Pakistan Industry Update

Statistics for 2009–2010 encourage, disappoint

First, the good news… Last month, the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan released provisional export statistics for the period of July 2009 through June 2010. The value for the Gems & Jewellery sector increased by nearly 125 percent over the same period during 2008–2009. The value increased from $289 million to $649 million.

There’s peridot from Pakistan and then Peridot From Pakistan. The natural number above is nearly 37 carats of brilliancy. Inventory #15529. At right, a 1.81-carat Pakistan sphene displays its own brand of brilliance, with a complex of yellow, orange, and green. Inventory #16408. (Photos: Wimon Manorotkul, Mia Dixon)

Most of that increase appears to be in the form of finished jewelry, according to another set of statistics, Average Unit Price (AUP). Jewelry saw a 126 percent increase in AUP value, while gems increased by 6.76 percent.

The United States, United Arab Emirates, and Afghanistan continue to occupy the top three slots as consumers of Pakistan exports, but the total value of all exports had an incredible 22 percent drop from 2008–2009.

“Center for Excellence” via U.S.–Pakistan partnership

This past spring, the U.S. government announced a partnership with the North West Frontier Province University of Engineering and Technology and the Pakistan Gems and Jewellery Development Company to launch a $600,000 FATA (Federally Administered Tribal Areas) Center of Excellence for Gems and Jewellery.

Diplomate. NWFP Governor Awais Ahmad Ghani awards diploma to gemology training graduate. (Photo courtesy U.S. Embassy)

“The establishment of this Center of Excellence will improve extraction techniques, cutting, polishing, and gemstone identification,” said U.S. Consul General in Peshawar Ms. E. Candace Putnam, according to an April 22 press release.

The Center of Excellence is part of the $750 million support the U.S. government is providing in development assistance to FATA over five years to improve health, education, and infrastructure; develop businesses; and create employment opportunities, according to the release. [back to top]
 

Dig deep for Pakistan!

As for the bad news, Pakistan’s devastating floods have affected more than 15 million people, of which at least 6 million need life-saving emergency assistance, according to Pakistan government estimates reported by the United Nations’ Humanitarian Affairs section on August 18. Relief efforts are encouraging, but…. “Unfortunately, this is only a fraction of what we need to do,” said Martin Mogwanja, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Pakistan.

Full bladder. Access to clean water, such as that contained within this MSF water bladder, is crucial to preventing disease. (Photo © Jean-Marc Jacobs/MSF)

May we suggest supporting relief workers on the ground? The fight against cholera and other waterborne diseases is being done by members of Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders in the Swat Valley. For millennia the people of the Indus have contributed to civilizations; for six decades, the people of Pakistan have dug deep for connoisseurs of colored stones. Dig deep!

• Give to Doctors Without Borders

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New tourmaline deposit in Gilgit Baltistan

More good news: We’ve been notified of an exciting new find of fine-quality tourmaline from a correspondent in Islamabad. The deposit is in the Astore District of Pakistan’s northernmost territory of Gilgit Baltistan. Here’s what he told:

I am based in Islamabad, but Bunji is my home town. Unfortunately at the moment Bunji is cut off from the rest of the North due to flash floods. The two bridges connecting Bunji to the Karakuram Highway’s Bunji Ramghat Bridge and Partab Bridge are broken.

Our main interest was this discovery of the 3rd Century AD rock carving, photos of which are attached with my email. This is a new discovery. The Pakistan Government has a mega hydroelectric power project in Bunji on the River Indus, funded by the World Bank. During the survey these ancient rock carvings were found, and along this the tourmaline deposits were also discovered. My field team has sent me the picture of the rock carving, but not the tourmaline. I have asked them to send me the pictures of tourmaline also. As soon as I get them, I’ll send them to you.

Semiotics in stone. For more on the highway carvings and inscriptions, see this website describing a Pakistani–German project that began surveying the carvings in 1979. The area features an estimated “30,000 petroglyphs and 5,000 inscriptions in more than 10 writing systems,” according to the website, affiliated with Heidelberger Akademie der Wissenschaften.

Our correspondent told us he’s setting up a new company that “will be arranging field and study trips to Pakistan for gemologists and geologists from all over the world.” We’ll be sure to let our readers know about that. In the meantime, we include here the photos of the petroglyphs and surrounding vistas.

Keep that dogie movin’… A few cattle lumber along as a calf strays from the highway that is host to newly discovered petroglyphs.

