Presenter Notes

Introduc)on:Provideabriefintroduc0on.Perhapsexplainwhatgotyouinterestedintheindustry,orwhatyoufindintriguingaboutgemsandjewelry,orwhatsubjectsinschoolhelpedyoutobecomewhoyouaretoday.Thisisanopportunitytoconnectwiththeaudienceandtohelpthemfeelcomfortable.Whatisabirthstone?Allow&meforanswers.DoyouknowYOURbirthstone?Allow&meforanswers.Didyouknowthatsomemonthshavemorethanonebirthstone?Allow&meforanswers.We’lllookintotheseques0onsandmuchmoreduringthepresenta0on.Pleaseaskanyques0onsyouthinkof!*Clicktogotonextslide

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Whilemostconsumersarefamiliarwithdarkredgarnets,manydonotrealizethattheycomeinalmosteverycolorincludingacolor-changevarietythatcanbeblueindaylight.Thenamegarnetisderivedfromthewordpomegranate,becausethedeepredvarie0esofthegemstoneresembletheseedsofthepomegranatefruit.Agreenvariety,calledtsavorite,wasfoundin1971inKenya’sTsavoNa0onalPark.Therearenotreatmentsdonetogarnetsonacommercialbasis.Garnetsrangefrom6.5to7.5ontheMohshardnessscale

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Amethystisthemostvaluablevarietyofquartz.Colorsrangefromviole0shpurplethroughpurpletoreddishpurple.Themostprizedamethystsareanintensereddishpurplewithevencolora0on.Heattrea0ngoverlydarkstonescanlightenthemandmakethemmoreaYrac0ve.Exposuretoheatorextensiveexposuretolightcancausethecolortoalterorfade.Thehardnessofamethystis7ontheMohsscaleandthetoughnessisgood.EarlyGreeksassociatedthegemswiththewineGodBacchus.Thecolorhasalsorepresentedroyalty.Siberiawasthemostimportantamethystsourceun0lthetwen0ethcenturywhenlargeproduc0oncamefromBrazil.Today,Brazil,Uruguay,Zambia,andArizonaarethemostsignificantsources.

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AquamarinederivesitsnamefromLa0nfor“seawater.”Thegemisusuallygreenishblueandlightintone.Intensepurebluecolorsaremosthighlyvalued.Aquamarineisavarietyofthemineralberyl,alongwithemerald.Hardnessis7.5to8ontheMohsscale,andtoughnessisgood.Mostaquamarineisheattreatedtomakethecolorlessgreenandapurerblue.Thetreatmentisstableundernormalwearandisundetectable.Brazil,China,Pakistan,Vietnam,andseveralsourcesinAfricaarethemostimportant.

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Bloodstoneisatypeofjasperwithaverydis0nc0velook:redtobrownishredflecks,coloredbyironoxide,scaYeredacrossadarkgreenbackground.Commoninmen’ssignetringsofyesteryear,it’ss0llpopularinmen’sjewelrytoday.BloodstonedepositsaboundinAustralia,Brazil,China,India,andtheU.S.BloodstoneisalsochosenforChris0an-themedjewelrybecausetheredblotchesagainstthegreenfieldaresaidtosymbolizethebloodofJesusfallingatthefootofthecross.

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Diamondshavebeensoughtaierbykingsandqueens,therichandthepowerfulsincethefirstsourcewasdiscoveredinancientIndia.LargediamonddepositsdiscoveredinSouthAfricainthelate1800shugelyincreasedavailability.Thediamondengagementringhasbecomeastandardthroughoutmuchoftheworld.Today,diamondproduc0oninBotswana,Democra0cRepublicoftheCongo(DRC),SouthAfrica,Namibia,Russia,Australia,andCanadaprovidesdiamondjewelrytoconsumersaroundtheglobe.

