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Did You Buy Peony Topaz?

-Sherman Pike

New AGTA member Jewelry Television (JTV), who recently settled a multi million dollar class action law suit involving non-disclosure of treated Andesine, is currently in direct violation of FTC guides and their AGTA membership agreement regarding disclosure requirements.

Two recent examples: Smokey quartz, left, was sold with a brief flash on screen of the statement “Treated Irr”. Rather than an explanation regarding the common process of irradiation involved with Smokey quartz, JTV chose instead to place a code on screen and a referral to their website. The code Irr, used by Jewelry Television, is dissimilar to the AGTA’s code: R.

On August 1st, JTV hosts Scott Parker and Casey Taylor featured Nigerian Peony Topaz, and once again the network displayed a code in the description sidebar which stated “Treated CVD”. In this case, CVD refers to Chemical Vapor Deposition, the same non-permanent treatment used in the production of Mystic Topaz. Over twenty plus minutes of on-air time featuring this stone, neither host once referred to the treatment. In fact, host Casey Taylor, describing this 12mm round Peony Topaz selling for $59.99, made the following comment: “A natural gem that’s that pure and red, should be selling for ten times that price”.

Both the Federal Trade Commission and AGTA are clear when it comes to the disclosure of gemstone treatments. FTC article 23.22 states the following:

§ 23.22 Disclosure of treatments to gemstones.

It is unfair or deceptive to fail to disclose that a gemstone has been treated if:

(a) the treatment is not permanent. The seller should disclose that the gemstone has been treated and that the treatment is or may not be permanent;

(b) the treatment creates special care requirements for the gemstone. The seller should disclose that the gemstone has been treated and has special care requirements. It is also recommended that the seller disclose the special care requirements to the purchaser;

(c) the treatment has a significant effect on the stone’s value. The seller should disclose that the gemstone has been treated.

Note to § 23.22: The disclosures outlined in this section are applicable to sellers at every level of trade, as defined in § 23.0(b) of these Guides, and they may be made at the point of sale prior to sale; except that where a jewelry product can be purchased without personally viewing the product, (e.g., direct mail catalogs, online services, televised shopping programs) disclosure should be made in the solicitation for or description of the product.

The AGTA has more stringent requirements. In their Gemstone Information Guide under the header of Consumer Disclosure Requirements, the AGTA states “When disclosing to retail consumers, all required disclosure must be made in plain language. Codes and/or abbreviations are not sufficient.”

The question is this: If Jewelry Television, the “world’s largest retailer of loose gemstones” and AGTA member fails to uphold Federal Trade Commission guidelines and the requirements set forth by “The Authority In Color”, what message is sent to the rest of a multi billion dollar industry? The fact remains that gemstone treatments, more prevalent every day, are not something to hide from consumers; rather they provide a viable option for the budget conscious buyer to own something beautiful. The responsibility to educate consumers regarding not only disclosure, but in the proper use and care of their treated gems is one that lies firmly on the seller of such goods. If the leaders of a troubled industry continue to obfuscate the truth about the product they sell, consumers should surely go elsewhere.

Zimbabwe Diamonds

-Sherman Pike

On Thursday, July 15th, the Kimberley Process (KP) was praised for what some in the diamond industry are calling a victory. At a meeting of the World Diamond Council in Russia, the body came to an agreement which will allow the export of rough diamonds from Zimbabwe’s Marange diamond fields, under the supervision of The Kimberley Process Monitoring Committee. Some also cite the release of Zimbabwean human rights activist Farai Maguwu, arrested after meeting with a Kimberley Process representative in June as contributing to the deal. The agreement comes only days after renewed threats by Zimbabwe president Robert Mugabe to sell the countries diamonds in direct defiance of KP sanctions enacted last November. On Tuesday July 13th, Mugabe stated, “No one should doubt our resolve to sell our diamonds.”

The story of Zimbabwe’s diamonds, estimated to comprise 25% of the world’s available resources, is one rife with allegations of unchecked greed, accusations of government corruption and the murder of innocents. Since the discovery of gem quality diamonds in the countries Marange region in 2006, chaos has surrounded the mining operation which has been projected to produce $1.7 billion carats per year. Following the takeover of mine operations by Zimbabwe’s army in 2008, widespread allegations of human rights abuses in the form of forced labor, and the alleged killing of over 200 civilians have plagued the region. Though international outrage over the events in Zimbabwe led to calls for an outright ban of all Zimbabwe diamond exports, the KP instead chose to put in place a monitoring mechanism targeted at the Marange region. Pressure from the KP and several governments mounted. After the KP demanded in February of this year that Zimbabwe had until June to prove that mining operations were being run smoothly, President Mugabe lashed out, threatening to quit the KP and saying "We can sell our diamonds our own way".

