Heard a piece on the radio about plastic surgery and the changing
ways we look at faces. They quoted one author who said, “When
everyone is beautiful, we’ll have to make finer distinctions.”
It occurred to me, as I read all the posts about gemstone
enhancements, that we are have to make finer distinctions about
That’s all. Just an interesting observation.
Elaine
Elaine Luther
Metalsmith, Certified PMC Instructor
http://www.CreativeTextureTools.com ™
Hard to Find Tools for Metal Clay
Quite a few years ago, there was the same furor about cultured pearls
vs. natural. The value wasn’t there for cultured pearls because
natural pearls were rare. Few of us would argue that cultured pearls
are rare - yet we all sell them, they are truly beautiful and they
are the only reasonable option.
Aren’t we on the same path with cultured or lab grown gemstones?
Certainly not rare, but definitely beautiful.
Have you tried to find the perfect natural red diamond for a client?
It would seem that there is a place for lab created gems, they are
real, and they are here. It seems arcane to argue that the only
worthwhile stones are dug out of the ground. It would be much more
relevant to have the major gem associations covering the range of
options rather than limiting their scope to a finite supply of dug
out of the ground stones.
I like both kinds, dug and grown. The pearl analogy is important.
Judy Hoch, G.G.
@Judy_Hoch
The pearl analogy is important
Actually, I don’t believe this is a good analogy. Natural pearls
virtually disappeared from the market and have continued to be
virtually nonexistent. Additionally, unlike other gem materials,
pearls age, and lose value because of this, thereby completely
eliminating natural pearls as an available product. The same cannot
be said for most other gem materials on the market (the notable
exception, besides other organic substances, is opal which can craze
over time). I don’t argue with your statement that there may be a
place for synthetics, but it doesn’t mean that organizations devoted
to natural materials have to include them in their agenda. That
would be like saying that since I’m a jeweler I should sell
synthetics just because there is a market for them.
Daniel R. Spirer, G.G.
Daniel R. Spirer Jewelers, LLC
1780 Massachusetts Ave.
Cambridge, MA 02140
@Daniel_R_Spirer
As long as one, if a seller, give your client all the information
there shouldn’t a problem, nor concern.
We all have our personal bias, but we need not insist that others
agree with our bias.
Have you tried to find the perfect natural red diamond for a client? It would seem that there is a place for lab created gems, they are real, and they are here.
Of course there is a place for synthetic. There are people who like
"real or naturally occuring and people who prefer the
“fake, imitation, man made, things.”
With respect to red diamonds, yes. Today they are more abundant via
a HTHP process to genuine naturally occuring, mined from the earth
diamonds. Although, still relatively expensive the supply is limited.
From an economic perspective, genuine stones will have greater value
than the man made counterparts according to supply and demand.
Ed Cleveland
303-882-8855