ISG at Tucson 2011: Lab Update Invitation

This is a reprint of an announcement from Robert James of the International School of Gemology:

 

The ISG would like to extend an open invitation to all members of the industry to attend our ISG Lab Update seminar at the Hotel Arizona on Friday, 4 February. We have important new information on a variety of issues and topics that you will need to know in the upcoming year. The ISG Lab Update is free to the industry and includes a free continental breakfast and/or coffee and drinks. We promise to be finished in time for you to return to your booth in time for the show start. Here is the schedule on Friday morning, 4 February at the Hotel Arizona:

0730hrs – 0800hrs Continental Breakfast and Coffee     

    

0800hrs – 0830hrs  “The GL Gem Spectrometer and Advanced Gem Testing” presented by Wolf Kuehn, Canadian Institute of Gemmology. Come learn about the most important advancements in gemological testing and technology in decades from one of the industry authorities in gemology and gemological testing.

0830hrs – 0840hrs Coffee Break

0840hrs – 0930hrs ISG Lab Updates: An Evaluation of Abduriyim’s Andesine Reports, New Images of Dyefused Tourmaline, Tanzanite, and more…

 

 

 

Damage Evaluations Europe

 

The ISG is the only gemology school in the world that offers licensed insurance professionals who provide services to the world wide insurance industry. Come here about the latest work by the ISG staff regarding major diamond claims investigations in the US and Europe.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Evaluation of Abduriyim's Tibet Andesine

 

Based on our www.TibetAndesine.com website, come get the inside evaluation of the claimed "Tibet andesine" reports by Abduriyim and the GAAJ. We use grass roots methods up to advanced analytical techniques to shine an insurance investigation light on this story of Tibet andesine and the people behind it.

 

Paraiba Tourmaline? We Don't Think So 

 

 The Lab Manual Harmonization Committee says the stone at left can be called a "Paraiba tourmaline". Come see just how this stone is treated and decide for yourself whether the LMHC decision was in the best interest of the industry.

 

 

 

 

 Why So Many Cheap Tanzanites?

 

If you are wondering why there appears to be so many cheap tanzanites suddenly on the market, we have the answer. Don't miss this look at the dyefusion of yellow zoisite in order to artificially create many of those tanzanites you are seeing on the market.

 

 

 

 

 

 ISG Presentation: The Story of Andesine

 

At the Third Annual ISG Reception on Friday night we will have a special presentation display of The Story of Andesine. This special presentation will let you get a first hand view of just what this andesine thing is all about. And its not just about andesine, but rather how the industry will handle this kind of thing in the future. Don't miss this one time opportunity to see the actual specimens used to expose this fiasco, and some grass roots methods you can use to identify these and other treated gemstones for yourself. The ISG Reception is free to the industry.

 

 

3rd Annual ISG Industry Reception ........and

The First & Last ISG Andesine Exposition (we hope)
Friday 4 February 1800hrs until we float the keg     Hotel Arizona

Join us for free food and drinks, and meet the ISG Community. We will have our special Andesine Exposition to display the actual specimens to show you what this whole andesine thing has been all about. Special door prizes and fun will be had all night. This year we have the Polygon members joining us which promises to make this the most fun ISG Reception ever! Don’t miss it.

This is going to be the biggest year ever for the ISG at Tucson crowds and events. Please be early to the activities to insure we get started on time.

 

We look forward to seeing everyone at Tucson. Travel Safe. Bon Voyage!

 

Robert James

President, International School of Gemology

 

Having problems seeing the images? Click here to see this page in the ISG Community Forums.

 

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Final Gemfrance Update: Dr. Laurent Sikirdji requested the opportunity to post a rebuttal/response to our report on his Congo andesine here in this newsletter. We agreed to publish his response in its entirety here today. We never received this rebuttal/response from him. We consider the matter closed as far as our office is concerned.

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Andesine - The Final Chapter

Probably the most significant presentation at the 2010 Tucson Gem Show was from Robert James of the International School Of Gemology.

You may remember that Mr James claimed at the 2009 Tucson Gem Show that the recent flood of Red Andesine was instead treated Feldspar...his report started a rumble in the Industry that has resulted in a trip to the "mine" - lawsuits - the discrediting of an Olympic Games collectible gemstone (did you buy the Chinese Andesine Olympic Gems from DSN as natural?)...and now in 2010 Robert James was back with his latest report "Andesine - The Final Chapter".

This event was attended by a virtual who's who of the gemology field, US feldspar miners, luminaries of the international mining industry and some reporters we haven't seen in quite some time...

I am not going to repeat the information - just give you some of the high points.

Have I peaked your interests? If you are interested in seeing how Robert James and the ISG research team came to these conclusions...complete with emails from the Mongolian Mining Office, see below.

A DVD of the presentation is available from the ISG (proceeds will support future research by ISG). To purchase a copy from the ISG click here.

ISG: Tucson Seminar Invitation

Photos and Text Courtesy of Robert James at the ISG

Grain Boundary Diffusion of Gemstones: Tucson Seminar!

On Friday, 6 February from 1500hrs to 1630hrs, the International School of Gemology will hold a special free seminar at the Hotel Arizona in Tucson Arizona on the Grain Boundary Diffusion of Transition Metals in Gemstones. This seminar will present the results of our 14 month study of this unique gemstone treatment by the ISG Gem Research Center and its community of gemologists, jewelers, gem dealers, and consumers.

To complete this study the ISG accumulated over 2,200 specimens of rough and faceted gemstones including andesines, tourmalines, topazes, garnets, and diamonds. With over 20,000 total carats of gemstone study specimens this is the largest gemological investigation of its type ever undertaken regarding the identification of a gemstone treatment.

The study took two separate paths of investigation in order to provide the most comprehensive evaluation of the grain boundary diffusion of transition metals in gemstones. The first was to accumulate a full complement of study specimens and have those specimens evaluated by independent scientific laboratories using LA-ICP-MS, SEM, SIMS, XRF and XRD technology. The second was the ISG in-house study of the specimens using the Enwave Raman Microscope, Vis-IR Spectroscopy, and additional gemological tests including magnetism and a wide array of microphotograph inspections of the internal characteristics of the specimens.

Based on the above the ISG has successfully identified the grain boundary diffusion of gemstones, and will present our scientific evidence including a slide show presentation of the microphotographs at the Tucson seminar.

Also at this seminar we will present several diagnostic gemological tests that can be performed by home town jewelers and gemologists to identify this treatment without the need for local jewelers to incur the high costs of advanced evaluations. These tests have been developed by the ISG through the use of the independent lab results and in-house research to formulate these diagnostic tests.

The ISG believes the grain boundary diffusion of transition metals in gemstones has been an ongoing process in the industry for a number of years. It is a viable treatment that produces permanent results, beautiful gemstones, and makes available to the market a much larger number of gemstones than would otherwise be available. As a result the ISG is making available both training and marketing support to the Thai dealers in an effort to expand the acceptance of this gemstone treatment, and to provide consumers world wide with proper disclosure.

The ISG Gem Research Center is a grass roots level organization comprised and supported by home town independent retail jewelers, gemologists, independent gemstone dealers, and consumers located around the world. The ISG has students and graduates in 55 countries world wide, and is the only gemological school that provides training in both gemology and jewelry appraisal.

Please direct any inquiries to the ISG office at 210-877-5816 or http://us.f319.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=ISG@SchoolofGemology.com

Robert James FGA, GGPresident, International School of Gemology