News from the SSEF · „A natural pearl is a pearl which formed in a wild oyster (mussel) and...

Presentation by

Michael S. Krzemnicki

Swiss Gemmological Institute SSEF

Photos © M.S. Krzemnicki, SSEF, except where indicated otherwise

News from the SSEF

SGG, Zentralkurs Mai 2011

Villars-sur-Ollon

Fancy sapphires

The colour range beyond red of rubies and blue of sapphires

The range of colours of the last few months...

Photo: © SilkenEast Ltd, Bangkok!

The quest for the perfect ruby from Mogok...!

approx. 17 ct!

Approx. 48 cts!

„Cut tongues“ and geometric (trigonal basal platelets)!

The Cinderella job....!

Unheated Burmese rubies mixed with very few heated ones, or even synthetic rubies or ruby imitations (dyed quarzite)!

Corrosion of rubies

Damage occured during a galvanisation process!

Surface etching varies in different crystal structure orientations (e.g. twinning lamellae).

Etching of corundum by phosphoric acid is well known, see e.g. Scheuplein & Gibbs (Journal of the American Ceramic Society, 1960, Vol 43, No. 9, pp. 458-472) or Siesmayer et al. (Journal of Crystal Growth, 1975, Vol. 28, No. 1, pp. 157-161). Phosphoric acid as degreasing agent before galvanisation is quite commonly used, see also Van Ooij & Vijayan (US Patent 6,200,636 B1, March 2001).

Muscovite on beryl

Epitaxial growth of muscovite on beryl from Pakistan

Pseudomorphism of sericite and kaolinite after beryl.

Beryl courtesy of Reto Theilkaes, Bern!

Engraved emeralds

118 ct

110 ct

An exceptional pair of emeralds

And what’s up with the Royals...

Thomas Faerber SA, Genève!

The Württemberg Parure a historic pink topaz jewellery set

Topaz mountain

Approx. 1000 ct...

Topaz from Ukrainia, Volodarsk!

Another small surprise...

Magnesite dyed to imitate turquoise!

Treated Chrom-diopside

„Glued“ with artificial resin

Dyed red coral and white non-nacreous pearls

Historic jewellery with “turquoise”

Odontolite (fossilized dentine)

Pearl farm in Ras-Al-Khaimah:

Pinctada radiata

Large blister from Pteria Sterna!(Baia California)!

With very strong interference colours!

Pearl from a species of the Spondylus genus

Non-nacreous pearls...

From Tridacna (giant clam) or marine gastropods.!

Museum rarities...

Pearl exhibition curated by Hubert Bari at the Museum of Islamic Art, Doha, Qatar!

Queen Conch (Strombus gigas)

Worked beads from shells

Black plant grain as pearl imitation

Beadless cultured pearls (“Keshi”)

„A natural pearl is a pearl which formed in a wild oyster (mussel) and living in its natural habitat. It formed without any human intervention. Any pearl stemming from a pearl cultivation farm is a cultured pearl. The SSEF considers pearl farming as a human intervention.“

See: www.ssef.ch

Beadless cultured pearls (“Keshi”)

Beaded cultured pearls using new “beads”

„We have encountered so far the following "new" beads, especially used for pearl cultivation in Pinctada maxima:

-  Beadless saltwater CP ("Keshi") as a bead in a CP -  Beadless freshwater CP from China as a bead in a CP - Beaded saltwater CP as a bead

and most recently,

-  Natural saltwater pearl used as a bead of a cultured pearl.”

Beaded cultured pearls using new “beads”

Natural pearl used as a bead in a cultured pearl

Special cases of cultured pearls:

Small additional beadless cultured pearls forming during pearl cultivation

Photo © H.A. Hänni, SSEF 2010

Beaded cultured pearl (Pinctada maxima) with attached small additional cultured pearl

Sample mxt 21_1 (4 microns resolution)

scrolling

Special cases of Cultured pearls

Additional cultured pearl

Beadless cultured pearl (Pinctada maxima) with included small additional cultured pearl

Sample mxt 21_2 (4 microns resolution)

Large cavity due to collapsed pearl sack after bead rejection

scrolling

Additional cultured pearl

Beadless cultured pearl (Pinctada maxima) grown during pearl cultivation

Sample mxt 37_20 (2.3 microns resolution)

scrolling

cultured pearl

“New” beaded Cultured Pearls: the next challenge...

Beaded cultured pearl from P. maxima with a freshwater cultured pearl used as „bead“

Photos and Samples: H.A. Hänni!

Gems & Gemology !Vol. 46, No. 2, !July 2010!

New website

GemExplorer

A guide to the world‘s major sources of coloured gemstones, diamonds and pearls.

GemExplorer: a free App available in iTunes,

for more details see www.ssef.ch

IGC International Gemmological Conference

When: 13 - 17 July, Interlaken Where: Interlaken, Kursaal

Organising Committee:

M.S. Krzemnicki H.A. Hänni Michael Hügi George Bosshart Anne Bosshart Walter Balmer Laurent Cartier Thomas Frieden

Bi-annual Scientific Gemmological Conference

IGC International Gemmological Conference

Programme:

12 - 13 July: Pre-Conference field trip to the dolomite marble at Campolungo (750.-)

14 - 17 July: Scientific Conference (1200.-)

18 - 20 July: Post-Conference field trip to the Grimsel, Binntal and Zermatt area (1000.-)

Interested SGG members are welcome to participate as Guests.

Bi-annual Scientific Gemmological Conference

http://www.patzak.org/!

Details: see www.igc2011.org To register: contact the organisers at gemlab@ssef.ch or igcswitzerland@gmail.com

Thank you for your attention

News from the SSEF · „A natural pearl is a pearl which formed in a wild oyster (mussel) and...

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