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Conflict Over Conflict Minerals

Zimbabwe stumbles

A month ago, as reported to BBC, the “blood diamond” trade oversight method, the Kimberley Process (KP, facilitated via the World Diamond Council), gave the green light to Zimbabwe to resume limited exports of diamonds from the country. The KP suspended exports last November amid allegations that atrocities had been committed by security forces.

Human Rights watch issued a report June 21 that warned the KP of ongoing abuses.

Ironically, soldiers who were deployed to remove illegal miners in the diamond fields of Marange, eastern Zimbabwe, themselves began mining by forcing local villagers to dig, according to (United Nations news organ) IRIN in January 2009. “As a soldier, just like most people in this country, I am poorly paid,” one soldier told IRIN, “and my salary can hardly see me through three days of a month. When I get a chance to loot, I grab it without hesitation.”

Last week, Rapaport announced it would continue the trade ban on diamonds from Marange, and that the enterprise would expel members of its network if they sold them. Martin Rapaport himself pointed out that the Zimbabwean companies selling the diamonds (BBC reported $72 million sold since KP lifted its ban) were still sanctioned by the U.S., U.K., and E.U.

Obama signs “conflict minerals” legislation

On July 21, President Barack Obama signed into law a federal financial reform statute that, amongst its miscellaneous provisions, directs the Securities and Exchange Commission to create rules that address “conflict” materials. Publicly traded manufacturers that use gold, coltan, cassiterite, wolframite or their derivatives would be required to disclose that those minerals are obtained in the Democratic Republic of Congo or neighboring countries.

Search for “conflict minerals” or “sec. 1501” in the text of the law for more detail. [back to top]

Pala at JA New York Summer Show
July 25–28, 2010

Pala International heads to the East Coast later this summer for the trade-only JA New York Summer Show. Stop by to see one of America’s largest selections of fine colored gems.

When: July 25–July 28, 2010
Where: Jacob K. Javits Convention Center
Hours: AGTA Gemstone Section
   Sunday, July 25: 9:30 AM – 6:00 PM
   Monday, July 26: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
   Tuesday, July 27: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
   Wednesday, July 28: 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM

Pala International is in booth 1671. See the JANY website for more information. Visit the Pala International Show Schedule for future events. [back to top]

East Coast Gem, Mineral & Fossil Show: Aug. 13–15, 2010

Bill Larson featured exhibitor at Springfield show

Certifiably gorgeous. This 1.03-carat natural ruby from Burma comes with an AGTA cert. Inventory #17917. (Photo: Mia Dixon)

This year’s East Coast Show will present Bill Larson as its featured exhibitor. Past featured collections have included those of Herb and Monika Obodda, the Sterling Hill Mining Museum, the Harvard Mineral Museum, Seaman Mineral Museum, Dawn Minette, Dan and Dianne Kile, and Gail and Jim Spann, amongst others.

Bill also will speak on Saturday, August 14, at 1:00 p.m., on the topic of “Mining, Minerals & Gems from The Legendary Valley of Rubies, Mogok, Burma.”

Other speakers this year are Bob Jones, Nancy Millard, and Kevin Downey. Nearly 200 dealers, designers, lapidaries, and publishers from the U.S. and abroad will be featured at the show.

What: East Coast Gem, Mineral & Fossil Show
When: August 13–15, 2010
Space: 0083
Where: Better Living Center at the Eastern States Exposition, West Springfield, Massachusetts

2-for-1: This Mogok ruby crystal on calcite matrix actually contains a small attached ruby crystal on the side of the larger crystal. See two other views at Palaminerals.com. (Photo: John McLean)

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Lithographie 2011 Calendar Features Pala Topaz

As well as stopping by Pala International’s space at the East Coast Show, visit Lithographie (space 0115) and check out the 2011 Calendar from this purveyor of fine books and periodicals on gems and minerals.

The theme this time is “Topaz and Diamond.” The illustration for May is a topaz group from Pakistan’s Shigar Valley, from Bill Larson’s collection, photographed by Jeff Scovil. The 9" x 12" format makes for some pleasurable penciling-in of appointments.

