What Pearl Doctors Do?

The pearl doctor is the cosmetic surgeon of the pearl world who improves pearls by delicately removing blemishes, his 'instruments' consisting of fine scrapers, abrasives and a sensitive touchy infinite patience and a considerable knowledge of pearls. In this aspect of the pearl trade, to simply describe the careful removal of a pimple or a blotch by use of miniature files or scraping devices would be accurate but not adequate.

'Doctoring' is a term which has hints of doping or interfering for some gainful purpose, not strictly honest or above board. Gemstone colors are often changed permanently by heat treatment, classic examples being heat treatment of greenish 'aquamarine' to an improved and more attractive blue. This is an accepted trade practice.

Pearls when first extracted from the tissue of oysters, particularly Japanese cultured pearls, are lightly bleached in a weak hydrogen peroxide solution. Sunlight also has a bleaching effect.

X-ray irradiation can cause darkening of color in some pearls and is thus not a desirable effect, but generally speaking little 'doctoring' of pearls takes place to alter their color.

Early Pearl Doctors

In the heyday of the pearl trade there were certainly pearl doctors in Hatton Garden, London, in the neighborhood of Rue Lafayette, Paris, and in jewelry quarters of Maiden Lane, New York.

In some respects this working of pearls introduces the risk or gamble so beloved of many who deal in precious stones and pearls who put their hands in their pockets and take a calculated risk. It is usually only on large-sized and potentially valuable pearls that specialist skills are employed. No great risk or great financial loss is incurred with small and/or medium-quality pearls.

T. B. Elles, a native of Ceylon, was recognized in the boom days as being the most skilful of pearl doctors. He worked on pearls at Broome, Western Australia, and it was said that the Broome pearlers paid him quite handsomely to keep him in the town, presumably to work on blemished pearls, rather than go to London or Paris where he could have obtained employment in the jewellery world. T. B. Elles had a son, Charlie Elles, who was also in the pearl business at Broome but business there has dropped considerably. In Hatton Garden another father-and-son business of pearl doctors was Brockman & Son.

Different Kinds Of Pearl Treatments Done by Pearl Doctors

When a low-quality cultured pearl is cleaned and polished, and still does not have a good luster, the farmer is left with a few options. He can sell the pearl at a steep discount; dispose of the pearl; peel the nacre to sell it, then reuse the nucleus; or apply a treatment to the pearl that will change its appearance. If the pearl is a good candidate for treatment, this is the most common and economically sensible approach for the farmer.

There are three main treatments that low-quality pearls undergo:

Dyeing: The use of silver nitrate or other organic dyes to darken the nacre of the pearl.

Irradiation: The use of gamma rays to darken the nucleus of the pearl in akoya pearls and the nacre layers in freshwater.

Luster treatments: A pearl is heated and then cooled or a coating treatment placed on the surface of the pearl to artificially enhance the luster. This is also referred to as "maeshori".

Learn... How to Tell Real Pearls from Imitation Pearls

Processing of Chinese tissue-grafted freshwater pearls usually involves the sequential steps of:

1. Sorting (grading) for size, shape, colour and perfection of surface.

2. Drilling to remove flaws, allow access for cleaning and bleaching.

3. Bleaching to remove dark spots and lighten colour. Agents used include bleaching agents (e.g. hydrogen peroxide), solvents and surface-active agents.

4. Whitening with fluorescent brightening agents.

5. Color enhancement by dyeing and/or irradiation.

6. Washing to remove toxic by-products of colour enhancement.

7. Polishing in tumblers filled with wax and bamboo, walnut shells or sheepskin.

Do-It-Yourself Cleaning for Pearl Jewelries

Things You'll Need:

a) Jewelry cleaning solution suitable for pearls

b) Soft cleaning cloth

c) Storage pouch or cloth suitable for pearls

1) Your pearls will stay cleaner if you put them on after you've applied your makeup and perfume.

2) Lay the pearl strand flat on a clean soft cloth or towel. Make a mild solution of soap flakes (I use Ivory soap flakes) and warm water, and apply with a new pure natural bristle complexion or manicure brush, scrubbing gently. Being careful to support the strand so as not to stretch the thread, turn the necklace over and repeat. To rinse, submerge the strand in cool water flush with cool tap water for a minimum of five minutes. Carefully remove the strand from the water and lay it on a fresh towel to air dry. Don't move it until it is completely dry.

