[Jewelry making - Article 00068] - Re: [Orchid] Synthetic & Simulant Gem Nomenclature

[Greg DeMark]

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Daniel,

    Thank you for your comments. First off let me say that I appreciate
    a good debate but I would never insult my opponent, especially if I
    didn't know their background. 

    To give you a little knowledge about me since you referred to me as
    a laymen. I have been in the Jewelry business since 1973 and I took
    my gemology courses from G.I.A. in the 1970's. I have spent the past
    30 years reading as much as time will allow to stay current about
    Gemology, jewelry manufacturing and jewelry history. 

    I do not pretend to be the brightest light in the room and may not
    even be the smartest guy on my block but one thing I do know is that
    anything you or I know about Gemology is the result of great minds
    that have challenged the common knowledge of their time. 

    You mentioned that you have never heard the term genuine used but it
    is in fact a common term used to describe a natural pearl ( please
    check your Dictionary of Gems and Gemology by Robert M. Shipley ) and
    my opinion for what it is worth is that if this is an acceptable term
    for a Pearl that forms on it's own why should it not be used to
    describe a gemstone that forms on it's own. 

    Now I will challenge what you or I have been taught in the past. I
    would not present a genuine-treated gemstone in the same way as I
    would present a genuine-natural gemstone to a client therefore I will
    not refer to them in the same manner. 

    There are four basic price levels involved when dealing with a
    gemstone of a given quality, that is 1 - Natural ( genuine and
    untreated except for cutting and polishing ), 2 - Treated ( genuine
    gemstones that have been dyed, irradiated, heated etc ) 3 - Synthetic
    and 4 - Imitation. My personal opinion is that to offer the best
    service to my clients is to educate them in a manner that will not
    confuse them. When presented with all of the information, people do
    understand the difference between the cost of a genuine natural color
    gemstone which in some cases is quite rare, one that has been mined
    of inferior quality and then treated to make it look like a better
    quality, a gemstone that has been grown in a lab and one that only
    looks like a genuine gem but is made in large quantities. I welcome
    any criticism to my thoughts but I will not go with the accepted norm
    if I think it is confusing to the people I am asking to trust me
    when I deal with them. Afterall as I mentioned before everything you
    or I know about Gemology is the result of people that have challenged
    the common information of their time. 

Greg DeMark
email: greg AT demarkjewelry.com
Website: www.demarkjewelry.com
Custom Jewelry - Handmade Jewelry - Antique Jewelry


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