Biwa Pearls

If any Turqupose sold in New Mexico must be sold as natural and not
treated and enhanced in any way, what is to stop someone from
purchasing turquoise in New Mexico, transporting it to his studio in
another state, treating the daylights out of it and selling it there?
Could that be classified as illegal, unscrupulous, unethical or good
marketing strategy? If this sounds cynical, it is. Dee

Dear Carl,

Your logic is irrefutable…when it comes to making comparisons
between synthetics vs. natural gems,provenance is the quintessential
consideration. However, that is too literal; obviously when I say
that it doesn’t matter where the gem comes from, but, rather, how
closely it approaches the prevailing perception of perfection, I am
talking about natural gems.

Gemology and romantic fantasies are separate entities even if you
consider the fact that gems appeal to people primarily on the basis
of fantasy. Gemology is essentially a tool for physical evaluation
and quantification and attempts to be objective and logical. I have
maintained all along that the day is near when the distinction
between natural and synthetic will become a moot point…for all
intents and purposes an impractical consideration. Who knows where it
will end ? Ron at Mills Gem, Los Osos, CA. P.S. I admire your keen
thought processes !

Hi Gus !

Looks like I stirred up a Hornets’s nest with this provenance thing.
It seems that some people are determined to want to cling to the
belief that a flawless gemstone is going to be worth more if it comes
from one place as opposed to another ! How can this possibly be ? It
smacks to me of the old beer thing; most all beer drinkers know that
their brand is the best…the problem is that if you try to get them
to pick out their beer from a variety of beers in unmarked containers
they usually can’t tell which one is theirs.When it comes to large
baroque freshwater pearls if you were to mix equal amounts of Biwas
with Chinese freshwaters you would be hard pressed to segregate them.

I would not argue that gems from one locality are going to be the
same as those from another locality. There are differences and the
experienced gemologist or jeweler can often site identify the origin
of many gems. Emeralds are a good case in point. Sandawana Emeralds
from Zimbabwe are so vividly colored that they seem to be
fluorescent, Zambian Emeralds tend to be somewhat dark. Muzos tend to
have a slight bluish cast and are usually heavily included. Brazilian
Emeralds can be much like the Muzos unless they are the Goiaz
pegmatite type which are very bright and have a slight yellowish
tint. Emeralds from any of these locations can be just as valuable as
those from other locations, depending on all those factors which go
into determining the value of an individual gem. Therefore, it is not
the provenance of the gem, but, rather, the merits of the individual
gem. Ron at Mills Gem Co. Los Osos, CA.

P.S. Gus, Io sono stato in Italia cuando ero un giovanotto di
quindici anni…Che bel’ paese! ( Anche le belle
signorine…Madonna mio ! ) Mio domicilio era in Piacenza nel’
Emilia Romagna. Arrivederci , ciao…Ron

Value is both simply defined and impossible to define. Value is what
something is worth to yourself and to others. Thus, I love Rutilated
Quartz as it reminds me of my childhood home in Nebraska, the
grassland golden in the sun; I love moonstone and blue zircon, and I
will always choose a good quality cheaper stone over a poor quality
more valuable stone. I feel no need for round cultured pearls,
because I own two quality strands of 1910’s - 1920’s costume pearls
that were my grandmother’s and great grandmother’s.

When I make something for a loved one, I always include something
that has value to both of us. If necessary, I enclose a note
explaining the significance. In many of these cases, provenance is
important. There is no big deal about liquid silver beads, but there
is a big deal about using beads bought as a souvenir of a trip
together taken 20 years ago. Stones mined in a certain place or
vintage glass beads, or freshwater pearls can all have a value
independent of their cost.

The important portion of all of this is that I determine the value of
an item, and I decide whether the monetary cost is in line with that
value. I can only make this decision if I am told the truth about
all aspects of the item for sale. A lie discovered takes all the joy
from the item, even if the lie is, like provenance, not something
that can be detected through scientific means.

