Matlins Talks Ruby on Good Morning America - Nov. 3rd

Antoinette Matlins to Appear on ABC’s Good Morning America
Tune in to Good Morning America on Tuesday, November 3, when internationally respected gem and jewelry expert, author and lecturer Antoinette Matlins will expose the truth about controversial ruby composites being sold across the country. Is that a natural ruby you purchased or is it a composite? Learn more about what composites are and how to identify them.

...this is sure to be information you need to make your buying trip to the Tucson Gem Show a success! composite, enhanced, fissure-filled...this and more are covered in Ms. Matlin's informative Free Seminar at the AGTA GemFair.

Gem ID – Parts I and II hands-on (3 hour extended session, ends at 4:00)

Antoinette Matlins, Gemstone Press (Graham room)

Basic-Advanced. (Part I not required to benefit from Part II. Part II is not required to complete Part 1). These non-technical, half-day workshops demonstrate how to use simple, portable instruments to quickly and easily identify colored gemstones typically seen in the jewelry market, and detect many treatments, and spot many fakes and synthetics. Techniques to screen for HPHT-treated diamonds and surface-coated diamonds and gemstones are also covered. Even gemologists can benefit from time-saving tips. These techniques and tools will reduce risk and increase confidence when buying away from your store, office, or in the field. Class size limited. (First-come, first-served, limited attendance.)

Always a great source for information:

GEM IDENTIFICATION MADE EASY,

4TH EDITION

A Hands-On Guide to More Confident Buying & Selling

by Antoinette Matlins, P.G.,

& Antonio C. Bonanno, F.G.A., A.S.A., M.G.A.

The key to avoiding costly mistakes and recognizing profitable opportunities is knowing both what to look for and what to look out for.

Tools Make You Smart - Don't Be Duped!

One important step before going to the Tucson Gem Show is gathering some important tools together and learning to use them efficiently the following email came from Gemstone Press today and I thought I would pass it on. Gemstone Press usually provides at least one seminar at the AGTA GemFair show. They are an excellent source for books, info, workshops and tools of the trade.

When you go to buy colored gemstones today, you will find yourself immersed in color—every hue, every shade of the spectrum. There has never been a more exciting time to search for a colored gem because there have never been so many beautiful gemstones to choose from. Yet at the same time, there have never been so many imitations, synthetics, and perhaps even worse, artificially enhanced gemstones treated by techniques that produce temporary results.

Today you will find “new” gems discovered in the past few decades: emerald-green garnets (tsavorite), blue and green tanzanite, and “neon” tourmalines from Paraiba, Brazil, in blue and green shades never seen before. Even natural-color diamonds can be found today in a rainbow of natural “fancy” colors, some at very “fancy” prices. But you can also be duped into buying convincing “look-alikes,” such as Paraiba-color apatite (a genuine stone, but not a rare gem such as Paraiba tourmaline), or a “fancy-color diamond” that has been coated on the underside to appear a lovely fancy color when it is not. (This is of major concern when buying pavé jewelry pieces set with numerous small stones that lack laboratory documentation.) Surface-coated diamonds and surface-coated gemstones (such as tanzanite) are being found with increasing frequency. It is further complicated because such gems are sold not only by unscrupulous sellers, but also by manufacturers, designers, and jewelers who inadvertently buy them and sell them to others unknowingly. Don’t be lured into thinking you’re getting a great bargain at a low price—where gems are concerned, you usually get what you pay for, or less!

The more you know, the more you’ll enjoy searching for lovely colored gemstones. Whatever color you prefer, and whatever your budget, there is a sparkling natural gem awaiting your discovery. If you are seeking an emerald-green stone but can’t afford a fine emerald, you have many wonderful choices today, including green garnet (tsavorite), green tourmaline, chrome diopside, or green tanzanite. If red is your color but you can’t afford a ruby, you might choose from red spinel, red tourmaline, or red garnet. Finally, if you prefer blue, choices now include blue spinel, iolite, tourmaline, and tanzanite. And we’ve only just begun to scratch the surface.

Just be sure to keep in mind the many ways that gemstones can be treated and imitated, and why it is so important to know how to confirm the identity and quality of what you buy. Learn what questions to ask, what to get in writing on the sales receipt, and how to find a reliable expert to verify your purchases so that you’ll be able to enjoy your gemstones for generations to come. You may also want to consider obtaining a few inexpensive pocket-size tools that are easy to use and require no gemological or technical background. Many people find that examining stones themselves adds more fun, enriches the overall experience, and most importantly, enables them to easily spot most of the fakes. Spending a little extra time to learn what precautions you can take will help you avoid costly mistakes and help you derive lasting pleasure from your purchases.

