January 24 Through February 4—TUCSON, ARIZONA: Annual show
Welcome to the GemologyOnline.com Forum
A non-profit Forum for the exchange of gemological ideas
It is currently Thu Mar 28, 2024 8:29 am

All times are UTC - 4 hours




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 7 posts ] 
Author Message
 Post subject: jadeite treatments
PostPosted: Wed Mar 02, 2011 7:41 pm 
Offline
Valued Contributor

Joined: Fri Sep 08, 2006 8:20 pm
Posts: 354
Location: Texas
Do most,or all, gem labs use infrared spectroscopy on jadeite these days? I assume AGL does this? Thanks.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: jadeite treatments
PostPosted: Mon Mar 07, 2011 4:36 pm 
Offline
Valued Contributor

Joined: Fri Sep 08, 2006 8:20 pm
Posts: 354
Location: Texas
I'll should take that as a "No"?


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: jadeite treatments
PostPosted: Mon Mar 07, 2011 8:21 pm 
Offline
Site Admin
User avatar

Joined: Sun Oct 16, 2005 12:22 pm
Posts: 21602
Location: San Francisco
I think you'd have to specify the lab.
Any lab that has the ability to do the test would be prudent to do it.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: jadeite treatments
PostPosted: Tue Mar 08, 2011 6:37 pm 
Offline
Valued Contributor

Joined: Fri Sep 08, 2006 8:20 pm
Posts: 354
Location: Texas
Sorry, I am interested specifically in AGL reports. A client has one and it doesn't specify which tests were performed on her jadeite; just "no gemological evidence of treatment". I would not classify IR spectroscopy as "classical" gemology, although today it shoud be done on all Jadeite. I don't want top send it to Mason Kay unless I have to.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: jadeite treatments
PostPosted: Thu Mar 10, 2011 1:25 pm 
Offline
Valued Contributor

Joined: Thu Aug 20, 2009 10:36 am
Posts: 118
Location: New York
Hello Richard,

I apologize for the delay in getting back to you on this. I have been traveling abroad and only returned home last night. As you know, for treatments of jadeite, we are primarily concerned with coloration or impregnation. Color may be applied or induced utilizing organic dyes or undesirable colors may be removed via bleaching. Surface luster is commonly improved via a light surface application of wax. Or jades may be more fully impregnated using either waxes or polymers. Commonly the impregnation with a polymer follows a process of bleaching.

Any of these can be used singly or in combination. I won't go into all of the details however at AGL our policy is to examine all jades using microscopy, UV-Visible-Near infrared spectroscopy and mid-infrared spectroscopy. These are the routine/standard gemological techniques that we apply, in addition to other standard instrumentation. If we feel that additional testing is required, in some cases we will also apply chemical analyses, as well as Raman and photoluminescence spectroscopy.

When we find no evidence of a treatment in jadeite: such as color modification or impregnation, etc. we make the statement for Standard Enhancement: Natural Color and Additional Enhancement: None, with an additional statement under the comments section that indicates: No gemological evidence of impregnation present.

In the past there has been some variation on the specific wordings. I don't know the date of the piece you mention, but these are the current statements.

Does this help to clarify our policy? If not, please feel free to contact me directly and we can discuss this further.

Best regards,
Christopher P. Smith


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: jadeite treatments
PostPosted: Thu Mar 10, 2011 3:03 pm 
Offline
Valued Contributor

Joined: Fri Sep 08, 2006 8:20 pm
Posts: 354
Location: Texas
Thank you Mr. Smith,
I appriciete your taking the time to answer my question. Sounds like you are doing a very a diligent job. I feel better about the piece I am working on, and am glad I don't need to ship it off.
Thank you again, Richard.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: jadeite treatments
PostPosted: Thu Mar 10, 2011 3:13 pm 
Offline
Valued Contributor

Joined: Thu Aug 20, 2009 10:36 am
Posts: 118
Location: New York
My pleasure. Anytime you can feel free to contact me. If I don't respond in a short time, it likely means that I am away from the office, but I will always try to answer any questions fully.

Best regards,
Christopher P. Smith


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 7 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 4 hours


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 4 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Search for:
Jump to:  
Powered by phpBB © 2000, 2002, 2005, 2007 phpBB Group
Gemology Style ported to phpBB3 by Christian Bullock