Though the agreement to allow supervised export of diamond rough is seen by many to represent a door to the future of ethical mining in Zimbabwe, President Mugabe is plain about his feeling for the international community, and especially the west. On Sunday, August 1st, Mugabe addressed a crowd of mourners at his sister’s funeral and stated “To hell with them. Whoever told them that they are above the people of Zimbabwe, that the decisions that should be made by the people of Zimbabwe are theirs to make? We should not allow colonial thieves to take our resources. The country is now in our hands and we should hold on unperturbed by unsolicited advice by those who abused us in the past”. Mugabe also said regarding dialogue with western and European nations, "Europe and America want to keep these odious sanctions. They are now saying Mugabe must go first, and they choose someone to lead the country”. Though Mugabe and those close to him in the ZANU-PF party have been accused of reaping vast personal gain through the export of Marange diamonds, Mugabe said on Sunday "Diamonds should not be pocketed by some individuals …. they should help to improve the whole country. Those with an appetite for individual aggrandizement, please blunt your appetite. We will ensure there is collective benefit and not individual benefit.”

Member Spotlight

Barry Bridgestock, RG

_{-Sherman Pike}

It becomes more obvious to this writer with every newsletter that the gemstone and jewelry industry is one filled with those that possess a passion for what they do, and a true love of the product they create and sell. Such is the case with Barry Bridgestock, owner of Artistic Colored Stones, and the focus of this month’s spotlight.

At the tender age of nine, young Barry Bridgestock caught the rockhound bug. Discovering the world of minerals, Barry had no idea that this new hobby would become such an integral part of his life. His hobby became his love, and as a young man Barry planned vacations around the collection of mineral specimens. One such trip led him from his home in Illinois to Montana, where he obtained Montana Sapphire rough. As the story goes with many future faceters, Barry found a local to cut his new rough. As he witnessed the transformation from rough crystal to gemstone, Barry knew that he had to learn more.

In 1976, now living in the small community of Ganado, AZ within the borders of the Navajo Nation, Barry purchased his first faceting machine, a Graves. Many faceters tell of being taken under the wing of someone with cutting experience, but Barry was armed with only the instruction manual that came with his new machine. So began Barry’s romance with faceting; as he learned his machine, he learned how to bring forth a gemstone from rough crystal. As Barry so eloquently puts it, faceting requires one to “live inside the stones”.

Now living in Yuma, AZ, Barry used his ever developing skills and knowledge to not only create works of art, but to inspire future generations of rockhounds. In 1981, Barry began working with Yuma jeweler Paul Bensel. In addition to having his gemstones featured, Barry took on faceting repair work for the store. It was with stone repair that Barry gained invaluable experience, and by which he came to truly understand the relationship of symmetry and proportion in cutting. While faceting played a large part in Barry’s life, his affection for the stuff of earth carried through all of it. Concurrent to his work as a faceter, Barry was an elementary school teacher, a career which spanned thirty two years. Working at a school in South Somerton, a small community in the Yuma Valley, Barry started a tradition that carried over twenty years. A few times a year, Barry would arrive at the school in the early hours of morning, and seed the schools fields with treasure. Garnet crystals, Fluorite crystals and even Montana Sapphire were buried for the children to find. Obviously his treasures were a huge hit, and Barry’s kids became amateur rockhounds. They say that all good things must come to an end, and as Barry recalls the end of his tradition, he doesn’t try to hold back his laughter. The final straw for school authorities came when Barry had the inspired idea to bury Pyrite, leading to what amounted to a school wide gold rush. By the time word got around that there was gold in them thar’ fields, nearly 100 children flooded the grassy areas looking for their own shiny golden fortunes. When kids of every age refused to return to class, the principal was obviously less than pleased. Barry reckons that there are still shiny things turning up in that field today.

In 2001, Barry began featuring his pieces on ACstones.com. 2008 proved to be a momentous year for Barry, as he not only completed the Registered Gemologist program with The International School of Gemology, but also took over the operation of ACstones.com. With ACstones.com Barry offers an amazing collection of custom faceted gemstones and mineral specimens. Also, Barry has continued what Barbara Smigel began and offers her gemology curriculum free to anyone with the passion for stones that Barry possesses and which he has without a doubt passed along to many throughout his long career.

Barry’s favorite gemstones are Mint Tourmaline and Nigerian Garnet. The faceter’s favorite cut? Barry especially loves the group of oval cuts called "supernovas", which as Barry puts it, “overcome the traditional shadowing and extinction inherent to the oval shape and sparkle with light at every angle”.