ISG at Tucson 2011: Countdown to Tucson

ISG at Tucson 2011: Countdown to Tucson

by Robert James, President, International School of Gemology, ISG Newsletter, January 25, 2011

The Countdown to Tucson and the ISG at Tucson 2011 events continues. Today we want to highlight some special vendors at the GJX Show in downtown Tucson, along with a few important AGTA vendors that we missed last week.

The GJX Show is perhaps the most favored location for gemstone dealers based on the wide diversity of dealers there who come from every corner of the world. The isles are always crowded and business is always hot at the GJX show. Below are some of our favorite dealers who are to be found there. Don't miss any of these folks as they have established themselves with a solid reputation with the ISG. Mostly good....a few not so good. Here they are...

GJX in the Tent across from Tucson Convention Center

Ande Jewelry & Mineral Co. (GJX Show Booths: 1108, 1109, 1110)

Don’t miss this chance to see the people who started the whole damned andesine fiasco! Both Jewelry Television and Direct Shopping Network have listed Andegem as the source for the undisclosed, diffusion treated andesine that has rocked this industry. If you really want to have some fun, wait until Chris Rose walks by the Andegem booth. YIKES! Fireworks from Mr. Chen that are absolutely not to be missed. But check out the source of this andesine situation right here at the Andegem booth.

Beija-Flor Gems (GJX Show Booth: 1008)

Specializing in true Paraiba Tourmaline, Colorado Rhodochrosite, Red Beryl, Sapphires and more. Excellent resource for gemstones and great folks to work with. Bob is a long-time friend and important information resource for the ISG Community.

ColorFirst Co. (GJX Show Booth #1430)

A major supplier of colored gemstones from around the world who has helped us tremendously. Absolute committment to integrity and proper representation. Raja Shah and his folks have been highly instrumental in assisting the ISG in obtaining study specimens for our research. Excellent gem dealers that is a "must see" on every buyer list.

Ceylon Jewels Mfg. (Pvt) Ltd. (Booth: 608)

A great organization from Bangkok. Specializes in all types of gemstones and jewelry. Long-time friend of the ISG Community and supporter of ethics in the industry.

Chatham Created Gems Inc. (Booths: 137, 138)

Chatham wrote the book on modern lab created gemstones that raised them to an art form. The future of the gemstone industry includes created gemstones and Chatham Created Gems is your primary source. Plus, they are great people to work with.

Dust Devil Mining Co. (GJX Show Booth #4205)

Oregon Sunstone at its finest. These folks operate one of the most famous mines in Plush Oregon, and are the epitome of what is right about this industry. Absolutely do not miss meeting them and adding Oregon Sunstone to your product list.

Exotic Gemstones LLC (GJX Show Booth: 4206)

Jewelry designs in Oregon Sunstone that must be seen. In fact, my wife owns several designs by Karla and loves every one of them. I don’t come home from the Tucson Gem Shows without a new one. That’s about the highest recommendation I can give any vendor at Tucson. The design at left is from Karla's excellent collection.

Galaxy Gems (GJX Show Booth: 714)

Direct miners of a vast array of Brazilian gemstones. We once again include these good folks on our “recommended” list as a great source and good people to work with.

Gemfrance (GJX Show Booth: 914)

Everyone take what you have learned about diffusion treated andesine and go by this booth to see what is claimed as Congo Andesine. Just as a learning experience. To date Dr. Sikirdji has not been able to provide any proof that this Congo mine actually exists. In fact, based on his own claim that the mine is located in rebel held territory in the Congo, it is actually illegal for US consumers to purchase Gemfrance’s “Congo Andesine” as it is helping finance a terrorist organization……if Dr. Sikirdji’s claims are accurate.

John D. Dyer (GJX Show Booth: 1530)

This young man is absolutely one of the finest gemstone artists I have seen. Award winning designer and cutter who is at the leading edge of the future of this industry. You absolutely must visit his booth and see the future of this industry in both design and people.

Kaufman Enterprises (GJX Show Show Booth: 314)

Specializes in facet rough and custom cut gemstones of all kinds. Perenial favorite with the ISG Community members.

Kruess Optronic GmbH (GJX Show Booth: 1201)

World renowned resource for gemological equipment and supplies.

Litto Gems Co. (GJX Show Booth: 111)

We have no idea why these people are still claiming to sell “Tibet andesine” when the China National Gem Testing Lab folks, and others, have tagged it a hoax. What does it take to put a stop to this kind of thing? We don’t know. But we have many specimens from Litto gems and they all test as diffusion treated. It’s worth a stop to see more specimens of this material that the Peretti expedition called a very elaborate hoax.

Lowe Associates - Robt. P. Lowe, Jr. (GJX Show Booth: 205)

Excellent supplier of Brazilian gemstones as well as other world sources. We hear a lot of good things about these folks for quality and integrity. Repeat listing on our recommended vendor list and good people to work with based on a lot of customer reports.

OTF Gems - Org. Tavares Filho (GJX Show Booth: 3010)

One of our closest friends and supporters from Brazil. Specializes in Brazilian gemstones as well as exceptionally knowledgeable in the gemstone industry. Wonderful resource for our research and long time dealer and friend of the ISG Community.

