Colored Gemstones 3/E: The Antoinette Matlin's Buying Guide

Preface

Whatever gem or jewel you are seeking, with each passing year there are more choices than ever. There are recently discovered new gemstones such as pezzottaite and Zultanite, and gems in sensuous new colors; there are exciting new cutting styles that are creating greater brilliance and scintillation; and there are award-winning designers creating exquisite pieces in which to display them. For anyone who loves colorful gemstones, this is the most exciting time in history.

Having so many gemstone choices can be confusing, however, if you don’t understand how one gem compares to another in terms of the unique characteristics of each and differences in wearability, rarity, and cost. More importantly, there are many more things to look out for, and more reasons not to base your choice on price alone. Now more than ever, understanding as much as possible about what you are buying is the key to getting what you really want, paying the right price, and enjoying your gem and jewelry purchases for years to come.

My first book, Jewelry & Gems: The Buying Guide, which I wrote with my father in the early 1980s, was the first book ever written to help consumers and laypeople understand what they were really buying. It provided step-by-step guidance to make the purchase of diamonds, colored gemstones, pearls, and gold jewelry safer, less confusing, and more pleasurable. Now, almost twenty-five years, seven editions, and over 400,000 copies later, in English, Arabic, Greek, Hungarian, Japanese, Russian, and Spanish, the information it provides remains indispensable. But with each updated edition of Jewelry & Gems, it became increasingly difficult to cover all that was happening in the world of colored gemstones. It became clear that there was just too much additional information on colored gemstones to try to incorporate it into a single volume inclusive of diamonds, pearls, and gold as well. Thus Colored Gemstones: The Antoinette Matlins Buying Guide was created. While some of the information here is also found in Jewelry & Gems, it has been edited to focus on colored gemstones, and it contains more extensive information about colored gemstones.

Today’s colored gemstone market reflects the best of times and the worst of times: beautiful gemstones abound—in more colors, shapes, and designs than ever before—but today’s jewelry counters are also filled with imitations, synthetics, and artificially enhanced gemstones. Where synthetics are concerned, almost any gem can now be created in a laboratory, some looking so much like the natural that they have been sold as such. And with each passing year there are creative new scams to fool even the most sophisticated. As with all my other books, this book gives you all the information you really need in order to make wiser choices and reduce the risk especially inherent when buying or selling colored gemstones.

One area of special focus deals with enhancement techniques used to alter the appearance of colored gemstones. While we discussed gemstone treatments candidly in the first edition of Jewelry & Gems: The Buying Guide back in 1984, they have only recently captured the public’s attention and become the focus of numerous media stories. Today treatments are even more widespread, and are used for an increasing number of gemstones, so it is more important than ever before to understand the marketplace in order to be sure you get what you really want, and pay the right price for what you get. While covered in chapter 5, I would like to comment here on this situation.

Exceptionally fine natural gemstones are rarer and more costly than ever before. This scarcity has affected what is available in jewelry stores, and the choices available to consumers. Natural emeralds, rubies, and sapphires—that is, gems not subjected to any type of artificial enhancement—have never been rarer than they are today. While they can still be found, locating a natural gem in a particular size and quality can take months of intensive searching, and when one is found, the price is often prohibitive to all but the most wealthy collector or connoisseur.

As the beauty and overall quality of natural gemstones available in the marketplace began to decline over the past few decades, more and more treated gems—that is, gems on which some type of treatment is used to improve appearance—were introduced in an effort to meet an ever-increasing demand for beautiful ruby, emerald, sapphire, and other gemstone jewelry. Given a choice, most people seeking a lovely piece of jewelry would rather have a treated gem, at an affordable price, than spend the time and money necessary to find a natural gem and obtain proper documentation of its authenticity. As a result, this is what is now routinely sold in jewelry stores, including the most important salons worldwide.

Prices for exceptionally fine, untreated ruby from Burma (also called Myanmar) have increased by more than 75% since the first edition of this book, and today such a rare gem can easily cost $60,000 for a two-carat stone. By comparison, the cost of a two-carat Burmese ruby that may appear comparable after treatment by traditional heating (see chapter 5) would be about $20,000, while a ruby that has been treated by new diffusion techniques could cost as little as $500. You can also find attractive rubies from other locations that have been treated in a variety of ways for under $3,000. The differences in cost reflect differences in availability, the abundance of material that can be used for different treatment processes, and demand in the marketplace. In the case of natural, untreated gemstones, one thing seems clear: their rarity keeps increasing, and demand keeps rising, so costs will probably continue to rise.

There is nothing wrong with buying a treated (also called enhanced) gem as long as you know the gem is treated, pay a fair price for it, and have been advised about the possibility of its appearance changing at some future time (see chapter 5). In the case of ruby, however, one must be especially wary of a very heavily treated material now being described as composition ruby or composite ruby, which is extensively filled with glass—in some cases, the stone is more glass than ruby. They are very fragile and require extreme care (see chapter 6).

