[Jewelry making - Article 01073] - Re: [Orchid] Expensive socket for a cheap gem

[Helen Hill]

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

    I was put in my place last week regarding pink topaz when I
    suggested it to someone looking for an inexpensive hot pink stone and
    they weren't bothered about the colour being the result of some sort
    of treatment. I was told that naturally pink topaz was very expensive
    and that other pink topaz was the result of a surface treatment and
    that such stones were junk. 

    I contacted my supplier regarding this and he contacted the
    gemological lab from whom he buys his pink topaz stones. They assured
    him that they do NOT deal in surface treated stones and that the pink
    topaz they sell him is heat treated. It was also suggested to me last
    week that I put my pink topaz gems into water and that the surface
    treatment would show up. The only one that showed itself to be
    surface treated was one that I bought from Thailand and it did indeed
    appear to be a colourless topaz with a pink surface coating. However,
    the pink topaz I bought from my UK supplier that he assured me were
    heat treated were all indeed pink all the way through. 

    http://www.attawaygems.com/NMFG/Lets_talk_gemstones_topaz.htm 

    This link talks about pink topaz being the result of heat treatment
    and that it's a permanent treatment. "Most pink topaz is obtained by
    carefully heating brownish red-yellow chrome-bearing crystals found
    at Ouro Preto in the Minas Gerais region. Although the color of some
    natural crystals fades when exposed to sunlight, this heat-induced
    color-change is permanent." 

    http://www.khulsey.com/jewelry/gemstones_topaz.html 

    Again the above link states pink topaz being a permanent heat
    treatment. "Orange-brown Topaz is heat treated to 450 C to bring out
    a purplish-pink color (pinking). These treatments are permanent and
    do not affect the stone's durability or hardness." 

    So who's correct, those who say that treated pink topaz is nothing
    but surface coated junk, or those sources who say topaz can be heat
    treated to produce a permanent pink colour? If my supplier and his
    supplier are correct and the two sources I've cited above, then
    perhaps people should be a little slower to chastise and belittle.
    I'd be interested to hear from anyone else who happily uses heat
    treated pink topaz and doesn't consider it junk or anybody who can
    provide me with proof from reliable sources that heat treated pink
    topaz doesn't exist. 

Helen
UK
____________________________________________________________________
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
____________________________________________________________________