Perlas del Mar de Cortez (GJX Show Booth: 1221)

Mexican round cultured pearls and half pearls. Do no miss the opportunity to see the Mexican produced pearls that are of the highest quality. These folks have helped us with our ISG Pearls Course materials and study specimens for years. Good people to work with and outstanding pearl products.

R. W. Osmond & Associates (GJX Show Booth: 235)

These Aussies specialize in some of the finest chrysoprase and opals you will find anywhere in the world, and at excellent prices. Outstanding group that we have enjoyed working with for a couple of years now. Don’t miss them as they offer unique gems, carvings and other items that you will not find elsewhere.

Rough & Ready Gems, Inc. (GJX Show Booth: 700)

Unique gemstone briolettes and ultrasonic drilling services. Great people to work with and repeat favorite of the ISG Community.

Tucker Gems/Sid Tucker, L.L.C. (GJX Show Booth: 236)

Solid wholesale resource for colored gemstones. Return members of our recommended list and long-time members of the ISG Community.

Tairona Co. (GJX Show Booth #410)

Imports a wonderful array of colored gemstones specializing in emeralds, sapphires and tourmalines. Paul is a long-time friend of the ISG Community and our efforts to further integrity in the industry. It is wonderful to work with folks who still believe in the foundations of this industry where honesty and integrity are first and foremost in business.

Did we miss you? Let us know. We have a special list coming out next week for anyone we missed. Just let us know.

OOPS.....in our AGTA Favorite Vendor listing we missed the following:

Taylorcorp. (AGTA GemFair Booth #1110)

Wonderful source for colored gemstones with a world class reputation for quality and integrity. Long time supporter of ethics in this industry and of the ISG Community. More important, a fantastic resource for colored gemstones that you will want to make sure is on your list.

American Sapphire Company (AGTA GemFair Booth #526)

Many reasons to be sure and see these folks. They produce outstanding natural sapphires from the US. Rare opportunity to obtain local gemstones from local mines that will increase your revenue streams in profits and beauty.

Glenn Preus, G.G. (AGTA GemFair Booth #525)

Colored gemstone supplier with experience and knowledge that many will find refreshing. Long-time supporter of the ISG Community and our efforts to increase ethics in the industry.

Perlen Yukie U.S.A. (AGTA Booth# 625)

Specializes in Japanese Freshwater Pearls from Lake Kasumigaura, Japan, as well as Cultured Akoya Pearls and Cultured Akoya Keshi. Great friend of the ISG Community and supporter of ethics in the industry.

GemstoneTreatmentReport.com website becomes free information resource for gemstone industry. ISG opens the GTR database to assist world wide industry

GemstoneTreatmentReport.com website becomes free information resource for gemstone industry.

ISG opens the GTR database to assist the world wide industry.

San Antonio, TX, September 1, 2010: Realizing the need for a free information clearing house for gemstone treatments and lab created gemstone identification, the International School of Gemology announced today the restructuring of their Gemstone Treatment Report website to become the industry’s only complete, open-sharing internet database of gemological research and reporting on gemstone treatments.

Located at GemstoneTreatmentReport, this website is now available as a free service to anyone in the gemstone industry for the study, reference, and sharing of gemological information relating to the research and reporting of the latest in gemstone treatment identification methods. This information clearinghouse is being made possible by members of the world wide ISG Community who are responsible for the research and identification of the dyefusion treatment of gemstones such as andesine, tourmaline, and others. The GTR data base currently covers the identification of over 50 of the most often seen gemstone treatments as well lab grown gemstones with ongoing research to provide the industry with the latest updates available free through this single source website.

The Gemstone Treatment Report actively seeks sharing and information contributions from other gemological organizations, laboratories, schools, dealers, retail jewelers, consumers, and any other interested party who has information to share and contribute to the information database.

The Gemstone Treatment Report was originally a production of the International School of Gemology’s Registered Gemologist course program titled: Identification of Synthetic Gemstones. Due to the urgent need for quality information regarding gemstone treatments, the ISG has opened this database to the industry as a free support service. All Gemstone Treatment Report subscribers will be given the option of a subscription refund or other consolations. For more information please contact the ISG office at 210.877.5816 or email to isg@schoolofgemology.com.

To obtain a PDF copy of this release please click on this link: GTR Press Release

FIPP2010

Sorry, this is just a space filler until I have a chance to report -- but the gist is that the feira was slow.

