Many people associate "green fingers" with cheap jewelry. But that isn't always the case!
The weird colors that can form around your finger (or on ears, or
wrists, or neck!) after removing a piece of jewelry is caused by a
chemical reaction between the acids in your skin (or lotions on your
skin) and various metals.
There are several metals that oxidize or react with skin and then cause
discoloration. Copper is a reactive metal that can leave a greenish hue
on skin. Some jewelry is made of pure copper, and other jewelry is
made from metals that are alloyed (or mixed) with copper. Sterling
Silver is 92.5% pure silver and 7.5% copper.
So yes, Sterling Silver jewelry, including rings, can turn your skin green. So can yellow gold jewelry!
Silver plated jewelry can be any underlying metal, but is plated with
pure silver. This plated jewelry can cause tarnish to form on your
skin! This would leave a dark grey or black discoloration.
No worries though---these weird colors are totally harmless and can
easily wash off, or can be removed by using a little nail polish remover
or even makeup remover.
Nickel is used in jewelry and can result in a red, itchy "ring" around
the finger, or wherever it touches the skin. A lot of people are
sensitive, or allergic, to nickel.
How To Avoid "Ring Around The Finger"
Even gold jewelry, as well as silver, can cause discoloration on skin. Yellow gold is also alloyed with copper. So avoiding "cheap" jewelry isn't always the answer!
Stainless Steel jewelry is a good choice for very sensitive skin. Rhodium and Platinum also are considered hypoallergenic. All white gold jewelry, and often Sterling Silver jewelry, is plated with Rhodium, so these are good choices.
Also, avoid getting soap, lotions, chlorine and household chemicals (like ammonia) near your jewelry. Remove your jewelry before swimming (especially saltwater) or doing dishes or bathing.
Some people apply clear nail polish to the inside of their Sterling Silver rings. Applying some sort of barrier does help!
So if you buy a piece of jewelry that is Sterling Silver, and it turns your skin colors, now you know that it's not because the sterling is "fake". It's because the silver is reacting with your skin and environment!
Someone sent me a convo on Etsy and asked me if I have ever heard of "hydro tourmaline". I responded that I have heard of hydro quartz that is being sold with such names as "Paraiba Hydro Quartz" or "Chrome Tourmaline Quartz" or "Rubellite Hydro Quartz". In other words, they are selling "hydro quartz" using the well-known names of Tourmaline gemstones. Otherwise, no, I have not heard of or seen "hydro tourmaline". I also mentioned that "synthetic tourmaline" is not listed on the GIA's list of synthetic gems, or on any other reputable site.
I heard back from this person who informed me that her discussion group (well, one person) determined that there IS a "hydrothermal tourmaline" process, or a "hydrothermally stabilised tourmaline" which results in synthetic tourmaline, or some sort of hydrothermally enhanced tourmaline. I believe this person's response to me was to "inform" me that I was wrong, and her highly knowledgeable group was really right. I wondered why she even asked me in the first place... I stopped communication then, but I continued researching this subject---as anyone can easily do nowadays!
"Chrome Tourmaline Quartz" Hydro
I googled "Hydrothermally stablised tourmaline", and there was only one result (on the discussion board). (This discussion group is on a highly regarded website for the sharing of information and opinions on jewelry. Anyone can join and anyone can post answers on the discussion board.) Despite calling it "hydrothermally stablized", this person was actually describing the "synthetic overgrowth" process of making synthetic emeralds and other stones. This isn't an enhancement, but a hydrothermal method to produce a new, synthetic gemstone. This involves taking a "seed" gem, and through pressure and heat in a solution, crystals grow around the center seed, forming a new stone surrounding the center seed. (I added a video below showing this process.)
But the trouble with this regarding tourmaline is that, despite anyone's assertions, there is absolutely NO synthetically grown tourmaline available. Enhanced gemstones are simply gemstones that have their color or clarity "enhanced" by various methods, and MUST be disclosed as enhanced: heated, irradiated, filled, oiled, dyed, etc. (Regarding enhanced tourmalines: they are frequently heated or irradiated, and sometimes "oiled" to enhance the colors and fill the imperfections.) There was a study done a few years ago (see here) regarding rumors and reality surrounding "synthetic tourmaline". And if you simply google "synthetic overgrowth" or "synthetic tourmaline" you can read many discussions about this, and they all say the same thing: no synthetic tourmaline gemstones are available. Labs try to create tourmaline, but the results are either extremely tiny stones or stones that "explode" or are otherwise not gem-quality. Even this discussion reveals that, per Tom Chatham (of Chatham Emeralds fame), there are no commercially available synthetic tourmaline stones. But that was from a few years ago. What about today? Has anything changed?
