[Jewelry making - Article 00667] - Re: [Orchid] Dyed rubies discovered!

[Gary Bourbonais]

========[ Invite a Friend - http://www.ganoksin.com/invite.htm  ]========

>     I believe that you can test beads for dye by using a q-tip with
>     some acetone (main ingredient in many nail polish removers) on it
>     and rubbing it around the bead hole to see if any dye comes off.
>     You may try to remove the excess dye from your ruby strand but they
>     might not end up looking like much if you removed every bit of it. 

    I use the acetone swab often if I suspect dye....And the dying folks
    have gotten sophisticated, too..... 

    The other thing one can do is good old isopropyl (aka rubbing)
    alcohol....fill a small glass bowl with it and plop the beads
    in.....If they're on a temporary strand, pull them off the
    strand....sometimes the strand is dyed to add to the effect... Cover
    the bowl, or the alky will evaporate.... Use glass, because if they
    do have dye, the dye will dye most other bowls... 

    Wait a day or two and look for color in the alcohol....I've had
    stuff I've swabbed and not got a response give color to the
    isopropyl....I figure maybe because it gets to soak.... 

    I've had some garnet beads (from India) color the alky, but the
    overall color didn't change much at all....the color in the soak was
    from residue from the strand in the holes.... 

    If they come out looking kinda bad, or maybe kinda really bad.....
    Try a short soak in mineral oil, wipe and dry out for a week or so
    on paper towel... Buff with soft cloth.... You can sell them as
    "mineral oiled" maybe..... 

    I have this Lapis cab that I'm doing right now....was bought as part
    of a lot of 4 on the Bay, and seller stated was dyed.....so, I knew
    what I was getting into.... 

    It's on it's third bath of alky........when the bath gets opaque
    almost I dump and add fresh.... 

    Now that I've started this, I wanta see what it looks like "au
    natural"....[G]...... No matter how long it takes.... 

Gary W. Bourbonais
A.J.P. (GIA)
____________________________________________________________________
T h e   O r c h i d   L i s t
Open Electronic Forum for Jewelry Manufacturing Methods and Procedures
____________________________________________________________________
Orchid FAQ:
~ http://www.ganoksin.com/orchid/faq.htm
Orchid Archives:
~ http://www.ganoksin.com/orchid/archive
Orchid Galleries:
~ http://www.ganoksin.com/orchid/gallery.htm
Invite a Friend:
~ http://www.ganoksin.com/invite.htm
____________________________________________________________________
Tips From The Jeweler's Bench - Article Archive
~ http://www.ganoksin.com/borisat/tip_sear.htm
The Jeweler's Selected Bibliography List
~ http://www.ganoksin.com/jewelry-books
Buy Orchid Jewelry:
~ http://www.ganoksin.com/shop
____________________________________________________________________
-Unsubscribe:
-Email: orchid-request AT ganoksin.com Body=unsubscribe subject=blank
____________________________________________________________________