Category Archives: Diamonds

Gala Book Signing, The French Blue, at The Mount

The crowd assembled in Edith Wharton's parlor just before the reading. In the foreground, Hope and Bob Corneau, parents of R. W. Wise goldsmith, Michael Corneau

Knoshing at The Mount. The table was set in the manshion's beautifully restored dining room

The Dining Room at The Mount as it appears when the historical treasure is open to visitors.

Lenox, November 19th.

reading to an overflowing crowd gathered at The Mount, Edith Wharton’s Lenox summer cottage, actor George Bergen, dressed as the 17th Century adventurer and gem dealer Jean Baptiste Tavernier, Baron of Aubonne, read two chapters from my just published historical novel, The French Blue. The novel, five years in the writing, is a fictionalized version of the six voyages of Tavernier which culminated in the acquisition of the Great Blue Diamond that subsequently became the Hope Diamond.

The evening was, for me, a uniquely satisfying experience. Over the five years it took to write the novel, I read it over many times but, few authors get to sit in an audience and listen to their own work interpreted by a professional to an appreciative audience—I savored every moment. The reading, part of The Mount’s ongoing series of readings, was held in Wharton’s parlor. Wine was served in the grand hall and a tasty selection of hors d’oeuvres was offered in Edith’s beautifully restored dining room.

: Richard Wise with neighbors David and Marty Ekstrom

It was an unusually balmy November evening with temperatures in the 50s and The Mount was beautifully decorated for the event. The agenda including an introduction by Rebekah Wise, a reading of two chapters; The Diver and The Dinner Party by George Bergen and ended with a short Q&A with the author.

I would like to particularly thank Susan Wissler,The Mount’s executive director, who along with her staff, Sarah Kogan, Elaine Roberts, Ross & Nynske Jolly, Megan La Marre and Sam Tomashek, made the evening a memorable one.

The event was recorded by videographer Michael Sinopoli and we hope to have a video of Jean Baptiste Tavernier reading two chapters from the novel, posted on The French Blue website; www.thefrenchblue.com, in the near future (More images). Continue reading →

From The Sun King To The Smithsonian, The Epic Journey of The Hope Diamond

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On a dark night in September of 1792, someone made off with the 69 carat French Blue diamond. Confiscated from King Louis XVI by the revolutionaries of the French National Assembly, the gem, along with the rest of the French Crown Jewels, had been secreted in a royal storehouse for safe keeping. Many of the gems stolen that night were subsequently recovered by the French government. The French Blue was never seen or heard of again.

Read the complete article: HERE

Book Review: American Cut, The First 100 Years by Al Gilbertson

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by Richard W. Wise
©2007

Al Gilbertson, G.G.
The Gemological Institute of America
Paperback, 214 Pages. $29.95

American Cut, The First 100 Years, sets the record straight. Al Gilbertson tells the true story of the development of the ideal cut round brilliant diamond. First, Gilbertson clears away the prevailing myth endlessly repeated by industry writers, including this one, that Marcel Tolkowsky was the first to articulate the proper proportions for fashioning a round brilliant cut diamond.

Gilbertson has done his homework. He traces the origin of a finely cut diamond from its origins in Early European history to a maverick American jeweler by the name of Henry Morse. Morse, a jeweler not a cutter, opened a diamond cutting shop in Boston around 1860. Morse had the idea that improving the cut of a diamond would result in a more beautiful stone and that better looking stones would sell better. This revolutionary concept brought him in direct conflict with his own employees, diamond cutters educated in Europe where cutters were actually fined if they lost too much weight cutting a diamond.

The author makes the point, not unknown to young men shopping for an engagement ring today, that in diamonds, better meant bigger. From earliest times, European monarchs were in competition with one another to own the biggest diamonds. The ownership of a big rock was a status symbol that added luster to a reign not to mention being a highly portable source of ready money. Not everyone agreed, Louis XIV, the biggest gem collector of them all, ordered his jeweler, Pitau to recut the French Blue from a hefty 114 carats to a mere 66, a loss of 41%, simply to improve its sparkle.

Morse has the good luck to hire a fellow named Charles Field, as his shop foreman. Field invented a mechanical diamond bruting machine that replaced the old method of hand rounding, a laborious process of hand rubbing that required weeks to shape a single gem. Morse experimented with a series of cutting angles and by 1870 had discovered crown and pavilion angles that dramatically improved face-up appearance. Morse and Field then invented a gauge to be used by their cutters to achieve the true precursor of modern “ideal cut” round.

There is a whole lot more. Gilbertson takes us right to the present discussing the influence of Tolkowsky and American pioneer gemologists, Frank Wade and GIA founder Robert Shipley. Gilbertson’s own insights into beauty and diamond cutting are of real interest. He was part of the team that researched over 70,000 sets of proportions that led to the new GIA diamond cut evaluation system and knows whereof he speaks.

Profusely illustrated, well researched and thoughtfully written, American Cut, The First 100 Years gives us the real story. It is one of those books that deserve a place of every gemologist’s library. At $29.95 it is a bargain. Order here

Ordered American Cut, The First 100 Years? Still have a few dollars left?

Follow me on gem buying adventures in the pearl farms of Tahiti. Visit the gem fields of Australia and Brazil. 120 carefully selected photographs showing examples of the highest quality gems to educate the eye, including the Rockefeller Sapphire and many more of the world’s most famous gems. Consider my book: Secrets Of The Gem Trade, The Connoisseur’s Guide To Precious Gemstones.

“Wise is a renowned author… He’s
done a marvelous job of this first book, monumental work, a tour de force…My recommendation: Buy this book”.

Charles Lewton-Brain, Orchid

whether you like to know what the best colour is in Tanzanite, or how to grade a Diamond, you will find it in this book. No other book I read before dealt with this topic is such detail as Richard Wise’s masterpiece.”