Several other California collectors are represented, including cover stars Jon and Max Sigerman, who provided the macle twinned diamond from their father-and-son collection. Read more about the dynamic duo in this July 5 Marin Independent Journal article. [back to top]

Golden Fleece: The Recreation of a Masterpiece

Three-year effort unveiled at site of original’s theft

One of the interludes in the story of the famous diamond that would be known as the Hope is its 43-year tour of duty in a remarkable setting commissioned by Louis XV: a ceremonial pendant for the Order of the Golden Fleece. Philip the Good, finding himself with too much time on his hands in the late Middle Ages, after doing things like capturing Jeanne d’Arc and uniting Burgundy with Flanders, celebrated by creating a new order, patterned after the Knights of the Round Table. Louis XV was the first king of France to receive the honor of investiture, in 1739. Created a decade later by the king’s jeweler Pierre-André Jacquemin, the ornate pendent was among the loot taken from his grandson-successor Louis XVI’s royal storehouse in 1792, four months before the latter’s horrifying execution.

Philip the Austere. The founder of the Order of the Golden Fleece is depicted above with the Knight’s typical neck chain—itself not a mean piece of craftsmanship. Louis XV, portrayed in pastel below by Maurice Quentin de La Tour, wears the insignia a year before creation of the ornate, ceremonial setting that would include several jewels of prominence. Successor Louis XVI was portrayed during the year of his ascension wearing his own “lite” version of the pendant. Compare these with images and descriptions from La Confrérie Amicale de la Toison d’Or, which works to “preserve its history and further the aims of the Order.”

Although many component parts of Louis XV’s precious emblem were recovered, only spotty visual representation of the pendant survived. As indicated by the caption above, a quick survey of portraits of Louis XV and his successor yields Golden Fleece pendants that are, if you will, “black tie” to the ceremonial “white tie” of Jacquemin’s chef d’oeuvre. An 1889 book by C. Germain Bapst, who numbered among the ninth generation of jewelers to the crown, includes a drawing supposedly rendered from a lead cast of the pendant. Then, a hundred years later, an unpublished drawing by Jacquemin himself turned up in Switzerland. Problem is, careful and even casual comparison between the two renderings raised issues of what Jacquemin actually had crafted.

Much study has taken place over the years by various parties to bring us to June 30, 2010, when a reconstruction of the ceremonial Golden Fleece emblem was presented at the site of its 18th century theft: the Garde-Meuble royal, now the Hôtel de la Marine, on Paris’s Place de la Concorde (then, Place Royale).

For a detailed account of the years of detective work that went into the reconstruction, see: Farges F., Sucher S., Horovitz H., Fourcault J.-M. “The French Blue and the Hope: New Data from the Discovery of A Historical Lead Cast,” Gems & Gemology, 45:1 (Spring 2009), 4–19.

The recreation of Louis XV’s insignia of the Order of the Golden Fleece took three years to complete. (Photo courtesy François Farges, MNHN)

Dr. François Farges, professor of mineralogy and curator of minerals and gems at the Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle (MNHN) in Paris, worked for three years with an international team under the supervision of Swiss jeweler Herbert Horovitz to do the meticulous work of recreating a masterpiece. The major elements are:

• The French Blue: 69-carat predecessor to the Hope. Due to a lead cast of the stone being discovered in Paris in 2007, new insight was obtained, which differed from previous documentation
  • This stone was replicated in deep blue cubic zirconia
• The Bazu: Sold to Louis XIV in 1669, recut in 1749 as a 32.62-carat baroque cushion. A 1791 inventory calls the stone “d’une eau un peu céleste” (sky blue). The reconstruction team concluded that the stone was not hexagonal as had been assumed, but rather a rounded square
  • This stone also was replicated in light blue cubic zirconia
• The Côte de Bretagne Dragon: This spinel carving is now housed at the the Louvre’s Galerie d’Apollon
  • This required a combination of 3-D scaled photography, a replica sculpted in wax, and a lead-crystal glass duplicate made with added pigmentation

Most of the other large diamonds were recovered after the theft; thus their replication was not based on speculation. The jewel-encrusted elements, however, such as the Golden Fleece insignia itself, never reappeared. That left over 500 diamonds to be replicated. These were cut from cubic zirconia.

Herbert Horovitz, left and François Farges present the Golden Fleece at the site of its 1792 theft, on the Place Concorde, June 30, 2010. (Photos: C. du Muizon, MNHN)

We’d love to go on, but all of the details, including names of the artists involved, will be published elsewhere in the not too distant future. The Golden Fleece is available for viewing by appointment at Martin du Daffoy, Bijoux Anciens & Pierres Précieuses, Paris, until the end of July. [back to top]

 
Gary Roskin: To Catch a Thief

In his latest Roskin Gem News Report, Gary Roskin asks, “Was Henry Philip Hope a Jewel Thief?” That question gets answered—and answered again—first by Dr. Farges and then by Jeffrey Post, Ph.D., curator of the Smithsonian’s mineral collection, which houses the Hope. Roskin takes you through a story that involves speculation regarding accomplices and ruses, statutes of limitation and storerooms.

