets, which allow for more highly zoned stones to appear as consistent colours.
Mineable Deposits
The most important deposits of natural citrine currently in production occur in Brazil and Madagascar. Other locations include Argentina, Myanmar (Burma), Namibia, Russia, Scotland, Spain and the United States.
Citrine - Common Treatments
Natural Citrine is untreated and will typically exhibit some colour zoning, which can be partially dissipated with moderate heating. Most commercially available Citrine in the market have been produced by heat-treating Amethyst. Brazilian Amethyst will turns a light yellow colour at 878oF/470oC, and then a dark yellow to red brown at 1022-1040oF/550-560oC.
Important & Famous Citrine
While the piece in question has long been lost in the sands of time, around 1300 B.C the bejeweled breastplate of Aaron, contained a Citrine representing one of the 12 tribes (Naphtali) of Israel - Exodus 28:15-30
Citrine is the birthstone for November, sharing this position with Topaz
Topaz Facts
There is limited consensus on where the name Topaz originated. The most plausible is that it is named after an island in the Red Sea formerly names Topazos, although today know as Zebirget. The complication arose from a time when all yellow, brown and even green stones were collectively known as “Topaz”.
Topaz comes in many colours naturally, including clear, brown, yellow, orange, red, pink and blue. The most common colour is yellow with a red tint; the most valuable is pink to reddish. The colouring agents are iron and chromium.
The fine golden-yellow variety, known as Imperial Topaz, is relatively scarce. Topaz colours are rarely vivid, and as such the vast majority of today's commercially available cut stones have been enhanced.
Pure Topaz is colourless and transparent; it is only with the inclusion of impurities (trace elements) in the crystal lattice that colour is imparted to the stone. The common colours are brown, yellow, golden, orange, red, pink and blue. The colouring agents are iron and chromium.
Blue topazWhile natural blue topaz is rare, pale blue, pale yellow and white stones are commonly treated to produce the popular blue colours sold as: Sky Blue, Swiss Blue and London Blue
White Topaz:This naturally occurring colourless variety of Topaz has enjoyed tremendous interest in the past five years. As a natural, semi precious alternative to Diamond or White Sapphire, this stone is a cost effective alternative in everyday jewellery where a white stones is required
Mystic Topaz:Displaying a kaleidoscope of iridescent colours, Mystic Topaz (also known as Mystic Fire Topaz), was first launched to the public in 1997. The popularity of Mystic Topaz increased dramatically when it was exhibited at the Tucson Gem Show in 2003.
Mystic Topaz is produced using a metallic vapor deposition coating process. This coating is applied to typically only the top (crown) of a facetted white Topaz. The treatment while hard wearing is only 1 micron or so thick, and can become abraded or even removed following polishing of the stone (when jewellery is cleaned), or from everyday wear and tear that will impart micro scratches to the stone surface, effectively cutting through the coating. The stones iridescent appearance changes depending on the light source and the viewing angle, adding to the fire effect of the treatment.
In addition to the iridescent fire colours, brilliant shade or blue, green and orange among others are also currently being produced and marketed.
Imperial topaz
This the most sought after of all natural Topaz. Its rich golden colour is generally not enhanced by any kind of treatment.
Pink topaz
Natural pink Topaz is very rare and costly. The vast majority of pink topazes are heat-treated yellow stones that turn pink. Pink Topaz is also being produced in large quantities using a similar vapour depositing process as Mystic Topaz, this to satisfy the current worldwide demand for pink coloured stones.
Purchasing Topaz
Topaz is a very hard gemstone (8 on the Moh's scale) with a high refractive index thus making it ideal as an everyday gemstone.
ColourFor totally natural stones the golden-yellow variety, known as Imperial Topaz, yellow with a red tint or the most valuable pink to reddish stones are popular albeit at a price premium due to their scarcity. Without doubt the most popular colour is Blue topaz, followed by Pink and then the Mystic colours (all being enhanced stones)
Lighting
Topaz is a pleochroic stone, exhibiting different colour when viewed along different axis. No discernable difference is seen between natural and artificial light sources for viewing the stone.
Clarity
Topaz is a Type 1 clarity gemstone and as such only eye clean examples should be considered for purchase.