20th International Precious Stones Fair, Teófilo Otoni, Minas Gerais, Brazil, August 24-28, 2010

20th International Precious Stones Fair

22nd Open Precious Stones Fair

Locale: Clube Palmeiras, Teófilo Otoni, Minas Gerais, Brazil

24-28 August 2010

"The largest international precious stones fair in Latin America"

Registrations: http://www.geabrasil.com/inscricao.php

20ª Feira Internacional de Pedras Preciosas, Teófilo Otoni, MG, 24-28 agosto 2010

20ª FEIRA INTERNACIONAL DE PEDRAS PRECIOSAS

22ª FEIRA LIVRE DE PEDRAS PRECIOSAS

Local: Clube Palmeiras, Teófilo Otoni, Minas Gerais, Brasil

24-28 de agosto de 2010

"A MAIOR FEIRA INTERNACIONAL DE PEDRAS PRECIOSAS DA AMÉRICA LATINA"

Inscrições: http://www.geabrasil.com/inscricao.php

Daniel Katz of Australia has something to add to the GAAJ story -- their side:

Daniel Katz of Australia has something to add to the GAAJ story -- their side:

More to come but in the meantime this has been GAAJ official response:

On Tue, May 25, 2010 at 11:28 AM, Daniel Katz wrote:

GAAJ-ZENHOKYO

Sirs,

Please explain :

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/news/...na014000c.html

" Major gem company manipulated color standards to overestimate diamond quality

A leading gemology company engaged in diamond grading had deliberately overestimated diamond qualities by manipulating color evaluation standards, it has been learned.

The Gemological Association of All Japan (GAAJ) had been using the manipulated color standards between late February in 2007 and late October in 2008, affecting some 338,000 diamonds that were evaluated during the period, industry insiders told the Mainichi."

I would appreciate your quick reply

Daniel F Katz
www.DiamondImports.com.au

The Response

Dear Mr. Daniel Katz,

Thank you for your inquiry.

We are attaching the letter we sent to all our customers as response to the newspaper article.

We hope it will answer any questions raised after reading the article.

Please feel free to contact us if you have any more questions.

Sincerely yours,

Nadia Goldstein
Executive secretary
Nadia Goldstein
Zenhokyo Israel

The Letter

17th May 2010

To our customers,

Our view of MAINICHI Newspapers reports

Gemmological Association of All Japan Co.Ltd.
President Natsuki TAKAHASHI

On 15th and 16th May 2010, MAINICHI Newspapers reported that GAAJ-ZENHOKYO laboratory engaged company-wide in “manipulating colour standards to overestimate diamond quality”.

This press report is definitely not based on true facts. However, I
personally, as well as the company “Gemmological Association of All Japan Co. Ltd” are sincerely sorry for any inconvenience and anxiety that were caused to our customers- inconvenience and anxiety which were certainly not of our doing.

GAAJ-ZENHOKYO laboratory hereby announces that there is nothing fraudulent in our diamond grading, as publicised in the newspaper, and we have been, as always,performing fair grading at our laboratory.

We are determined to clarify the facts of the matter and will devote all our efforts to do it.

In Japan, diamond grading is performed based on the standards employed by GIA, and diamonds are evaluated on the so-called “4Cs” – cut, colour, clarity and carat.

Colour grading is performed based on the system using the masterstones approved by JJA/AGL, which was created by reference to GIA masterstones and was implemented in September 1996.

The system aims to prevent variations in colour grading among the
AGL (Association of Gemmological Laboratories Japan) members by letting the
members possess and properly operate the colour-masterstones, which are approved by Japan Jewellery Association (JJA) and AGL after consultation between them.

Diamonds are graded by highly experienced and trained expert graders.

However, there are always border stones (i.e. stones that are situated between one grade and the next).

Clarity and colour evaluation especially, cannot be quantified or mechanically gauged,so the grading results largely depend on the experience and subjective judgment of the grader.

GAAJ-ZENHOKYO laboratory holds regular meetings to match up individual
evaluation basis to eliminate variation between graders and branches.

The “direction” as described in the news report was a memorandum record of one of such regular meetings.

As it is, we had been receiving several comments that our results on colour gradingwere too strict compared to other gemmological laboratories belonging to AGL, whichraised our graders concern.

After an annual checking up session for diamond grading held by AGL, it was learned that the grading of GAAJ-ZENHOKYO laboratory traditionally tended to downgrade diamond colour that sat very close to the borders.

Atone of our regular meetings as mentioned above, we discussed correction of this tendency.

We systematically researched the trend of GIA or AGL member laboratories
on colour grading, and kept matching up and exchanging information between our expert graders.

As a result, we reached the conclusion that our grading determination on
borders should be slightly corrected, as stated in the in-house document.

The content of the memorandum therefore was summarised for our graders to show the correction range for those graders who tended to downgrade, in order to improve the operation of the approved masterstones with the border stones.

It was definitely not instruction to uniformly upgrade stones by half to one grade.

That regular meeting was held to eliminate variation on diamond grading between GAAJ-ZENHOKYO laboratory and other AGL members, in conformity with the approved masterstone system, and to seek consistent and uniform grading results between our expert graders.

Never did we aim to give “loose” or “favourable” grading results for our own interest as described in the news report.

Again please accept our sincere apologies for any inconvenience caused as a result of the news report.

We reaffirm our resolute stance against the report that is in no way based on true facts.

Meanwhile, we are making extreme efforts to prove the report as false and to restore confidence in the industry.

Your understanding is most truly appreciated.