We dealt with this subject briefly in our December 2008 newsletter, but without the benefit of the latest information that Roskin provides.

In the year of her father’s death, seventy-one years after the Hope Diamond was listed in an 1839 catalog of its namesake’s gem collection, the stone was offered to, and rejected by, Leadville, Colorado, mining heiress Evalyn Walsh McLean. The setting, it seems, simply wouldn’t do. What did do was a reworking by Cartier, “with the diamond mounted as a headpiece on a three-tiered circlet of large white diamonds” (Smithsonian), as can be seen in this undated photograph of a relatively youthful Walsh McLean. Two decades later she would become embroiled in a hoax involving the Lindberg baby. (Photo: Harris & Ewing Collection, Library of Congress)

Blue buffs will want to stay tuned for Roskin’s upcoming 10-part multimedia mini-series based on nine interviews, “The Wittelsbach-Graff and Hope Diamonds: An Evening with the Blues.”

Note: In the emailed version of our newsletter we incorrectly stated that Gary Roskin would be covering the subject of the Wittelsbach-Graff and Hope Diamonds in an upcoming Gems & Gemology. The science surrounding these diamonds will be covered, but not under a Roskin byline. We regret the error. [back to top]

Hard Science and Hard Choices, to Stop
a Deep Water Disaster

John Koivula asks whether a disadvantage can be turned into an advantage in capping the Deepwater Horizon

As reports come in regarding a less than successful capping of the Deepwater Horizon oil well, we remember the heartbreak on May 8, at the failure of a 125-ton containment dome to contain the gush. Gas, leaking from the pipe, combined with cold water to form methane hydrate crystals, which clogged the steel canopy. (It was a bubble of methane gas, in fact, that burst through seals and exploded, triggering the worst offshore oil disaster in U.S. history.)

Dam! This containment dome, known as a cofferdam, failed on May 8, due to formation of ice-like crystals. (Photo: U.S. Coast Guard)

While we wrung our hands, John Koivula—a world authority on gemstone inclusions—wracked his brain. Something about those ice-like crystals might be key to a real solution—and one that could be applied to other leaks and gushers…

In the three pages of “Possible Solution to Stop the Deep Water Oil Leak at its Source,” Koivula (who has degrees in mineralogy-geology and inorganic chemistry) offers a simple and elegant solution.

“Hard science and with it hard choices have now come to our doorstep,” Koivula told us, “and original ideas are really needed. … This is not surface skimmer technology, but instead is an idea to actually plug the leak itself, right at the source.” We were skeptical, but then we read his proposal. [back to top]

Burma Bits

“Special” emporium sale total of $880 million?

Sixy. This rare, 6-rayed natural spinel from Burma weighs 2.05 carats and measures 7.75 x 6.2 x 4.11 mm. Inventory #4850. (Photo: Mia Dixon)

Burma’s special sale was held June 25 through July 7 at the Myanmar Convention Center in Rangoon. According to the mysterious Eleven Media Group (EMG) in an undated article, about 7,000 jade lots were sold at the sale, out of 11,000 that were on offer. The unmysterious Irrawaddy, however put the number sold at 2,100 out of a total of 11,500, in its July 2 story.

Both media outlets called this the “48th” Gems Emporium, even though “special” sales held between the Annual (spring) and Mid-Year (Fall), have heretofore either been unnumbered or now number in the late 20s. See our Burma Gem Sales and Statistics for lists of the various sales.

Also, according to EMG, the annual “Mid-Year” emporium in October will be held in Nay Pyi Taw, the administrative capital, for the first time. “For the gem emporium,” the story stated, “a building that is similar to Myanmar Convention Centre is being planned to [be] construct[ed]” in the capital.

An intriguing, yet infuriating statistic regarding the June–July sale turned up in a web search the night of July 13:

Myanmar earns over 880 million USD from special gems emporium

The so-far-uncorroborated item was listed in a “Xinhua via COMTEX” listing of “News items from Asia-Pacific Desk [in Hong Kong] of Xinhua” News Agency, the official press organ of the People’s Republic of China. It was posted on Individual.com.