"Paraiba Quartz" Hydro
I contacted the Gemological Institute of America myself, and asked if there are any synthetic tourmaline gemstones available as of 2015. I received a response and although I'm not able to post the response here (it's considered private between the GIA and me), they told me that, despite many attempts at synthesizing tourmalines, there areno gem-quality synthetic tourmalines available in the market today,nor is it economically feasible to produce gem-quality tourmalines. This was as of June 10, 2015.
So going back to the convo on Etsy---despite what this person's online group member said, and despite the claim of a seller somewhere offering "hydro tourmaline", the stones they would buy would test as either "hydro quartz" that is simply the color of a tourmaline, some other synthetic or even natural stone that looks like tourmaline, or possibly glass (see below). Maybe they would receive an oil-enhanced tourmaline, but in that case, it would be just a tourmaline that has been enhanced (and must be disclosed as enhanced), not a "hydro tourmaline". Perhaps in the future there will be synthetic tourmalines, but there are no gem-quality synthetic tourmalines being sold as of today. PERIOD.
This experience with the Etsy "convo" reminded me of Isaac Asimov---do you want the answer that is true, or the answer that satisfies? They are often not the same.
Well, I prefer the truth. And buyers deserve the truth.
Here's an interesting video from Tairus, a company that makes incredibly beautiful synthetic emeralds using the hydrothermal method (plus sapphires, rubies, beryl, and alexandrite):
********************************* HYDRO QUARTZ
Synthetic Amethyst
There are a lot of stones, online on Ebay and on Etsy, that
are being called synthetic "hydro" stones. There are a HUGE number of "hydro
quartz" stones being sold on Etsy right now, in colors that range from
clear to pale blue to deep blues and purples, reds and pinks, pale
colors and vibrant colors. While it's true that there is a large market
for synthetic quartz in industrial applications, sellers are saying
that the jewelry industry is now growing synthetic quartz gemstones,
despite the fact that quartz is the most abundant and common mineral
found on Earth. The hydrothermal process to create these man-made stones is expensive and time consuming. For certain, there are some synthetic blue quartz gems, and synthetic Amethyst does exist (and MUST be disclosed as synthetic), as Amethyst
is considered the most valuable of all quartz varieties. Synthetic
Amethyst is a perfect, rich purple color, with no inclusions and no
color "zoning" like that which is found in natural Amethyst.
I
recently purchased some "hydro quartz" on Etsy from a couple of
different gemstone sellers. I bought the same color of deep
"tourmaline pink" (like rubellite). They arrived and look absolutely
beautiful---the colors are rich and vibrant (each stone, although from different sellers, was EXACTLY the same color of pink), and the stones are clear and
free of obvious bubbles, which would be found in glass. Even looking
through a 10x loupe, the stones look nice. The surface on one set of
stones had a sort of "orange peel" look, very slight, which made me
wonder if it was coated. The faceting on all the stones wasn't quite as
sharp or defined as I had hoped. I did the "scratch test" on glass, and one stone felt like it was scratching the glass, but I couldn't find any mark. The other stones just slid over the glass. None of the stones themselves were harmed. So my own examination didn't really tell me anything.
I took them to a certified
gemologist to have them checked last week, to verify if these are
quartz, or glass. The gemologist used various methods to check all the
stones, and then told me they were NOT quartz, but were glass. All of them were glass.
This
is not to say that the Etsy sellers are trying to defraud anyone. But
they purchase their stones for resale from gem dealers in India or China
or Thailand---wherever these so-called hydro quartz stones are made---as hydro quartz, and then they sell them to jewelry designers, and so on
down the line, until now, the market is saturated with glass stones sold
as quartz, as well as some actual hydro quartz. You really can't tell the
difference without having the stones tested, and not many people will bother
taking them to a gemologist for testing.
So that was MY very recent experience with "hydro quartz" from Etsy: just very pretty glass that looks like quartz (or even tourmaline). No problem----I'll wear it myself!