A. Van Acker, FGA
Amazon June 2005

“Secrets Of The Gem Trade: The Connoisseurs Guide To Precious Gemstones by Richard W. Wise is an impressive new reference for dedicated dealers and collectors of gems, gemstones, and … pearls. Introducing and descriptively exploring each and every gem covered in the easy-to-use reference, Secrets Of The Gem Trade contains an illustrated summary of each stone inclusive of its history and general information, hue and tone, saturation, which may be noticed as the finest, an understanding of the particular gems rarity, and the caution for synthetics and how to depict them, however depending upon the stone there may be description of clarity, color fading, multi-color effect, etc. Secrets Of The Gem Trade is very highly recommended to anyone interested in gemology as a superbly organized, authoritative, comprehensive, and easy-to-follow reference.”

Midwest Book Review
April 2006

Only $37.95. Read a couple of chapters online: www.secretsofthegemtrade.com.

Buy it on Amazon: www.amazon.com

Off to Hong Kong

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by Richard W. Wise

This year I will be doing several projects for Colored Stone Magazine. To begin with I will be writing a market survey piece on the Hong Kong Gem and Jewelry Show. I love Hong Kong; hotels are reasonable, choice of restaurants amazing and the city fairly pulses with life. For those of you who visited Hong Kong a few years ago, things have changed. Remember those cute little umbrellas and those cheap silk embroidered dresses with the slits up the side well forget-about-it-gringo! In Hong Kong today the ladies shop Bally, Cartier and Prada. Believe it or not there are more Prada & Bally stores in Hong Kong than in the entire continental U. S.

The September Hong Kong is one of the big three shows. What goes on in Hong Kong Gem & Jewelry Show often sets the tone for Tucson and Basil. Last year, you’ll recall, I did a blog on pricing of cuprian, aka Mozambique “Paraiba” tourmaline. This year the net will be cast a bit wider.

David Federman has taken over as the helm at Colored Stone. For those who don’t know, David is the gem trade’s premier journalist. He is the author of several books and, without doubt, one of the most knowledgeable people out there. Look for some interesting changes at Colored Stone.

We are still working out the details but I believe you will be seeing my report online at Colored Stone’s website: www.colored-stone.com

I will be making a trip to the gem mines of Colombia in December and following up with a piece on old mine emeralds later in the year and with luck teaming up with that globe trotting French gemologist, Vincent Pardieu, for another series on exotic locals. Stay tuned.

Diamonds, diamonds and more diamonds!

Those of you who know me also know I am not a big fan of colorless diamonds. On the other hand, since 95% of the gems sold in the U. S. are, you guessed it, colorless diamonds, it behooves a jeweler to pay a bit of attention.

For the past decade, the big emphasis in diamond has been cut. We have seen the emergence of the super-ideal round and princess cut. Many new shapes have entered the market. As of 2002 there were 81 patented proprietary diamond cuts, 21 of which have been patented in the past decade. As of the same year there were no less than 23 “ideal”-cut brand names 15 of which were registered trade marks.

Many of these new cut represents attempts by manufactures to preserve eroding profit margins by offering a cut a gemstone that was unique to them. The new branded cuts come with a variety of names; escada, elara, linz, skystar and tycoon. I can not claim to have seen them all but the ones I have seen I have found not very exciting at all.

Two years ago passing Phillip Youngman’s booth at AGTA gem show in Tuscon I saw one that really rocked my world it is called Excalibur. Youngman has been a cutter for over thirty years. In that time he has developed a reputation as being one of the world’s best. Youngman cuts weather in sapphire, garnet or tanzanite are breathtaking.

I first met him about twenty years ago on Gemstone Row at the old GLDA show. Phil gave me my first lesson in buying rough. After I saw his cutting, he was usually sold out half way through the show, I quickly bought a couple of big rhodolite nodules, the twenty-fifty gram monsters that used to come out of the Umba River Valley back when East Africa was just being discovered as a gemstone producing region. The rough looked great when you held it to the light. Phil shook his head sadly; “Richard”, he said, “you don’t want me to cut these stones, they are going to be much too dark.” “Too dark?” “Yes”, then he proceeded patiently to show me the proper way to look at rough gemstones. Its a lesson I have never forgotten.

Fast forward to Tucson 04, Phil had several of his new cuts, he also has developed a round he calls Passion Flower, the interesting thing about these stones is that they seemed to follow me, they didn’t wink out as soon as I passed the perpendicular view. Unlike most well cut diamonds that look great when viewed perpendicular to the table, these stones still looked good 5-10 degrees off axis. And the dispersion! Most of you know that both The Gemological Institute of America GIA) and The American Gem Society Lab (AGS) spent much of the past decade researching the so-called ideal cut round. In the process GIA created a computer program that traced light return in 10,000 sets of theoretical proportions. The result; what I dubbed in 1991 the “super ideal cut.”

Is it truly super?, you bet its the world’s champion of total light return, that means it returns around 95% of the light that enters the crown of the stone back to the eye in the form of brilliance. Unfortunately in the process of maximizing brilliance, the super ideal has lost its soul. That last point may require a bit of explanation.

Bril
liance in a diamond is one of the two major characteristics that makes a diamond beautiful. The other dispersion, the break up of light into its constituent rainbow parts. Most of the new ideals seem to have sacrificed dispersion for light delivery and sacrificed a great deal in the process. The Excalibur has not!

As part of the twenty year process that produced his two patented cuts, Youngman has developed a diamond that seems to maximize both brilliance and dispersion without sacrificing either. How?, by paying attention to how the diamond looks as it moves! The programs used to develop the super ideal was basically static. Youngman’s objective was, by contrast, dynamic. Hey the finger moves! Eighty-five percent of the diamonds sold today end up on the finger and it is on the finger, in motion that Youngman’s cuts shine. Both have the high crown and small table that many connoisseurs appreciate in the Old European and Old Mine Cuts.

Excalibur and Passion Flower have both been tested by GemEx, a company that grades diamonds by using a machine called a brilliancescope to measure brilliance, dispersion and scintillation. Excalibur achieves the highest grades, Very High, in all three categories; Passion Flower grades on the line between high/very high in brilliance (white light return) and scintillation and very high in dispersion (colored light return).

Unlike most of the new proprietary cuts, that are simply not different enough to achieve patent status, in 2004 Youngman was granted design patents on both Excalibur and Passion Flower. In addition he has been granted registered trade marks on his “Ultimate Square Diamond” and “Ultimate Round Diamond” slogans.