 
Mining blocks granted in 2006–2009

In a July 6 story entitled “More private companies cooperate with Myanmar gov’t in mineral extraction,“ Xinhua News Agency (XNA) included gem and jade mining block grant statistics for the past few years. (Fiscal year 2009–10 figures for jade and gem production in the article did not match those released last month by Burma”s Central Statistical Organization.)

• 2008 and 2009: 5 gems and jade mining blocks, in
  • Shan state’s Mongshu and Namhyar
  • Kachin state’s Moeyin
  • Sagaing division’s Mawhan Mawlu
  • Mandalay division’s Mogok
• 2006 and 2007: Over 500 gems and jade mining blocks

Each block measures one acre (4,000 sq. meters) and normally are leased on a 3-year term.

Because the XNA story combines gem blocks with jade blocks it is difficult to reconcile these latest figures with those that have been reported in the past. Compare and contrast at our Burma Gem Sales and Statistics. [back to top]

Pala at JA New York Summer Show
July 25–28, 2010

Pala International heads to the East Coast later this summer for the trade-only JA New York Summer Show. Stop by to see one of America’s largest selections of fine colored gems.

When: July 25–July 28, 2010
Where: Jacob K. Javits Convention Center
Hours: AGTA Gemstone Section
   Sunday, July 25: 9:30 AM – 6:00 PM
   Monday, July 26: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
   Tuesday, July 27: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
   Wednesday, July 28: 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM

Pala International is in booth 1671. See the JANY website for more information. Visit the Pala International Show Schedule for future events. [back to top]

Pala’s Featured Stones: Mozambique Paraiba
Tourmaline Pair

This month we feature a pair of Mozambique paraiba tourmalines par excellence.

These two beauties were swimming around solo in our inventory for a couple of years until we realized they made a stunning matched pair. As our stock of fine paraibas from Mozambique has dwindled, these seem to find a common bond in size, shape, and that fluorescent glow we come to recognize with these copper-bearing tourmalines.

Bonded: Paraiba tourmaline from Mozambique; right, 6.0 carats, 11.35 x 10.71 x 7.47 mm.; left, 5.53 carats, 11.23 x 10.81 x 7.04 mm. (Photo: Mia Dixon)

Right along with our stock, the actual deposit in Mozambique has been drying up quickly. Numerous sources report only small, included pieces of rough being found on the outskirts of the main paraiba ore lens. Just as Mother Nature assembled this particular variety of tourmaline into a small deposit, we have brought together two of the finest paraibas in a gorgeous bond.

See our selection of paraibas here. Read more about the Mozambique deposit here.

Interested? Call or email us to inquire. [back to top]

Research Roundup

Some research reports of note from recent weeks…

Gübelin Gem Lab, it its Newsletter #30, states: “With 80+ years of experience testing the world’s most unique gemstones and jewellery, the Gubelin lab is pretty hard to impress.” Impressed it was by two items that were subsequently written up for Gems & Gemology’s Spring 2010 “Gem News International” section.

The first was a 41.54-carat brownish greenish yellow brilliant-cut diamond, which revealed a cuboid phantom cloud, remarkably visible via optical microscopy. High concentrations of hydrogen are typically responsible for such a growth. Not only is the growth of interest, but the stone itself is thought to be the second largest of its kind, after the 61-carat “Eye of the Tiger.”

Cuboid cloud. A 5-mm.-wide phantom cloud is clearly visible using dark-field illumination. (Photomicrograph: Pierre Hardy, Gübelin Gem Lab)

The second unusual item—while not really relevant to Research Roundup—was a decorative prayer rug made of 27,104 gemstones with a reported total carat weight of greater than 14,000, plus just under 16 kg. of 18-karat gold. Owner Kathryn Bonanno told the lab that the tapestry, which is of a 1980s–1990s French vintage, took ten years for cutting and assembly. Diamonds, emeralds, rubies, and blue, pink and yellow sapphires were employed. [back to top]

 
GAAJ-ZENHOKYO has overhauled its website—a welcome move—but now requires free login to access research reports. No biggie…

With “Sapphire in various colours filled with lead-glass,” GAAJ adds to the volume of reporting on the subject of glass filling. The lab saw, for the first time in its experience, sapphires in various color—pink, pale green, pale yeloow, and colorless—set in a necklace. This differed from treated material previously examined: ruby, black star sapphire, and blue sapphire.

Magnification revealed flash effect (except in the colorless pieces) and flattened glass bubbles. One of the new website’s click-and-zoom photomicrographs (see figure 2) reveals a spectacular view of both indicators. (For more eye candy, visit the site’s Inclusions Gallery.) Compositional and x-ray radiographical analysis confirmed the presence of lead and the extent of glass distribution.

