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GIA Closes Successful Symposium

The Manchester Grand Hyatt in San Diego, where the GIA Symposium was held.

The Gemological Institute of America’s (GIA) 4th International Gemological Symposium closed on August 29 to resounding applause. Held on the 75th anniversary of the GIA’s founding, it was intended not only as an educational event, but as a celebration of the institution’s history.

The symposium opened with a video covering the GIA’s history, focusing on the contributions of founder Robert M. Shipley, Richard T. Liddicoat, G. Robert Crowningshield, Bert Krashes, and others. While the video glossed over the contributions of immediate past President William Boyajian -- who resigned just three months before the symposium -- the audience made their feelings clear. When he was introduced, in passing, as one of the past contributors to the organization, he was given a standing ovation that lasted several minutes.

Following the opening session was keynote speaker Madeleine Albright. In addition to her speech, she took part in a lengthy question-and-answer session, covering topics ranging from politics to international business practices to her extensive brooch collection.

The next two days focused mainly on supply and marketing of gemstones, with open debates on the gemological issues of the day and some featured speakers from outside the industry. Perhaps the most anticipated were the three debate rooms: The Pit, The Ring, and The Jungle. Each room had a panel of experts to give their perspective, but after some initial comments, the discussion was opened up to audience members.

The first -- and most contentious -- of the two related to colored gemstones was a session titled “Locality of Origin -- Does it Really Matter?” Panelists included three laboratory gemologists, a wholesale gemstone dealer, and the head of an independent retail chain.

Although the session began with general comments from the panel, as soon as the word “Paraiba” was mentioned, the gloves came off.

“I know a great deal about tourmaline,” said panelist William Larson of Pala International, whose company was founded to market tourmaline from the Pala Mine in California. “If you take 10 people and ask them about Paraiba tourmaline, one will say the mine and nine will say the color. Paraiba has gone beyond, it’s transcended its origin [and become a term for a color].”

“From a retail point of view,” agreed fellow panelist Alfred Molina of Molina Fine Jewelers, “I understand Paraiba is a source, but it’s really more of a variety today. From a consumer standpoint, they’re buying the romance.”

The laboratory representatives were all members of the Laboratory Manual Harmonization Committee (LHMC), a group of laboratory representatives that meets a few times a year to discuss how to make their terminology and reporting more consistent. The LHMC had agreed earlier this year to certify all copper-bearing tourmaline, regardless of origin, as “Paraiba” tourmaline. When one audience member called for unity in the trade on the Paraiba issue, Lore Kiefert, head of the American Gem Trade Association Gem Testing Center (AGTA GTC), pointed that out.

“The labs came to a conclusion,” she said, “but there were some individuals in the AGTA community that made this not happen straight away. The labs are okay with it, believe me.”

“If it happens that Paraiba becomes a color location,” asked another audience member, “then what happens to Kashmir [sapphire]?”

“Kashmir has certain characteristics that are only for Kashmir sapphire,” Molina responded. Molina himself has a background as a laboratory gemologist, and will sometimes give the customer his own professional opinion. “I will sell a stone as Kashmir [if I believe it to be from there] even if the certificate says origin cannot be determined. . . . I feel very confident when I tell a client an origin. I’ll tell the client what my belief is. They’re buying me; they’re not buying the stone.”

“Geographic origin is something that can be done in some circumstances, and cannot be done in other circumstances,” panelist Christopher Smith of the GIA cautioned audience members. While there is hard data underlying origin determination, such as microscopic examination of inclusions and taking infrared spectra, “it’s the interpretation of that data that is the subjective part of origin determination. . . . We do have to be a little careful; all geographic origin is not an exact science.”

Kiefert agreed. “Some sciences cannot be exact sciences.” She noted that in her previous job at the SSEF Swiss Gemmological Institute, their reports had a disclaimer to the effect that the origin determination was an opinion only. “It would say, [for example,] our opinion is Burma.”

At that, Larson began laughing, and Molina joined him. “What is that, Bill, a 50 percent difference in price?”

It illustrated the fundamental divide between trade and laboratories: The laboratories’ desire to be conservative when calling origin versus the amount of money that’s riding on their answer.

From the audience, Emmanuel Fritsch, a professor of physics at the University of Nantes in France, said that from his perspective, there hadn’t been enough research published on the science of origin determination. “I think we need to increase the amount of the scientific work. . . . What I see, [this use of origin] starts to look to me very much like the definition of branding.”

“Branding is a promise,” Molina answered. “If you can brand a stone as being quality [because it’s from a particular origin], for a consumer that works.”

“So if you are branding,” Fritsch shot back, “It’s not really geographic origin.”

Will all origin labels go the way of “Paraiba” and become indicators of color and quality rather than geographic origin? The answer from panel members was that it all depended on consumer demand; left unanswered was the question of where consumers will get their information on the subject.

The next day, the debate titled “Gemstone Treatments: Friend or Foe?” was no less lively. Featuring gemologists, gem dealers, and representatives of the retail trade, the panelists could at least agree on one thing: consumer confidence was the main issue.

“I think Ruth Batson [of the American Gem Society, who wasn’t present] made the comparison that trust is like a reservoir,” said panelist Bev Hori of Ben Bridge Jewelers. “Our job is to make sure we’re replenishing the reservoir. Lack of disclosure is really draining the pump.”

The question of the day was, what’s the best way to disclose treatments to make everything clear for consumers? Suggestions ranged from simply selling all gemstones as treated unless it can be certified as natural to educating salespeople so that they can explain gemstone treatments to customers on a case-by-case basis.

“The situation is completely different from what it used to be,” said panelist Israel Eliezri of Colgem E.L. 97, a past president of the International Colored Gemstone Association (ICA). “Today, the bulk of the stones are treated, and untreated gems are the extreme. . . . Stones should be sold as treated. We can’t expect retail jewelers to know all the [different kinds of treatments and] the disclosure system.”

“There are many gems that are not routinely treated,” objected fellow panelist Antoinette Matlins. “To paint everything with this brush is as false and misleading as not disclosing treatments.”

“I also think the problem is that many manufacturers and major jewelry chains worldwide are driving treatments because they dictate price points,” she continued. “It’s irrelevant if you can’t deliver that product at that price point. That [pressure to deliver attractive, consistent, low-cost gems] drives the treatment issue further and further down that road.”

Later, when the discussion was opened to audience members, one person pointed out that the majority of gemstones today are not being sold by independent retail jewelers, but by television shopping networks that do disclose treatments. “People vote with their wallet, and they buy those stones.”

July/August 2006 • Dubai: Color in the City of Gold • Reader's Choice Award: Hometown Girl • Gem Imports: U.S., Europe, Japan • In This Issue