I think I am in love!

Interested in understanding more about the grading of fine diamond, pearl and othe gems? Follow me on gem buying adventures in the pearl farms of Tahiti. Visit the gem fields of Australia and Brazil. 120 carefully selected photographs showing examples of the highest quality gems to educate the eye, including the Rockefeller Sapphire and many more of the world’s most famous gems. Consider my book: Secrets Of The Gem Trade, The Connoisseur’s Guide To Precious Gemstones.

“Wise is a renowned author… He’s
done a marvelous job of this first book, monumental work, a tour de force…My recommendation: Buy this book”.

Charles Lewton-Brain, Orchid

Only $37.95. Read a couple of chapters online: www.secretsofthegemtrade.com.

Buy it on Amazon: www.amazon.com

Golconda Diamonds Part II

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The Legendary Blue-White Diamonds, Rarest of them All

by Richard W. Wise

Just recently it was my good fortune to examine one of the legendary diamonds of Golconda. These gems were originally mined in India in the 16th-18th Centuries. The mines were tapped out by about 1725. Many of the world’s most famous diamonds, including the Regent and the Sancy (pictured above right), The Hope and the Koh-i-Noor came from the mines of Golconda. This gem was accompanied by a GIA certificate rating it D Flawless, the highest possible diamond grade and a Gublin Laboratory certificate that identified the stone as a Type IIa. (Regent above left, Sancy above right)

As discussed in my previous post, recent scientific analysis has shown that diamonds with proven Golconda provenance are of a specific type of rare, pure carbon diamond known as Type IIa. Less than 1% of the world’s diamonds are Type IIa. Scientifically speaking, Type IIa diamonds are an almost pure carbon diamond containing no significant amount of nitrogen in the crystal lattice. Nitrogen is the impurity in diamond that imparts the yellowish hue. The lack of yellow makes for a pure colorless (D,E,F) color diamond. Some experts claim that all Golconda diamonds are Type II. There is, as far as I know, no scientific evidence to back up that claim.

Blue-White Beauty:

Golconda stones are the true blue white diamonds of legend. Today, dealers use the term blue white to describe diamonds that exhibit blue ultraviolet fluorescence. About 30% off all diamonds will exhibit this characteristic. Though ultra-violet fluorescence is not visible to the naked eye, though its effect may be. Blue is the complement of yellow, meaning that blue fluorescence in diamond effectively cancels out some of the yellow in the diamond’s body color. As a result, fluorescent diamonds will face up whiter than their actual color grade might suggest–a fluorescent H might look like a D color. It is UV fluorescence is also responsible for the super-charged saturation of very fine Burma-type rubies.

The gem I examined, a 9+ carat D-Flawless took on a distinct distinct bluish glow in direct sunlight. I had never seen this before. The blue glow was distinct and visible. Unable to believe my eyes I re-examined the certificate, it read: “no fluorescence”! I checked the stone myself, there was absolutely no fluorescence in either short or long-wave UV. How could this be?

Ian Balfour in his book, Famous Diamonds specifically mentions a “light blue tinge” as a characteristic of The 140 carat Regent Diamond. The Regent, originally called “The Pitt” was brought to England in 1670 and is, unquestionably, of Golconda origin (above left). Diamond scholar Herbert Tillander describes this affect as a “blue afterglow.” and notes that most Type II diamonds do not fluoresce. One exception, the Hope Diamond, a Type IIb (contains Boron) will not only fluoresce it will actually phosphoresce meaning that the stone will continue to glow last after the UV light source has been removed. Tillander further notes that some Type II diamonds have been found in South Africa’s Premier Mine, other sources mention Brazil.

Blue Haze:

Not all Type IIa diamonds exhibit this characteristic though Golconda stones do. I was able to examine another D-Flawless type IIa that placed side by side with the 9 carat, failed to exhibit the blue glow. In the Golconda stone, in direct sunlight, the blue hue floated above the gem like an early morning haze.

Fine Crystal; The 4th C:

Perhaps due to their pure carbon composition, Golconda diamonds exhibit another characteristic, a high degree of transparency, Balfour describes The Regent as having a “unique limpidity” that some dealers refer to as “super-d” or what I refer to in my book Secrets Of The Gem Trade, as a super-crystal. Very fine gems of all colors possess this characteristic. Compare a regular wine glass with one made of lead crystal, hold both up to the light and you will get the idea. When compared to another D color Type IIa not of Golconda origin, the difference was unmistakable. The characteristic strikes one as a combination of ultra-limpidity coupled with what connoisseurs refer to as “whiter than white” both characteristics were visible in the Golconda but not in the other gem.

The stone I examined was cut in a fashion almost identical to the Regent, a cut known as a baroque brilliant or old European (image left). Stones cut in this fashion are of a different character than the modern brilliant. The crown is higher and the pavilion facets are shorter and broader.

A fine diamond possesses two characteristics that define its beauty, brilliance and dispersion. Dispersion is the ability to break white light up into its constituent rainbow colors. In the single minded pursuit of maximum light return, modern brilliant cut gems have sacrificed dispersion to produce maximum brilliance. As a result they have become soul-less light return machines. A well cut baroque brilliant by contrast will exhibit a balance of brilliance and dispersion that gives the diamond its distinct character and beauty–a character that is missing in so many modern super-ideal cuts.

(image above, side view of Golconda diamond), Compare the color of the center with the side trillion that is definitely not of Golconda origin.

To summarize, there appear to be three visual characteristics that define the beauty of Golconda diamonds: A high degree of limpidity (crystal), an ultra-whiteness and a blue afterglow that appears in natural daylight. Golconda gems are Type IIa diamonds and this can be established by scientific testing. All Type IIa diamonds, however, are not Golconda diamonds; to be considered Golconda, they must possess the visual characteristics just described.

It is unclear whether Type IIa diamonds from other sources possess the characteristics discussed above, there certainly are some that do not. However, in the final analysis, we are interested in gems not geography. in gems beauty is the ultimate criterion. When it comes to Golconda diamonds if they deliver the goods, how much does source really matter.

