Mabe pearls

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Personally, I can't see why you would want a loose Mabe pearl - heart shaped or not - unless you needed it for a project. Sell them on JM for sure but GC?

I agree. But this is the same Gem Collector that has started selling jewellery strands that should be on JM and pendants that should be on Gems TV.

All of the channels seem to have little differentiation between them now.

I'm surprised they've not tried flogging Slim Shotz on Gem Collector yet.............. (Yet being the key word!)
 
There was a heart shaped '19ct' Mabe (Maybe!) pearl on GC last night. In the Treatment it was described as Assembled!
 
There was a heart shaped '19ct' Mabe (Maybe!) pearl on GC last night. In the Treatment it was described as Assembled!
Screenshot_2024-02-26-09-04-42-836.jpeg
 

I think it's the 'Assembled' terminology that is confusing people.

Once upon a time, 'Assembled' across the Gemporia group was aimed at doublet or triplet cabochons. Stones that were placed on a backing and had a Quartz cab over the top. Stones such as 'Mosaic Opal' or 'Crystal Opal on Ironstone'.

These days, they seem to use 'Assembled' for anything that involves some sort of 'manual' process or a method that doesn't fit under any of their other treatment codes. For example, they list the treatment for Lehrer's 'Cosmic Obelisk' stones as 'Assembled' too - but the stones are 'normal' / untreated - they've just been joined together to create the obelisk shape and effect.

Their treatment codes could do with a refresh because they're out of date and get confused even between presenters.

They often use (CP) for compressed and (RE) for reconstituted - even though they are both the same thing. Their website tells us what (RE) is - but the last time I looked, (CP) was not listed on their website at all. (CP) is not, and was never, needed. (RE) covered it already.

They use (H) for heat treatment and (IR) for irradiation - but for the past four years or so, they've added an (IH) - which presumably means irradiated AND heat treated - but, again. the last time I looked, (IH) was not listed on their website.

Some of their treatments are also so aggressive, they could do with a new treatment listed - to the point where 'rebuilt' would be a fair description.

Add to the above, Jewellery Maker throw in more confusion because they list the wrong treatment codes completely - despite me raising it with them, literally, for about the past 6 years. As always, I get the standard response of "we'll raise it with the team" - only for nothing to change. Basically, JM keep listing irradiated stones as (I) instead of (IR) - and they list diffused stones as (D) instead of (U).

(D) is actually for dyed stones - and (U) is for diffused.

Even their own presenters get confused by it. A few years ago, Rebecca Redican was flogging some Turquoise with the treatment code (IR) and she said, I quote, 'This stone has been irradiated - irradiation treatment is what gives the stone its colour".

That was flawed for two reasons:

a) The code she was referring to (I) stood for waxing - so the stones had just a wax coating applied to give them their glossy appearance and to prevent body salts/sweat being absorbed into the porous stone. The colour was actually natural.

b) Turquoise is a porous stone. It cannot be irradiated. It will disintegrate.

It baffles me how a so called GIA-AJP qualified presenter could claim that irradiation would give Turquoise its colour. Even someone with very basic knowledge of gemstones would know that Turquoise cannot be irradiated.
 
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I agree. But this is the same Gem Collector that has started selling jewellery strands that should be on JM and pendants that should be on Gems TV.

All of the channels seem to have little differentiation between them now.

I'm surprised they've not tried flogging Slim Shotz on Gem Collector yet.............. (Yet being the key word!)
You saying that: I was completely bemused when, some time back, I saw JM (in it's gemstone phase, not it's jade phase, so a very long time ago :p ) selling Primal pills etc. NO relationship whatsoever. Which, as I'm being lazy and commenting in the one post, just because they give cloth / bags / makeup gemstone names to equate colours, doesn't mean they are gemstones :p

Not supposed to be sold by carat weight!
I was under the impression that pearls, amber and opals were not sold by carat, but by size or weight.
 
I was under the impression that pearls, amber and opals were not sold by carat, but by size or weight.

Pearls and Amber can't be sold by carat weight because they're organic rather than 'stones'.

Opals can be sold by carat weight if they're actual opals as mined - but they can't sell opal doublets or triplets (such as 'mosaic opal' or 'crystal opal on ironstone') because those are slithers of opal placed into a backing and with a Quartz cap placed over the top.
 
I think it's the 'Assembled' terminology that is confusing people.

Once upon a time, 'Assembled' across the Gemporia group was aimed at doublet or triplet cabochons. Stones that were placed on a backing and had a Quartz cab over the top. Stones such as 'Mosaic Opal' or 'Crystal Opal on Ironstone'.

These days, they seem to use 'Assembled' for anything that involves some sort of 'manual' process or a method that doesn't fit under any of their other treatment codes. For example, they list the treatment for Lehrer's 'Cosmic Obelisk' stones as 'Assembled' too - but the stones are 'normal' / untreated - they've just been joined together to create the obelisk shape and effect.

Their treatment codes could do with a refresh because they're out of date and get confused even between presenters.

They often use (CP) for compressed and (RE) for reconstituted - even though they are both the same thing. Their website tells us what (RE) is - but the last time I looked, (CP) was not listed on their website at all. (CP) is not, and was never, needed. (RE) covered it already.

They use (H) for heat treatment and (IR) for irradiation - but for the past four years or so, they've added an (IH) - which presumably means irradiated AND heat treated - but, again. the last time I looked, (IH) was not listed on their website.

Some of their treatments are also so aggressive, they could do with a new treatment listed - to the point where 'rebuilt' would be a fair description.

