Is it me, or am I maybe missing the point as to why certain gemstones are named so closely after another, or is it simply an unimaginative attempt to make us believe we are getting something which in fact we are not? xxxxx
Arge this is the most important paragraph and actually you've hit the nail on the head. There is no such
natural mined gem as Santa Maria Coloured Aquamarine or Padparadscha Coloured Sapphire. These are names made up by GemsTV to do a bit of "clever" marketing to the uninitiated.
Let me explain ............... Padparadscha Sapphires are amongst the rarest, sought after Sapphires of the corundum family and can be extremely expensive. They are nature's way of giving you a glorious Sapphire that is peach/pink in colour. Many years ago at GemsTV they sold these gems as "Padparadscha Sapphire". Were they the real deal? Who knows! There was a HUGE furore culiminating in several complaints and subsequently GemsTV called their range of Padparadschas "Padparadscha
Coloured Sapphires" and confirmed that these were treated with Beryillium Diffusion i.e. they took (normally) dirty yellow coloured sapphires, stuck them in a big oven and cooked them with added elements (Beryillium) to change their colour. So are they Padparadschas? No, most certainly not. Are they Sapphires? Yes. What should the price be? It should be the same as any heated/treated Sapphire - so not a lot!
Then, onto Santa Maria Aquamarine. As you've rightly said, SM Aqua is from Brazil and the pocket found was a very deep blue. What's being sold now is Aqua from other parts of the world treated to be the same colour. That is why IF Scott didn't use the word "coloured" in his presentation, it's misleading.
Adding the word "coloured" is a GemsTV thing and at least they're being honest about what the gems are (although you do have to understand the term in the first place)! Other companies are not as honest. As GC said, like the term "Majestic" or "Royal" and even "AAAA" which never existed for Tanzanite apart from in GemsTV world also are made up marketing terms! At least by having and using the word "coloured" it does indicate to those that understand that this is not "the real deal".
Then we come onto Ceylon Sapphires. A Ceylon Sapphire can really only be called such if it has its origin in Ceylon - and the term is normally used to give the reader an idea of colour. Sapphires from Ceylon have a certain colour (prized). The term is misleading therefore because it's now commonly used to denote colour - irrespective of origin. Would I call a treated Sapphire a Ceylon Sapphire? Probably not as it's misleading. Blue sapphire would be more the mark!
Don't get me wrong - GemsTV are by no means on their own with these marketing ploys. Certain other channels do exactly the same. I saw Padparadscha Quartz the other day!!!!
HTH
ps If you want to see what a real Ceylon Sapphire (untreated) looks like, have a look in Bling!