If you are interested in learning more about Golconda Diamonds or are simply looking for a new way to dazzle your friends at cocktail parties. Read more about the four Cs of connoisseurship. Follow me on gem buying adventures in the pearl farms of Tahiti. Visit the gem fields of Australia and Brazil. 120 carefully selected photographs showing examples of the highest quality gems to educate the eye, including the Rockefeller Sapphire and many more of the world’s most famous gems. Consider my book: Secrets Of The Gem Trade, The Connoisseur’s Guide To Precious Gemstones.

“Wise is a renowned author… He’s
done a marvelous job of this first book, monumental work, a tour de force…My recommendation: Buy this book”.

Charles Lewton-Brain, Orchid

Only $37.95. Read a couple of chapters online: www.secretsofthegemtrade.com.

Buy it on Amazon: www.amazon.com

“Secrets of the Gem Trade” subject of Ventfort Hall lecture

– July 30, 2007

Described by Gemkey Magazine as “one of the world’s foremost gem connoisseurs,” gemologist Richard W. Wise will bring his expertise to a Ventfort Hall Mansion and Gilded Age Museum visual presentation on Wednesday, August 29 at 4 p.m. A Victorian Tea will follow this final lecture of Ventfort Hall’s summer series.

Admission for the lecture and tea is $15 per person, members $12. For more information or reservations, please call 413-637-3206. Ventfort Hall is located at 104 Walker Street in Lenox.

The Golconda Diamond

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Golconda Diamond

by Richard W. Wise

Just the other day one of my readers emailed a question about Golconda diamonds. A search of the literature reveals a great deal of uncertainty about the exact meaning of the term. The source of some of the confusion can be traced to the fact that the term Golconda diamond, like many another bandied about by diamond dealers and auction houses has more than one definition; this one appears to have two; one geographic the other varietal.

Definition 1:

Until the year 1725, when diamonds were discovered in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais, most of the world’s diamonds came from India. A group of mines concentrated around the Krishna River in the Kingdom of Golconda, located in the modern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, were one major source of Indian diamonds. A majority of the diamonds mined were subsequently sold in the City of Golconda which became a major trading center. Several of the major mines, including Rammalakota and Kollur are mentioned by the famous Seventeenth Century French gem merchant Jean-Baptiste Tavernier as being a source of high quality diamonds.

Thus, our first definition: A Golconda diamond is a diamond from a specific geographic area within the historic Kingdom of Golconda.

Tavernier was one of the first connoisseurs to notice that diamonds from these mines were often exceptionally transparent and describes the best of the stones as” gems of the finest water.” The four criteria for evaluating any gemstone are: Color, Cut, Clarity and Crystal. These are what I refer to in my book, Secrets Of The Gem Trade, as “the Four Cs of Connoisseurship.” The term “water” combines two of the four, color and crystal. Color in diamond refers to relative colorlessness, a diamond graded “D” the highest grade, is a diamond totally without any trace of yellow. Crystal is the synonym for transparency that I have chosen to describe the fourth C of connoisseurship. I chose it because of its connotation (clear as crystal) and because it starts with the letter C and rhymes with the other three and is easily remembered.

Modern scientific analysis has shown that many famous high quality diamonds such as the Cullinan, Regent (image: at top of page) and The Koh-I-Noor that can be proven to come from the Golconda area are of a specific type of rare, almost pure diamond known as Type IIa. Less than 1% of the world’s diamonds are Type IIa. Scientifically speaking, Type IIa diamonds are diamonds that conduct electricity and contain no significant amount of nitrogen in the diamond crystal lattice.

Nitrogen is the impurity in diamond that imparts the yellowish hue. The lack of yellow makes for a pure colorless (D,E,F) color diamond. For some unknown reason, possibly plastic deformation of the crystal or unknown color centers, some type IIa diamond have yellowish, brownish or even pink body color. Some experts claim that all Golconda diamonds are Type IIa. There is, as far as I know, no scientific evidence to back up that claim.

Definition 2:

Science has not explained the exceptionally degree of transparency found in many Golconda stones. Some Type IIa diamonds also exhibit exceptional transparency or crystal. It may have something to do with the purity of the carbon crystal lattice. Type IIa diamonds are highly transparent in shortwave ultraviolet light.

The visible attribute is variously described as “clear as a mountain stream”, “whiter than white” and “super-d”. Some of these terms are misleading what we are talking about is super-crystal.

Transparency is more important in gems that are poorly cut. In India, then as now, good proportions took a backseat to size and weight. The French Blue, the type IIb gem that eventually became the Hope Diamond was originally 112 carats. Five years after Tavernier sold the stone to Louis XIV, Pitau the king’s diamond expert recut the stone to 66 carats to improve its brilliance and life a 40% loss in weight that would never have been countenenced in India. Visually, gems of fine water, however well cut, possess a unique beauty not found in other diamonds. In a world flooded with diamonds, this is indeed something special.

Thus, our second definition: Diamonds regardless of geographic origin that are of high color (D-E) that exhibit exceptional crystal are often called Golconda Diamonds.

The situation discussed above in not unique. Before gemologists worked out a way to identify the geographic origin of some diamond, ruby, sapphire and emerald; gems with characteristics similar to those from a certain source were often described using geographic terms such as Cape (as in Good Hope), Kashmir, Burma and Ceylon. These terms have become ingrained in the public mind and associated with certain levels of quality. So today gemstones that can be proven to come from a famous location will often command a high premium that has little or no relationship to the quality of the given gemstone. At auction, diamonds with a proven Golconda provenance may fetch a premium of 50% or more over a diamond of comparable quality that lacks the Golconda provenance.

How does one establish that a diamond is from Golconda? Well, if you can document a chain of ownership dating back to 18th Century India you have a good case. If you are depending on science, forgetaboutit. Even if all Golconda diamonds were type IIa, it does not follow that all IIa diamonds are from Golconda. In fact we know that Brazil has produced type IIa stones.