Gemstone Press Author - Matlins in Tucson 2009

Attending the Tucson Gem Show in February 2009?

Then you do not want to miss renowned author and lecturer Antoinette Matlins when she presents two free three-hour workshops during the famous Tucson Gem Show!

The Tucson Gem Show
The legendary annual gem show in Tucson, Arizona, is arguably the largest and most important colored gemstone event in the world. It’s all here—natural colored gemstones, diamonds, cultured pearls, designer and estate jewelry, crystals and fossils. When a new gemstone is discovered (such as tsavorite in the 1970s), you’ll see it first in Tucson; if a deposit is found in a new place (such as sapphire in Madagascar), you’ll see it first in Tucson; if a gemstone is discovered in a new color (such as the neon shades of Paraiba tourmaline or luscious shades of “Mandarin” garnet), you’ll see it first in Tucson! But you’ll also find every new synthetic and every new treatment in Tucson, often without disclosure. Old and new, good or bad, hot or not, it’s in Tucson. But all of this just adds to the excitement and the thrill of the hunt.

There is nowhere else in the world that attracts so many gemstone buyers and sellers at the same time, in the same city. And it truly takes over the city. Some of the “shows” are open only to the jewelry trade, but many are open to collectors and hobbyists, too. The educational programs offered during this time are popular and well attended.

One of the most prestigious shows—the AGTA GemFair™—takes place from February 4–February 9, 2009. While the show itself is open only to the jewelry trade, the seminars and educational programs are available to all.

GemStone Press, a leading publisher of books on gems and jewelry, will feature author and lecturer Antoinette Matlins during the AGTA GemFair™. Ms. Matlins will be giving two free workshops—one on Friday, February 6, 2009, from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., and the second on Saturday, February 7, 2009, from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Her classes will be held at the Tucson Convention Center, in the Graham Room. The workshops are created to help buyers—especially retailers, designers and those with no gemology or technical background—learn easy ways to quickly spot synthetics, imitations, fracture-filled diamonds, Moissanite and much more. The class is limited to fifty participants so come early to reserve your seat!

Gem Identification—Parts One and Two
(Part one is not a prerequisite for part two.)
Instructor: Antoinette Matlins, GemStone Press
These nontechnical, half-day workshops demonstrate how to use simple, portable instruments to quickly and easily identify colored gemstones typically seen in the jewelry market, detect treatments and spot many fakes and synthetics. Techniques to screen for HPHT-treated diamonds and surface-coated diamonds and gemstones are also covered. Even gemologists can benefit from time-saving tips. Increase confidence when buying away from your store, office or in the field.

Easy Gem Identification: Part One
Friday, February 6, 2009, 1:00 p.m.–4:00 p.m.
Graham Room
Parcels of gemstones and diamonds often contain imitations, synthetics and improperly identified gemstones (such as red spinel being identified as ruby). But most gemstones can be identified easily, and separated from look-alikes, if you know how. This hands-on, nontechnical seminar will provide beginners with skills to identify many gemstones and spot fakes that commonly appear in antique and estate pieces. Gems, jewelry and instruments will be provided for use during the workshop. No gemology, science or technical aptitude needed. This seminar is for beginners but also offers a good brush-up on practical techniques for advanced students and professionals.

Easy Gem Identification: Part Two
Saturday, February 7, 2009, 1:00 p.m.–4:00 p.m.
Graham Room
A beautiful piece of jewelry or a parcel of gemstones can provide a clever guise in which to pass off fakes, synthetics and imitations as “important gemstones.” No one wants to inadvertently buy a synthetic, imitation or common gemstone incorrectly identified as something more valuable. At the same time, some of the rarest and most valuable gems are discovered in old pieces, sometimes overlooked or mistakenly sold as synthetics because they look “too good to be true”! Knowing one from the other is often easy to determine, but many people are intimidated by scientific terms and sophisticated sounding instruments. Learn how easy it is to use some of the most important gem identification tools, including the refractometer, and how useful they can be in helping you avoid costly mistakes or discover valuable treasures. Gems, jewelry and instruments will be provided for use during the workshop. Completion of part one is helpful but not essential. No gemology, science or technical aptitude needed.

Press Release from Gemstone Press at: http://snipurl.com/95gr4 [www_gemstonepress_com]