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Emeraldisconsideredbymanytobethefinestgreen-coloredstone,andit’scertainlythemostfamous.Sincethe0meofancientEgypt,royaltysuchasCleopatrahavedesiredemerald.TheSpanishconquistadorsfoughtbrutalwarswithSouthAmericantribesliketheMuzotolearnthesecretloca0onsoftheirmines.Themostdesirableemeraldcolorsarebluishgreentogreen,withstrongtovividsatura0onandmediumtodarktone.Themost-prizedemeraldsarehighlytransparent.Theircolorisevenlydistributed,withnoeye-visiblecolorzoning.Ifthehueistooyellowishortoobluish,thestoneisnotemerald,butadifferentvarietyofberyl,anditsvaluedropsaccordingly.

ThiscrystalisfromColombia,themajorsupplierofemeraldtotheU.S.Manydealersconsiderfine-qualityColombianemeraldstohavethebestcolorofanysource.Asisthecasewithmanygemdeposits,asmallpercentageofmaterialisfinecolor,butthemajorityoftheproduc0oniscommercialquality.

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Pearlsareoneofthemostroman0candin0mategems.Almostallpearlsonthemarkettodayareculturedandmustbedescribedassuch.

AkoyaculturedpearlssuchasthoseseenherecomefromJapanandChinaandaresaltwater.Theyarethemostfamiliarcultured pearlsandareusuallyround,withwhite,silver-white,verylightpinktolightcreambodycolor.Asecondcolormayseem superimposedoverthebodycolorcalledovertonesuchasroseovertoneonawhitebodycolor.Sizesdonot usuallygetabove10 mm.Thequalityofculturedpearlsisjudgedbyfivefactors:ColorLusterShapeSizeNacrequalityCulturedpearlsmightbedyedorirradiatedtocreateunnaturalcolorsorblack.Coa0ngsaresome0mesusedtoenhancetheluster.

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Naturalpearlsarerare;mostpearlsareculturedbyimplan0ngabeadintothemolluskandleongthemolluskcoatthebeadwithnacreforuptotwoyearsbeforethepearlisharvested.ThesenaturalpearlsarefromtheSeaofCortez,alsoknownastheGulfofCalifornia.Wearingpearlsisbelievedtobringclaritytothemind.

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Alexandritewasdiscoveredin1830intheUralMountainsofRussia.ItwasnamedaierCzarAlexanderII.AlexandriteisalsofoundinBrazil,EastAfrica,andSriLanka.Fine-qualityalexandriteisveryrare,especiallyinsizesover1carat.Alexandritesdisplayastunningcolorchangeunderdifferentligh0ng,goingfromgreenindaylightandfluorescentlight(lei)toredorraspberryinincandescentlight(right).Thiscolorcombina0onpromptedtheroman0cdescrip0on,“emeraldbyday,rubybynight.”

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AccordingtoHindumythology,moonstoneismadeofsolidifiedmoonbeams.ItsinternalstructurescaYerslightandcreatestheshimmeringeffectknownasadularescence.Thebestqualitymoonstonehasacolorlessbodycolorandblueadularescence.SourcesincludeIndia,Myanmar,Tanzania,Madagascar,andSriLanka.

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TheSanskritwordforrubyisratnaraj,whichmeanskingofgems.

Thefinestcolorsarevividredtoslightlypurplishredinmediumtomedium-darktone.

FinestqualityrubiescomefromMyanmar,theHimalayas,northernVietnam,andAfricancountrieslikeMozambique,Madagascar,andMalawi;andthelargestproduc0oncomesfromMozambique.Rubyistheredvarietyofthemineralcorundum(sapphireisthebluevarietyandfancysapphirecomesinmanycolors). Corundum’shardnessof9 ontheMohsscale;excellenttoughness,andoutstandingstabilitymakeitaverydurablestone.

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TheancientEgyp0anscalledperidotthegemofthesun.MajorsourcesincludetheSanCarlosApacheReserva0oninArizona(largestproducer),Myanmar,andPakistan.ThelaYertwoareknownforfine-qualitymaterial.Rarely,peridotcanhaveanextraterrestrialsource,beingcontainedinmeteoritesthathavefallentoEarth.Thecolorrangeforperidotisnarrow,fromabrown-greencolortoyellowishgreentopuregreen.Yellowishgreenisthemostcommonperidotcolorseeninjewelry.