3) Never clean your pearls with solutions that contain ammonia or harsh detergents. Use cleaning product like Pearls Natural Jewelry Cleaner Concentrate which is non-toxic, hypo-allergenic and non-irritating to the skin and fingernail polish.

4) Don't use abrasive cleaners or rub pearls with abrasive cloth. Both can wear away the nacre coating, leaving you with a plain looking bead.

5) Pearls are an organic gem comprised of calcium carbonate, pearls require more specialized care than most other gems materials. They are particularly subject to deterioration from contact with chemicals, including components in household cleaners, perfumes, cosmetics and hair care products of all kinds.

6) Be sure to take off your pearl rings before you apply hand and body creams.

7) Wipe your pearls with a soft, lint-free cloth as soon as you take them off. The cloth can be dampened with water or it can be dry. If damp, allow the pearls to air dry before putting them away.

8) The surface of a pearl is soft and is easily damaged. Pearls set in rings and bracelets are more subject to scuffing and scratching than pearls set in brooches, earrings, necklaces or strands. A pearl ring or bracelet should be considered a special-occasion piece, not for daily wear and definitely not to be worn while working with the hands.

9) A good rule of thumb is that pearls are the last thing you put on when dressing and the first thing you take off when you get home. NEVER apply perfume or hairspray when you are wearing pearl jewelry, especially a strand of pearls.

10) Don't put pearl jewelry in an ultrasonic cleaner.

Are you into jewelry-making? You should know the... Top 10 Best Jewelry-Making Supplies Store in United States, Canada, Australia and United Kingdom

Jade is an ornamental stone. The term jade is applied to two different metamorphic rocks that are made up of different silicate minerals. Jade refers to two different minerals—jadeite and nephrite.

Nephrite consists of a microcrystaline interlocking fibrous matrix of the calcium, magnesium-iron rich amphibole mineral series tremolite (calcium-magnesium)-ferroactinolite (calcium-magnesium-iron). The middle member of this series with an intermediate composition is called actinolite (the silky fibrous mineral form is one form of asbestos). The higher the iron content the greener the colour.

Jadeite is a sodium- and aluminium-rich pyroxene. The gem form of the mineral is a microcrystaline interlocking crystal matrix.

Both stones are rocks (aggregates) -- masses of tightly interlocking crystals. However, they have different chemical composition and properties. Jadeite is a little harder and denser, and as result can take a higher polish than nephrite. Neither stone is very hard, compared to diamond and ruby. However, both jades are unusually tough—resistant to breakage and chipping. Nephrite, however, is slightly stronger.

Jadeite is more valuable and rare than nephrite. When it’s very translucent and has a strong emerald-green color, it’s often called imperial jade. Jadeite is found in a variety of colors—lavender, white, gray, yellow, orange, brownish—red, black and many shades of green. Today, jadeite is usually the jade chosen for fine jewelry. Its intrinsic value is generally the basis for its price. Nephrite, on the other hand, is mainly valued for its antiquity and carving excellence.

Nephrite is plentiful and most of it is grayish green—typically forest green or olive green. It can also be white, gray, black, brown, yellow, or beige. Most nephrite is very affordable. For example, you can easily find nephrite costume jewelry ranging from $10 to $50. The antique value of old nephrite pieces often outweighs their intrinsic worth.

Many minerals are sold as jade. Some of these are: serpentine (also bowenite), carnelian, aventurine quartz, glass, grossularite, Vesuvianite, soapstone (and other steatites such as shoushan stone) and recently, Australian chrysoprase. "Korean jade," "Suzhou jade," "Styrian jade," "Olive jade", and "New jade" are all really serpentine; "Transvaal jade" or "African jade" is grossularite; "Peace jade" is a mixture of serpentine, stichtite, and quartz; "Mountain jade" is dyed dolomite marble.



Evaluation and Identification of Jade Jewelry: Fake or Genuine?


COLOR: An intense green with a medium-to-medium—dark tone is most valued. As the color becomes lighter, darker, more grayish or brownish or yellowish, the value decreases. Lavender is the next most valued hue, followed by red and yellow, white and black. Prior to the importation of Burmese jadeite into china, white nephrite was the most coveted jade.