In 2013, I wrote THIS post about fake gemstones being sold as "natural" gemstones on Ebay. I wrote it as a "buyer beware" in an effort to help unsuspecting buyers from being "suckers", even though these huge-carat gemstone items are $25-$50 or so.
17.6-Carat (!) "Ruby" For $49
Someone sent me an email regarding a $25 "Ruby"
ring they purchased from Ebay (Bulran) and claimed they had it "tested"
and it was a real ruby, and because the "labor is cheap" in Thailand for
stone cutting, they're able to offer inexpensive rubies. Wow! Imagine
finding a genuine mined ruby, 6 carats or more, that is natural and
unheated (or perhaps even heated) and having it set into a ring, for $25!!
What a deal!! And then this person threatened me because I *dared* to
say that a 6-CARAT ruby for $25 was not a genuine ruby gemstone!!
Hahaha! OK, I'll stop with the sarcasm. I can't believe I need to say this but here goes:
16.22 Carat "Ruby" - $9.99!
There
is NO SUCH THING as a genuine, natural ruby that is 6 carats or so, set
into a sterling silver setting, with a halo of stones surrounding it,
for $25. Could you ever possibly even FIND a 17.6 carat genuine Ruby like pictured above?? To the right is another ring---16.22 carats ("natural from Madagascar"!) for only $9.99!! First of all, large gem quality rubies can be more valuable
than comparably sized diamonds and are certainly rarer! For a 6-ct.
round-cut VVS2 diamond, the price is: 6 x $106,444 per carat = $638,664 (approximately). A 6-carat ruby would cost a FORTUNE and would certainly be set in platinum or solid gold, not sterling silver! What would a 17-ct Ruby be worth?? A million dollars, or more?
If you search all these "ruby" rings on Ebay, it's surprising how similar these all look---EXACT same color, same cloudy or feathered webby "inclusions", same huge size...
There
are lots of created rubies (synthetic) grown in various ways, and although those would test as
a genuine corundum (ruby), any gemologist would instantly know it isn't
natural. ANYONE would know a ruby that size wouldn't be natural!! Especially when a ruby is SO large and so red and so clear!! And from Ebay!?! It is 100% unethical and unlawful to sell a gemstone and NOT disclose treatments (such as heating, irradiation, oiling, glass filling, etc.) and NOT disclose that a gem is synthetic or just a simulant!!
Quench-Cracked Flame Fusion Synthetic
Because synthetic (man-made) gems are generally thought to be too perfect or too flawless, and therefore obviously man-made, there is a way to introduce flaws into the synthetic gems to give them "fingerprints" or other naturally-occurring flaws. Flame fusion synthetic rubies can be heated and then suddenly plunged into cold fluid so they crack internally, producing what looks like natural fingerprints or feather inclusions which are found in natural rubies. To the right is a picture that clearly shows these web-like inclusions introduced to this synthetic stone via heating and then quenching. This looks almost EXACTLY like the very inexpensive "rubies" sold on Ebay. Could they be flame fusion synthetics that have been quench cracked? Could they be dyed quartz? They could certainly be---but for sure, they aren't natural rubies.
Lab-Created Ruby at riogrande.com
A
created ruby is beautiful and perfect, and great to wear, but they are
not worth anywhere near the price of a genuine mined ruby. A 5mm created ruby (.65-carats), on riogrande.com, is $360, for example. That's a good deal, but not exactly cheap. And as you can see (left), the color is of course perfect (pinkish red) and is flawless.A GENUINE ruby that has been mined from the earth costs about $2,000 a CARAT for a 5mm stone--and UP. Here is a natural, untreated ruby that is .90-carats and it sells for $12,000.
If you scroll down that page, you'll see a 7-carat ruby for $50,000 a carat--$350,000 for a natural ruby.
Those
are examples of genuine rubies and how much they are sold for. A
lab-created .65-ct. ruby alone (unset) is $360 and that's a wholesale price for
jewelers. What do you think you're really getting from Ebay for $25?
If the ring is pretty and you love it, then buy it. Jewelry is FUN and fabulous, to be worn and admired and enjoyed. But know that you are not getting a huge genuine Ruby (or Sapphire, or Emerald, or Aquamarine, etc. etc.) for $25. Or $50. Is it really quartz, or glass, or some other gem simulant---I don't know for sure. But I DO know that it's not a genuine precious HUGE real natural ruby for that price!
