Fracture Filled Diamonds

Fracture Filled Diamonds,

A colleague and I were discussing the changes in the local jewelry industry and the subject of clarity enhancement and disclosure came up.

There were print adds being ran about large diamonds at very low prices with stated color and clarity. At the bottom of the add and it almost mircosopic sized print laid the phrase ‘Clarity Enhanced’

The words "Clarity Enhanced" might lead you to believe that a diamond has been polished really well to enhance its brilliance, but I'll bet the words "Fracture Filled" woke you up! The terms clarity enhanced and fracture filled tend to be used synonymously, but should be disclosed to the consumer in writing as "clarity enhanced / fracture filled".

The process for fracture filling diamonds was developed in 1982 by Israeli inventor and diamond cutter Zvi Yehuda, and involves filling cracks in diamonds with molten glass to improve their clarity. Fracture filled diamonds did not begin to appear in the market in substantial quantities until the 1990's.

It is important to note that many diamonds contain minute internal "cracks" that do not pose a threat to the integrity or life span of the diamond. Retailers frequently refer to cracks as "feathers" because the term is less disturbing to their customers... We simple prefer to call a tree a tree and call a crack a crack…

Diamonds will a range of sizes of cracks and cavities (surface indentations) can be filled usually a molten lead type glass and it can vastly improve the apparent clarity…the actually clarity is not known unless the filler is completely removed…usually stones in the Included range and borderline industrial range are most likely candidates for fracture filling.

The only advantage of purchasing a fracture filled is getting a larger ‘cleaner’ looking diamond at a low price.

What are the disadvantages of buying a fracture filled diamond? The GIA Gem Trade Laboratory (GTL) conducted an extensive study of fracture filled diamonds and published their results in the Fall 1994 issue of Gems & Gemology Magazine. The GIA scientists concluded that "prolonged exposure - or numerous short exposures - to commonly employed cleaning methods may sometimes damage filling substances." In addition, it was determined that "repolishing of jewelry and repair procedures involving direct exposure to heat (such as re-tipping of prongs) may damage and partially remove the filler from such treated diamonds.”

If the price of an unfilled diamond seems too good to be true it probably is. Large reputable gem labs such as GIA, AGTA, EGL, and HRD are trained to detect clarity enhancements and they may or may not issue a certificate because these diamonds cannot be clarity graded and this treatment is NOT PERMANENT.

If you are uncertain as to whether a diamond has been clarity enhanced / fracture filled, we recommend you have it examined by a qualified Graduate Gemologist who is not affiliated with the store you are dealing with.

The Website Unveiling

Premier Gems LTD. is excited to announce the launch of its website!

Please visit us today at http://www.premiergems.ca

Feel free to comment on any suggestions for the site.

Public Relations

Hello Everyone,

It has come to our attention that certain companies are being dishonest in their business relationships.

At Premier Gems LTD. we strive to be transparent in all aspects of our business. All too often, especially in the gem and jewellery business, suppliers, employees of companies, miners, rough brokers etc, are treated disrespectfully and sometimes in a condescending manner. If you are a client of such a company you may seem oblivious to this double standard.

We are currently developing a testimonial section of our website which will combine all aspects of our relations including retail clients, employees, wholesale clients, suppliers, appraisal clients and brokerage clients. Our relationships with everyone in this industry will only prosper because we thrive on treating our business partners with respect and dignity.

Sincerely,

Jeff W. Nechka

President

Premier Gems LTD.

August...the month of the Ugly Birthstone

For those of you with this lackluster gem as your birthstone (August), or horoscope month (Leo), or this just happens to be your sixteenth wedding anniversary, there is relief. Unfortunately there is no other birthstone designation...but Peridot can be very beautiful, let me prove it.

Once thought be be emerald during the times of Cleopatra in Egypt. If Peridot was mistaken for emerald during these ancient times; do you really think that it was the color of the washed out pale yellow green that is all so common in most jewelry establishments? Cleopatra the ruler of Egypt would have possessed the finest jewelry and gemstones. I could assure you that anything that would not meet a discerning rulers eye would not be admired or adorn.

So does such a Peridot exist, a stone rivaling that of fine emerald? Peridot was once mistaken for emerald is is referred to a evening emerald, night emerald and bastard emerald.

Peridot can approach the pure hue medium to medium dark green of fine emerald, but will never have a blue tint which is observed in fine emerald. Why is this? Peridot is colored by iron and gems that are colored by iron usually have a brownish or yellowish mask. Fine Emerald is colored by chromium a special element that allows the stone to glow a rich slightly bluish green, especially in ultraviolet light (sunlight).

The Peridot most likely observed by H.R.M. Cleopatra was of a medium to medium dark pure green hue with perhaps the very slightest trace of yellow. I have seen this material occurring in Pakistan/Afghanistan, and in Ethiopia. The color of this material catches your attention, if you are a fan of green, and it is almost indescribable.

So is this material Rare?

Fine Peridot described above is easily seen in very large crystals, so it is common, but there is far less of this fine quality when compared to the pale yellowish green material pumped out of Arizona and China.

Why Doesn't my jeweler have the fine quality?

Probably because your local jeweler does not know it exists, most jewelers are not trained gemologists and will rely on their ego or what good suppliers tell them to be true. Also, the fine material is priced 3-5 times higher than the commercial grade, if your a mass market jeweler price and the bottom line means everything.

Today the general public is much more discerning and demanding of fine quality. Many other products are produced mass market and fine gemstones are a fashionable way to make a statement. With fine quality gems your not only making a statement your also investing in a gem that will become a rare treasure or possibly antique in the future.

Paraiba Tourmaline from Mozambique will it have the same fate as alexandrite?

Two years ago a new find of blue, violet, purple and red tourmaline was discovered in Mozambique, known as Paraiba Tourmaline. Upon heat treatment at fairly low temperatures, 900C, this stone turned a vibrant turquoise. However, too much heat or two little will turn the gems colorless and almost worthless, there is no room for error and vast fortunes can be made or lost on the process.

Like Tanzanite 99.9% of all Paraiba Tourmaline is heat treated to bring out the spectacular neon hue.

In the past two years prices have soared from 100us/Gram for rough material to well over 5,000us/Gram for fine quality rough today. Once cut these gems can bring prices upwards of 10,000.00US wholesale. Can this high price be justified? I believe it can because the mines are depleted and there is very little rough around. Several gems went straight to Brazil,where the stone was first discovered, to support the tourist market. Today in Brazil the gem is found very seldom, in small sizes and in low quality. Many jewelry retailers and gem dealers may say that there is still an abundance of Paraiba around, but it is simply not true. I have spoke with many miners and brokers from Mozambique and they all say that very small sizes and included stones are recovered.

You may be asking 'Why haven't I seen this stone at my local jeweler?' The reason being is that most retailers are very conservative, looking out for their bottom line, and prefer to stick with main stay gems such as ruby, sapphire, emerald, and of course diamond.

If you have a chance to witness the gem in person do not just glance but admire the beauty and rarity of the stone. If you are fortunate enough to own one you will have a gem rarer than rubies, emeralds and sapphires combined. When something unusual in the colored stone market arises it is usually for a brief time.


(Picture courtesy of Premier Gems LTD)