Rubies and Sapphires Part II - New Challenges
New Challenges
Challenge #1: Beryllium Diffusion
For many years, corundum has been heat-treated to enhance color. Heat-treatment is a stable and common practice and thus was not required to be disclosed. Every sapphire or ruby that is sold without being declared as 'non-heat-treated' is heat-treated.
Within the past few years a new treatment was seen in the world gem market. Particularly in Thailand, strikingly colored sapphires and rubies were available at a bargain price. As a gem buyer, adhering to the "if it sounds too good to be true, it is" adage is crucial. Gem cutters and buyers immediately began sending these 'great deals' to labs to be tested. A new treatment was being used to enhance the color of corundum that was similar to heat-treatment.
Beryllium diffusion is a process which infuses the surface of the corundum with Beryllium under high heat. The process is stable as long as it is performed correctly. It is detectable under magnification (if you know what you are looking for) and at gem laboratories. The corundum treated with beryllium diffusion sells for a lower price and should be declared to the buyer at the time of sale.
Beautiful pink, orange and yellow sapphires are available in all sizes and shapes. The cost of these treated sapphires are far less than the untreated gems. However, the big difference in prices is in the ruby market. Rubies that are treated with this method are very difficult to detect. The price of ruby makes it extremely important to be able to determine if the gem has been treated before purchasing the ruby.
Our main sapphire cutter is one of our best friends in the industry and he always tests his gems. Even knowing that his integrity is beyond reproach, we still check every gem we buy to be certain that we know what we are buying and selling. After all, he could have a bad day and accidentally miss a treated sapphire or ruby.
Some of the sapphires we purchased recently are beryllium diffused. In dealing with these gems we discovered that the treatment is stable and does not react to the average level of heat used in repairs and cleaning. We have not purchased any beryllium diffused rubies. As usual, we disclose any new, common or uncommon treatments of any gemstones we sell. Any questions about gems or treatments we can discuss at whatever length and depth you would like to go into for however long you can stand it.
Challenge #2: The Tsunami
The past 9 months in the jewelry industry have been difficult. Many people and parts of the jewelry industry are gone. Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Thailand and other areas are sources of silver jewelry and gems that have been decimated. I was shocked and saddened to discover that 2 families we purchased Indonesian jewelry from for years are gone and no one knows anything about them. I still have not learned if they are okay. I am holding out hope that I will see them again at a jewelry show. The impact of the tsunami cannot be overstated, it was devastating.
As a result of cutting centers and gem rough being lost, many gem cutters began cutting their remaining gem rough for weight. Cutting for weight means cutting a piece of rough for the largest gem possible. The problem with cutting for weight is that beauty and color is sacrificed. Buying well-cut, nicely colored, inclusion-free gems this year has been very difficult.
As the gem industry recovers from the tsunami, I expect the balance of size vs. beauty will return. We have plenty of beautiful sapphire and ruby inventory, but the ease of simply ordering in a gem of any color and size overnight has been somewhat diminished.
If any of our clients have special requests for rubies or sapphires in particular sizes, colors and prices, I highly recommend that you pass them along to us as soon as possible. It is taking our corundum cutter a longer period of time to fill our special requests.
In the meantime, stop in our shop and see the beautiful pink sapphires in every shade that Peter has set this month! And a new blue sapphire and blue diamond ring that Peter says, "has training wheels."