Green nephrite is typically grayish, blackish, or brownish. The more it approaches a pure green, the more desirable it is.

COLOR UNIFORMITY: In top quality jade, the color is uniform throughout the stone. The more uneven or blotchy the color is, the lower the value. Multi-colored jade, however, can be very expensive if the colors are intense and distinct. The most desired color combinations are green and lavender, arrange and green, or white with strong green (moss-in-snow jade).

TRANSPARENCY: The best jade is near either transparent or highly translucent. As the transparency of jade decrease, so does its value, with opaque jade being worth the least.

CLARITY: Fine jade is free of flaws such as cracks, included foreign material, and spots which reduce beauty or durability. The number, size, color, position, and nature of flaws determine the clarity of stone. Cracks that break the surface or that are visible internally are particularly detrimental to the value.

TEXTURE: Since jade is composed of interwoven crystal, it can have texture that ranges from fine to coarse. The finer and more tightly interwoven the crystal components are, the better the jade.

SHAPE: The best jade is cut into cabochons. Ovals and rounds normally sell for more than rectangular, marquise and pear shapes. Smooth uncarved pieces are more valuable than carved ones. Carving allows the removal of flaws from inferior material.

CUT QUALITY: Moderately curved cabochons tend to be more valued than flat or very high ones. Symmetrically cabochons with balanced proportions are the most desired. Intricate, high-quality carving is naturally more valued than shoddy, quick carving.

SIZE: Since large, fine quality jadeite is rare, size plays a role in increasing its value. The thickness of good jadeite is also important. If a jadeite cabochon is thinner than 2 mm or smaller than 8 x 6 mm, there can be considerable deduction in its per-carat value.

POLISH & FINISH: The more brilliant the polish and the smoother the surface, the better the stone is.



Treatments of Jade Jewelry


Waxing: This is commonly done after the final polish to improve luster and hide pits and cracks. Heat and strong solvents will undo this treatment. Material will only a superficial waxing is often called A Jade and is well-accepted by the trade.

Dyeing: This is done to add green or lavender color to white or light-colored jade. Blueberry juice is a common dye for lavender jade. It looks good at first but it can fade in sunlight. Dyed jade is called C Jade and is not accepted as fine jade.

Heating: Dark green nephrite may be treated by this method to lighten the color of dark-green material. Red jade can be heated to increase redness, but the usual result is a dull brown, and transparency is reduced in the process.

Bleaching and polymer impregnation: This relatively new treatment removes brown from jade, making whiter colors whiter and green colors brighter. The jade is first soaked and bleached in chemicals. Then the bleached jade is impregnated with a wax or synthetic resin to fill voids created from the bleaching process. The resulting material is called B Jade. Sometimes dye is used before impregnation and other times it’s added to the filter. Don’t plan on handling bleached jade down to future generations; it has durability problems and will discolor with time.

Major sources: Myanmar has been the main source of jadeite since the late 18th century. Some jadeite is also mined in Russia, Japan, California; but the finest quality comes from Myanmar.

The oldest known source of nephrite is Xinjiang Province in China. Nephrite is also found in New Zealand, Taiwan, British, Columbia, Australia, Poland, Germany, India, Zimbabwe, Mexico, Alaska, California and Wyoming.

BEWARE: Sellers are supposed to disclose treatments but not all do. Therefore ask for treatment information, particularly when buying high-priced jadeite. If a store claims their jade is only waxed and otherwise untreated, have them write this on the receipt. If you’re buying quality jade jewelry, check if it has open back setting to let it light through the stone. Closed backs are typically a sign that the jade is of low value or that something is being hidden. For example, it might be hiding the back of a jadeite triplet—an assembled stone consisting of a thin hollow cabochon of translucent grayish-white jadeite that’s coated inside with a thin, green jelly-like substance and cemented to a piece of flat oval jade. When mounted it looks like an imperial jadeite cabochon. You’re much more likely to encounter dyed jade, than jadeite triplets.

Some common jade imitations are serpentine, chrysoprase, glossular garnet and dyed chalcedomy.

