[Jewelry making - Article 00664] - Re: [Orchid] Marketing treated gems as legitimate product

[Derek]

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>     Consequently, when we talk about gemstone treatment I will
>     routinely tell customers that they should assume that almost all
>     colored stones are treated in some form today. It is simply a fact
>     of life in the business. This doesn't negate what you, or any
>     other person dealing with natural stones does. It also doesn't
>     diminish the value of what you are doing. It actually enhances it
>     so I'm unclear on why you're so upset by this. 

    You ask why I'm upset by your statement. It's because it is
    extremely hard to prove a negative and it places the burden of proof
    on the stone cutters. 

    In your original post on the idea of treatments you said that
    "almost all" color stones on the market are treated. It's the use of
    "all" that's troublesome. People are awfully willing these days to
    paint others with too broad a brush. The reason I think using the
    concept of all is a problem is very simple. 

    As a stone cutter, I don't generally get to interact with the
    public. Retail jewelers do. So I have no way of setting the record
    straight. If retail jewelers in general are spreading the word that
    "all" stones are treated and I can't reach the retail customer, then
    the only contact they get on this is from you. If this concept of
    "all" spreads, then we, who deal with untreated stones whether they
    be stone cutters or jewelry makers and sellers, have to somehow
    prove that ours are untreated, I ask one question. How? 

    The other part of that is that if consumers get the idea that
    treated is the standard to expect, they'll settle into that and
    won't think it's worth buying stones that are untreated. 

    Without belaboring the point. If food producers were to get it into
    the heads of consumers that no food was organic and all foods are
    treated with chemicals or pestacides, then eventually it would
    destroy the organic food growers and sellers because there would not
    be enough consumers to buy those products. As it is now, that
    organic market continues to grow rapidly because more and more
    people believe that it's valuable to have organic food and they are
    willing to pay a premium to get it. 

    I guess, perhaps out of self interest, I believe that is a better
    approach to the natural stone market and can benefit the independent
    jewelers and the consumers who care about this as well. 

Derek Levin
www.gemmaker.com
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