Gemological Association of All Japan (GAAJ) appraisal company accused of overvaluing diamonds resigns from industry association

Update: May 23, 2010

Gem appraisal company accused of overvaluing diamonds resigns from industry association

AGL directors at a news conference following an emergency meeting on Friday in Tokyo's Taito Ward. (Mainichi)

The Mainichi Daily News, May 23, 2010

A leading gem appraisal company that is accused of deliberately overestimating the color qualities of diamonds has given up its membership in the national gem industry association responsible for setting diamond grading standards.

The company, called the Gemological Association of All Japan (GAAJ), submitted a request for termination of its membership, which was accepted at an emergency board of directors' meeting on Friday of the industry association, called the Association of Gemological Laboratories Japan (AGL).

The reasons given for the termination included "creation and leaking of an internal document of dubious content," in reference to guidelines for artificially bumping up the "color" ranks of diamonds in an alleged bid to increase their price.

During questioning by AGL directors, the GAAJ admitted to creating the document, which advised "correcting" color values of diamonds a half to a full grade closer to "transparent" than they should have been based on standards set in part by the AGL.

The AGL has decided to offer free re-appraisals on request for diamonds the GAAJ appraised from February 2007 to October 2008. A diamond's accompanying appraisal certificate should show a date within that range to be eligible. The AGL has requested the unique serial numbers of the relevant appraisal certificates from the GAAJ.

Link: http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/news/20100522p2a00m0na005000c.html

Gemological Association of All Japan intentionally and fraudulently manipulated diamond color grades to over-estimate quality

Why am I posting this news article below?

I am so doing because I noticed that GAAJ was publishing -- excuse the expression -- crap about "paraíba" tourmalines, research reports (what a joke those were) about andesine, and other stones.

This article goes to the heart of that lab's total lack of credibility.

Major gem company (GAAJ) manipulated color standards to overestimate diamond quality

This chart shows how the GAAJ manipulated its color evaluation of diamonds, with the left column showing grades based on the industry's standard, while the arrows and the right column indicating the result of manipulated grades. The higher the grades are, the more clarity the diamonds have.

by The Mainichi Daily News, May 22, 2010

A leading gemology company engaged in diamond grading had deliberately overestimated diamond qualities by manipulating color evaluation standards, it has been learned.

The Gemological Association of All Japan (GAAJ) had been using the manipulated color standards between late February in 2007 and late October in 2008, affecting some 338,000 diamonds that were evaluated during the period, industry insiders told the Mainichi.

The Association of Gemological Laboratories Japan (AGL), which is responsible for the industry's uniform evaluation standards and to which GAAJ belongs, is poised to question GAAJ over the suspected manipulation at an early date.

The GAAJ, however, has refuted the allegations, saying, "We only rectified deviations of our in-house evaluation standards."

According to industry sources, the GAAJ discussed manipulating diamond color evaluation standards during a technical meeting at its Tokyo headquarters on Feb. 24, 2007. Two days later, the association's board officially decided to go ahead with the manipulation so that color evaluation of diamonds weighing 1-carat (0.2 grams) or over would be upgraded by a half to one grade compared to the industry's uniform standards, and that of diamonds weighing less than 1-carat would be upgraded by a half grade.

Following the decision, the association started overestimating diamonds at the Tokyo headquarters as well as its Osaka and Fukuoka branch offices.

In October 2008, a jewelry shop in Tokyo reported to AGL that the evaluation conducted by GAAJ's Fukuoka office was wrong, prompting AGL to re-evaluate the questionable diamonds. As a result, it turned out that GAAJ had overestimated diamond quality in terms of color.

GAAJ is one of the top three gemology companies in Japan that boast a combined 70 to 80 percent share of diamond evaluation in the domestic market. The evaluation certificates such companies issue are used to value diamonds retailed at major department stores and other outlets across the country.

If the color evaluation of a diamond is upgraded by one grade, the retail price can rise tens of thousands of yen to over 100,000 yen higher. As a result of the GAAJ's manipulation, retailers and consumers were effectively made to purchase overpriced diamonds.

"The more highly appreciated diamonds are than their true value, the more profits import companies can make. The GAAJ probably tried to pick up more orders for evaluation by overestimating diamond quality," said a former employee at GAAJ's Fukuoka office.

In Japan, evaluation certificates are only issued for diamonds, specifying their weight, cut and other qualities. The certificates are issued by private companies and their appraisal method does not entail official attestation. International evaluation standards are based on those set by private organizations in Europe and the United States, and Japanese companies mostly adopt the method used in the U.S.

The most commonly used evaluation items are the so-called "4Cs" -- cut, color, clarity and carat -- of diamonds. Only carats can be mechanically gauged, while other qualities -- color in particular -- ultimately depend on appraisers' senses and are subject to varying evaluation.

The credibility and fairness of evaluation certificates are not only important to consumers but also to retailers. AGL and other organizations set uniform color standards in the 1990s by creating "standard gem sets" in collaboration with leading U.S. evaluation organizations and distributing them to its member companies. However, since consumers cannot assess fine details in quality, they have no choice but to believe in dealers' claims that they have appraised the diamonds based on the standard gems.