We must always police ourselves, and those we associate with. If we
have knowledge of crime or misconduct and do not attempt to correct
it, we ourselves are guilty of perpetuating the lie and being a
fraud. We also pay the price, as who will pay more for the "genuine"
item if they are offered “the exact same thing” for half price down
the street? Maybe the buyer will choose to buy the less expensive
item anyway, but we need to make sure that the choice is his to make.

The beholder not only holds the beauty in his eye, he holds the value
in his heart.

Will someone help me down from this soapbox now?

D. Marie

Not a hornet’s nest but something that needs to be defined.
Provenance is the orgin of an item. It does affect value when it can
be traced! As a gemologist you are trained to evaluate, as an
appraiser you are taught to value. It is a step by step process. One
leads into the other but a gemologist is not trained to value. Because
you think something is such and such value may not be so. It has to
be done in a metholody indicative of the process. Based on training
and education.

Biwa pearls hold a higher value due to the rareity of the item,
production is small(except for the hybrids they are working with) so
of course value is higher. But, say you have a perfectly round 14mm
freshwater pearl, high luster, slight blemish of course the value is
high because it is a rare thing. Until it becomes a norm.

I have been involved with the study of freshwater cultured pearls for
the past 9 years and value can be skewed depending upon the rareity of
the item. Demand also pays a big part. Say you have a freshwater that
looks like a South Sea but is 1/3 of the price of course it will be in
demand.

By the way I am happy to announce that the year 2000 class of the
Master Valuer Program in Residence at the University of South
Florida(based on Anna Millers work) has all passed their exams(6
intensive hours of written and practical) all graduated!!!

Eva M. Ananieiwicz, G.G., Registered Master Valuer and Adjunct
Professor of both at the University of South Florida

Will someone help me down from this soapbox now?

Please don’t come down on our account. It’s nice to hear about this
variety of aesthetics. I just set a diamond today, cost of $63,000
in a mounting that cost another $6000, and it was a god-awfull
lushious piece of junk. I don’t even know what we sold it for,
probably over $100,000. I suppose someone will be walking on air for
a while. I much prefer to see the appreciation of personal and if
possible, simple things. Here’s one I’ve been waiting to try. Walk
the beach, and keep an eye out for a stone, just the right size, with
a natural hole in it. This is a friendship stone. Give it to a
really special friend. Then they are to keep an eye out for one to
give to you. Imagine pondering such an object years into the future.

David L. Huffman

Hi, Ron–

It is true that the value of a gem is dependent more upon the quality
of the stone than it’s place of origin. That being said, when I buy
Yowah opal, I expect it to be from Yowah, and when I buy Slaughter
Mountain fire agate, I expect it to be from Slaughter Mountain,
because that is the claim being made by the seller when employing
those names. If the stone is from somewhere else, and the seller
knowingly calls the stone by those names, then the seller is
deliberately misrepresenting the facts, with the likely intent of
inflating the percieved value of his/her wares. Right or wrong
gemologically, there is a perceived difference in value between Biwa
and other freshwater pearls, or dealers would not be misrepresenting
their pearls as being from Lake Biwa when they are not. If dealers are
misrepresenting the origin of their gems with the intent of creating a
false perception of their value, is that not dishonest, even
fraudulent?

Lee Einer

Dear Lee,

I certainly agree with you that mis-representation of provenance is
reprehensible. But, let me pose a simple question…Suppose you
are at a show and you come across a dealer that has a superb piece of
Black Opal and he quotes you a very fair price. You then ask him
where it came from, ( supposing all along that it is Lightning Ridge
) and he says," I really don’t know." Do you then walk away without
buying it simply because the guy can’t satisfy your query ? Or,
playing around a bit more with the logic, suppose he says" I’m pretty
sure that it came from Coober Pedy". Do you then say, “Well, I never
buy anything that I can’t trace to its origins so I’ll have to pass
on this one”, or, “Well, I’d a heck of a lot rather know where it
came from, but since you can’t be sure I’ll give you half of what you
are asking” I know exactly what I would say and it is this, " Is that
your best price?" I would then walk away with a beautiful piece of
Black Opal regardless of his reply. My point all along is that it
doesn’t matter what the seller tells you about provenance, chances
are that he is just passing along someone else’s ignorance. You don’t
know where something came from unless you mined it yourself and even
then you have to be careful about whether the mine had been salted.
Even if the value of the goods warrants laboratory analysis (at great
cost ) the lab results are probably going to be guarded opinion.
Happy fossicking ! Ron at Mills Gem, Los Osos, CA

Hello all,

Just a short note (I hope !!)