Care tips: Jade can be safely cleaned in soapy water, ultrasonics and steamers. It reacts slightly to warm acids. Since jade has a lower hardness than gems such as sapphire, emerald, and topaz, it can be scratched more easily. Jewelers can eliminate the scratches and restore the luster by polishing the jade.

Jade, however, is very durable. In fact, there is no other gem that’s as resistant to breakage and chipping as jade.



Enhancement of Jade Jewelry


Jade may be enhanced (sometimes called "stabilized"). Note that some merchants will refer to these as Grades, but it is important to bear in mind that degree of enhancement is different from colour and texture quality. In other words, Type A jadeite is not enhanced but can have poor colour and texture. There are three main methods of enhancement, sometimes referred to as the ABC Treatment System:

1) Type A jadeite has not been treated in any way except surface waxing.

2) Type B treatment involves exposing a promising but stained piece of jadeite to chemical bleaches and/or acids and impregnating it with a clear polymer resin. This results in a significant improvement of transparency and colour of the material. Currently, infrared spectroscopy is the most accurate test for the detection of polymer in jadeite.

3) Type C jade has been artificially stained or dyed. The red colour of Red jade can be enhanced with heat. The effects are somewhat uncontrollable and may result in a dull brown. In any case, translucency is usually lost.

4) B+C jade is a combination of B and C: it has been both artificially dyed AND impregnated.

5) Type D jade refers to a composite stone such as a doublet comprising a jade top with a plastic backing.



---how to identify jade jewelry (jadeite & nephrite)

Product Name: Natural Red Ruby Product Type: Genuine Gemstone Weight: 0.75 CTSShape: Oval Cut Size: 7.5 mm X 5 mm Depth: 4 mmColor: Red Clarity: Transparent Luster: Good Hardness: 9 Treatment: Treated Origin: Africa

Why Some Treatments Are More Accepted Than Others

The fact is most gemstones used in jewelry have been treated to improve their appearance. Treated gemstones can be a good choice, because they should be more affordable than untreated stones that achieve their quality naturally. Do you know what the common treatments are? Some last forever, some don't.

Many gemstones are treated with various methods to improve color and clarity. Some of these methods are widely accepted in the trade today, while other methods are not. The accepted trade methods are the ones that will change the color of the gemstone permanently.

Some treatments bring out the stone's inherent qualities. Emeralds, for example, are routinely oiled to bring out their color. Such treatments do not camouflage flaws or harm the stone in any way. The jewelry retailer need not specifically mention treatments that are regarded as the usual way of dealing with that kind of gem.

Other treatments are done to stones of lower quality to make them appear more attractive. Although a trained gemologist can see, under a microscope, that the stone has been treated, the purchaser cannot. If the seller does not disclose such treatments, a customer would believe the gem to be of higher quality than it is and might be led to pay a higher price.

All ethical gem dealers will fully disclose gem treatments. But in our view it is also important to provide detailed information to the buyer so that he knows exactly what he is buying. Keep in mind that most colored gemstones are treated, and this is a perfectly legitimate practice as long as all facts are disclosed to the buyer. If you know the facts, then you can feel safe about buying a gemstone that you will enjoy for many years to come.

Procedures that Enhance Gemstone Appearance

Colored gemstones nearly always undergo some sort of appearance-enhancing treatment before they are used in jewelry. Some treatments are permanent, but others are not. Get the facts about gemstones enhancements before you shop for jewelry.

Not all treatments are regarded as equal. Consider these factors when determining the acceptability of a gemstone:

1) Is the treatment permanent?

2) Has the treatment added foreign material to the gemstone?

3) Has the internal character of the gemstone been changed by the treatment?

4) Does the treatment decrease durability?

5) Does the treated gem compete with a natural gem?

6) How available are attractive untreated gems of the same type?

PERMANENCE: Irradiated yellow sapphires may fade within minutes of being treated so they’re not accepted. However, the heat treatment of sapphires is accepted because a stable color is usually produced.

The color of irritated pearls is stable and does not rub off on your skin like dye of some dyed pearls. This is one reason irritated pearls are preferred over dyed pearls.

Laser drilling is more accepted diamond treatment than fracture filling because lasering produces permanent results. Fracture filling is subject to change if the filled diamonds come in contact with a jeweler’s torch or if they’re subjected to prolonged or multiple ultrasonic cleanings. Some fillings cloud or discolor when exposed to light for long periods.