Someone asked the question "What is Scorolite Opal?" today on Etsy's forums. And there were many responses from some of the fabulous and informed Etsy jewelry sellers. So what is it?
The bottom line is: there is no such gemstone as "Scorolite Opal". It is possibly glass, or coated quartz, or light-colored (and poor quality) Amethyst, which is purple quartz, or some other quartz such as "Lavender Moon Quartz".
There is no mention of this stone anywhere---not on mindat.org (except for a discussion regarding "fakes, frauds and marketing ploys"), not on the GIA's website, nowhere outside of Etsy. Not even on Ebay!!
More "Scorolite Opal"
If you google "Scorolite Opal", the search results are all for shops on Etsy, or for sellers who have websites but also shops on Etsy. Once again, it's a "stone" that is marketed primarily TO Etsy sellers from gem wholesalers, some located in the US and some in India.
When I searched on Etsy for strands of this stone sold by suppliers, at least one result was simply Opalite being sold as "Scorolite Opal". Opalite is glass, not any sort of a gemstone, totally man-made. There were 8 results total. Some of these stones are more clear and glowing, some are nearly opaque, some seem to have a moonstone-like "adularescence" within the stone, some are more blue...they are all different.
Of course, the best way to discover what a stone really is, is to have the stone tested by a gemologist. In fact, I found the following information regarding this stone online:
"Another Fake: “Scorolite”
Although the term “scorolite” is sometimes used as a synonym for “scorodite” lately one can find many mentions of “scorolite” on the Internet as a “relatively new gemstone”. There it is described as “purple/greyish”, and sometimes even “colour change” or “tenebrescent”.
Now , genuine scorodite is occasionally faceted as a gemstone, but very rarely since it is too soft for anything but collectors of rare gemstones, and very few facetable crystals exist. Those that do are prized by collectors because of their beautiful green-blue colour.
Curious about what exactly this material was, your editor purchased some “scorolite” beads (actually advertised as “scorodite”) on ebay.The specific gravity of the material was much too light for scorodite.
I then sent it to KerryDay of KGD Minerals in Ottawa, who performed EDS on a sample. Conclusion: the "scorolite/scorodite” was actually just quartz,var. amethyst — and not particularly nice amethyst at that."
Scorodite - Beautiful Blue!
This article (above) refers to Scorodite. This is from 2009---six years ago! There is a gem called "Scorodite" which is a natural mineral. Scorodite is an incredibly beautiful mineral found in ranges of intense blues, and is nothing like this Scorolite stone.
When I first read about this "Scorolite Opal" and looked at pictures of it, my first thought was that it was maybe purple Scapolite. Maybe a typo somewhere along the way led from Scapolite to Scorolite...? However, Scapolite is a genuine gemstone (purple, similar looking to amethyst), and is NOT any sort of Opal.
Some of these "Scorolite" stones look quite pretty. Some look a LOT like purple Scapolite, or like pale Amethyst, or even translucent chalcedony quartz. They would probably be a nice, fun addition to a jewelry collection. But it's NOT any sort of Opal gemstone, it's not a "new, rare" gemstone, and is most likely quartz, whether natural or coated, or perhaps man-made.
Possibly Lavender Moon Quartz?
There is a gemstone, a variety of quartz, called "Lavender Moon Quartz". It is just beautiful, and has a translucent soft lavender glow. It looks a little like moonstone, it has an opalescent glow, and a little like translucent chalcedony. But it's none of those---it's a variety of quartz all its own.
I noticed some of this so-called Scorolite Opal jewelry on Etsy that has more of this lavender "glow". I am guessing that some of this "Scorolite" is actually the beautiful Lavender Moon Quartz. Some other "Scorolite" appears to be amethyst (it doesn't possess this glow) or some other type of quartz, some maybe scapolite, and some are obviously Opalite.
Here is a picture of genuine Lavender Moon Quartz, which is available at Rio Grande Jewelry (highly reputable gemstone and precious metals supplier):
Lavender Moon Quartz
That picture doesn't really capture the beauty and luminous glow of this stone. I googled images of Lavender Moon Quartz and I see that some very high-end designers (Yurman, for example) have used Lavender Moon Quartz in their jewelry. It's SO beautiful, and it's a natural gemstone!
