Troops Should Be Seeing Red
By Antoinette Matlins, PG
Author of Jewelry & Gems: The
Buying Guide (GemStone Press, USA)
For thousands of years, rubies
have been sought and treasured, prized as one of the most valuable of all
things on Earth. A fine ruby has everything a precious stone should have —
magnificent color, shimmering brilliance, extreme rarity, and excellent
hardness and overall durability. Such stones command high prices, and the
finest and rarest rubies are among the costliest of all gems, costlier than sapphires,
emeralds, and even the finest colorless diamonds.
So of course, when stationed in,
or near, gem-producing countries, it is only natural for our troops to be
looking for a beautiful ruby, or other gem, to bring back home. But today, rubies
are quickly losing there sparkle for many military personnel returning to the
states only to learn they didn’t get what they bargained for.
An ever-increasing number have
become the unsuspecting victims of a costly scam in which they are sold what
appear to be beautiful, sparkling rubies—at bargain prices “because they are so
close to the mines” or for some other equally compelling reason—only to find
out when they get home that they are not real rubies at all, but fakes! In
fact, what they are buying is a “blend” – a composition of extremely poor
quality corundum which has been
infused with a huge amount of tinted
lead-glass (corundum is the mineral known as “ruby” only when it occurs in a
lovely red color, and “sapphire” when it occurs in other lovely colors
including blue and yellow). Gem testing laboratories are calling these a
“lead-glass composite ruby” or a “manufactured product.”
To make matters worse, while
these lead-glass products look
pretty, they are very fragile. They can break much more easily in the course of
normal wear—an accidental knock or blow can do it—and simple cleaning
solutions, even lemon juice, can
damage them. Worse yet, they can crumble apart when a jeweler goes to set them
into a piece of jewelry, or remount them into a new piece.
There is nothing wrong with
buying one of these lead-glass/ruby composites as long as you know what you are
buying, pay an appropriate price – such stones in sizes under 3 carats should
sell at a jewelry store for under $25
per carat – and as long as you understand the type of extreme care that is
required to keep them looking lovely. However, this is usually not the case.
Most buyers are led to believe they are paying much less than the stone is
really worth, and some have been
encouraged to buy them in quantity for re-sale at a profit upon returning home,
to earn some extra money in these tough economic conditions. Gemologists
and appraisers across America are seeing them in alarming numbers, but by the
time they see them, it is too late for our troops; the money is gone, and
they’re stuck.
Internationally respected gem
testing labs are finding that many, if not most, contain more glass than
anything else. Composite stones are not new, but these are produced in a
different manner than old-fashioned composite stones, and as a result, went
undetected until recently. The World Jewellery Confederation known as CIBJO (an
affiliation of organizations from 40 nations and whose mission is, among other
things, to protect consumers) does not recognize composite stones as genuine
gemstones. CIBJO defines composite stones as: "artificial
products composed of two or more, previously separate, parts or layers
assembled by bonding or other artificial methods." And this is exactly what
we find in composite rubies…and exactly what is being sold to troops abroad by
unscrupulous vendors.
In the USA, it is a violation of
FTC guidelines to sell any composite stone or manufactured product without
disclosing what it is. Furthermore, when a treatment reduces the durability of
the stone, the FTC requires disclosure of this fact as well. Nonetheless, these
stones are being sold extensively without any disclosure that they are
composite, and without mention of the need for special care.
What Can The
Troops Do?
1.
Buy
any ruby—or any fine gem—only from a reputable source, ideally one who is a
gemologist or has an on-staff gemologist or gemologist consultant working with
them for quality control purposes. Your base BX, post PX, or AAFES catalog, is
an excellent source, at home or abroad.
2.
Ask
whether or not the ruby has been treated*, and if so, what type of treatment.
3.
Ask
whether or not any special care is required, and if so, what type of care.
4.
Make
sure to get all of this information in writing, on the sales receipt (and if
told that it is natural, get this in writing, too).
5.
Verify
what you have purchased by taking it to a qualified gemologist-appraiser. A
more complete list of questions and information pertaining to selecting a
reliable appraiser can be found in any of Antoinette Matlins’ books, including Jewelry & Gems: The Buying Guide. Matlins’
books can also be found at your local exchange……
Members of the
Accredited Gemologists Association (AGA) are willing to provide free IDENTIFICATION
for any consumer who suspects they may have a composite ruby. Please contact
the AGA at www.accreditedgemologists.org
to find an AGA member in your area who can help. Note: The free service is for
IDENTIFICATION only. It does not include an appraisal or valuation of the
stone, although these services may also be provided for a fee.
___________________________________________________________
*
Today gemstone buyers must understand there are two general categories of
gemstones: treated and natural (that
is, not enhanced in any way). Rubies have been routinely enhanced by a variety
of techniques for almost half a century, and are well accepted within the
trade. The most common type of treatment for ruby is heating, which improves the color and clarity to varying degrees.
Today anyone buying a ruby should assume it’s been heated (and possibly treated
in other ways) unless there is documentation from a respected laboratory
confirming that it is entirely natural. Natural rubies (that is, rubies that
have not been enhanced in any way) are among the rarest of all things—an
exceptional 8.60 carat natural ruby
sold at auction for $3.6 million dollars, $465,000 per carat! The price of this extraordinary gem reflected the
extreme rarity of anything comparable in today’s market—its pure red color,
high clarity, and brilliance, all found together in a stone of such large size.
The price of rare natural rubies as seen in the case of the 8.60 carat gem
exemplifies the underlying reason for the introduction of treatments: the
increasing scarcity of beautiful rubies. This is what led to the introduction
of techniques to improve the appearance of natural gems. Natural rubies of the
finest color and clarity were disappearing; the mines were depleted and supply
couldn’t keep up with demand. Heating techniques were introduced in an effort
to provide beautiful rubies (and sapphires and other gems as well) at prices
people could still afford. Otherwise, only the world’s wealthiest would be able
to dream of owning magnificent rubies or other gems today!
In
addition to the routine heating of ruby, there are various other treatments
used today, and varying degrees of treatment. Treated rubies are priced
according to the type of treatment used, how extensively it was treated, and
the overall post-treatment appearance compared to that of other similarly
treated rubies. There can be minor glass residue in small surface-reaching
cracks, and when unsightly cracks detract from the beauty of an otherwise
beautiful ruby, they can be filled with glass to reduce their visibility; these
are called glass-filled rubies. With so many treatments now used on rubies,
many fine jewelry stores only sell rubies that have been submitted to
gem-testing laboratories and each stone is accompanied by laboratory
documentation. When present, treatments are indicated on the reports.
But “treated” rubies should not be confused with “rubies”
made from multiple pieces of low-quality corundum fused together with
red-tinted glass. “Treated” rubies
are single stones that have been
improved in some way to look more attractive. Some were lovely even prior to
treatment, the treatment simply having made them even more attractive.
Composite rubies are an altogether different thing, much less durable, and of
much lower value.