So, eventually, you think, science will solve the puzzle. Not likely, diamonds are formed within the earth’s mantle deep beneath the country rock where ruby, sapphire and emerald are formed. Diamonds do not contain the signature inclusions that can be matched up with specific geographic locations that make it possible to identify their origin.

Ok, so which would you rather have, a diamond with high color and exceptional crystal or a diamond from one of the historic mines of Golconda? Well, if you are selling the best answer is both because if it of the finest water and a proven Golconda provenance it will command the highest premium of all. Speaking for myself, give me the most beautiful rock. Wouldn’t it be a lot simpler if the finest diamonds came from Hoboken, New Jersey.

“Wise is a renowned author… He’s
done a marvelous job of this first book, monumental work, a tour de force…My recommendation: Buy this book”.

Charles Lewton-Brain, Orchid

Only $37.95. Read a couple of chapters online: www.secretsofthegemtrade.com.

Buy it on Amazon: www.amazon.com

Semiprecious; A Term In Search of an epitaph

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In this post: Book Review: Hope Diamond by Richard Kurin

by Richard W. Wise, G.G.

©2007

Semiprecious is like semi-pregnant, it is a word that makes no sense. No less an authority than Robert M. Shipley, the founder of GIA, called it “an indeterminate and misleading classification”. Still, some people, including a good many dealers, stubbornly cling to it like limpets sucking on a rock. In ancient days do you suppose King Tut and the rest of the royals knew that they were using second class gems to decorate their tombs? When will this term finally be consigned to the linguistic dustbin where it truly belongs?

The French philosopher Voltaire insisted that intelligent discussion was impossible unless terms were defined. I contend that the precious versus semiprecious is a distinction without a difference and that semiprecious is a truly meaningless term. To use a meaningless term is to talk nonsense. To prove the point, I will issue this challenge. I say that the term precious cannot be defined in a way that excludes gemstones other than the usual list.

Consider, if you will, the usual suspects: The list of precious gems usually includes: diamond, ruby, blue sapphire and emerald. Right? Well if so what criteria make these gems and only these gems precious? All possess the usual criteria; beauty, rarity, value, durability but to the exclusion of all others? Take beauty, emerald can certainly be beautiful but is it more beautiful than its first cousins the aquamarine, the red beryl, the heliodor? It is worth more in the market than aquamarine and heliodor but is far more abundant and lower priced than red beryl.

Alexandrite, is another case in point, it possesses all of the criteria and is rarer than every gem on the list yet it is excluded. Why is blue sapphire a precious gem and yellow sapphire only semi-precious? Cuprian tourmaline from Paraiba, Brazil is hugely expensive, it is certainly beautiful and rare and durable to boot. Why isn’t cuprian tourmaline considered a precious gemstone?

If its precious, its, well precious but if it’s semiprecious is somehow less than precious. What makes one stone precious and another less so and why, one might ask, would anyone marketing a product use a term to describe that product that denigrates that product?

Win a Free Book:

I will give a free signed, hardbound copy of the 1^st edition of my book: Secrets Of The Gem Trade, The Connoisseur’s Guide To Precious Gemstones to the first of my readers to provide a definition of the term Precious that includes diamond, ruby, sapphire and emerald and excludes all other gemstones.

A couple of ground rules; First, according to The Pocket Oxford to define means to “ to mark out the boundary of…to give the exact meaning of a word” thus if I say andesine is a precious gemstone the question is, what are the criteria that determine preciousness and does the given gem meet them? Second; a definition is not a list so something like “precious is a gemstone category that includes diamond, ruby, sapphire and emerald.” is not acceptable because it is redundant like saying a “a rose is a rose”. What is required and acceptable is a true definition one that provides a basis, a series of criteria by which a stone is either included or excluded from the select company of precious gems. Third: Your answer must be posted in the comments section (below) of this blog post on or before April 20, 2007.

Book Review:

Hope Diamond, The Legendary History Of A Cursed Gem by Richard Kurin, Smithsonian Books, Harper Collins. $24.95

This wonderfully researched and lively account traces the story of the Hope Diamond and in the process debunks and dispels much of the misinformation surrounding the world’s most famous gem.

The debunking begins on page one. Years ago I heard a story that Harry Winston shipped the Hope to the Smithsonian by regular mail in a plain brown paper wrapped package. It went by mail alright in a plain brown wrapper but it was insured for a million dollars.

Kurin begins his tale at the beginning by making his own journey to northwestern India to the fabled Kingdom of Golconda and the storied mines of Kollur. This is the mine mentioned by the famed 17^th Century French gem merchant, Jean-Baptiste Tavernier. Tavernier, the man who sold the diamond to Louis XIV of France was famously silent about where he obtained the stone but he does mention Kollur as a source of colored diamonds and based on that single mention, most experts have deduced that Kollur was the source.

What did he find in Kollur? Snakes! After a difficult three day journey following Tavernier’s route by car, snakes and very little else. There exists barely a trace of the old mines which were played out and abandoned in the 18^th century. The presence of snakes together with a nearby mountain and bit of local folklore leads Kurin to speculate that perhaps, Kollur was the site of the original Valley of the Serpents mentioned by Marco Polo. A bit of a leap, perhaps, unlike Mogok, Kollur isn’t a deep valley but the locals do have a two-headed bird god and that is something the Burmese contender lacks.

Source of The Great Blue:

Kurin pulls together an interesting, if flawed, argument for Kollur as the source of the Hope. He points out that when Tavernier sold the stone to the Sun King, the Hope was barely fashioned, almost rough. From this he concludes that the stone was purchased at the mines.

His next conclusion is a bit more of a reach. With the meticulous attention to detail that he demonstrates throughout, Kurin discovered a short note by Tavernier on the original chart made up by the French gem merchant, describing number six of the best twenty stones Tavernier sold to the French monarch in 1668.

“C’est un autre diamante que j’achetais l’an 1653 a la mine de Coulour.”

Taking this statement and the fact that there are no other stones immediately adjacent to that bit of text, the author speculates that the autre diamond, to which Tavernier refers, may be the blue and if so, Kurin concludes, it was purchased in 1653 at Kollur.