I'm glad there are people who read my blog! And I have gotten a few questions lately regarding Moonstone and Opalite, and how to tell which is which.
It's really pretty easy to tell if something is Opalite---which is just glass, and not a gemstone---or if it's Moonstone. And lately, sellers are really pushing this glass Opalite as "Opalite Quartz" claiming it's a natural stone! It is NOT, it is still just glass, no matter how many times deceitful sellers say it. OPALITE
Opalite Nuggets
This is a man-made variety of glass. It's NOT a gemstone, not opal or moonstone or quartz, but is just a very pretty glass and its trade name is Opalite. A large number of sellers online (Ebay, Etsy, and elsewhere) simply sell it as "Opalite" or "Opalite Quartz" and sometimes even describe metaphysical properties of this glass. But Opalite is ALWAYS glass, not a gemstone, and I can't imagine what "healing properties" glass might have. Many sellers unfortunately refer to Opalite as "Sea Opal" or "Moonstone"or just "Opal", and lots of other VERY misleading or downright false names for this glass stone. It is NOT any type of opal, and is most definitely NOT moonstone. And it certainly doesn't form as a crystal!
Opalite is often carved into figures, like talismans or Buddhas and skulls, etc., and lately carved or molded into crystal "point" shapes, and is sold as strands of beads or briolettes.
Opalite Donut
It is also carved into faceted briolettes, smooth cabochons, smooth circles, hearts, ovals, rounds, squares, and other gemstone-like cuts that are sold as jewelry items.
HOW TO TELL IF IT'S OPALITE
Opalite "Point"
Opalite may have a sort of "glow" and is carefully photographed to enhance this glow. But Opalite is perfectly CLEAR, meaning no inclusions at all. There are tiny bubbles captured within the glass, which you can see in person and sometimes in photos, which are almost always found in glass. Opalite has a milky white translucent appearance with golden highlights when viewed against light backgrounds. But when opalite is placed against a dark background, it will have a blue glow.
In other words, the "glow" of Opalite glass changes when viewed against light or dark backgrounds.
Also, Opalite glass is VERY inexpensive, and can be found in hobby stores like Michaels (marked "Opalite Glass") for about $5 for an entire strand of beads.
MOONSTONE
Moonstone against light background
Moonstone against dark background
Moonstone is a real gemstone, a member of the Feldspar family that also includes Labradorite and Sunstone, as well as Rainbow Moonstone and Amazonite.
Moonstone is made of two minerals---orthoclase and albite---which form in stacked layers within the stone. When light shines on this
gemstone, the thin, flat layers scatter the light in a unique way,
causing a phenomenon called "adularescence". Adularescence is the shimmering glow that moves across the gem, like a ghostly and ever-changing glow, as you move the gemstone. Moonstone has this shimmering blue glow, whether it is against a white background, dark background, or none at all! The glow follows the light in bright flashes.
Genuine Moonstone
Rainbow Moonstone is actually not moonstone, but is a variety of Labradorite. It also has adularescence in a variety of colors---blues, pinks, yellows, purples, greens, reds----hence the name.
Faceted Rainbow Moonstone
HOW TO TELL IF IT IS MOONSTONE
Just by looking at the Moonstone, most of the time, you can see these "layers" within the stone. The Moonstone will have "inclusions" or "cracks" and other features within the stone, and won't be perfectly clear like glass. There are some VERY high-end Moonstones that look nearly clear, but even these will not have that milky glass appearance like Opalite.
Rainbow Moonstones also have these "layers" within the gem, as does labradorite.
WHEN IN DOUBT...
You could always just ask the seller if they are selling genuine Moonstone, or Opalite! Any honest seller will tell you the truth. Or if you still have doubts, just ask me and I'll be glad to take a look and see if I can tell.
I got an email from someone I NEVER heard of before--some random Etsy jewelry seller. He was accusatory and threatening, and I have NO idea what his problem was---he didn't really say! But by simply looking at his shop, I could only guess that apparently he read my blog post about created diamonds v. simulated diamonds, and felt I was unfairly attacking him or something. (Guilty much?)