If the former report has an air of familiarity about it, “Iridescent Nuumite” is a bit more exotic. The trade name, Nuummite, means “derived from Nuuk” in Greenlandic, owing to its discovery near the commune by that name in southwestern Greenland. It is a mixture of two orthoamphibole group minerals, anthophyllite and gedrite, and the irridescent material, according to GAAJ, can be found in New England and, more recently in Mauritania. It’s this latter material that was studied by GAAJ.

Because amphibole is a major rock-forming mineral group, its chemical composition has a wide range. According to the report, more than 60 varieties are known; thus ordinary gemological testing for identification gave way to laboratory techniques, which are described along with the findings.

Gems & Gemology mentions of nuumite are listed here. GAAJ claims that the first gemological report on the stone was on a “new gem material from Greenland” in G&G in 1987 (Vol. 23, No. 1, pp. 36–42). But the material is described as “the oldest mineral in existence” by metaphysicians, amongst whom the stone appears to be quite popular. [back to top]

 
Cultured Pearls

Both Gemlab and SSEF last month issued reports on cultured pearls masquerading as natural. As the demand for natural pearls has grown, large quantities of pearls purported to be natural have been sent to the labs for certification. They are characterized by a perfect appearance outside and by the absence of any structure under radiography, or by an internal structure that is convincing—or at least confusing.

One theory is that cultured pearls are being bought in quantity and then x-rayed; those that pass the test are then marketed as natural. Such a situation poses challenges for the labs, and SSEF and Gemlab take you through cutting-edge technical methodology in order to make determinations. Sometimes the conclusion is impossible, but the development of new identification techniques is on a parallel path with the designs of those who would want to outsmart the detectives. See:

• “A Difficult New Type of Cultured Pearl Entering the Market” from Gemlab’s Gemnotes, Vol. 1, No. 1
• “‘Keshi’ cultured pearls are entering the natural pearl market” from SSEF Newsletter May 2010, and an Addendum
  • See also SSEF’s Michael Krzemnicki’s presentation on x-ray micro computed tomography for an overview of the procedure

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New Trial Date Set for “Bahia” Emerald

Postponement to July 12 in complicated case

Note: The following press release was issued by the law firm of Greene Broillet & Wheeler, LLP, on May 6, 2010. The complexity of the case is demonstrated by its title, in boldface below, which involves seven named parties in two filings.

Languishing in jail. “Bahia” Emerald gets its day in court. (Photo: L.A. County Sheriff)

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Today, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge John A. Kronstadt ordered a new trial date in the dispute over who owns the Bahia Emerald, which at 840 pounds is said to be the world’s largest raw emerald. The trial, originally scheduled to begin on May 10, 2010, has now been set for July 12, 2010. Until the dispute is resolved, the Bahia Emerald remains in custody with the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department. [Case title:] Ken Conetto By Eric Kitchen His Attorney In Fact (Petitioner) vs. Kit Morrison and Todd Armstrong (Respondents); Mark Downie (Intervenors) vs. Eric Kitchen et al., Kit Morrison and Todd Armstrong (Respondents), Case No. BS118649.

Respondents Kit Morrison, Todd Armstrong, Jerry Ferrara, FM Holdings, Inc. and Market Link, Inc. contend that they have legal title to the Bahia Emerald. They also claim that they have an equitable claim to title as bona fide purchasers of the Bahia Emerald based on their payment of $1.3 million based for the Bahia Emerald.

Browne Greene with the Santa Monica, CA, law firm of Greene Broillet & Wheeler (www.greene-broillet.com) and Daniel K. Balaban and Andrew J. Spielberger with the Santa Monica, CA, law firm of Balaban & Spielberger (www.balaban-spielberger.com) represent Respondents Kit Morrison, Todd Armstrong, Jerry Ferrara, FM Holdings, Inc., and Market Link, Inc.

For background on the case, see:

• Bad Luck “Bahia”? on Palagems.com 3/18/09
• “Bahia” Emerald: The Movie on Palaminerals.com 10/5/09

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Burma Bits

Fiscal Year Stats Show Dismal Decline

Spinel. The only stone to show increased production last year. This orange-pink variety is a scrumptious example. Inventory #18049. (Photo: Mia Dixon)

Total gemstone production in Burma declined for the second straight year and, compared with Fiscal Year 2005–06, was down by 60 percent. Only two statistical sectors saw increases: spinel and pearls.

