GIA mourns the recent loss of its friend Marion H. Halfacre, founder and president of Traditional Jewelers in Newport Beach, Calif. Halfacre was one of the original organizers of GIA’s Jewelry Career Fair, where his expertise and enthusiasm inspired countless students and job seekers to begin their careers in the jewelry industry. 

In his honor, the Halfacre family has established the Marion H. Halfacre Scholarship at GIA, and the first donation to the new scholarship fund has been made by the Luxury Jewelers Resource Group (LJRG), of which Halfacre was a member.

LJRG consists of 13 of the top retail jewelers in the United States. According to Andrew Johnson, acting president of the LJRG, the group wants to underwrite the full cost of a GIA On Campus Graduate Gemologist program.

“We are proud to have counted Marion Halfacre as a friend, a respected member of the LJRG family, and someone who embodied the values of our group. The members of the LJRG are committed to maintaining the highest standards of service excellence, community involvement, and cultivation of professional growth,” said Johnson.

“It’s our desire to support the wishes of the Halfacre family by providing the first donation to the Marion H. Halfacre Scholarship fund at GIA. We share Marion's dream of securing the future of our industry by supporting the educational training and professional development of graduate gemologists committed to continuing the tradition.”

“Marion was an exceptional individual who believed in the power of education to strengthen our industry,” said Kathryn Kimmel, vice president of Marketing and Public Relations for GIA. “Donations to the scholarship, like that of the Luxury Jewelers Resource Group, will keep the memory of Marion and his good works alive for generations to come.”

For more information about the Marion H. Halfacre Scholarship fund or to make a donation by phone, please call Bev Berthoty, manager of Institute Relations at 760-603-4120.  Details can also be found on the GIA website by clicking here.

Large diamonds and smaller crowds were the story at the JCK Show in Las Vegas, June 1–5. More exhibitors showed greater numbers of larger diamonds (3 carats and up) than ever before; many of these were in the top two color and clarity grades, which had previously been rare sightings.

Diamond people noted that demand, except for 5+ ct. goods, was concentrated in very narrow quality ranges.

At his June 4 seminar, Martin Rapaport noted that prices of 3+ ct. E-color VVS goods have appreciated more than 30% over the past two years, while similar-size D-color Flawless diamonds went up 15% in the same time period. However, he said, one carat diamonds have remained flat while goods below one carat have declined slightly.

Fewer dealers were offering top-quality colored diamonds at the show – mainly because prices have become so astoundingly high that a depressed U.S. dollar against the euro and key Asian currencies puts these stones out of reach for most domestic retailers. However, several dealers reported million-dollar-plus sales for blue diamonds.

The Natural Color Diamond Association (NCDIA) reported that demand for colored diamonds in the U.S. and worldwide continued its strong growth this year. NCDIA Director Sam Merksamer noted that the boom in such stones has been driven by consumers themselves rather than an intense marketing push.

Dealers of synthetics, primarily Gemesis, said demand at the show was strong because the public is learning about colored diamonds and wants an attractive, affordable version of such goods.

Business in Las Vegas was generally slower than last year in the more commercial price ranges for all products – diamond jewelry, colored stone pieces, and gold – with traffic down, according to vendors.

Many retailers complained that spring sales, especially in April, were unexpectedly slow. In addition, the majors are not expecting a significant revival for the second half of the year. As a result, many retailers were extremely cautious in their buying.

The slow market affected sales at the American Gem Trade Association (AGTA) section of the show, where vendors also reported diminished traffic and soft demand.

ROUGH DIAMOND SALES: De Beers’s Diamond Trading Company (DTC) reported rough diamond sales of US$6.15 billion for 2006, down from 2005’s total of $6.54 billion. After the announcement, a senior DTC executive warned that the number of sightholders would probably be reduced when the new term begins next year.

The company cited reduced availability of Russian supplies, as well as continued difficulties in the wholesale market for rough diamonds. Although Russia’s Alrosa reduced its rough diamond sales to the DTC under an agreement struck with the European Union, the DTC reported record diamond production levels of 51 million carats, about 45% of world output by volume.

The company’s net earnings rose sharply, by 32% to $730 million, through its sale of a 26% stake in the firm to a South African black empowerment group, Ponahalo Holdings, and the sale of one of its Canadian operations. It reported that demand for diamond jewelry remained solid thanks to strong growth in China and India and steady sales in the United States.  

The DTC’s June sight totaled about $650 million, according to sources. While slightly larger than the April 30–May 4 sight, this event introduced a price increase centered, as expected, on high-quality larger goods. Smaller goods and commercial qualities were not affected.

During the June sight, according to an IDEX report, DTC Managing Director Varda Shine told clients that it was “inevitable” that the new 30-month sight term, beginning April 1, 2008, would have fewer clients. She cited reduced supplies and increasing beneficiation efforts in South Africa, and Namibia as the reason.