To this seller---and for anyone who is reading this blog---here are the FTC rules regarding this very issue. I didn't make it up!! This isn't my opinion!! I'm not writing "nasty" things about anyone---just the FACTS regarding compliance with the FTC!! There are rules that are enforced in the jewelry industry to protect consumers from fraud! I've put the text regarding "created" stones in bold:
§23.23 Misuse of the words “ruby,” “sapphire,” “emerald,” “topaz,” “stone,” “birthstone,” “gemstone,” etc.
(a)
It is unfair or deceptive to use the unqualified words “ruby,”
“sapphire,” “emerald,” “topaz,” or the name of any other precious or
semi-precious stone to describe any product that is not in fact a
natural stone of the type described.
(b) It is unfair or deceptive
to use the word “ruby,” “sapphire,” “emerald,” “topaz,” or the name of
any other precious or semi-precious stone, or the word “stone,”
“birthstone,” “gemstone,” or similar term to describe a
laboratory-grown, laboratory-created, [manufacturer name]-created,
synthetic, imitation, or simulated stone, unless such word or name is
immediately preceded with equal conspicuousness by the word
“laboratory-grown,” “laboratory-created,” “[manufacturer name]-created,”
“synthetic,” or by the word “imitation” or “simulated,” so as to
disclose clearly the nature of the product and the fact it is not a
natural gemstone.
Note to paragraph (h):
The use of the word “faux” to describe a laboratory-created or
imitation stone is not an adequate disclosure that the stone is not
natural.
(c) It is unfair or deceptive to use the word
“laboratory-grown,” “laboratory-created,” “[manufacturer name]-created,”
or “synthetic” with the name of any natural stone to describe any
industry product unless such industry product has essentially the same
optical, physical, and chemical properties as the stone named.
So, again, per §23.23(c) of the FTC Rules: it is deceptive to call a gemstone (like a diamond) "created" or "laboratory created" UNLESS it has the same physical, chemical and optical properties as the natural gemstone.
So a CREATED DIAMOND is a diamond that is laboratory created, also known as a synthetic diamond, and there are only a handful of labs that are capable of creating gem-quality diamonds. Created Diamonds are very expensive (about the same cost per carat as natural diamonds) and for a long time, were only created in canary yellow colors. Colorless created diamonds are produced now, but only in smaller sizes---about .60-cts is the largest clear created diamond available today. Larger sizes of created diamonds in colors can be found (canary, pink). Created Diamonds are micro-engraved (seen with a high powered loupe) indicating that they are created. This is done so a created diamond is never confused with a natural "mined" diamond--and there is no other way to tell them apart, since any test would confirm this "created" diamond to be in fact a diamond. Created or Synthetic gemstones are lab-created stones that don't just look like the gemstone--they have the same physical and chemical properties as well.
A SIMULATED diamond or other gemstone is just that---a stone that LOOKS LIKE a diamond or gemstone. The most diamond-like SIMULATED stone is a Cubic Zirconia. A CZ is grown in a lab, which would make this a lab-created CZ simulated diamond (NOT created diamond). The CZ industry has come a LONG way since it was first producing CZs, and now they rival the finest diamonds in appearance and WILL NOT cloud or yellow. In fact there are "grades" of CZ. These CZ stones are affordable alternatives to diamonds. Moissanite is another popular Diamond simulant---it is a lab created stone (man-made) and is a lot more expensive than CZ.
There is nothing "wrong" with a CZ simulated diamond! In fact, as anyone who reads my blog knows, I love them and own them and have even heat-treated them myself. And any seller, per the FTC RULES, *must* disclose that a stone is a CZ and not a "diamond" or "created diamond".
But there is EVERYTHING wrong with calling a CZ a "created diamond". It is NOT. It is a violation of the FTC to do so. This isn't my opinion----I'm only INFORMING consumers regarding this. And sadly, it appears there are plenty of sellers who aren't informed, or choose to thumb their noses at the FTC.
You can find beautiful CZ simulated diamond engagement rings set in solid gold all over the internet or in jewelry stores everywhere, on TV channels like HSN and QVC, and they are BEAUTIFUL. And they are affordable. They are, in MY opinion, the BEST diamond-like choice for an engagement or wedding ring (I'm not really a diamond fan, for ethical and other reasons). But reputable places like HSN or QVC or large name jewelry stores (as well as smaller jewelers) will ALWAYS disclose that these are CZ, these are "simulated diamonds" or "diamond simulants" and even give them their own trade names (such as Diamonique or Absolute, which are trademarked Cubic Zirconia stones by QVC and HSN respectively). Reputable jewelers will always comply with the FTC and disclose the nature of their stones and gemstones, and any treatments to the stones.