ADDITIONS OF FOREIGN MATERIAL: Another reason why heating and irradiation may be preferred to other treatments is that no chemicals, oils, wax or synthetic substances are added to the stones, except when the stones are heated in borax. When the borax turns into glass and fills cracks or cavities, this is undesirable and can reduce the value of expensive rubies, for example.

INTERNAL CHANGE: Heat treatment done at 1600’C (2900’F) and above can melt inclusions, create tiny stress cracks, produce a hazy appearance and change the overall internal character of a gemstone. This is one reason why low-temperature heat treatment is preferred to high temperature heating.

DURABILITY: Treatments can have a negative effect on durability. According to Dr. Kurt Nassau (Gemstone Enhancement, page 43), “High temperature heat treatments may cause some materials to become more brittle and shows more wear.”

The GIA Gem Reference Guide notes on page 262 in the section on zircon, “Toughness: heat-treated stones-poor to fair; untreated stones-fair to good.”

According to Dr. Horst Krupp, a heat treater and physicist, high temperature can cause can cause rubies and sapphires to become brittle and abrade if they’re not properly cooled during the heat treatment process. This is another reason high temperature heating can have a negative impact on gem prices.

Burmese jade is sometimes soaked and bleached in chemicals to remove brown or yellow impurities. This weakens the jade. Occasionally treatment can improve durability. Most natural turquoise can crack or crumble. When it’s impregnated with a plastic material and it becomes more durable.

COMPETITION: Small Japanese pearls (akoya pearls) that have been darkened by irradiation and/or dyes are accepted by the trade because the treatments provide consumers with an option not available from natural-color akoya pearls.

Artificial colored South Sea pearls are not well accepted. In fact they’re banned in Tahiti because they compete with Tahiti’s naturally colored black pearls, and they confuse buyers.

There are strong objections to the new HPHT-treated diamonds because they compete with high-quality untreated diamonds and they complicate buying, selling and identification.

Most tanzanite is heat-treated to intensify the color and/or eliminate brown, gray or green. The low-temperature heat-treatment (600-700 degrees centigrade), which produces a stable color is well accepted and is used even on the finest stones. Tanzanite was unknown before the 1960’s so heat treated tanzanite has not competed with an existing market of untreated stones. Contrary to what is sometimes reported, there are attractive untreated tanzanites, but the percentage is negligible.

AVAILABILITY: Oiling emeralds is a well-accepted trade practice because emeralds typically have cracks and need to be fracture filled to improve their clarity. Therefore when buying expensive emeralds, assume they’ve been fracture-filled with oil or some other substance. Your main concern should be to what extent the treatment has affected the appearance. This information is now provided on many emeralds lad reports.

Unoiled rubies are readily available, so ruby oiling isn’t accepted though it’s often done when surface cracks are present.

Precautions to Take When Buying Expensive Gems

When you spend a few hundred dollars on a gem, the treatment status is normally not a major issue. In fact, you can just assume that the rubies, sapphires, aquamarines and tanzanite’s you see have been heat treated and the emeralds have been fracture filled. Enjoy wearing these gems and appreciate the fact that treatments allow you to buy more attractive stones at lower prices.

However, when you spend a few thousand dollars or more on a gemstone, the type and extent of the treatment is an important buying factor. Take these precautions:

1) Use caution when you shop on the web. The Federal Trade Commission has discovered a number of online jewelry retailers and auction sites that are not complying with disclosure requirements for colored gemstone treatments (among other things). Do not shop for price alone.

2) Deal with sellers who can explain treatments in frank simple language rather than with euphemisms and vague terms.

3) Deal with sellers who will tell you both the bad and good points about treatments.

4) Ask if and how stones gave been treated. The answer will give you insight into the seller’s ethics.

5) Have the salesperson include treatment information on the receipt. If the stone is untreated, have this written.

6) For expensive gems, get a report form a lab that automatically includes treatment on their documents.

If the retailer does not mention treatments, always ask whether the gem has been treated. (Read about the treatments common to the gems you are buying.) Treatments should be disclosed on the sales receipt and on the appraisal.

All treatments that are not accepted as part of the normal processing of a gem should always be specifically disclosed, both verbally and on the sales receipt.