Link to article: http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/news/20100515p2a00m0na014000c.html

Oregon sunstone and treated feldspar from Mexico are easily identified by Raman photoluminescence: Rossman and McClure's findings in error

ISG: The story of the ISG Raman Microscope scans of andesine.

Numerous errors in claims and reports abound throughout the industry!

At the recent Sinkankas Symposium on Gem Feldspar, Dr. George Rossman posted up a slide (you see at left) of one of our composite Raman scan images and declared our findings to be incorrect.....based on a quote he attributed to us that we never made. Indeed, Dr. Rossman has never seen any of our study specimen group (in spite of our offering same) and has not actually tested any of our specimens. And yet, he incorrectly made the declaration that we were wrong in our findings.

The problem: what he claimed we said wrong, we did not say at all. What we did say...he totally ignored.

Confused? So are we! This brings to light the problem with this entire andesine fiasco, certain members of the industry have continually tried to protect the alleged perpetrators of the andesine problem at the expense of truth.

Since Dr. Rossman chose the Symposium at the GIA to present his case without our having the opportunity for rebuttal of his statements, we feel it only fair that we have the opportunity to do so here

We will first share with everyone what our andesine study group actually looks like...or at least part of it. Rather than allowing the alleged perpetrators of the andesine fiasco to supply our specimens, the ISG has purchased hundreds of specimens on the open world markets. We have sought out mine owners from the various mines to obtain proper specimens from as many locations as possible, received specimen submissions from consumers for testing, and we have paid for virtually all of our other specimens so that our research will remain independent and without encumberance to outside influence. Pictures of just a few are below including the inbound shipping envelopes we maintain for records.

With the help of many consumers who wanted answers, the ISG obtained an Enwave Raman Microscope that we had custom built with a Meiji Techno MX microscope. We proceeded to do over 1000 Raman scans of the specimens including specimens from all origins and all colors. The image you see at the top of this page is only a single composite of two scans. We thought you would be interested to see the whole ISG Raman Story.

We wish to acknowledge and thank Marty Haske of Adamas Gemological Laboratory for his research and website covering the topic of Raman Photoluminescence. Mr. Haske's work proved pivotal in our research to identify the diffusion treatment of andesine. Here is how it worked......

In the image at left you see a composite of many scans done on Oregon Sunstone from as many mines as we could gather. We have literally thousands of specimens of Oregon Sunstone in our office, and the Raman Photoluminescence scan you see at left is classic for all.

Then, we tested a number of the Chinese and Mexican feldspar specimens.

At left is a composite image of the scans from the Mexican yellow feldspar and Chinese red andesine. The Chinese andesine includes stones claimed to be from Tibet, Mongolia, and the Congo.

As you can see, we did not rely on the peaks as claimed at the Sinkankas Symposium, but rather the whole of the Raman Photoluminescence reaction.

With over 4 kilos of Casa Grande/Chihuahua Mexican material, and several hundred Chinese andesine, the results we got were repeatable, and verifiable in stone, after stone, after stone, after stone....you get the idea.

Once we compared the three groups, we found that indeed the Oregon Sunstone had a unique, predictable and repeatable Raman Photoluminescense result, and that it was significantly different than either the Mexican or Chinese andesine.

In all cases, the Mexican and Chinese material all tested out the same.

Which....was our first report: That the Chinese andesine tested the same as the Mexican andesine with the Raman.

But we did not stop there.

We obtained transparent plagioclase feldspar specimens from as many sources as we could find and verify. These included: Madagascar, Oregon, Mexico, Tibet, Mongolia, Congo, India, and Tanzania.

As you can see at left, each source had a unique Raman Photoluminescent reaction with the exception of the Mexican and Chinese. These were identical.

This was the crux of our Raman reports, and our findings that the Chinese andesine tested the same as the Mexican feldspar. Did it actually originate from Mexico? Who really cares? We don't. But apparently someone at Caltech and DSN cares. However, as the California Appeals Court ruled in the past few days, the origin of the material is not as important as the selling of the diffusion treated andesine without disclosure. The origin is of little or no importance based on the findings of the court in deciding against Direct Shopping Network in their lawsuit.

But there is one step further we need to go in this ISG Raman Story....

"The GIA is currently unable to separate diffusion treated red Tibetan andesine from natural red Oregon Sunstone," GIA Executive at the Sinkankas Symposium

Also at the Sinkankas Symposium a high ranking GIA executive made a presentation statement that you read above. The GIA cannot separate the natural red Oregon Sunstone from the diffusion treated Chinese material. Regardless of the refractive index differences that we have already demonstrated, the Raman Photoluminescense can.....well, I will let you see for yourself.

At left is a Raman Photoluminesence composite of a Plush Oregon Sunstone and a Tibet red diffused sunstone.

Can you separate these two?

Just for arguments sake, we performed a set of scans on Plush Oregon sunstone and a tray of Mexican yellow feldspar and Chinese red diffused andesine.

Again, the image speaks for itself.

At the risk of appearing flippant and/or a bit sarcastic, I will tell the following true story......