People like certificates and other kind of paperwork.I’ve seen some
worlwide trades based on this ancient product called “paper”. I bought
gemstones in Thailand,America,Australia and so on.All of them showed
me nice printed certificates proving the stones are real genuine and
whatever.The stupid thing is … I believed it and was very proud
having those certificates.

After beeing longer in this trade,I do not care about it anymore. The
message behind this is … A big propaganda,commercials and promoting
bussines. I’m not saying that certificates are not good (with all
respect for appraisers and controlled companys!!),but that piece of
paper is as good as the one who releases it.If you have a honnest
dealer then this certificate is very relyable,if not … used it the
make a camping fire.

Lots of people use certificates to prove something to other people,
whatever it might be.Those ones with no or less education about
jewelry or gemstones,want one to make sure it’s a real piece and not
fake.Nothing is real or has a destinct value untill it has an
official stamp by the law.

Appraisers who’ve done a serious study of jewelry, gemstones,antique
furniture …etc, present waterproof certificates without any thoughts
of misunderstanding.These certificates are waterproof,solid,hard as a
rock !All other certificates do not have this value.If something
happends or a discusion get started, NO certificate will be marked as
real without an official stamp released by the law or international
commission.

Ones in a while,customers ask me for a certificate of handmade
jewelry.I have those paper things homemade with my signature ready to
go,but I tell them that if they don’t believe my word,this little
paper will not make a big differents.

These day’s,anyone can make them and copy my signature,so what !!!If
they want to,I’m willing to prove that the stuff I make is real
(goldtester or whatever)but the point is,I’m doing this as a hobby
and my pricings are based on this fact.

So for all the novice and interrested people,do not rely thatmuch on
certificates unless the certificate itself has official value.

I’m sorry,I did it again!! It’s not as short as I wanted it to be. For
whatever it’s worth it.

Regards Pedro
Palonso@t-online.de

A certificate or an appraisal must have credentials of the evaluer or
valuer on it. They can be held legally binding since if you call
yourself an expert a court of law treats you as such.

Eva

Ron, it seems to be one of your basic axioms that the differentiation
between synthetic and natural will cease to be of importance at some
time in the future, and yet I see no evidence of this at any point in
human history.

Is there a difference in value between a Faberge original egg and a
modern copy? Etruscan gold and a modern replica? What about those
swords that Museum Replicas produces–there’s a difference between a
medieval blade and one that was copied from it.

Museum Replicas makes those blades accessible to the general public,
but high end collectors still seek originals.

The costume pearls that Jackie O wore have more value than the ones
that were copied from it, or even the ones that were sold in the same
era.

It has ever been thus, and I’m curious as to why you think things are
suddenly going to change?

…think about it this way. Even in this day of high quality
photocopies, a hand written invitation means something more than a
computer generated one.

Kat

Dear Ron, I may have missed something here but who said that you MUST
have provenance to buy (and then resell) a stone. Provenance may
increase the value of some stones, and it should absolutely NOT be
used to mislead or falsely increase the price of the goods, but if a
dealer says he isn’t sure, but he is offering a stone at a good price
that is quite beautiful, then who in his right mind wouldn’t buy it?
The issue then is that if the dealer is not sure, you, as the
ultimate retailer of the stone, do not claim as fact some vague
statement the dealer may have made. Of course, what everyone here
seems to have missed is that it is critical that you work regularly
with honest, reputable gem dealers who will tell you upfront what they
do and don’t know for a fact about the gems they are selling. If you
have an ongoing relationship with a reputable gem dealer and something
turns out to not be what it was supposed to be, they are going to take
care of you. This is one of the reasons we regularly turn away unknown
dealers from our doors, regardless of what they are carrying. It is
also why we insist that they be members of the AGTA and disclose all
treatments on their invoices if they want to sell to us. (I still
remember the guy who came into my store almost 10 years ago with a
parcel of the most beautiful pink-purple sapphires I had ever seen,
but when I got them all out of the paper and looked at the cotton
they had been on, I sighed heavily. Lo and behold, the cotton was a
light pink purple too, at least where the stones had been resting.)
Daniel R. Spirer, GG Spirer Somes Jewelers 1794 Massachusetts Ave.
Cambridge, MA 02140 @spirersomes
http://www.spirersomes.com

