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Crisp, concise and authoritative, this comprehensive up-to-date work reveals a wealth of facts on the "new" beryllium treatment method practiced in Thailand on rubies and sapphires. This work provides key coverage and detail needed for the gemologist, jeweler, gem trader and just about anyone involved in the gem and jewelry business. For the gemologist, this work broadens the existing understanding of this complex, diverse and controversial issue. It illustrates numerous inclusion color photomicrographs contributing invaluable reference data that every library should have.
For the gem trader, this work provides the information needed to enhance their knowledge in everyday dealing with gems to avoid costly mistakes. For the jeweler this edition illustrates the complexity of the issue and provides accurate information and full disclosure to jewelry merchandisers, salespersons and consumer. |
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"This book presents the most detailed overview published on this controversy subject." -Dr.K. Schmetzer (Germany)
"I have completely read through your beryllium booklet and think that on the whole it is very good. I have no reservation recommending it to anyone..... Congratulations on your beryllium booklet, it is quite a coup. I still can't believe that it was possible to do it so rapidly." -Dr. J. L. Emmett (USA)
"Your extensive details on Be-treated rubies and sapphires from various sources are excellent. Your experimental results, in particular on the synthetic ones, are explicit and similar to what we have found and fit our theory on the cause of colour pretty well. I would say that it is a good book for those who want to know more about the fact of this new treatment." -Dr. A. Visut Pisutha-Arnond, The Gem and Jewelry Institute of Thailand
"I want to congratulate you for your booklet on Beryllium-Treated Rubies and Sapphires. Your experimentalist approach and enlightening results combined with your openness, benefit the entire industry. This spirit of disclosure can only help in maintaining the integrity of the corundum market and add confidence to the consuming public. I wish you continued good luck in your scientific endeavors and look forward to our future interaction." -Tom Moses, V.P. GIA Gem Laboratory (Carlsbad, USA)
"Over the last year value-enhanced sapphires and rubies, created by Thai 'cookers' by diffusing beryllium into corundums under high temperatures and oxidising conditions, have thrown the trade into dispute and confusion. Although it would now appear that the Thai 'cookers' have finally agreed to disclose this new treatment to their customers, much mystery and confusion still surrounds this process and its detection. For gemmologists, a lot of the confusion surrounding this treatment has been dispelled with the publication of Ted Themelis's most recent book-a self-published 48-page copiously illustrated soft cover titled 'Beryllium-treated rubies & sapphires'. As the content of this book is based on the author's personal experiments into this process, it offers the opinions and experience of an expert gemmologist who not only has decades of experience in the heat treatment of sapphire and ruby; but who is also resident in Thailand and respected by both the Thai gem trade and the Thai 'cookers'. In this book readers are first introduced to this new Thai treatment in short chapters that cover such important topics as: the historical development of the technique, significant health hazards that may result from working with beryllium, the author's experiments on the effects of heat treating corundum in the presence of beryllium, the various methodologies applied in this process, and the surface abnormalities that are likely to be found on corundums treated by this process. Then - most importantly - the effects of applying this technology are detailed and well illustrated with respect to corundums from worldwide sources Madagascar, Tanzania (Songea, Umba, Tunduru), Thailand, Montana, Australia, Burma and Vietnam. Thirteen pages of coloured photomicrographs of inclusions that characterise the treatment follow a clear statement of the problems associated with the detection of this treatment by gemmologists. The book concludes with the author's recommendation on a wording suitable for disclosing this treatment and a conclusion that summarised the present of this new Thai treatment and the challenges this treatment will pose over future years. With a cover price of US$20, this very timely publication should serve as a vital reference for all working gemmologists. A VERY TIMELY RESEARCH REPORT. Ed. "
-Australian Gemmologist, Vo. 21, No. 10 (April-June 2003)
"The author summarizes and illustrates some of the techniques used in the heat treatment of rubies and sapphires involving the addition of beryllium. Using a series of colour photographs Themelis (a pioneer and well-known author in this field) describes the apparatus necessary for this treatment, noting on the way the health hazards of beryllium and the stages of the process from the cleaning of the material to the finished stone. Particular attention is given to surface abnormalities. Examples of Beryllium treatment are given for rubies and sapphires from Madagascar , Songea, Morogoro and Umba ( Tanzania ), Montana , Australia , Sri Lanka , Mong-Hsu and Vietnam . Notes follow on the gemmological features of the treated stones and their characteristic inclusions. Notes on stability, disclosure and future prospects for this kind of treatment complete the main text which is followed by a short but very useful bibliography in which the author's presentations and useful references are given. The standard of production is high and the pictures a welcome sight – few illustrations of these processes seem to get published and the same can be said of the notes on techniques. This is a welcome addition to the literature of treatments." M.O'D.
-Journal of Gemmology Vol. 28, No.7 July 200
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Background............................................................................ 4, 5
Nature and effects of beryllium in corundum................... 6, 7
Methodology of the beryllium treatment process..............8-11
Surface abnormalities.......................................................... 12, 13
Experiments on Madagascan sapphires......................... 14-19
Experiments on Madagascan rubies................................. 20
Experiments on Songea (Tanzania) rubies...................... 21
Experiments on Songea (Tanzania) sapphires............... 22, 23
Experiments on Umba (Tanzania) rubies & sapphires.. 24
Experiments on Tunduru (Tanzania) sapphires.............. 25
Experiments on Thai rubies & sapphires ........................ 26
Experiments on Montana sapphires............................... . 27
Experiments on Australian sapphires............................... 28
Experiments on Sri Lankan sapphires.............................. 29
Experiments on Morogoro (Tanzania) rubies................... 30
Experiments on Mong-Hsu (Myanmar) rubies................. 30
Experiments on Vietnamese corundum........................... 31
Gemological aspects of the Be-treated corundum......... 32
Inclusion characteristics...................................................... 33-44
Stability of the Be-treated rubies & sapphires.................. 45
Disclosure of the Be-treated rubies & sapphires........... 46
Conclusion - Prospects for the future................................ 47
Author’s presentations......................................................... 48
References............................................................................. 48
This book is sold without warranty of any kind with respect to the use of information from this book. Nothing contained in this book shall be construed to constitute permission or act as a Recommendation to practice any of the heat treatment methods described herein. Although every precaution has been taken in preparing this book, neither the author, nor the publisher, assumes any responsibility for errors or omissions; nor is any liability assumed for damages/claims resulting from the use of any information, apparatus, methods, procedures, or processes described in this book. |
