November/December 2009
Volume 22• No. 6
TABLE OF CONTENTS

ON THE COVER:
Labradorite cabochon, courtesy of Sierra Madre Mining. Photo by Jim Lawson.

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contents
Editorial: The Paradox of Progress What good are the triumps of gem enhancement if everyone keeps them a dark, dirty secret that instills prejudice against treated gems rather than pride in them?	4
Ones-of-a-Kind: Mixed Breed Combine feldspar, epidote, and quartz, and you get unakite, a green and salmon granite-like mongrel mineral whose mixed parentage gives it a unique bitonal beauty.	7
What’s In: Legal Mood Enhancer If ever a gem could double as a relaxant, it would be moonstone. Maybe this is why so many designers are moonstruck by this feldspar family member.	10
Photo Atlas: Meet the Feldspars Trying to make sense of the complex feldspar family is a bit like untangling the branches of the family tree of the crowned heads of Europe. Science Editor Joel E. Arem tackles this herculean task.	14
Designer 911: Family Ties The wide variety of stones that qualify for feldspare family membership may make classification complicated, but it sure invites a wide array of spectacular jewelry. Out Designer 911 panel shows us their favorite feldspars.	24
Feldspar's Flying Colors If you're on a "Buy American" kick, can we sell you on the world's only known natural red and green labradorite -- Oregon sunstone?	30
How to Contact Us	50
online features
The C1-C7 Grading System for Diamonds and Zircons The C1-to-C7 color grading system developed for champagne diamonds works equally well with zircons and any other colored stone known for champagne colors and earth tones.
The Argyle Tenders: Diamond Rhapsodies in Blue, Purple, Brown, Pink and Red When, in 1983, fabulous purplish-pink diamonds from Rio Tinto Zinc's Argyle Mine in Western Australia started trickling on to the market, few realized that the company would make popularization of fancy color diamonds one of its main missions.
advertising sections
Classifieds	48
Advertiser Index	50