Yes Kat…I do believe that the difference between natural
vs.synthetic is fast becoming less important and that one day, in the
not too distant future ,it will be very much a thing of the past.
But, before we carry this any farther, it is important to remember
that we are talking about the jewelry business and not historic
artifacts, nor collectibles nor scientific curiosities.

You say that you cannot find any examples of what I am talking about
anywhere in history. Well, here again, it is important to define what
we are talking about. If we are confining our discussion to
synthetics…exact replications of natural objects…we have
to remember that gemstone synthesis has only been around for about
115 years and is still evolving. At this point in time I don’t know
of any major gemstone which is not being synthesized. Now it is not a
matter of what to synthesize but, rather, how to do it more cheaply
and how to do it in such a way that differentiation from the natural
is more difficult. There are already stones on the market which seem
to contain defects which suggest natural origin and it is really
quite simple to induce many of the aberrations which characterize
naturally occuring stones. History teaches us that anything that
makes money or deceives will eventually find its way onto the market.
If we are talking also about imitation gems, (you mentioned Jackie
Os’ faux pearls) history is full of examples of imitations coming into
widespread usage. Man has been supplanting natural objects with man
made objects since the beginning of time and that trend is certainly
not abating. One of the most obvious transgressions of nature and
gemstones is the way we have “engineered” them. We cook them, dye
them, irradiate them, and induce color through diffusion. We laser
objects within the natural stone. We pressure inject them with resins
and glasses. In short, we’ll do whatever it takes to make an extra
buck ! There was a time when all this skullduggery was scandalous;
not anymore ! We happily buy our Blue Topazes, our Gilson Opals, our
plasticized Turquoise, our diffusion colored Sapphires, our Opticon
suffused Tourmalines, etc. etc. The latest gambit is the green
Topaz…not even a natural color ! And yet, according to the ad in
the latest JCK magazine, an advertiser of green Topaz claims that GIA
certs them as natural Topaz ! Give me a break ! The really ironic
thing about all this is that in the short space of approximately
twenty years the buying public has come to believe that blue is the
natural color of Topaz…most of them have never seen an Imperial
Topaz. ( Blue Topaz does occur in nature, but is quite uncommon…)
Another interesting consideration is the fact that wholesale parcels
of stones coming in from major cutting centers can very often be
mixes of natural and synthetics. Rubies and Amethyst are especially
prone to being “salted” in this manner. Furthermore, it is extremely
difficult to “purify” these parcels when the stones are small ( as in
Rubies ) or in any size when they are Amethyst. Legitimate dealers
can be duped just as easily as the public , in some cases. It seems
that the perpetrators are often several steps ahead of the victims
and that deception is getting ever more sophisticated and difficult
to detect. The most interesting and ironic example of how societies
can be induced to supplant natural objects for man made objects is
the universal adoption of glass trade beads throughout the world. The
European colonists made colossal fortunes with cheap glass beads. In
Ghana the natives were so smitten by those beads that they found ways
of making their own inspite of not having access to modern
technology. Even today scrap glass in Ghana is never
wasted…especially the colored glasses…they are pulverized and
sintered into beads. They are not as fancy as the old trade beads,
but they have their own charm. Kat…you should,by now , realize
that I am anything but an advocate of synthetics or imitants. As a
matter of fact, I am probably much more prone to the opposite extreme
than you are. In my view a beautiful natural crystal should NEVER be
cut and used in such a way that it is destroyed. It is a precious
non-renewable resource and should be considered as such.On the other
hand, maybe I am just a little bit ambivalent in that I don’t have
any qualms about cutting and polishing agates and other like stones
because they are more prone to needing human intervention in order to
release their beauty. I guess that my position is not terribly
different from yours in that you sanction human intervention with
pearl cultivation. Maybe this kind of symbiosis between man and
nature is quite “natural” Anyway you look at it, the forces that
bring about change are not something that we are likely to influence.
Money, unfortunately, is the principle catalyst for change and I sure
as hell don’t have a billion dollars to play with! Ron at Mills
Gem, Los Osos, CA.