Add to the above, Jewellery Maker throw in more confusion because they list the wrong treatment codes completely - despite me raising it with them, literally, for about the past 6 years. As always, I get the standard response of "we'll raise it with the team" - only for nothing to change. Basically, JM keep listing irradiated stones as (I) instead of (IR) - and they list diffused stones as (D) instead of (U).

(D) is actually for dyed stones - and (U) is for diffused.

Even their own presenters get confused by it. A few years ago, Rebecca Redican was flogging some Turquoise with the treatment code (IR) and she said, I quote, 'This stone has been irradiated - irradiation treatment is what gives the stone its colour".

That was flawed for two reasons:

a) The code she was referring to (I) stood for waxing - so the stones had just a wax coating applied to give them their glossy appearance and to prevent body salts/sweat being absorbed into the porous stone. The colour was actually natural.

b) Turquoise is a porous stone. It cannot be irradiated. It will disintegrate.

It baffles me how a so called GIA-AJP qualified presenter could claim that irradiation would give Turquoise its colour. Even someone with very basic knowledge of gemstones would know that Turquoise cannot be irradiated.
Well, if the GIA qualification is supposed to be the bees knees to possess (as presenters have often told us), then all I can say is the GIA could have slipped up with their final assessments before awarding the qualification. Some of the errors they come out with are pretty basic ones - and it's certainly not unknown for the 'translation' of the treatment given to be at variance with what the screen details show. I wonder just how often that's happened over the years.
 
Well, if the GIA qualification is supposed to be the bees knees to possess (as presenters have often told us), then all I can say is the GIA could have slipped up with their final assessments before awarding the qualification. Some of the errors they come out with are pretty basic ones - and it's certainly not unknown for the 'translation' of the treatment given to be at variance with what the screen details show. I wonder just how often that's happened over the years.
It's nothing to do with that. It's just incompetence at Gemporia.

Some of the stones they sell on JM with the incorrect treatments listed have previously been on Gem Collector with the correct details showing.

These mistakes are 100% the fault of Gemporia
 
I know next to nothing about pearl farming, or harvesting. But, Lindsey is showing a strand of Lavender Pearls, aka necklace. She showed the Sally Hua advert from a couple of years ago, telling how covid harmed the pearl industry. Yes, I've seen it billions of times, that ad. BUT, being a slow thinker. Four years slow?? This is my query. A pearl needs to be left to grow, yes? How can covid have harmed the industry? That 3 or so years of extra growth of the pearl must have been good. Plus, when the world shut down, 'nature' had a resurgence: as in the dolphins in the canals of Venice and deer wandering town's streets. So, with that aside, surely covid would have done the pearl farmers a favour? Who'd have thought 3 plus years later and I'm talking about the pandemic. Blame Sally :p
 
Who'd have thought 3 plus years later and I'm talking about the pandemic. Blame Sally :p
Gemporia's website says that Tanzanite was discovered by Manuel de Sousa on July 7th 1967 (although that's a Graham-Bell, Edison type "discovery" - someone else recorded a finding much earlier. Gemporia really need to update this and correct their video adverts.). Tiffany started selling in 1968. I bet you that in 1969, sales staff were telling The Glitterati that it was rare and nearly mined out. 56 years later and here we are with presentations after presentations warning of its imminent disappearance.

So I wouldn't worry. Any grandchildren will still be watching that footage in 50 years time.
 
So I wouldn't worry. Any grandchildren will still be watching that footage in 50 years time.
Didn't know that about tanzanite. But I did know that about the phone. And you expect 50 years? :p I'll be 104, if I live that long. God forbid. Joking aside, I did hear one of the presenters: I think it was Jess, but don't quote me, suggest they update Steve's diamond and 50 something % cheaper than, video.
 
Gemporia's website says that Tanzanite was discovered by Manuel de Sousa on July 7th 1967 (although that's a Graham-Bell, Edison type "discovery" - someone else recorded a finding much earlier. Gemporia really need to update this and correct their video adverts.). Tiffany started selling in 1968. I bet you that in 1969, sales staff were telling The Glitterati that it was rare and nearly mined out. 56 years later and here we are with presentations after presentations warning of its imminent disappearance.

So I wouldn't worry. Any grandchildren will still be watching that footage in 50 years time.

It really annoys me when these selly-telly channels claim it's almost mined out and they can 'no longer get any more'.

Independent experts believe there is an estimated 42 to 45 years worth of mining left yet - so Tanzanite will still be around when ALL of these selly-telly channels are dead and buried.
 
They don't remember anything because they don't refresh their knowledge. I didn't know it's even possible when someone works in the gemstone industry.
I may be wrong here, but I seem to recall that years ago, one of Gemporia's boasts used to be that presenters HAD to maintain their gemstone knowledge by taking regular refresher tests which they needed to pass. Admittedly I'm talking about a long while ago, when they had knowledgeable, interesting presenters like Scott Worsfold, Rae Carpenter and Drew Nicholls. I haven't caught any mention of this for years past, which is odd, as I'm sure I remember them proudly telling us that the presenters needed to keep updated.

I suppose all of that went out of the window when (a) the channel switched to employing presenters who shriek at you and just babble a load of words with little or no knowledge behind it and (b) when they stopped bringing jewellery with more unusual gemstones and instead concentrated on common stones that were mostly filled, dyed or otherwise treated and on offer for hugely inflated prices. Gone are the days when you could actually learn something by watching the channel.
 
when you could actually learn something by watching the channel.
If you can keep awake, and cherry pick the snippits of info through a 2 hour dissertation or it's spoken equivalent, you can still learn some things. (Like who to avoid when they're on air). But seriously....
 

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