Our industry has a real problem with proper disclosure and representation of gem materials. Mother Nature does not create finished gems, so we have always had to shape and polish gem materials to make them beautiful and suitable for jewelry. Along with the process of cutting and polishing, we’ve learned how to enhance these raw materials for color, clarity, and durability. The problem comes when sellers don’t educate their customers about these various enhancements or worse, when they use weasel words to imply that relatively common enhanced gem materials are rare and valuable. The current marketing of coated “Paraiba Topaz” can only damage the already battered image of the gem industry. For some good photos and a discussion of this issue, read our blog “Paraiba Topaz-No MIne Exists“
james l. sweaney cga fga. gg
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