I gave my 8 year old son 2 red stones and had him perform scans with our Raman Microscope. He was able to separate the Oregon Sunstone and the Chinese diffusion treated andesine by Raman Photoluminescense. He has no idea how it works technically, but the Enwave Raman and support software has advanced to the point that even an 8 year old can separate natural Oregon Sunstone and diffusion treated Chinese andesine. Seriously!

With the ruling of the California Appeals Court that says Direct Shopping Network failed to prove a prima facie case on any of their accusations against myself and Interweave this is only the end of one chapter in this never ending story.

The next part goes to Andegem and the AGTA who DSN blames for all of this. Andegem for supplying it, and AGTA for certifying it as all natural and untreated. We have implored both of these organizations to step up and do the right thing before lawsuits and court rulings began. They failed to do so.

Perhaps they will now since DSN seems to be willing to throw both of them under the bus.

But that.....is another story.

Robert James

President, International School of Gemology

Vindication for Robert James and Colored Stone Magazine versus Art Garabedian, DSN, and Andegem

Vindication For Free Speech And Opposing Ideas

by Lisa Brooks-Pike, May 18, 2010

On Monday, May 17th, the Court of Appeals of the State of California, second appellate district, division four, reversed the previous ruling in Direct Shopping Network, LLC (DSN) v. Interweave Press, LLC.

In late 2008, Art Garabedian of Direct Shopping Network, LLC (DSN) filed a law suit against Robert James, Colored Stone Magazine, Colored-Stone.com, Interweave Press, LLC, and Does 1-1000, for trade libel, interference with contract, and intentional and negligent interference with prospective economic advantage. Attorneys for Interweave Press responded by filing an anti-SLAPP motion, a motion which would prevent the case from going further as they deemed it a “Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation.”

The anti-SLAPP was heard in Los Angeles County Superior Court by Judge Laura Matz who denied the anti-SLAPP motion on 04/10/2009. Attorneys for Interweave immediately filed an appeal and yesterday won the case and were awarded costs when Judge Matz’s ruling was “Reversed in Full.” Click to View

The findings of the appellate court are profound and send a message to the gemstone and jewelry industry.

Regarding DSN’s claim for trade libel, the courts find that DSN presented no admissible evidence. Garabedian attempted to stand behind a solitary AGTA report listing as natural an Andesine sample purchased from Andegem. The court determined that not only was the test performed on only one sample, but that the AGTA report itself was hearsay, and that the report itself stated it was subject to numerous limitations and conceded that “some treatments commonly applied to gem materials are not currently detectable.”

The courts also outline that statements of opinion are protected speech, and go on to say, “under the first amendment there is no such thing as a false idea. However pernicious an opinion may seem, we depend for its correction not on the conscience of judges and juries but on the competition of other ideas.” The court documents point out that “James and Dr. Rossman tested different stones and James offered to make the stones he tested available to DSN.”

The courts found that DSN produced no evidence that the claims of color treatment were false. DSN was also unable to provide proof that it lost sales because of the suggestion of Mexican origin rather than the presence of treatment, nor did DSN provide proof that any contract had been disrupted. It was the court's opinion that the artificial treatment of the gemstones superceded the issue of origin.

The conclusion of the courts: “DSN presented no evidence that defendants interfered with any particular relationship or expectancy. Moreover, DSN identified no wrongful conduct apart from the allegedly false and defamatory statements made about its product. As we have concluded the statements concerning treatment were not false and the statements concerning origin were not demonstrably defamatory, there is no support for the “wrongful conduct” element of the interference claims.”

“The order denying the motion to strike is reversed. Interweave is awarded costs on appeal.”

Click to see the 35 page court ruling
Copyright© 2010 Jewelers Ethics Association
The above article may be reprinted, reproduced and distributed in its entirety, with all copyrights in tact.

__________________

David Federman, JEA Industry News: Why I Am Not Going To The GIA'S Feldspar Conference

Interesting stone from Mexico, most likely, that underwent copper diffusion that didn't work so well. Teófilo Otoni, MG. Photo by Tenney Naumer, copyright 2009.

Jewelers Ethics Association Industry News , Vol. 2, No. 4 (April 16, 2010).

Posted with permission from Jewelers Ethics Association. Copyrighted 2010 by JEA.

Why I Am Not Going To The GIA'S Feldspar Conference

by David Federman, JEA Contributing Editor

How I would like to blame my decision not to attend the GIA's feldspar conference this weekend on financial hardship.

But that would be an excuse--not a reason.

And making excuses would be just one or two degrees shy of lying. I'm too old to lie or rationalize or give doctor's notes.

No, the reason I'm not going to the feldspar conference is that this conference is too little too late--and it will not bring the American jewelry industry any closer to clarity and closure about the scandals that have wracked the most popular feldspar of modern times: Oregon sunstone.

Just look at who are absent from the rostrum--the people who know most about this scandal as well as the people who have been most damaged by it. I'm talking about the whistle blowers like Robert James and Joel Arem; I'm talking about the Oregon sunstone miners who have lost millions of dollars due to frauds involving non-disclosure of treatment. If some of these heroes and victims are silly enough to pay money to sit impotently in the audience, this reporter can only lament their decision to waste their money on a cause whose most profound effect will be more frustration for them.