Cut
Topazes are generally cut in the simple step cuts, although any cut can be encompassed. The cutting style for weakly coloured stones tends to be the round brilliant cut, which imparts more colour to the stone, or any of the cuts where additional facets have been added to enhance the lustre.
Topaz – Common Treatments
The most common treatments for natural rough Topaz (colourless or very lightly tinted), is either neutron irradiation or linear acceleration. which are use to create the Blue Topaz commonly available in most jewellers nationwide. Neutron irradiation followed by stabilisation with heat is use to produce the Swiss Blue Colours (Baby Swiss, Light Swiss, Swiss, Top Swiss) through the strong blue colours (Korean Blue & Maxi Blue) to the dark London Blue Topaz (blue with a green/grey overtone) . The depth of colour in neutron irradiation is a function of the length of time the rough material is exposed to the isotope Cesium 137. As reactor time is expensive so the darker colours are sold at a premium over their light counterparts. The perennially popular Sky Blue Topaz is enhanced using LINAC (linear acceleration) a less expensive enhancement method result in an Aquamarine coloured stone .
In 1997, a new type of enhanced Topaz made its appearance, the surface-enhanced Topaz, with colours described as blue to greenish-blue or emerald green.
The vast majority of pink Topazes are either heat-treated yellow stones that turn pink, or are the result of a metallic vapor deposition coating process.
Displaying a kaleidoscope of iridescent colours, Mystic Topaz (also known as Mystic Fire Topaz), was first launched to the public in 1997. The popularity of Mystic Topaz increased dramatically when it was exhibited at the Tucson Gem Show in 2003. Mystic Topaz is produced using a metallic vapor deposition coating process. This coating is applied to typically only the top (crown) of a facetted white Topaz. The treatment while hard wearing is only 1 micron or so thick and can become abraded or even removed following polishing of the stone (when jewellery is cleaned), or from everyday wear and tear that will impart micro scratches to the stone surface effectively cutting through the coating. The stones iridescent appearance changes depending on the light source and the viewing angle, adding to the fire effect of the treatment.
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| Citrine 10x10 Square, 4.83 carats |
The causal element that imbibes natural quartz with its lemon yellow colour is a trace amount of Iron (approximately 40ppm). Natural (untreated) citrines are mostly a pale lemon yellow to golden yellow colour, but recent demand has meant that almost all of the commercially available stones are now heat treated Amethyst, which exhibit a reddish tint to the overall yellow to golden hue of the stones.
Purchasing Citrine
Colour
While natural Citrine is much preferred over the Citrine produced by heat-treating amethyst, it is often hard to source such material as much of the rough currently available, is pre treated at source before it enters the cutting process. Paler more lemon yellow colours are preferable over the darker red tinted treated stones. Although personal preference is always the most important guide.
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| Citrine 10x5 Marquise, 0.90 carats |
Clarity
Citrine, like Amethyst is an abundant member of the quartz group, and as such only transparent examples with excellent clarity, should be considered for facetted stones. A lower transparency can be considered for en cabochon cut stones
Cut
Citrines come in a wide range of calibrated shapes and sizes, constrained to a certain extent by the level of colour banding or zoning present in the stone. Portuguese cuts have become popular in recent years due to the additional brilliance added by the extra facets, which allow for more highly zoned stones to appear as consistent colours.
Mineable Deposits
The most important deposits of natural citrine currently in production occur in Brazil and Madagascar. Other locations include Argentina, Myanmar (Burma), Namibia, Russia, Scotland, Spain and the United States.
Citrine - Common Treatments
Natural Citrine is untreated and will typically exhibit some colour zoning, which can be partially dissipated with moderate heating. Most commercially available Citrine in the market have been produced by heat-treating Amethyst. Brazilian Amethyst will turns a light yellow colour at 878oF/470oC, and then a dark yellow to red brown at 1022-1040oF/550-560oC.
Important & Famous Citrine
While the piece in question has long been lost in the sands of time, around 1300 B.C the bejeweled breastplate of Aaron, contained a Citrine representing one of the 12 tribes (Naphtali) of Israel - Exodus 28:15-30
Citrine is the birthstone for November, sharing this position with Topaz
Topaz Facts
There is limited consensus on where the name Topaz originated. The most plausible is that it is named after an island in the Red Sea formerly names Topazos, although today know as Zebirget. The complication arose from a time when all yellow, brown and even green stones were collectively known as “Topaz”.
