[Jewelry making - Article 00082] - Re: [Orchid] Gemstone Treatments

[MillsGem]

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    Dear Steve, I quite agree with most of what you have said with
    respect to gem treatment and I laud you for sticking to rough that
    is treatment free. 

    Let us bear in mind, however , that many of the stones that you
    cited were at the lower end of the value spectrum. I think it would
    be perfectly fair, nonetheless, to say that treatment probability
    increases with the market value of the material. Thus, the incentive
    to spend money on enhancement is much greater. Another factor that
    comes to mind is that one has to consider the degree to which
    enhancement is effective in a particular material and the
    cost/effort ratio involved. You mentioned that you do not carry
    treated Turquoise or Lapis that has been treated yet both are
    regularly treated inasmuch as the cost/benefit ratio is miniscule
    vis a vis results. 

    I too am a bit jaded on the issue, but it is, nonetheless, a subject
    of great importance to all of us and it behooves everyone to stay
    abreasr of the latest developments. It occurred to me recently that
    there is an interesting parrellel here with hybridization of plants
    and vegetables. There has been a movement afoot lately to bring back
    the veggies and flowers that are virtually unknown in todays'
    marletplace. If you delve into the history of man's involvemnt in
    playing around with botanic evolution you will find that virtually
    none of the flowers or veggies that we take for granted would bear
    any resemblance to their forbears. As a matter of fact, those so
    called Heritage plants were just a step in the manipulated
    development of botanical products. The true forebears came from all
    over the world and were those crops that were cultivated by
    primitive cultures. And, lo and behold, it is probably true that
    these commodities were already being "fooled around with" hundreds
    of years ago. 

    So , when we rail against manipulation with natural objects, it is
    important to bear in mind that enhancement may not necessarily
    always be evil. Even synthesis may have its' place. Personally, I
    draw the line when man concocts gemstone imitants whose gemological
    traits are marketable, but no better than their natural
    counterparts. Moissanite has some handsome attributes , but it does
    not even come close to having the durability of its'
    imitant.....diamond. When the supplier blatantly suggests that it is
    comparable to diamond and then perpetuates the fraud by demanding an
    exhorbitant price based on that fraud, THAT is unjustified......it
    is, quite simply, unethical marketing ! 


Ron at Mills Gem, Los Osos, Ca.



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