The DTC currently has 93 sightholders.

MACRO: The International Council of Shopping Centers–UBS Retail Chain Store Sales Index fell by 0.5% for the week ended June 2. This followed flat results the previous week. The dip disappointed economists, who had hoped that May’s slight advances would stick after a very slow April.

Michael Niemira, chief economist at ICSC, told the Wall Street Journal, “the month as a whole showed some recovery after weakness in April, but the consumer environment continues to be somewhat unsettled.” He hoped the recent declines in gas prices would spur consumer spending.

A Nielsen Company survey found that consumers in India were the most confident this year, with their counterparts in Hong Kong similarly optimistic. However, consumer sentiment in most other areas is down from six months ago, according to a Reuters report.

Consumer sentiment in the United States, the world’s biggest jewelry market, fell two points from a previous survey taken in November but still ran ahead of most of the world’s economies.

Russell Shor
Senior Industry Analyst

In March 2006, a 10.12 ct. transparent purplish red oval mixed cut (figure 1) was submitted for identification to the Dubai Gemstone Laboratory. The client indicated that it had been purchased in and originated from Myanmar.

Standard gemological testing established the following properties: refractive index—1.762–1.770; birefringence—0.008; optic sign—uniaxial negative; pleochroism—moderate orangy red to purplish red; specific gravity (determined hydrostatically)—3.98; fluorescence—strong red to long-wave and moderate red to short-wave UV radiation, with a strong chalky blue luminescence on the surface; and “chrome” lines seen in the absorption spectrum with a desk-model spectroscope. These properties were consistent with ruby, while the strong chalky blue surface fluorescence to short-wave UV radiation suggested heat treatment.

When examined with magnification, this sample at first showed internal features that looked very much like those seen in flux-assisted heated natural rubies (figure 2). However, when examined carefully, these inclusions proved to be various forms of flux residue, such as are found in flux-grown synthetics. Also apparent were white, high-relief, parallel rods; feather-like structures or “fingerprints”; rain-like structures resembling comets; and discoid features with so-called paint splash inclusions. These inclusions are typical of Kashan flux-grown synthetic. Also present were dissolved white flux-filled negative crystals with associated discoid fissures, which are indicative of heat treatment.

UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy showed broad bands centered at 410 and 560 nm, and a small peak at 694 nm; these are typically responsible for ruby color. However, the spectrum also showed UV transmission at 305 nm that was stronger than the visible-region transmission at ~475 nm (blue region), which is suggestive of synthetic ruby. Infrared spectroscopy revealed no peaks related to the OH-group (hydroxyl), as expected for a flux-grown synthetic. EDXRF analysis revealed the low amounts of Fe, a V, and Ga, combined with slightly higher amounts of Ti, that are distinctive of Kashan flux-grown material.

Since the 1990s, a variety of heat-treated synthetic rubies have been reported. Heat treatment of synthetic ruby makes identification more difficult and complicated. Thus, more careful examination and sophisticated testing were necessary to complete this identification.

This entry was prepared by Sutas Singbamroong and Nazar Ahmed of the Dubai Gemstone Laboratory in the United Arab Emirates. For more updates from around the world, read the Gem News International section in every issue of Gems & Gemology. To subscribe, click here or contact circulation coordinator Debbie Ortiz. Call toll-free 800-421-7250, ext. 7142. Outside the U.S. and Canada, call 760-603-4000.

There are sports coaches, life coaches, and drama coaches. The gem and jewelry industry offers coaches of its own at the GIA Jewelry Career Fair on July 27 at the Jacobs Javits Center in New York.

At Career Fair, the jewelry industry’s annual recruiting event, job seekers not only get to interview with top employers, but they also get to meet, listen, and learn from scores of gem and jewelry VIPs who share their insights in workshops, panel discussions, and through career coaching sessions.

These individual coaching sessions provide exceptional one-on-one time with leaders from a wide variety of industry sectors, including: appraising, diamonds, design, marketing, manufacturing, retail, and watches. The coaches are presidents, executives, and top-level managers from successful companies who participate on a voluntary basis to share their expertise and passion for gems and jewelry with newcomers to the field.

At least 35 industry leaders have volunteered to coach at the GIA Career Fair New York event.  Job seekers will have the opportunity to ask questions, get advice on career paths, and obtain tips on perfecting a resume and acing an interview. After choosing an area of interest within the industry, attendees will be assigned a coach on a first-come, first-served basis.

Kathryn Kimmel, GIA’s vice president of Marketing and Public Relations and co-creator of Career Fair, said that career coaching fulfills an important need in shaping careers. “There are a lot of talented job seekers out there who are firmly committed to jewelry careers, but lack the specific advice and encouragement only our industry professionals can provide,” Kimmel said. She added, “Career Fair coaches truly represent what’s best about our industry – it’s not just about the incredible career opportunities, it’s also about the generosity and openness of the people who work in it.”   