Topaz comes in many colours naturally, including clear, brown, yellow, orange, red, pink and blue. The most common colour is yellow with a red tint; the most valuable is pink to reddish. The colouring agents are iron and chromium.
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| Mystic Topaz |
Pure Topaz is colourless and transparent; it is only with the inclusion of impurities (trace elements) in the crystal lattice that colour is imparted to the stone. The common colours are brown, yellow, golden, orange, red, pink and blue. The colouring agents are iron and chromium.
Blue topazWhile natural blue topaz is rare, pale blue, pale yellow and white stones are commonly treated to produce the popular blue colours sold as: Sky Blue, Swiss Blue and London Blue
White Topaz:This naturally occurring colourless variety of Topaz has enjoyed tremendous interest in the past five years. As a natural, semi precious alternative to Diamond or White Sapphire, this stone is a cost effective alternative in everyday jewellery where a white stones is required
Mystic Topaz:Displaying a kaleidoscope of iridescent colours, Mystic Topaz (also known as Mystic Fire Topaz), was first launched to the public in 1997. The popularity of Mystic Topaz increased dramatically when it was exhibited at the Tucson Gem Show in 2003.
Mystic Topaz is produced using a metallic vapor deposition coating process. This coating is applied to typically only the top (crown) of a facetted white Topaz. The treatment while hard wearing is only 1 micron or so thick, and can become abraded or even removed following polishing of the stone (when jewellery is cleaned), or from everyday wear and tear that will impart micro scratches to the stone surface, effectively cutting through the coating. The stones iridescent appearance changes depending on the light source and the viewing angle, adding to the fire effect of the treatment.
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| Pink Topaz |
Imperial topaz
This the most sought after of all natural Topaz. Its rich golden colour is generally not enhanced by any kind of treatment.
Pink topaz
Natural pink Topaz is very rare and costly. The vast majority of pink topazes are heat-treated yellow stones that turn pink. Pink Topaz is also being produced in large quantities using a similar vapour depositing process as Mystic Topaz, this to satisfy the current worldwide demand for pink coloured stones.
Purchasing Topaz
Topaz is a very hard gemstone (8 on the Moh's scale) with a high refractive index thus making it ideal as an everyday gemstone.
ColourFor totally natural stones the golden-yellow variety, known as Imperial Topaz, yellow with a red tint or the most valuable pink to reddish stones are popular albeit at a price premium due to their scarcity. Without doubt the most popular colour is Blue topaz, followed by Pink and then the Mystic colours (all being enhanced stones)
Lighting
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| White Topaz |
Clarity
Topaz is a Type 1 clarity gemstone and as such only eye clean examples should be considered for purchase.
Cut
Topazes are generally cut in the simple step cuts, although any cut can be encompassed. The cutting style for weakly coloured stones tends to be the round brilliant cut, which imparts more colour to the stone, or any of the cuts where additional facets have been added to enhance the lustre.
Topaz – Common Treatments
The most common treatments for natural rough Topaz (colourless or very lightly tinted), is either neutron irradiation or linear acceleration. which are use to create the Blue Topaz commonly available in most jewellers nationwide. Neutron irradiation followed by stabilisation with heat is use to produce the Swiss Blue Colours (Baby Swiss, Light Swiss, Swiss, Top Swiss) through the strong blue colours (Korean Blue & Maxi Blue) to the dark London Blue Topaz (blue with a green/grey overtone) . The depth of colour in neutron irradiation is a function of the length of time the rough material is exposed to the isotope Cesium 137. As reactor time is expensive so the darker colours are sold at a premium over their light counterparts. The perennially popular Sky Blue Topaz is enhanced using LINAC (linear acceleration) a less expensive enhancement method result in an Aquamarine coloured stone .
In 1997, a new type of enhanced Topaz made its appearance, the surface-enhanced Topaz, with colours described as blue to greenish-blue or emerald green.
The vast majority of pink Topazes are either heat-treated yellow stones that turn pink, or are the result of a metallic vapor deposition coating process.