• Jade: 22% decrese (vs. 63% increase last year)
• Ruby: 7% decrease (vs. 20% increase last year)
• Sapphire: 15% decrease (vs. 400% increase last year)
• Spinel: 18% increase (vs. 41% decrease last year)
• Peridot: 64% decrease (vs. 20% decrease last year)
• Pearls: 14% increase (vs. 11% decrease last year)
• Total Gemstones: 40% decrease (vs. 17% decrease last year)

For the actual figures, see Pala’s Burma Gem Sales and Statistics. [back to top]
 

Special Emporium Slated for June–July;
March Emporium Stats Announced

Burma is slated to hold a special gems emporium in Yangon sometime in late June through early July, according to a May 17 story by Xinhua News Agency. The auction will be held in the Myanmar Convention Center.

Sources quoted by Xinhua stated that the 47th Annual Myanma Gems Emporium held in March garnered over €400 million, or $496 million, from the sale of “nearly 7,000 jade lots and gems.”

Last year’s spring auction brought in $191 million, but the figure was attributed to jade sales only, by Associated Press.

Stella luna. Like a midsummer blue moon (by any definition), this star peridot is quite rare, yet affordable. The 4.31-ct round cab from Burma displays a 4-rayed star and floating light. Inventory #14836. (Photo: Mia Dixon)

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Bite-Sized Bits

• Xinhua: Brief profile of jade and emerald trade being conducted by Burma expatriates in Yunnan, China
• Washington Times: Obama has yet to appoint special Burma envoy per JADE Act provision
• The Irrawaddy: Obama to appoint envoy soon
• The Irrawaddy: Congress moves to renew sactions; Obama’s Burma policy under review
• Myanmar Times: Ruby Mart shopping center, which will be run by the Union of Myanmar Economic Holdings Limited, is scheduled to open in June, and will run its own outlets and rent out the rest

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Pala at Las Vegas – June 3–7, 2010

It’s almost time to for the JCK Las Vegas show. Pala International will be there in force, with one of America’s largest selections of fine colored gems.

Note: The JCK Show this year runs Friday through Monday. The AGTA Pavilion still opens one day early—Thursday, June 3—before the main JCK Show.

When: June 3–7, 2010
Where: Venetian Hotel Grand Ballroom adjacent to the Sands Expo & Convention Center, Las Vegas, NV
Hours: AGTA Gemstone Section
   Thursday, June 3: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
   Friday, June 4 to Sunday, June 6:
      9:30 AM – 6:00 PM
   Monday, June 7: 9:30 AM – 4:00 PM
Booth: AGTA Pavilion, booth 34308

See also this notice from AGTA about the GemFair. We look forward to seeing our many friends there. Visit the Pala International Show Schedule for future events. [back to top]

Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines – June 24–27, 2010

Pala International’s Bill Larson, Will Larson, Carl Larson, and friend and fellow gem dealer Mark Kaufman will attend this event this year, held in the midst of the Alsace wine region of northeastern France.

See Bill’s report from the 2009 show to get a taste. The Euro-Gem theme this year is “De la pierre brute au bijou” (From rough stone to jewel). L’Espace Prestige in the Theatre will feature a Mineral Treasury of Slovenia, specimens from La Gardette Mine (famous for quartz), Mineralogy in Brittany, and Minerals and Philately—a Combined Passion.

What: Euro-Mineral/Euro-Gem
When: June 24–27, 2010
Where: Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines, France

We look forward to seeing you there.

Axinite from Bourg d’Oisans, site of La Gardette Mine. This specimen is available, Inventory #8135. (Photo: John McLean)

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Gary Roskin’s Baselworld Report

Photo: Gary Roskin

Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines isn’t the only European venue of note, of course. Baselworld, The World Watch and Jewellery Show, also attracts a huge following.

Gary Roskin, of The Roskin Gem News Report, was there in March. Many factors affect attendance and business at these shows, and Roskin captures the ups and downs. See the report here. (It will be archived here.)

Roskin told us to be on the watch in the next few days for his own look at Mozambique ruby, which we cover below. [back to top]

Pala’s Featured Stone: Golden Tourmaline
from Mozambique

This month we feature an unexpected tourmaline from Mozambique. Along with the discovery of paraiba-type tourmaline, and the amazing spectrum of neon colors, a few other unique colors have surfaced as well. This golden tourmaline exhibits a dominantly yellow hue with a kiss of orange. A gemologist may even be puzzled to site-ID this gem, which hints at chrysoberyl, golden beryl, sapphire, and zircon. A chameleon of sorts for the inquisitive eye of a collector. A perfect jewel, precisely faceted, to round out a tourmaline collection or as a centerpiece for a one-of-a-kind design.