Diana Jarrett, colored stones editor for the trade industry publication Rapaport, has been a career coach in the past and will participate again this year. “I am thrilled to continue my role as a mentor, as I enjoy providing professional guidance to enthusiastic job seekers,” said Jarrett.     

Jarrett said that through speaking to job seekers about their talents and experiences, she’s been able to identify valuable assets they may not have recognized. 

Jarrett also believes this unique mentoring service sets Career Fair apart from traditional job fairs.  “GIA puts a tremendous amount of careful thought and planning into fostering an effective, friendly, and intimate environment for job seekers,” said Jarrett.  “This event provides a successful bridge between the education process and the marketplace.”

In addition to the July 27 event being held in New York City, Career Fair will also be held on Oct. 19 at GIA’s Robert Mouawad Campus in Carlsbad, Calif. Like New York, the Carlsbad event will feature career coaching in addition to panel sessions and recruiting opportunities.

Job seekers can visit GIA Career Fair for more information, or call GIA’s Jewelry Career Fair hotline at 800-421-7250, ext. 4100. Admission for job seekers is free. Employers wishing to recruit at Career Fair can visit GIA Career Fair or call (800) 421-7250 ext. 4195.

GIA’s Jewelry Career Fair was founded by GIA and The Jewelers 24 Karat Club of Southern California. The prime sponsor for the New York Career Fair is The Nielsen Jewelry Group, and the prime sponsor of the Carlsbad event is the JCK International Publishing Group.

An opportunity to meet Bernd Munsteiner, one of the world's best-known gem artists, drew a capacity crowd to the GIA Museum on June 8. The gala event marked the opening of the new exhibit, “Reflections in Stone,” which showcases a retrospective of Munsteiner’s unique and distinctive carvings from the last several decades. The German artist sparked a revolution when he pioneered an entirely new direction in gem carving more than 40 years ago. Innovative and abstract, Munsteiner’s work will be on display in the Rotunda Gallery at GIA through March 2008.

Recognized by contemporary gem artists as the visionary who broadened their artistic horizons, Munsteiner is frequently referred to as the “Father of the Fantasy Cut.” Instead of only cutting gemstones for jewelry use, he is best known for turning agates and transparent stones into evocative images, objets d’art, and sculptures. His trademarks include the abstract use of angles, grooves, and curves that scale dramatically across the back of the gem, with the top or front often left smooth and polished.

"We are honored to have 'Reflections in Stone' here at GIA. This is the first time this exhibit has appeared in the U.S., and it is our pleasure to introduce the amazing work of this groundbreaking artist to a wider audience," said Elise Misiorowski, director of the GIA Museum.

During the event, Si and Ann Frazier delivered the third presentation in GIA’s 2007 Museum Lecture series, “Bernd Munsteiner: Maker of a Gemstone Revolution.” As gem and mineral authors and teachers, the Fraziers discovered Munsteiner’s work in the early 1970s while traveling in Idar-Oberstein, Germany – a region that boasts more than 500 years of gem-cutting history. After cultivating a lifelong friendship with the artist, the Fraziers were recently invited to serve as contributing authors for his book, Bernd Munsteiner Reflections in Stone. 

The Munsteiner exhibit is open to the public. Reservations through GIA Guest Services (telephone 760-603-4000) are required. Museum hours are from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Simmons began with an overview of turquoise appreciation throughout history, with an emphasis on the Americas. “Turquoise in the United States is often associated with the Navajo tribe,” he noted, “but turquoise was used even earlier by the ancient Pueblo in Chaco Canyon. It was also extensively traded throughout the Americas. [Aztec ruler] Montezuma is said to have been buried in turquoise.”

Simmons added that an article from the Wall Street Journal in the 1980s, which referred to turquoise as “blue gold,” sparked a modern renaissance in turquoise appreciation – and a dramatic price escalation.

He spoke briefly on the gem’s formation and how chemical composition affects its appearance. “The various colors of turquoise can be attributed to the content of either copper or iron as coloring agents,” he explained. “A higher copper content yields bluer turquoise, whereas more iron causes greener colors.”

Simmons then turned to the subject of turquoise treatments, which are commonly applied to improve the material’s color and durability. He pointed out that treated turquoise can often be distinguished by touch. To illustrate his point, he brought a personal collection of specimens and invited his guests to feel the differences between treated and untreated material. According to Simmons, the sophistication of treatments has made turquoise buying a bit of a gamble. “The vast majority of turquoise available for purchase is treated, and is often sold without disclosure. The future of turquoise requires the buying public to be much more educated about their choices,” he said.

Simmons added that gemological tests such as the hotpoint can identify plastic impregnation but tend to be destructive, while visual examination by a trained eye is often quite revealing.

“For buyers who are not turquoise experts,” he said, “the best advice is to know the dealer and to be comfortable with their methods of doing business.”