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Spinelcomesinapainter’spaleYeofcolors:orange,intense“stoplight”red,vibrantpink,andallshadesofpurple,blueandvioletthroughbluishgreen.Finespecimensbecamethetreasuredpropertyofkingsandemperors.Inancient0mes,theminesofcentralandsoutheastAsiayieldedexcep0onallylargespinelcrystalswhichbecameknownasBalasrubies.Someofthesestoneswerethetreasuredpropertyofkingsandemperors,oienpassingthroughmanyhandsasspoilsofwar.Asaresult,someoftheworld’smostillustrious“rubies”areactuallyspinel.Spinelisbelievedtopromotehealth.

Carversmakethemostofthealterna0ngwhite,black,andbrownbandsinsardonyxtocreatedecora0vecameos.Sardonyxisavarietyofchalcedony,asisagate.

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Sapphireisthebluevarietyofcorundum(rubyistheredvariety).Sapphirescomefromseveralsourcesandinmanyshadesofblue.Thefineststonesareintensemediumtomedium-darkslightlyviole0shbluetoblue.Kashmirhasproducedsomeofthefinestqualitystones,butismoreofahistoricalsourcesincenosignificantproduc0onhascomeoutforoverahalfcentury.Thecolorcanbeintensewithavelvetyorsleepyappearancecausedby0nyinclusionsscaYeringlight.BurmesesapphiresfromMyanmarhavearichroyalbluecolor.SapphiresfromSriLankatendtobealiYlelighterandmorebrilliant.Duringthemiddleages,sapphireswereoienwornbyclergybecausetheysymbolizedheaven.Thevastmajorityofbluesapphiresonthemarkethavebeenheattreatedtoimprovetheircolorand,possibly,theirclarity.Thetreatmentisstableandoiendetectablebyatrainedgemologist.

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Besidesbluesapphireandruby,thecorundumfamilyalsoincludesso-called“fancysapphires.”Theycomeinviolet,green,yellow,orange,pink,purple,andintermediatehues.Therearealso“par0-colored”sapphiresthatshowcombina0onsofdifferentcolors.Somestonesexhibitthephenomenonknownascolorchange,mostoiengoingfromblueindaylightorfluorescentligh0ngtopurpleunderincandescentlight.Sapphirescanevenbegray,black,orbrown.Bothblueandfancysapphirescomefromavarietyofexo0csourcesincludingMadagascar,Tanzania,SriLanka,Myanmar,andAustralia.

Opalisknownforitsuniquedisplayofflashingrainbowcolorscalledplay-of-color.Therearetwobroadclassesofopal:preciousandcommon.Preciousopaldisplaysplay-of-color,commonopaldoesnot.Australiaisthesourceofmostoftheworld’sfineopal.Manycultureshavecreditedopalwithsupernaturaloriginsandpowers.Arabiclegendssayitfallsfromtheheavensinflashesoflightning.TheancientGreeksbelievedopalsgavetheirownersthegiiofprophecyandguardedthemfromdisease.Europeanshavelongconsideredthegemasymbolofhope,purity,andtruth.

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TourmalineoffersthoseborninOctoberahugevarietyofcolorstochoosefrom.Veryfewgemsmatchtourmaline’sdazzlingrangeofcolors.Fromrichredstopastelpinksandpeachcolors,intenseemeraldgreenstovividyellowsanddeepblues,thebreadthofthisgem’scolorrangeisunrivalled.Infact,watermelontourmalineisgreenontheoutsideandadeliciouspinkontheinside.ImportantsourcesincludeBrazil,Sub-SaharaAfrica,Myanmar,Pakistan,Afghanistan,andtheU.S.(SanDiegoCountyandMaine).

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Topazactuallyhasanexcep0onallywidecolorrangethat,besidesbrown,includesvarioustonesandsatura0onsofblue,green,yellow,orange,red,pink,andpurple.Colorlesstopazisplen0ful,andisoientreatedtogiveitabluecolor.Treatedbluetopazisavailableinavarietyofshadesfromlighttodarkblue.Thetreatmentisstableandthestonesareveryreasonablypriced.ThenametopazcomesfromthemysteriousislandTopaziosintheRedSea.Theislandwasasourceofperidotinancient0mes.TheancientGreeksbelievedthattopazgavethemstrength.InEuropeduringtheRenaissance(theperiodfromthe1300stothe1600s)peoplethoughtthattopazcouldbreakmagicspellsanddispelanger.

