[Jewelry making - Article 00963] - [Orchid] Zachariah turquoise treatments

[Steve Green]

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Dear Orchidinites,

    In the last few years I have been cutting some  high quality natural
    Sleeping Beauty Arizona Turquoise smooth drops.  A couple of months
    back a client called me to say that one of the drops she bought from
    me and sold had changed color and the lady who owned them wanted a
    replacement. I knew that turquoise will often absorb oils and other
    liquids and in the process change colors. I informed my client of
    this. Another pair of stones was substituted and the problem solved. 

    However, the events made me more curious about other dealers' high
    quality turquoise I saw in Tucson this year. I stopped by a company
    in the GJX who was selling very high quality Sleeping Beauty bead
    necklaces and inquired about treatments. They informed me that their
    turquoise had the Zachariah (spelling?) treatment which as per the
    salesperson is a re-crystallization of the surface of the turquoise
    making it less absorptive. (No polymers, resins, dyes are used.)  
    They told me this  treatment  is proprietary (secret) treatment that
    Dr. Zachariah of Arizona developed. The company then showed me an
    older "Gems and Gemology" magazine where they analyzed the
    "Zachariah" treated turquoise. I briefly skimmed the article and
    photos showing a thin altered skin on the cut treated stones. 

    The article was very interesting and new to me. I wanted to read
    more but business was calling me back to my booth. I did not get a
    chance to read it all, but the process looked quite intriguing. So
    in case you are not aware of this treatment  I wanted to share it
    with you. 

    If anybody out there knows more please add to the thread. 

Steve Green
Rough and Ready Gems
Gem Briolettes and Ultrasonic Drilling
www.briolettes.com 

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