Displaying a kaleidoscope of iridescent colours, Mystic Topaz (also known as Mystic Fire Topaz), was first launched to the public in 1997. The popularity of Mystic Topaz increased dramatically when it was exhibited at the Tucson Gem Show in 2003. Mystic Topaz is produced using a metallic vapor deposition coating process. This coating is applied to typically only the top (crown) of a facetted white Topaz. The treatment while hard wearing is only 1 micron or so thick and can become abraded or even removed following polishing of the stone (when jewellery is cleaned), or from everyday wear and tear that will impart micro scratches to the stone surface effectively cutting through the coating. The stones iridescent appearance changes depending on the light source and the viewing angle, adding to the fire effect of the treatment.
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
4 Tips on How to do Color-Blocking Right | Ice Jewelry Blog
You must have seen this trend everywhere – colour-blocking! The stars are all showing up on the red carpet in multi-coloured outfits. Nail’s have also been hit with this trend and of course we picked up on this look for jewellery too.
What is colour-blocking? Basically pairing 2-3 blocks of colours in in your jewellery.
Here’s a few tips on how to perfect the colour-blocking look.
1. Stick with two colours. You have a few different options on how to choose the right 2 colours. For the daring individual that isn’t shy to stand out I would recommend going with two contrasting colours. Opposites attract after all. Bold primary colours look great with this look. For a more subdued look pair like-colours such as purple/blue or pink/red to compliment each other. But test it for yourself and try on different colours to see how they look together. Also don’t forget to choose colours that flatter your skin-tone. (You can do 3-4 colours but not more than that)
2. The colours you use need to be solid colours without any prints or designs to be a true colour-blocking look. Keep clothing simple when wearing colour-blocking jewellery.
3. Colour-blocking is an attention-grabbing look that isn’t right for everyone but if you want to still incorporate this trend into your wardrobe try some of these jewellery looks. There’s a wide variety of colourful contrasting or matching gemstones and Amethyst works particularly well with most colours.
Blue topaz and amethyst
Amethyst and citrine
Green amethyst and purple amethyst
Green, yellow and orange Sapphire
Peridot and blue topaz
Peridot and amethyst
Citrine and Onyx
Friday, September 2, 2011
September Birthstone: Sapphire
Sapphires have an esteemed history. Tradition holds that the tablets containing the Ten Commandments were composed of sapphire, so strong that a hammer swung against them would be smashed to pieces. The ancient Persians believed that the earth rested on a giant sapphire and its reflection coloured the sky. Many other cultures have believed that sapphires imparted healing and calming propertiesSapphires have been worn by royalty throughout the ages as a symbol of good fortune, virtue, wisdom and holiness. Princess Diana, Princess Anne and now Princess Katherine all received sapphire engagement rings and the British Crown Jewels are full of large blue sapphires, the symbol of pure and wise rulers.
Sapphire is the birthstone of September. Since sapphire symbolizes sincerity and faithfulness, it is an excellent choice for an engagement ring. It is also the traditional wedding anniversary gift for a couple's 5th and 45th year.
While we traditionally think of Sapphires as being only blue stones, they actually come in all colours from black to white. Corundum is second only to Diamond in terms of its physical hardness, (although exhibiting only 1/140th of the hardness of Diamond), this hardness (9 on the Moh's scale) in relation to all other gemstones has ensured Sapphires position with Ruby and Emerald as one of the so-called "precious gems".
Sapphire is the birthstone for those whose birthday falls in September, and for those born under the star sign of the Taurus.
In Blue Sapphire the causal agent is trace amounts of Iron or Titanium, a violet hue being caused by the presence of Vanadium. When the trace content of Iron is very low, yellow and green tones are produced. While the inclusion of Chromium in the lattice produces a pink colour in the stones. Blue is however the most famous and desired of the sapphire colours. The prized Kashmir and Burmese Sapphires have a deep intense almost velvety blue colour, and represent the pinnacle of colour perfection.
Padparadscha from the Singhalese word for lotus flower, is a very rare sapphire which exhibits two colors simultaneously, pink and orange, and like Ruby and unlike all the other fancy coloured Sapphires has its own name. This being due to its rarity and value.
Purple is another rarer colour for Sapphire, being found in Sri Lanka and Tanzania. In these deposits Iron and Titanium which normally produce the common blue colour, has under specific concentrations and conditions caused the purple hue of the stone.
Colourless or white Sapphires are rare as faint shades of colour (typically blue and pink) are nearly always present.