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Citrine—thetransparent,paleyellowtobrownishorangevarietyofquartz—israreinnature.CitrineprovidesanaYrac0vecolorataveryreasonableprice.Themostvaluablecolorisreddishorange.Mostcitrineonthemarketstartedoutaspalecoloramethystandwasheattreatedtocitrinecolor.Thetreatmentisstableundernormalwear.Brazilisthemajorsource.

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Zirconoccursinanarrayofcolors.ItswideandvariedpaleYeofyellow,green,red,reddishbrown,andbluehuesmakesitafavoriteamongcollectorsaswellasinformedconsumers.Zirconisanaturalstone(nottobeconfusedwithsynthe0ccubiczirconiaorCZ).Themostpopularcolorisblue,whichiscreatedbyheattreatmentandcanfadeover0me.Manyothercolorsareavailablebutrarelyseeninjewelry.IntheMiddleAges,thisgemwasthoughttoinducesoundsleep,driveawayevilspirits,andpromoteriches,honor,andwisdom.

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Coloristurquoise’sprimevirtue.Itcanbegreenishblue,bluishgreen,orevenyellowishgreen,dependingonitsironcontent.Themosthighly-valuedturquoiseisanintense,evenlydistributed,mediumblue,knowninthetradeasPersianblue.Varioustreatmentsincludeimpregna0onwithplas0canddyeing.Neitherarepermanent,buttheycanholdupwellifcaredforproperly.MajorsourcesincludeSouthwesternU.S.,China,andIran,whichismoreofahistoricalsourceforfinequali0es.ArchaeologicalevidenceshowsthatancientEgyp0anroyaltyworeturquoisejewelryover7,000yearsago.ItwasprizedbyChinesecarversover3,000yearsagoandwasaceremonialgemforthena0veAmericantribesoftheSouthwesternU.S.

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Althoughnotastandardbirthstone,tanzanitehasbeenpromotedbysomejewelryorganiza0ons,includingtheAmericanGemTradeAssocia0on,asanalterna0veforDecember.Tanzaniterangesfrompale(mostcommoninsmallersizes)todeepandintense.Thecoloriscreatedbyheattrea0ngthebrownishmineralzoisitetomoreaYrac0vecolors.Thetreatmentisstableundernormalwear.Thegem’sonlyknowncommercialsourceisTanzania.Itenteredthejewelrymarketinthelate1960s.

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Slide1Photo:GIASlide2Photo:RobertWeldon/GIACourtesy:FarooqHashmi,In0mateGemsSlide3Photo:RobertWeldon/GIASlide4Photo:RobertWeldon/GIACourtesy:ThomasM.SchneiderSlide5Photo:RobertWeldon/GIASlide6Photo:RobertWeldon/GIASlide7Photo:RobertWeldon/GIASlide8Photo:EricWelch/GIA

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Slide9Photo:RobertWeldon/GIACourtesy:KCBNaturalPearlsSlide10Photo:RobertWeldon/GIASlide11Photo:RobertWeldon/GIASlide12Photo:RobertWeldon/GIASlide13Photo:RobertWeldon/GIASlide14Photo:RobertWeldon/GIASlide15CourtesyTheWaltersArtMuseum,Bal0moreSlide16Photo(lei):RobertWeldon/GIAPhoto(middle):RobertWeldon/GIAPhoto(right):RobertWeldon/GIACourtesyAnilGupta,KrisGemInterna0onal,Inc.

Slide17Photo:RobertWeldon/GIASlide18Photo:RobertWeldon/GIASlide19Photo:RobertWeldon/GIASlide20Photo:RobertWeldon/GIASlide21Photo:RobertWeldon/GIASlide22Photo:RobertWeldon/GIASlide23Photo:RobertWeldon/GIASlide24Photo:RobertWeldon/GIA