The question is; to which diamond does the note refer and was number six another diamond purchased or another diamond purchased at Kollur? The passage can be read either way. The note, as Kurin points out, was not next to the Hope which was number one on the list. To that I would add two additional points that pose certain difficulties in accepting Kurin’s speculations: First, number six is a colorless diamond and both the stones, numbers five and seven, immediately adjacent to number six are also colorless and second; number six is shown as completely faceted even though, according to Tavernier’s own words, it was originally purchased at the mines at Kollur. Fact is, any dealer worth his salt knows a bit about recutting. The real question is; why if Tavernier did hold on to the stone for fifteen years why didn’t he recut it?

To the above I would add a further quibble. Tavernier was a dealer and speaking as a dealer I can state with some authority that our biggest thrill is the hunt. After the adrenalin rush of bagging a big, beautiful and expensive stone, a dealer’s next thrill is selling that big beautiful expensive stone to obtain the capital to begin the hunt all over again. Would a dealer hang onto such a treasure for 15 years if he could have sold it? I doubt it.

Harry Winston and The Smithsonian:

The book is a great read. I discovered interesting facts and important information not previously available with each turn of the page. One particular favorite is the section in which the author reproduces the correspondence between Harry Winston, his lawyers, The Smithsonian, their lawyers and the IRS and its lawyers that detail the labyrinthine negotiations that resulted in Harry Winston’s donation of the Hope Diamond to The Smithsonian. Winston was more than willing to donate the Hope Diamond to the Smithsonian but he was also determined to receive its full value as a tax deduction.

Cartier versus Evalyn Walsh McLean:

In Chapter 19 we learn that Pierre Cartier was the man most responsible for promoting the Hope’s hard luck legend. Cartier bought the Hope in 1910 for $110,000 and was successful in selling the great blue to Evelyn Walsh McLean and her husband for $180,000 the same year. Cartier’s myth making nearly backfired, fearing the curse, the McLean’s tried to back out of the deal and Cartier had to seek court action to enforce the sale. In the end the fabulous wealthy socialites bought the stone on the installment plan for $1,000 a month.

Hope Diamond is the most authoritative account of the legendary blue gem published to date. It is also a great story packed with anecdotes detailing the machinations of the rich and shameless. Highly Recommended. Under 20 bucks on Amazon. Buy on Amazon

Interested in reading more about real life adventures and secrets of the gem trade? Follow me on gem buying adventures in the exotic entrepots of Burma and East Africa. Visit the gem fields of Austrailia and Brazil’s famous Capao mine. 120 photographs including some of the world’s most famous gems. Consider my book: Secrets Of The Gem Trade, The Connoisseur’s Guide To Precious Gemstones.

“Wise is a renowned author… He’s
done a marvelous job of this first book, monumental work, a tour de force…My recommendation: Buy this book”.

Charles Lewton-Brain, Orchid

Only $39.95. You can read a couple of chapters online: www.secretsofthegemtrade.com.

Buy it on Amazon: www.amazon.com

News From Our Workshop

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Handmade Originals

By Richard W. Wise, G.G.

Well, we are home and back in the saddle again. I am sure that you are all heartily sick of images of us having fun in the sun but, Rio, St. Helena’s, Namibia, South Africa, Mozambique and Kenya: what a great trip.

One good reason to come home, a chance to see two beautiful new creations from the workbench of Laurie Donovan. These handmade original rings are made using a technique we call “floral appliqué”.

The Inspiration:

The design inspiration is drawn from Ukiyo-e or Japanese woodblock printing. The Ukiyo-e style began to influence Western art shortly after the island empire was pried open by Commodore Perry in 1855. In Japan, Ukiyo-e was originally a cheap reproducible art form aimed at the masses, so cheap that these prints originally found their way to Europe, stuffed into crates, as packing material. It wasn’t long before the Ukiyo-e style began to have a strong impact on Western art, inspiring the Art Nouveau movement along with such disparate souls as Gaugan, Van Gogh and Frank Lloyd Wright. (image right: 19th Century Japanese Ukiyo-e woodblock print with stylized leaves)

Ring #1,The Design:

Ukiyo-e provides an excellent point of departure for the Spectrum Award winning artist to demonstrate her lyrical mastery of line. In her experienced hand the jeweler’s saw becomes as versatile as an artist’s pencil. (image left: Ms. Donavan cuts individual petals from gold sheet with jeweler’s saw) The choice of colored golds, in this case yellow and white, provide a subtle counterpoint. The shank of the ring is in 18k white with a sanded finish. This finish adds depth and allows the polished yellow leaves to standout sufficiently to echo and complement the vivid scintillation of the Fancy Vivid Yellow and colorless (D-VS2) diamonds.

The Gems:

Exceptionally brilliant, these Fancy yellows have a slight orangy secondary hue (FVoY). Vivid Yellows will almost always read as either slightly orange or slightly greenish. The orange secondary hue is much to be desired because it adds a sense of sunny warmth. (pictured right, original parcel of FVoY from which these stones were taken)

Ring #2, Design & Gems:

Ms Donovan constructed the second floral appliqué ring of green gold with rose colored appliquéd flower petals. Again the artist draws inspiration from the highly stylized Ukiyo-e designs. Each individual rose gold petal
is unique and beautifully frames the diamond to complete the blossom. These two colored golds are sufficiently exotic to stand up against the combined scintillation of three ideal cut round (D Vs2) diamonds. The green gold is cool, the rose warm. Note the artist has pierced the center section of the design to open it up and give it a lighter feeling. The green gold shank has been sand finished to maximize the contrast and bring out the color of the delicate rose colored petals.

Custom Design; From Concept to Completion:

We have specialized in custom design since our company was formed in 1978. We stand ready to work with you.

Rings in the floral appliqué style can also be made with other gemstones (yours or ours) by custom order. We have been working with contented clients for 28 years. Prices start at about $2,000.00 for a ring in 18k and vary depending upon the complexity of the design. As always the pieces are designed around and for the stones and we create several life-size sketches from which to choose your own unique design. If the first sketches don’t please you we will do more. There is never an extra charge for our creative services.