Many of the fancy coloured Sapphires are under microscopic examination merely combinations of banding in two distinct colours. Green for example is actually the result of closely space blue and yellow colour band within the stone.
Looking for a great Sapphire? Go to our webiste and online shop: www.touchstonegems.co.za
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Peridot, the 'gem of the sun'
Shining with a bright green glow even at night, Peridot was called the “gem of the sun” by the ancient Egyptians and the “evening Emerald” by Romans. Peridot was the favorite gemstone of Cleopatra.
Peridot is mentioned in the Bible along with other gems as part of the fabled Breastplates of the Jewish High Priest Aaron. The Crusaders brought Peridot to Central Europe in the Middle Ages, where it is found in many medieval churches.
The largest cut Peridot was found on the island Zabargad (St John) in the Red Sea, weighting 310ct. It currently resides in the Smithsonian Institution in Washington D.C.
In Russia there are several examples of Peridots cut from crystals found in meteorites. One specifically which came down in eastern Siberia in 1749.
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Peridot while an enticing colour is not especially hard - 6.5-7 on the Moh's scale, so care should be taken in the design of jewellery it is intended for.
Colour
Intense, deep saturated green shade are the most popular colour at present. while pastel tones have from time to time been popular as fashions dictates. The best colored examples contain in addition to iron, trace amounts of chromium which impart an almost Emerald appearance to the stones
Lighting
Peridot looks best in natural sunlight where the true beauty of the gems simple sparkles. In artificial light some of this intrinsic fire is lost.
Clarity
Peridot is a transparent commonly eye clean stone, and as such there is no reason to purchase an included example. Peridot cat's eye (Chatoyancy) and star peridot (Asterism showing a four rayed star) are known, but uncommon.
Cut
Simple table and step cuts are popular (octagons and rectangles). Sometimes Peridot gets a brilliant cut especially if the stone is somewhat paler than normal, and a more intense lustre is required.
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For more Peridot and other gemstones, visit our website at www.touchstonegems.co.za
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Fools Gold - Marcasite
We recently added some Marcasite to our gemstone inventory due to an increasing demand for cheaper gold alternatives in jewellery. Silver handmade jewellery is also making a big fashion comeback with celebrities and the public alike commissioning custom jewellery for special events (Tour de France for example).
Buy marcasite 'smalls' for delecate jewellery pieces from Touchstone Gems: We have from 1.00mm round to 2.00mm round in stock, plus 1.50x1.50mm and 2.00x2.00mm squares in stock.
Marcasite jewellery and Marcasite gemstones are actually made from Pyrite (Iron Pyrites) and are and have been since historical time incorrectly called Marcasite. While Marcasite is a mineral in its own right it is wholly unsuitable for jewellery due to its brittle nature. The name Pyrite is derived from the Greek word for fire, producing sparks in a similar manner to flint when knocked.
Marcasite jewellery reached its high point in the Victoria era in sterling silver jewellery pieces and again in the hands of the Art Nouveau designers of the day. A resurgence in recent years in silver jewellery as a fashionable alternative to gold, has seemn Marcasite jump back on to the design radar.
Pyrite due to its similarity to gold is often called "Fools Gold" and is tin-white to pale golden yellow in colour. It is 6-6.5 on the Mohs Scale of hardness, so only suitable for jewellery pieces where there is little or no chance of damage from everyday wear.
Marcasites were enormously popular in Victorian jewelry for the way in which they were able to capture the sparkle of candlelight. Most Victorian jewellery consisted of a deep red Garnet or Ruby surrounded by Marcasites.
Marcasite gems or pyrite are steeped in lore and tradition. They are thought to be able to discharge negative energy, improve one’s communication abilities, and protect those who perform dangerous jobs. Such lore tends to be the result of pagan traditions.
Buy marcasite 'smalls' for delecate jewellery pieces from Touchstone Gems: We have from 1.00mm round to 2.00mm round in stock, plus 1.50x1.50mm and 2.00x2.00mm squares in stock.Thursday, June 2, 2011
The 3 birthstones for June: Pearl, Moonstone and Alexandrite
Moonstone is a very feminine stone. It has been called the stone of the Goddess and rightly so as it is very beautiful in a very feminine way. A Moonstone is usually a lovely milky stone. It has a cream background and radiates blue hues and a sort of mother of pearl effect, truly magical, truly female.
