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THE QUALITY PYRAMID

In creating a hierarchy of quality for colored gemstones -- a "quality pyramid" so to speak -- we must put beauty at the pinnacle, with "provenance" and "treatment status" as the cornerstones.

Beauty: Beauty must be considered first and foremost in any decision about buying a colored gemstone. Seeing it should make you desire it immediately. The next day, if anything, it must be even more beautiful than the day before. By "beauty" we must include all of the ingredients like color, tone, shape, size, brilliance cut and clarity. Each gem material must be judged against its own standard: Sapphires to Sapphires, and Emeralds to Emeralds. Interestingly, the word "gemstone" is actually an absolute term for ONLY the finest example of any gem material. A "gemstone" must be large enough to be rare for that type of stone. It must be perfectly cut with good shape, full brilliance, perfect proportions, perfectly flawless, and a color pure and true. A "gemstone" is rare indeed!

Provenance: Provenance or country of origin has a significant effect on the value of a gemstone. Ideally, stones from differing countries of origin exhibit distinct characteristics which can easily be distinguished by an expert in the field. But very often there are overlapping characteristics which can make it difficult for an expert using only microscopic magnification to determine origin. This is where a reputable, internationally recognized gem laboratory certificate can play an important role. The laboratory's rigorous testing will verify with a high degree of certainty where the gemstone probably came from.

Treatment status: Over the past 20 years, some of the major gem-producing nations have developed advanced technologies to treat gemstones. They perceived this to be a "breakthrough," creating a greater quantity of usable gem materials for the jewelry industry. But not all of the treatments have been as widely accepted as they had hoped, especially in America . For our purposes, in the "quality pyramid," no treatment is best. Some treatment are acceptable and permanent albeit less prized than their natural counterparts. Those which rely on "fillers" which are not permanent are unacceptable. You may learn more about specific gemstones and their treatments in our library.

I personally have made it my purpose to involve my clients as often as I possibly can in fine untreated gemstones, pristine and beautiful in a way that only nature can provide. Enjoy your journey through our web site and please let me know if I can assist you in understanding more about these rare items that have become my life's work.