Visit our online gallery; www.rwwise.com. and send us an email richard@rwwise.com or call us toll free at 800.773.0249 (413.637.1589 in Berkshire County, or outside the U.S.).

Hours; Dead of winter: Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 10-5 (EST). Leave a message and we will call you back.

Interested in reading more about real life adventures in the gem trade? Follow me on gem buying adventures in the exotic entrepots of Burma and East Africa. Visit the gem fields of Austrailia and Brazil. 120 photographs including some of the world’s most famous gems. Consider my book: Secrets Of The Gem Trade, The Connoisseur’s Guide To Precious Gemstones.

“Wise is a renowned author… He’s
done a marvelous job of this first book, monumental work, a tour de force…My recommendation: Buy this book”.

Charles Lewton-Brain, Orchid

Now only $26.95. You can read a couple of chapters online: www.secretsofthegemtrade.com.

Buy it on Amazon: www.amazon.com

Grading The Colorful

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Grading the Colorful, The Rocky Road to Quality Assessment

by Richard W. Wise, G.G.

“Collectors Universe has stated it has every intention of becoming the world’s leading purveyor of diamond and colored stone pedigrees—”maybe not tomorrow, or next year,” (CU President) Haynes says, “but within the foreseeable future.”

David Federman, Professional Jeweler, 2006

At the beginning of a new year it is traditional to assess the past year, make resolutions and talk about the future. Several happenings over the past twelve months that considered in isolation are important taken as a whole appear to be crucial milestones along the road toward colored gemstone quality grading.

A consortium of seven major gem laboratories under the aegis of the Laboratory Manual Harmonization Committee (LMHC) established important precedents:

First, they abandoned the traditional protocol of naming a gem based on species and variety. The committee agreed that on grading reports issued by member labs to use the term “Paraiba” to describe all copper colored or cuprian tourmalines regardless of their actual source.

In a separate decision, the LMHC also decided to stray beyond the realm of verifiable science and enter the world of aesthetics. They agreed to adopt a set of color parameters for and use the term “Padparadscha” sapphire on grading reports issued by member labs.

This year a new player entered the grading games: Collectors Universe (CU), a publicly traded company that provides certification for coins stamps and guess what, baseball cards purchased American Gemological Laboratories (AGL) the only major U. S. lab that issues quality grading reports on colored gemstones. CU has the financial muscle and appears poised for an strategic play: The company already owns Gem Certification and Assurance Lab (GCAL) as well as Gemprint, the diamond identification and registration system that will laser print an ID # on gemstones.

In order to have a universal colored stone grading system you must have a universally acceptable methodology. Internet shoppers, in particular, are demanding a way to compare apples to apples and what the market requires the market sooner of later gets. Getting all major players to accept a single methodology may be difficult but a broad basis of agreement between a number of important labs may do the trick. The LMHC includes seven of the world’s most respected gemological laboratories: (AGTA Gem Testing Center, CISGEM (Milan), GAAJ (Japan), GIA (USA), Gemological Institute of Thailand, Gübelin Gem Lab (Switzerland) and SSEF Swiss Gemmological Institute (Switzerland) missing only AGL and The Swiss Lab Bangkok (GRS) the very well respected Bangkok based lab run by Adolph Piretti.

Historically, no institution, not even the mighty Gemological Institute of America (GIA), the originator of the universally accepted diamond grading system, has succeeded in creating an acceptable colored stone grading system. GIA tried twice, first in the 80s Colormaster, a sort of color blender and then with Gemset, a set of round faceted plastic doohickeys, both of which were flawed and failed to win industry wide acceptance. GIA has wisely abandoned its go it alone strategy and joined LMHC.

Instrument based color determination appears to be the wave of the future. According to American Gemological Laboratories C. R. “Cap” Beasley “instrument based measurement is simply more consistent”. The fact is; you have the rock, the light and the observer, standardize the latter two and you are eliminate two variables. Does Beasley have an instrument? None that he will admit to.

AGL is still the only major laboratory that grades colored gemstones. Beasley introduced his own system, Colorscan, in the early 1980s, a system that many gemologists including this writer believes was the most viable system yet created. Colorscan, however, relied on the human eye as observer. New Computer based systems such as Gem-e-Square that project a range of hue/saturation/tone on a color computer monitor also require the human eye and judgment to make a call.

Collectors Universe appears to be making a bid to become a major player in quality grading. I will be interviewing CU president Bill Haynes, later in the week. Stay tuned.

Interested in reading more about real life adventures in the gem trade?

Follow me on gem buying adventures in the exotic entrepots of Burma and East Africa. Visit the gem fields of Austrailia and Brazil. 120 photographs including some of the world’s most famous gems. Consider my book: Secrets Of The Gem Trade, The Connoisseur’s Guide To Precious Gemstones. Now only $26.95. You can read a couple of chapters and order online: www.secretsofthegemtrade.com

Do ya feel lucky? Win A Free Copy:

Thats right win a free copy of Secrets Of The Gem Trade, The Connoisseur’s Guide To Precious Gemstones, answer the question.

The Hope Diamond, Inflation in the Seventeenth Century

In 1669 Louis XIV of France purchased the French Blue diamond from the famous gem merchant Jean-Baptiste Tavernier for 220,000 livres or 42.7 million dollars (1 livre = $1,941.). In an inventory taken by the French crown in 1691 the Sancy Diamond, a colorless stone of 55.23 carats and the largest white diamond in Europe at that time, was valued at 24.2 million dollars.

By the time this inventory was taken, The French Blue, had been recut by M. Pitau to 69 carats, a 40% loss in weight. Despite this the stone that ultimately became the Hope Diamond, was valued at…in 1691? The first person who comes closest wins a signed paperback copy of Secrets Of The Gem Trade. Post your answer in French livres and your email address to the Comments section of the blog. Winner’s name to be posted on GemWise in two weeks. Hint: read Ronald, The Sancy Blood Diamond, Morel, The French Crown Jewels

And now a word from our sponsor….

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Possibilities for holiday giving

By Richard W. Wise, G.G.

The holidays are fast approaching. I thought readers might like to take a look at a something new from our workshop.