Hi Daniel,

Your commitment to AGTA is admirable, but I doubt very much that
confining your business exclusively to its members affords you with
the best possible exposure to the market. There ARE reputable dealers
in other venues…

One of the biggest problems with colored stones is that the level of
skullduggery has gotten to the point where detection of treatment or
synthesis is beyond the capabilities of the average buyer. Even with
your buddies in AGTA it can be a problem. Many of your members source
their stones from channels which are far removed from the point of
origin and, therefore, cannot be expected to know what all the
latest tricks might be.

I have come to prefer starting with the rough material and then
having it cut to my specifications by a close personal friend and
cutter. Using this approach you have a much better chance of not
getting bamboozled.

Ron at Mills Gem, Los Osos, CA

Howdy Ron and Folks,

RON,ron,Ron,Ron,ron I feel compelled to comment/expand on your
excellent post!

   You say that you cannot find any examples of what I am talking
about anywhere in history. Well, here again, it is important to
define what we are talking about. 
There certainly is a difference between strict

identification/characterization of a gem, appraisel, and marketing.
(appraisel MUST consider the other two)

   If we are confining our discussion to synthetics......exact
replications of natural objects.......we have to remember that
gemstone synthesis has only been around for about 115 years and is
still evolving. At this point in time I don't know of any major
gemstone which is not being synthesized. Now it is not a matter of
what to synthesize but, rather, how to do it more cheaply and how to
do it in such a way that differentiation from the natural is more
difficult. There are already stones on the market which seem to
contain defects which suggest natural origin and it is really quite
simple to induce many of the aberrations which characterize
naturally occuring stones. 
Consider how much more lovely, durable and affordable green syn.

corundum is than natural emerald. As you say, folks are beginning to
learn to replicate natural inclusions for lab created materials. The
market can often be illogical. People will unwittingly pay MORE for
something which has been purposely made WORSE to try to satisfy their
desire for natural stones!(and that transaction also satisfies the
perpetrator’s desire to better himself financially). I feel this may
be fraud, though it is also near the limit of ‘caveat emptor’. Sorta’
reminds me of the tecnology race between radar detectors and radar
guns. I hope GIA and other labs can keep up, but as they begin to
fall behind or tests become affordable to only the wealthy for only
‘elite’ stones then ,as you suggest, lab created stones will become
the standard fare. Pressure from environmental groups to limit/cease
mining will accelerate the change.(plus people will continue to
‘coccoon’ themselves further reducing the desire for self adornment.)

   History teaches us that anything that makes money or deceives
will eventually find its way onto the market. If we are talking also
about imitation gems, (you mentioned Jackie Os' faux pearls) history
is full of examples of imitations coming into widespread usage. Man
has been supplanting natural objects with man made objects since the
beginning of time and that trend is certainly not abating. 

The term ‘forgery’ comes to mind and has certainly existed since
ancient times.

One of the most obvious transgressions of nature and gemstones is the
way we have “engineered” them. We cook them, dye them, irradiate them,
and induce color through diffusion. We laser objects within the
natural stone. We pressure inject them with resins and glasses. In
short, we’ll do whatever it takes to make an extra buck !

   I should like to risk repeating one of favorite points here.
There is nothing 'natural' about digging for xtals, cleaning them,
cobbing off the non-clear portion, shipping it halfway 'round the
globe, shaping and polishing it, mounting it in some ductile alloy
and then WEARING IT! Do any (other?) animals come close to this?
Unless our discussion devolves into the "if man is an object of
nature then everything he does IS natural, if not, then which God
should I worship?" type of phenomenology we need to keep in mind how
much the 'market' (Adam Smith's "unseen hand") does to keep everyone
happy.(by this I mean of course that buyers will always complain of
too high prices and sellers too low - all the while continuing to
contract with each other). I am opposed to fraud. It seems very
uncivilized to me and I attempt to educate the few customers I have
about these issues. As a buyer of facet rough I rely on my supplier
first and my own wits secondly. In this narrow market and with the
advent of the 'electronic media' we use here, news of a 'ripoff'
would travel quickly. 