Anyone buying any colored gemstone sold in jewelry stores today should assume it has been treated in some way and should make sure it is priced appropriately for what it is. Keep in mind that, unfortunately, many salespeople do not know about treatments and, as a result, fail to disclose this information. In some cases, salespeople really believe that the stones they sell are natural and sell them as such, even when this is not the case.

The extensive use of treatments has led to greater reliance on reports from respected gem-testing laboratories, and I encourage anyone buying a fine, rare, natural colored gemstone to make sure it has accompanying documentation from a respected laboratory. However, the presence of a laboratory report accompanying a gem is not a guarantee, and you must understand what should be included, and how to read a colored gemstone report (see chapter 7). It is also important to know that the increased use of lab reports has resulted in an increase in reports from laboratories that are not reliable, and in fraudulent reports attributed to respected laboratories. Therefore, one must also be sure to verify the laboratory and the report attributed to it, and make sure the report relates to the gem you are buying. (See chapter 12 on how to verify your purchase.)

For those who prefer only natural stones, some jewelers now offer sapphire, ruby, and emerald in a wider quality range to provide a natural alternative at a more affordable price, recognizing that some people prefer a natural stone—even if the color is not optimum or if it has visible internal characteristics—to a treated stone. Even more exciting, however, is the increasing interest in—and respect for—lesser-known gemstone varieties that are not routinely treated. Some wonderful choices are now available in a wide range of colors, including ruby-red spinel, emerald-green tsavorite (a green variety of garnet discovered in the 1970s), blue spinel, and fiery orange mandarin garnet. A full list is provided in chapter 8. These gemstones offer beautiful, affordable, natural alternatives to treated gems and can usually be found at fine jewelry stores. If you have difficulty finding what you want, a gemologist or independent jeweler may be able to help you.

In short, today there are more alternatives—natural gems, treated gems, synthetic gems, and imitation gems—in more colors and more interesting designs than ever before. But the marketplace is also more complicated. This, combined with changes in the nature of retailing itself—and the increase in the number of jewelry salespeople who lack the knowledge necessary to provide reliable information and answer questions accurately—makes the situation for consumers more confusing than ever.

To help you deal with misleading or fraudulent practices, this book covers some of the most frequently encountered types of fraud and misrepresentation (see chapter 6). I want to stress, however, that the purpose is not to give you false confidence, nor is it to frighten or discourage you from buying gems and jewelry. My primary purpose in covering this material is to make you less vulnerable to the allure of fake bargains and to make you aware of the importance of buying only from knowledgeable, reputable jewelers (for advice on selecting a jeweler, see chapter 11).

Furthermore, while information provided here may give you greater confidence, no book can make you an expert. Be sure to follow the advice I offer regarding what questions to ask, what to get in writing, and how to check it out to be sure of your purchase. To further pursue the field of gem identification, treatment, and enhancement, see my book Gem Identification Made Easy, which is a nontechnical book for the layperson (GemStone Press, P.O. Box 237, Woodstock, VT 05091; 800-962-4544; www.gemstonepress.com; $36.99 plus $3.95 shipping/handling).

Whatever your interest in gems, I hope the gems you acquire will give you the pleasure and joy they have given me throughout the years. And I hope that Colored Gemstones: The Antoinette Matlins Buying Guide will bring greater clarity to the experience for you, and help make your gem and jewelry buying experience all that it should be: an experience filled with excitement, anticipation, romance, and pleasure.

Antoinette Matlins

Introduction

Throughout history, colored gemstones have been much sought after for their beauty, rarity, preciousness, and even magical powers sometimes attributed to them. They have symbolized power, wealth, and love. Every civilization, every society, grandly exhibits humankind’s fascination with and desire to possess these beautiful natural creations.

We are no different from our ancestors. We too share the fascination, appreciation, and desire to possess and adorn ourselves with beautiful gemstones, and there are certainly no indicators to suggest that the allure of gems will not be as great in future generations.

Color is in vogue, even in engagement rings. Just look at London’s royal family—the late Queen Mother, Queen Elizabeth, Princess Anne, and the late Princess Diana received sapphire engagement rings and Duchess Sarah Ferguson, a ruby. There has never been a more exciting time to search for a colored gem, and the experience can be a magical one. It can be filled with excitement, anticipation, and pleasure—and it is to that end that this book is dedicated.