A moonstone as its name suggests can be used together with Moon energy.
When women have that time of the month holding a moonstone and asking for its healing energies to help seems to give relief. Most women are in tune with the Moon whether they realise it or not and may bleed during a full moon and at this time the moonstone can be invaluable in helping with pain and uncomfortableness.
When a woman is giving birth the moonstone is helpful when held throughout giving out its gentle energy. Of course this is a very private female time and this gentle stone is very unobtrusive.
A moonstone was given to a young girl entering womanhood in some Indian tribes as they knew the magic of the stone kingdom and passed on its wisdom to the young.
The medicine man of the tribe and the wise woman of the tribe would make a medicine bag for themselves which they carried round their neck or their waist. These medicine bags contained special herbs, crystals, bits of tree and moss and many more magical things to aid them in their craft. Many a rabbits foot would be included and we all know about that don't we. In the wise woman's medicine bag there would most definitely be a piece of moonstone which was held in high esteem amongst the tribes as women's magic.
Moonstone is also a lovely present to give a new baby as it is also a stone of innocence. Its energy is gentle and childlike but powerful.
If you are taking part in a Goddess meditation or visualisation it would be most helpful to be holding a moonstone to help you. Also if you are working with the Moon whether it be a new Moon or a full Moon the moonstone will help and guide you if you ask.
In keeping with change, I visited Australia in 2010 and found myself in Darwin, home to Paspaley Pearls. For me, they rate as the best cultured pearls in the world and to quote " ....recognised as the source of the most beautiful and valuable pearls in the world.""
With a pristine oceanic environment and access to the world's most prolific pearl beds which host the world's largest and finest pearl oysters Paspaley has nurtured their partnership with nature and capitalised on the gift of these invaluable resources, developing their own unique technology and the world's greatest pearl production facilities.
Here are some images of their jewellery collections, you'll need to rob a bank to afford any of these pieces.
Touchstone Gems has pearl mabes, south sea and fresh water pearls for sale. For the month of June, get 20% off all pearl mabes.
If you own a string of pearls or any jewellery containing pearls, they require special care. Click here for more information on how to take care of your pearls. Here are some tips:
- Only use cleaners labeled as safe for pearls.
Never use an ultrasonic cleaner.
Never steam-clean pearls.
Never expose pearls to any detergents, bleaches, powdered cleansers, baking soda, or ammonia-based cleaners (like Windex).
Never use toothbrushes, scouring pads or abrasive materials to clean pearls.
Do not wear pearls when their string is wet. Wet strings stretch and attract dirt, which is hard to remove.
Do not hang pearls to dry.
Take your pearls off when applying cosmetics, hair spray, and perfume, or when showering or swimming.
Avoid wearing pearls with rough fabrics like wool.
Have your pearls restrung once a year if you wear them often.
I only found out the other day that Alexandrite is one of the modern birthstones for June. As birthstones are more about colour as opposed to the actual gemstone, the irridence of pearl and colour change characteristics of Alexandrite may be the reason why they are seen to be similar.
Discovered in Russia's Ural Mountains in 1830 on the birthday of Czar Alexander II. In honour of him attaining ruling age, this sort after gem was named - Alexandrite. Viewed by many in Russia as a good omen since the green and red colors represented the Russian Military. Alexandrite is thought to assist one in centering the self, reinforcing self-esteem, and to broaden ones ability to experience joy.
Alexandrite from the original discovery site in the Ural Mountains of Russia, is green by daylight and red by incandescent light. Other varieties of Alexandrite may be yellowish or pinkish in daylight and a raspberry red by incandescent light. The best or "ideal" color change would be fine emerald green to fine purplish red, but this is exceedingly rare, and accounts for "ideal" Alexandrite having become one of the most expensive gems in the world.
Alexandrite is both a natural light stone and artificial light gemstone. In natural light the rich emerald green colour is senn and in artificial light the purplish red.
Touchstone has no natural Alexandrite for sale. We sell laboratory-grown Alexandrite only. These gemstones are identical in composition to their natural counterparts in every way; the only difference is that they are created in a laboratory. These synthetic gemstones are often labeled as “laboratory grown” or “laboratory created”, words which are more acceptable to a buyer than “synthetic”. As synthetic gemstones can be made at any time, they are not rare and prices and quality do differ due to the different manufacturing methods.
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