Golden tourmaline from Mozambique, 11.19 carats, 15.01 x 12.08 x 9.31 mm., Inventory #15868. (Photo: Jason Stephenson)

See other tourmalines from Mozambique:

• Multi-colored
• Neon colors

Interested? Select the inventory number above, call, or email us to inquire. [back to top]

Continued Discussion on Rubies from Mozambique,
with History of Treatments

Hybrids Hit Market

The Montepuez ruby deposit, first discovered in spring of 2009, started producing many rubies that made their way in to Gemological Institute of America (GIA) laboratories in Bangkok as well as other labs. Many natural rubies showed up first, but they were quickly followed by treated ones. The treated rubies were initially described being similar to the Mong Hsu rubies from Burma in that they were found to be flux heated with healed fissures or flux-assisted partial-fissure-healing (FAPFH). Upon further investigation these new rubies were also found to have glass filled fissures (GFF). No lead or bismuth was found in the fissures—if there were they would be classified as lead glass filled fissures (LGFF)—but the presence of glass still puts this material into a much less desirable category with durability issues. Application of heat, chemicals, or simple abrasion by a jeweler, dealer, or consumer can affect the integrity of the ruby, creating a need for full disclosure of treatments.* This need resulted in new nomenclature by GIA in March of 2010, disclosing a combination of healed and filled fissures, no matter what the origin.

*Because it is a poison, lead in LGFF also raises safety concerns, but not to the wearer. Jewelers that use a torch on material containing lead may be at risk. Obviously such a safety concern warrants adequate disclosure.

Glass filled and healed fissure in Mozambique ruby. According to Vincent Pardieu of GIA Laboratory Bangkok, who took this photomicrograph (40x magnification, dark field illumination; larger view here), the hair-like curved vertical line on the upper right side indicates where this ruby’s fissure meets the surface of the stone. The line’s unbroken appearance means that the fissure is not healed. Just below the surface the fissure is filled and it is possible to see devitrification features (straight, needle-like lines) and small round features (gas bubbles). Deeper inside the fissure, on the left side, the fingerprint- and honeycomb-like figures indicate where some healing took place. See Figure 11 of the lab’s report for another view of these features. (Photo: Vincent Pardieu, GIA Laboratory Bangkok)

American Gemological Laboratories (AGL) also looked at the ruby treatment. Because of the absence of lead, AGL likened the treatment to that of “glass-filled” rubies seen in the early-to-mid-1990s.

History of Ruby Treatments

Glass filling was first reported in Thai/Cambodian ruby and sapphire in the early 1980s, followed by rubies coming out of the Morogoro region of Tanzania and to a lesser extent from Mogok, Burma. In the early 1990s translucent Mong Hsu ruby rough from Burma was transformed into transparent gems through the FAPFH process. Temperatures up to 1850° C and molten flux allowed for the ruby surfaces (alumina) and fissures to recrystallize, incorporating the flux to create an enhanced clarity leaving partially healed fissures.

By 2004 a new batch of LGFF had been identified from Andilamena, Madagascar. This material had good shape and color, but was heavily fissured, leaving openings for the glass filling. The discovery of ruby in Winza, Tanzania in 2007 was followed by two new deposits in Mozambique: Niassa in 2008 and Montepuez in 2009. It turned out that the best unheated ruby was coming from Niassa, but the bulk of the rough was being treated by LGFF. The Montepuez material was mainly being treated by the FAPFH process with a mixture of borax and silica.

Main difference between FAPFH and LGFF/GFF:

• FAPFH – Fissures are “healed” closed by synthesis and are stable after surface glass has been removed
• GFF & LGFF – Fissures are simply filled, causing the unstable filling to break down over time

Further Information

See the following reports and news releases.

• GIA Laboratory, Bangkok: FAPFH/GFF Treated Ruby from Mozambique – A preliminary report; the report also references the Laboratory Manual Harmonisation Committee’s Information Sheets 1 and 3
• American Gemological Laboratories: New Ruby Treatment Policy and FAQs regarding the policy

For more information on ruby from Mozambique, see

• Last month’s Research Roundup from Pala International
• SSEF Facette No. 17, p. 5: New rubies from Montepuez, Mozambique

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