The most interesting and ironic example of how societies can be
induced to supplant natural objects for man made objects is the
universal adoption of glass trade beads throughout the world.

I would have to say the most potentially damaging example is the
replacement of the market created use of precious metals to represent
wealth for ‘fiat’ currency. Time will tell.

   In my view a beautiful natural crystal should NEVER be cut and
used in such a way that it is destroyed. It is a precious
non-renewable resource and should be considered as such. 

Yes, interesting how the top 1/16" of a xtal keeps it from becoming
facet rough! (and ,again, strictly emotional/market driven)

Carl
1 Lucky Texan

“In my view a beautiful natural crystal should NEVER be cut and used
in such a way that it is destroyed. It is a precious non-renewable
resource and should be considered as such.”

Ron, I couldn’t agree with that statement more. I was appalled while
reading my GIA textbook about the great one-of-a-kind diamonds that
have been found, only to be cut into small pieces. And now, many of
these pieces will never be seen again for their whereabouts are
unknown.

Such magnificent stones as the 3106 carat Cullinan, the 995 carat
Excelsior and the 969 carat Star of Sierra Leone. These precious
crystals should have been preserved, not destroyed. Future
generations can only marvel over what few pictures may remain of
these wonders of nature. Can you believe that the largest stone cut
from the 995 carat Excelsior was only a 69.68 carat pear? What a
waste of natures handiwork.

Charles Heick

Hi Ron, I do work with a few non AGTA guys, but they are all people I
have been working with for years. Understandably with the treatments
and synthetics on the market today everybody gets a bad one sometimes.
My point truly was however that if you work with dealers you trust
over a long period of time you have some recourse if something bad
comes through the pipeline. While your rough buying approach is
admirable, I often buy 20-50 ct lots of melee goods and I don’t know
anyone in this country who would cut that kind of material for a
reasonable price. What I do know is that if any of the stones prove
not to be what they are purported to be my dealers will always take
care of the problem because they know how much more business they
will get from me in the future. I do shop all the shows when I go to
Tucson but I am cautious about who I buy from on sensitive materials.
Daniel R. Spirer, GG Spirer Somes Jewelers 1794 Massachusetts Ave.
Cambridge, MA 02140 @spirersomes
http://www.spirersomes.com

Orchid friends, can you clear up some for me? I will
state what I believe to be true. Will you either confirm or rebute the

I have been away from making jewelry for about 8 years but at that
time had purchased strands of freshwater “biwa” pearls. They were
quite textured, almost looking like chewed gum. I probably paid $15
per strand. I realize much higher quality pearls at much loser cost is
now obtainable but here is the question:

I believe these pearls were named “biwa” because of the location that
they were harvested, Lake Biwa. Where is this lake? It seems to me I
have heard that these pearls are no longer obtainable because the lake
is polluted. Is this correct? Do you have anything else to
add?

Thanks in Advance…Karla

Biwa pearls were some of the earlier freshwater pearls cultivated in
Japan in Lake Biwa. However the name later became a somewhat genetic
term for any and all cultured freshwater pearls. Lake Biwa currently
produces virtually no freshwater pearls.

Daniel R. Spirer, GG
Spirer Somes Jewelers
1794 Massachusetts Ave.
Cambridge, MA 02140
@spirersomes
http://www.spirersomes.com

I believe these pearls were named "biwa" because of the location that
they were harvested, Lake Biwa. 

This is my chance to ask a question too! I would tell Karla to check
the archives on the discussion on pearls back in June, (I think), BUT
every time I go to search for something I end up getting so confused
(easy) and frustrated, I give up. Can anyone help the two of us learn
how to use the archives and/or search for a particular discussed
subject??? Thomas Blair