During our summer show, I took the opportunity to select one of the most interesting of the Michael Dyber gem sculptures to make into a necklace and turned it over to Douglas Canivet. The center stone pictured is a 42.25 carat ametrene. This gem material shows both yellow and purple in the same crystal. It comes from only one mine, Anahi in Boliva. I like the combination of zoning and rich color and the sensitive way Michael integrated the natural features of the gem into a pleasing composition.

The necklace was completely hand fabricated. For those of you who don’t know, hand fabrication is the old method of hand making. We use the same methods as those pictured on the tombs of Egypt’s famous Valley of the Kings. In this case all the pieces were cut out of sheet gold. I don’t like to use the term handmade because everyone, including a lot of stuff that is mass-produced, is called “handmade.”

Construction and Materials:

The construction, exclusive of design time, took more than sixty hours, that’s a week and a half for a master craftsman of Doug’s caliber. We used 35.3 penny-weight (dwt.) of 18k gold. Penny weight is an old unit of measure, 20 dwt. to the ounce so a bit over an ounce and a half. The eight diamonds; 1.08 carat total weight of D-E, VS color ideal cut stones set in handmade tubes. Ideal cuts are perfectly proportioned stones that deliver between 92-98% total light return. They are dazzlers!

Notice the joinery, how the angles at which the gold links join create a juxtaposition of shape and plane that compliment the center sculpture. Note how the diamonds appear to float. The gold has a sandblasted finish. This allows the gems visual room to work.

Craftsmanship:

Contemporary hand fabricated jewels look simple. Because the designs are clean without excessive ornamentation you get the idea that they are simpler to make than say Victorian pieces with all the filagree. Not true! Most handmade jewelry is put together with gold solder and gold solder will not “fill in” empty space so every join must be fitted perfectly. Fine cabinetry is a good analogy. Its very much like building a desk or cabinet. Every angle requires a solder joint. It took about eight separate pieces just to make the setting for the center stone. In this necklace everywhere you see an angle there is a join and if the fit is not perfect you will see lumps, holes and porosity at the joint. In such a “simple” design there is no where to hide your mistakes. A master’s hand is evident not only in what you see but also in what you don’t see.

Handmade is better made:

Is there a difference between hand made and mass-manufactured. Most mass-manufactured jewelry is designed by people who have never worked in gold. The design is drawn or created on a computer then mastered in wax. The element of dialogue, the give and take between the artist and his materials together with the fine eye and sensitive mark of the hand is always missing. Then, of course, it is the only one! Does uniqueness have value? Today, much custom design is done with CAD software. A craftsman can tell a CAD designed piece a mile away. It is yet another step removed from the hand. To me CAD designed jewelry has a sterile soul-less quality.

Other Possibilities:

May I show you some of the newest additions to my gem collection? These are stones sourced on my recent trip to The Orient. These are one of a kind gems that to my eye are extraordinary.

Padparadscha Sapphire:

There seems to be a lot of interest in Padparadscha sapphire. As I define it in my book; Secrets Of The Gem Trade, Padparadscha, the word is a corruption of the Singhalese padma raga or “color of the Lotus”. Padparadscha is a pinkish orange to orangey pink sapphire. Here is the important point it must be a delicate hue. The Sri Lankans prefer as stone with a bit more pink than orange. This stone embodies the essence of the term. It is a 3.98 carat natural stone with no enhancement or treatment of any kind. It is has a flower-petal soft quality.

True un-monkeyed-around-with padparadscha sapphires is one of nature’s great rarities. This is one of the finest stones I have seen in my career. The shape makes it an excellent candidate for a pendant but if you will accept my advice, make a ring. Rings are for people who love gems and want to stop and admire.

Purple Mozambique Tourmaline:

Rare and beautiful, until the new find of cuprian tourmaline from Mozambique, I had never seen a purple tourmaline. Most purple tourmaline is actually purplish red. I am told that true purples have been found in the past few years but they were almost always heated to turn them the more desired electric blue.

I am told that the stones from Mozambique are of two types; those that can be successfully heated and those that cannot.

This one is a visually pure purple. It weighs 8.14 carats. In the magnified image you can see straight growth tubes but without magnification the stone is eye-flawless viewed face-up. It is a visually pure purple with no evidence of gray and it stands up well in both natural and incandescent lighting.

Fancy Color Diamonds; A Sweet Suite:

I tried to resist this delectable suite of orange and purple fancy color diamonds but I failed. The language of the GIA certificate calls the center a “Yellow-Orange” meaning that the two hues exist in fairly equal proportions. To me it is a yellowish-Orange, a true tangerine with all the warmth and richness of the sun kissed fruit. The two vivid purple-pinks are pure of hue with no gray or brown to either dull or muddy the hue. All three understated, elegant and beautifully cut.

A Burma Gem:

This ruby is a 2.05 carat emerald cut gem. What is a “gem”. In the gem trade, this is the appellation reserved for the crème de la crème, the finest of the fine. Everything, color, cut, clarity and crystal must be outstanding for the gem type and here it is.

“Asking to see the pigeon’s blood is like asking to see the face of God.”

Anonymous Burmese Trader

Love that quote but the truth is not quite so mysterious. “Pigeon’s blood” is a pure medium dark red with a touch (10-15%) blue that when mixed with the red reads as purplish. As an old Burmese jeweler explained it; the blue is cancelled out its compliment, the rich yellow of high carat gold leaving the gem a visually pure scarlet when set.

We have a number of fine rubies as well as fine handmade originals, antique jewelry and gemstones pictured on our website: www.rwwise.com . Please take a look and if you see something you like call me at 800.773.0249 or 413.637.1589 if you live in Berkshire County.

Looking for a large stocking stuffer?

Consider Secrets Of The Gem Trade, The Connoisseur’s Guide To Precious Gemstones. Now in PAPERBACK for only $26.95 at our website or slightly higher at Amazon.com www.secretsofthegemtrade.com.

“Wise is a renowned author… He’s
done a marvelous job of this first book,
a monumental work, a tour de force…
My recommendation: Buy this book”

Charles Lewton-Brain, Orchid