As far as I'm concerned, the conference owes these brave gemologists and defrauded miners honor and obeisance, but they will receive neither. No, the conference will be too busy debating spurious sources for andesine in Tibet and Mongolia--sources that have been thoroughly repudiated by geologists and mining authorities in China. No mention will be made of the economic and marketing necessities for an ample andesine source in "greater China" because of its not-coincidental status as an official Olympics gemstone. Will conference presenters explore Chinese andesine as possibly an elaborate science fiction?

Don't bet on it. Don't even hope for it.

We all know the facts and fictions about the andesine mess. The stuff used to fleece consumers comes from Mexico--by the ton. There is no other proven source capable of providing the material needed for fraud on the scale that we have seen it. I don't care what lab equipment says. Experts can and have been fooled, especially since they're testing material none or very little of which was bought from the TV networks and Internet sellers who engaged in feldspar fraud. It was selected at random from dealer inventories. So I have serious doubts about the relevance of the scientific testing conducted. If the wrong samples were used, the results don't prove anything. At issue here is where the tons of rip-off material needed for the con came from--not whether or not some mountain side in China may produce a couple kilos of bona fide andesine (something I highly doubt). There is only one gemologist I know of who restricted his testing to "store-bought" andesine: Robert James. Moreover, there is only one gemologist I know of who tested hundreds of samples--most of it bought at his own expense: again, Robert James. Yet James has not been invited to present at the conference. Hell, he should be its keynote speaker.

Consequently, to me, the best we can hope for from the conference is that it will be an exercise in hindsight rather than insight. Actually, I would be glad if it could achieve even that much. True hindsight in this matter would involve a thorough critique of the shabby methods used to investigate this scandal and the continuing lack of preparedness to prevent subsequent gemological frauds of similar magnitude.

The truest hindsight would lead to the following foresight: the jewelry industry is a sitting duck for repeat offenses, some of them by repeat offenders such as the shop-at-home TV networks.

So I'm staying home where I know I won't be missed and I certainly won't be missing the action. I hear the weather here on the East Coast is going to be warm and sunny--a match for that on the West Coast. So maybe some of you might want to fly out to Philadelphia and convene a post-mortem for the andesine tragedy. That post-mortem would involve the creation of a gemological civil defense plan that will show the world that the jewelry industry is finally ready to learn from history rather than to continue ignoring it.

FIPP2010 (Feira Internacional das Pedras Preciosas), Teófilo Otoni, Minas Gerais

FIPP2010 (Feira Internacional das Pedras Preciosas), August 24-28, 2010, Teófilo Otoni, Minas Gerais

Wow! Time sure is flying. Seems like only yesterday we were all biting our nails, down here, wondering how FIPP2009 was going to turn out, especially after the June gem show in Governador Valadares was cancelled suddenly just before the event.

Turns out that FIPP2009 was better than everyone's drastically lowered expectations.

News from dealers in Tucson is that sales were better than expected.

Photos of FIPP2009 (Feira Internacional das Pedras Preciosas), Teófilo Otoni, Minas Gerais

Yesterday, I ran across a very nice set of photos of FIPP2009:

http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/uly4/2/1251291872/tpod.html#pbrowser/uly4/2/1251291872/filename=overview-of-a-show-section.jpg

...

Baby blue and baby pink iridescent bicolor tourmaline bought in Teófilo Otoni

OK, I admit it! I am a sucker for tourmalines, I really am.

When I saw this baby blue/baby pink bicolor tourmaline, I fell in love. The internal iridescence is just icing on the cake!

"Campbell Bridges 1937–2009: The Bridges' Family Needs Your Help" by Lisa Brooks-Pike, RGA

Dear Readers,

Movies such as "Born Free," "Safari," "King Solomon's Mines," "Mountains of the Moon," "A Nun's Story," "The Snows of Kilimanjaro" (and the book by Hemingway, of course), and "Out of Africa," and the books The Golden Impala, West with the Night, The Lion, The Poisonwood Bible, The Blue Nile, The White Nile, and many others have all informed my images of Africa, although I have never travelled there.

I didn't know Campbell Bridges. I had read only sporadically about him.

But the poignancy in his son's telling of his death, the survivor's remorse, the way we can see that he keeps playing it over in his head, thinking that if only, if only he had done something differently, his beloved father would not have died.

It's heartbreaking.

No one deserves to die like that.

Lisa Brooks-Pike has written a moving article of her interview with Bruce Bridges, and she is appealing to us to step up to the plate and sign the petition for justice for Campbell Bridges in an attempt to move Kenya to act as a nation of law.

Tenney

Campbell Bridges 1937–2009: The Bridges' Family Needs Your Help

by Lisa Brooks-Pike, RGA

It was an honor to meet recently with Bruce Bridges, son of Campbell Bridges, in the office of Tom Elliot, owner of the North American Gemological Laboratory (NAGL). Within moments of Bruce’s arrival, it was clear that he had the same great qualities and values as his father, and his passion for family and Tsavorite is extraordinary. Bruce and his family have suffered great adversity and even greater loss yet Bruce’s dedication to his father’s lifetime of work and to Tsavorite drive him forward with amazing strength and focus.