You will NEVER find a misleading term like "created diamond" or "synthetic diamond" by any reputable, knowledgeable jeweler, unless it is in fact a 100% carbon diamond, which will be almost as expensive as a "mined" diamond. NEVER.
By the way....as a senior executive at a major worldwide advertising agency, I worked as the marketing specialist for many companies, including several high-end jewelery companies in the United States, South America, and Europe, and so I'm VERY familiar with the FTC Rules, consumer information, legalese, and the consequences of such violations.
I've written about a stone that is found almost exclusively on Etsy that is called "Silverite". I did a lot of research on this stone, contacted the GIA (Gemological Institute of America---the only real and reliable source of gemstone information and certification) and their response was: they know nothing of this so-called gemstone. They never even HEARD of it! If you'd like to read my original post, it's here.
The main wholesale seller of this Silverite stone (in briolettes, rondelles, various colors, etc.) is from India and also has a store on Etsy. I wrote to them and asked what this stone is exactly, and their response (which you can read in my post linked above) was basically that Silverite is a "new gemstone" and is not coated in any way, and they've sold it almost exclusively to Etsy sellers.
If Silverite is a "new" and uncoated gemstone, then why are Etsy sellers (who obviously bought it from this importer) marketing this as coated diamonds, diamond coated stones, sapphires, pearlescent coated gems, opalescent coated gems, and even mystic quartz? As I said before, there is only one answer and that is, "creative marketing" -- to deceive the public into buying something from their shop.
Now I see it's being sold on Etsy as "Madagascar Sapphire."
This stone is NOT sapphire. It's not from Madagascar. It's not a coated sapphire. It's not any form of corundum. To call it "Madagascar Sapphire" is totally fraudulent, because NO wholesaler is selling it as sapphire, because it is not. As I said, I personally contacted the GIA as well as the wholesale seller of these stones. GIA hasn't heard of it. The wholesaler in India SAYS it's just simply Silverite, a "new" and uncoated stone. And IF these were sapphires, believe me---the wholesaler would be selling these as sapphires, not a "new stone" which costs maybe $25 a strand.
And simple logic would tell you that if someone is selling strands of Sapphires, they would tell you they are genuine sapphires! They're not going to cloak these stones in mystery, and HIDE the fact that they are precious sapphire gemstones by giving them a different name!! NO ONE is going to call a precious gemstone anything other than what it is!! (How simple a concept is that?!)
Anyway, Sapphire mining in Madagascar is FAR from ethical, to say the least. It's akin to the "blood diamond" industry. Here's an excerpt from an article found on brilliantearth.com:
In Madagascar,
where rich deposits of sapphires were discovered just a decade ago, a
Wild West economic situation has led to dangerous working conditions and
a highly unregulated industry. Allegations of child labor and abuse
have also marred the gemstone trade in Madagascar. Children have been
used for their small size and agility, often required to climb into
small holes in extremely dangerous situations to see if gemstones are
present.
Illegal mining activities are commonplace, often found in
locations with poor safety standards. Little to no access to health care
services exacerbates dangerous working conditions in sapphire mines.
Injuries are common, caused by dangerous conditions including falling shards and rocks, collapsing pits, and underground fires, which can cause smoke inhalation."
So why would anyone want to claim their stones are from Madagascar, which would mean these have been unethically mined? Not to mention that they aren't sapphires anyway! My guess is they think that calling them "Madagascar" Sapphires makes the stones sound more exotic, more dazzling, more desirable. They are preying on the ignorance of potential buyers.
If you google "silverite gem", you will find a link to mindat.org (the third google result, which is directly below my original "What Is Silverite" post) and the interesting thing is, that link leads directly to "Vermiculite". To me this is especially telling since Silverite really does look like Vermiculite, with its mica-like sheen and other attributes. (If you simply google "Silverite", results are mostly regarding the Dragon Age video game.)
Whatever Silverite is chemically, it most definitely is NOT sapphire, no matter how many times sellers keep saying that.
Please, do your own research and know what you're buying!!
Knowledge is power, and ignorance just plays into the hands of these manipulative sellers.
