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Colorless to Near-Colorless Diamonds, Emeralds from Pakistan, a History of European Royal Jewel Sales, and More…
An overview of the Fall 2020 Gems & Gemology content.
Quarterly Crystal: Ferrocolumbite in Topaz
“Star cruisers” formed of ferrocolumbite seem to fly in a large topaz crystal from the Shigar Valley in Pakistan.
Unknown Dendritic Inclusions in Sapphire
Dendritic inclusions in a pinkish-purple sapphire are revealed with fiber-optic lighting.
A History of European Royal Jewel Sales, Including Sotheby’s 2018 Auction of Marie Antoinette’s Jewels
Chronicles important auctions of jewels from European royal collections over the years, with a focus on a recent high-profile sale of items that once belonged to Marie Antoinette.
Natural-Color D-to-Z Diamonds: A Crystal-Clear Perspective
Examines a very large dataset of colorless to near-colorless diamonds submitted to GIA and evaluates their diamond type and spectroscopic properties.
Unique Raindrop Pattern of Turquoise from Hubei, China
Presents spectroscopic and chemical analysis of a new variety of turquoise with a rare raindrop pattern with saturated colors.
Inclusion and Trace Element Characteristics of Emeralds from Swat Valley, Pakistan
Presents a detailed study of gemological properties, inclusion features, spectroscopic characteristics, and chemical composition of emeralds from this important source.
Color-Change Cat’s-Eye Diaspore
A 60.71 ct cabochon was recently submitted to the Tokyo lab for identification.
Novelty Cut Diamond with Remarkable “Fire and Ice” Fluorescence
Dramatic color-fluorescing areas in a sword-shaped diamond give rise to the nickname “Fire and Ice.”
15.53 ct Pearl Discovered in Edible Oyster from the Ostreidae Family
A large natural pearl discovered in an edible oyster offers insight to the scientific pearl community.
Synthetic Moissanite with Fraudulent GIA Inscription
GIA Johannesburg identifies fraudulent GIA inscriptions on several synthetic moissanites submitted as diamonds.
Magnetite Inclusions in Star Peridot
Magnetite inclusions in a four-rayed star peridot help to date its terrestrial age.
Vietnam: Shell Nuclei, Pearl Hatcheries, and Pearl Farming
Reports on a visit to a shell nucleus manufacturer and two pearl farms in northern Vietnam, which is emerging as a notable producer.
A Near-Field-Communication (NFC) Technology Device Embedded in Bead Cultured Pearls
The Carlsbad laboratory received for examination two dark-colored bead cultured pearls embedded with an electronic device from Jeremy Shepherd, CEO of Pearl Paradise.
Trapiche-Type Emeralds from Pakistan
An emerald from the Swat Valley manifests its growth in three distinct steps, identifying it as “trapiche-type.”
Black Star Sapphire with Dual Treatments
Examination of a large black star sapphire reveals filling with both glass and dopping varnish.
Interesting “Egg” in Rock Crystal Quartz with Rutile
Epigenetic residue in rock crystal quartz creates a novelty inclusion with the appearance of a fried egg.
Oiled Spinel
Testing of a Mogok spinel demonstrates that oil can have a significant impact on clarity.