Bruce’s visit to NAGL was driven by this passion and dedication. He was there to honor Campbell, and protect the Scorpion mine and the brilliant vanadium-bearing grossular garnet known as Tsavorite. Bruce brought with him a carry-on bag filled with the Scorpion Tsavorite selected as the cream of the crop by Campbell before his brutal murder.

Like a child seeing the moon for the first time, I was in awe of the material Bruce carefully laid out on the desk before us. It was all beautiful – perfect in deep green color, expertly cut and meticulously polished. I expected as much from material hand-selected by Campbell Bridges; I did not expect to be equally awed by his son. Bruce knew every detail of every stone as if he had nurtured and raised them as children. He could touch one and with that touch he knew the exact carat weight and every tiny detail of that gem. These stones were special.

Bruce shared the largest gem quality Tsavorite to come out of the Scorpion mine – a 20.24-carat wonder. I held my breath as it lay in my hand. "The Scorpion King," I thought. Equally as impressive was the perfectly matched suite of graduated pear-cut stones that made their way to a center pear worthy of royalty: his Queen.

The 44 best stones were selected, all over 3 carats, all breathtaking. These 44 stones were about to receive a special inscription by Tom to identify them as Tsavorite mined under the watchful eye of Campbell Bridges. Watching the first stone being inscribed to honor Campbell and protect what he had created was a very emotional and moving experience, but paled in comparison to Bruce’s story.

Bruce’s own account of this tragic event was both heartbreaking and infuriating. He spoke of that awful day as a son who has suffered irreversible loss, but also as one who refuses to give up and bravely fights on through his sorrow. When we spoke he informed us that the local government had only one man in custody, even though he and his security team had provided them with the full names and photographs of the attackers. As of this writing, no other has been arrested, and the man in custody has been released.

He spoke of the current status of the Scorpion Mine with very real trepidation; while Bruce is currently paying armed guards to protect the mine, no one is there to work it. Mining has ceased, and he does not know when security will be established to enable mining to resume. "We wait to see if the government will reestablish protection for the legal miners," he says.

To say that there has been little action regarding the apprehension of Campbell’s murderers would be a gross understatement. There has been some misinformation regarding the identity of the attackers. While some published reports convey the idea that the attackers were locals, Bruce’s own words in his interview with the BBC say something different. Taken from the interview: "There were several politicians, that for their own greed, funded bandits, gangsters and these criminals, and it's the criminal, it's criminals that we fought with, not farmers. The people that murdered my father were known criminals." In fact, Bruce told me that "the vast majority of attackers were Kenyan Somalis with a couple local gangsters."

Bruce has sought the aid of the British and U.S. embassies, but has been informed by both that without a direct invitation by the Kenyan government, they cannot intervene. Tsavorite U.S.A. has sponsored a petition aimed at creating some forward movement and bringing more attention to this tragedy. As of right now, they need only 22 additional signers to reach their goal of one thousand.

I would like to personally urge anyone who has taken the time to read this article to click on the link, sign the petition, and help to bring to justice the murderers of a man who did so much for so many, without asking anything in return.

UPDATE: the petition has reached its goal of 1,000 signatures -- thanks to everyone!

Please click here and sign the petition: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/130/justice-for-campbell-bridges

Bruce Bridges' interview with BBC: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8199627.stm

Update:

From Bruce Bridges: "Three men have been arrested and one man released. None of these men are the masterminds but mid to lower tier in the murder, yet are all involved."

Article published online at the site of the Jewelers Ethics Association:

http://www.jewelersethicsassociation.com/news

Kicking myself in the posterior again -- Andalusite becoming very rare in Teófilo Otoni

Does anyone still remember when andalusite was a humble stone, unworthy of great consideration?

Sigh......

Oh! The stones I could have bought for mere centavos a few years ago.

[That was until IBAMA, the Brazilian environmental protection agency, decided to shut down the mine because it was polluting the area.]

To be continued...

Faceted Green Amber for Sale in Teófilo Otoni -- Part II

A few months back, I wrote a post about the faceted green amber I had seen in Teófilo Otoni, earlier this year.

I am happy to report that some of the best pieces were still at the dealer's office when I went to see him, yesterday, and I am going to break down and buy one of these incredible beauties (for study purposes, of course!).

For those of you who have not seen the first post, here is the link:

http://gringa-gem-news.blogspot.com/2009/06/faceted-green-amber-for-sale-in-teofilo.html

Right now, I have only very bad photos that don't come anywhere near to showing the wonderful liquid green-gold lights bouncing off those facets -- here is what I have, but I will post new photos once I get back to Conquista and am able to use my old 4 Mp Olympus D580, which has good sensors for yellows and greens. (The stones in the background of the top photo are chrysoberyls.)

Copyright © 2009 N. Tenney Naumer -- All rights reserved.

More info on the formation of amber here:

http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/47998/title/Flowerless_plants_make_fancy_amber