The purpose of this book is to provide a basic but complete consumer’s guide to buying a gem, whether it be for one’s own personal pleasure, for a gift, or for investment in something beautiful to pass on as a treasured heirloom. It is designed and written for a wide market—husbands, wives, or parents buying gems as gifts for loved ones for some special occasion; young couples looking for an engagement ring; tourists, business travelers, and servicemen and servicewomen traveling throughout the world hoping to pick up gems at bargain prices while near the mines; investors looking for a hedge against inflation; and all those who are simply interested in gems as hobbyists and collectors. It will explain the variables that affect cost, provide information regarding fraudulent practices, and provide lists of relevant questions that should be asked of the seller. It will not make you a gemologist, but it will make you a more knowledgeable shopper and help transform a confusing—often frightening—experience into one that is truly interesting, exciting, and safe.

From the time I was a small child, I had the pleasure of being surrounded by beautiful gems and had a unique opportunity to learn the gem business. Having a father who was a well-known gemologist, appraiser, and collector—described as the father of modern, practical gemology prior to his death—I was able to spend hours marveling at stones, those in his own private collection as well as those brought to him to be professionally appraised.

Dinner conversation always centered on the day’s events at my father’s office. Sometimes he would thrill us with an account of a particularly fine or rare gem he had the pleasure of identifying or verifying. But too often the subject would turn to some poor, unknowing consumer who had been victimized. It might have been a soldier who thought he had purchased genuine sapphires while in Asia, who discovered sadly that they were glass or inexpensive synthetics. Or, it might have been a diplomat who had purchased jade in the Orient, only to learn it was not jade but serpentine, a common, inexpensive green stone often sold as jade. But occasionally, my father would have a wonderful story to share. One story in particular illustrates especially well how complex the gem business can be. One day an average-looking elderly woman came into my father’s office with a green stone she wanted identified and appraised. She had already taken the stone to a well-known jeweler, who also had an excellent reputation as a gemologist-appraiser. The jeweler told her that the stone was a tourmaline worth only a few hundred dollars. She was very disappointed, since it was a family heirloom that she had believed for many years was a fine emerald. Her own mother had assured her of the fact. When she questioned the jeweler about its being an emerald, he laughed and told her that was impossible. He was the expert, so she accepted his appraisal, as most people would. Many months later, at the insistence of a friend who knew of my father’s reputation from the curator of the Smithsonian’s gem collection, she sought my father’s opinion. In fact, her stone was a genuine emerald, one of the finest my father had ever seen. He could barely contain his excitement about the stone. It was worth about $60,000 even then, over fourty years ago. Fortunately, the woman learned its true identity and value before it was too late.

My first response upon hearing the story was anger at the dishonest jeweler, but, as my father explained, he was not dishonest. Dad actually went to see this man, because he knew his reputation was good. The jeweler discussed the stone with my father, and it became clear that he genuinely believed it to have been a tourmaline. On the basis of the woman’s ordinary appearance and the absence of any eye-visible characteristics so typical of an emerald, he drew the immediate conclusion that the stone could only be a green tourmaline. His experience with emeralds was limited to those of lesser quality, with their telltale inclusions. His limited experience, combined with his impression of the woman, led him to make an assumption regarding the identity of the stone without even performing any definitive test. He made an incorrect identification of this unusually fine stone, but certainly he was not acting dishonestly in the hope of picking up a steal.

This anecdote illustrates the danger consumers frequently face when they come to buy gems. They are vulnerable not only to intentional fraud but also to unintentional misrepresentation resulting from a jeweler’s lack of experience and knowledge. The very person on whom one would naturally rely—the jeweler—sometimes lacks sufficient knowledge about the gems he is selling. Fortunately, educational institutions such as Gem-A (the Gemological Association of Great Britain) and GIA (Gemological Institute of America), and an increasing number of colleges, universities, and associations across the country and around the world that offer gemology courses, are helping to rectify this situation. More and more, reputable jewelers are concerned with increasing their own knowledge and that of their salespeople, not only to protect their valued customers but also to protect themselves!

Another incident proves how rewarding education can be. A former student of my father’s was visiting in a midwestern city. She decided to go to some pawnshops to kill time, and in one shop she discovered a beautiful diamond-and-emerald ring. The pawnbroker told her that the diamonds were of an unusually fine quality, which her examination confirmed. The ring was also beautifully designed, with outstanding workmanship. Her question was whether the emerald was genuine or synthetic. As she examined the stone she began to suspect it was genuine. But she didn’t have the right equipment with her to be sure. The $500 price was appropriate for the diamonds and the gold setting alone, indicating that the pawnbroker believed the emerald was synthetic. But since the visitor liked the ring, and the price was fair, she was willing to take a chance that it might in fact be genuine. Upon her return to Washington she brought the ring to my father’s lab, where they proceeded immediately to examine the emerald. It was genuine. Its value was many times what she had paid; it could easily have sold for over $30,000 at a retail jewelry store. She sold it for a very handsome profit. The student profited because of her knowledge; the pawnbroker lost an opportunity because of his lack of it.

As the result of my father’s long experience in the gem business, and