Lapidary / Gemstone Community Forum

Hi,
As a non-gemologist, I found this Online Handbook called "Handbook for the Gem Buyer - Preface and Table of Content
by Sondra Francis, G.G. - © Gem Dealers' Secrets - Handbook for the Gem Buyer" to be quite fascinating. yes16

This is the Table of Contents [below]. 
Each 'subject label' is 'clickable' [at the Ganoksin Website -  http://www.ganoksin.com/borisat/nenam/contents.htm and takes you to excellent info for someone who wants to know 'more', but doesn't want to get bogged down in too much heavy info.

Table of Content

Part I - The Make-Up of a Gemstone

The Joy of Gems
The Formation of Gem Materials
Optical and Physical Properties of Gemstones
The Four C's Plus One
The Treatment of Gemstones

Part II - The Personality of Gemstones

Gemstone Name Reference List
When You are Ready to Buy
Andalusite
Beryls: Aquamarine, Emerald, Morganite
Chrysoberyl: Alexandrite and Catseye
Cordierite: Iolite
Corundum: Rubies and Sapphires
Diamonds
Feldspars: Moonstones, Labradorite
Garnets: Almandine, Pyrope, Spessartine, Rhodolite, Grossular, Andradite
Jades: Jadeite and Nephrite
Lapis Lazuli
Olivine: Peridot
Opals
Pearls, Cultured Pearls
Quartz: Amethyst, Citrine, Chalcedonies, Agates, Chrysoprase, Bloodstones
Spinel
Spodumene: Kunzite and Hiddenite
Topaz
Tourmaline: Rubellite and Indicolite
Turquoise
Zircon
Zoisite: Tanzanite
Other Gemstones of Interest
Man-Made Gem Materials
Part III - Helpful Information

Birthstones and Anniversary Stones
Glossary

Carol:

The link didn't work for me so here is it reposted.

http://www.ganoksin.com/borisat/nenam/contents.htm

Nice information and thanks for bringing it to us to read.

dickb

Hmmm.....you're right.  Guess I should have looked at the link code before I posted it.  Duh!!!  hide35 Thanks for adding it.  I just fixed my posting as well. ura12
It's not 'monumental' but for newbies in the world of gemstones, like myself, it's 'short and sweet'. yes16

Carol:

I have found it always works better, if you cut and paste the link on a line of it's own. Then, I check that the link works in preview mode before I submit it to the forum.

Dickb

Yup!!!!   You'd think I'd finally learn this lesson.....but obviously.....didn't.   hide35

I'm wondering when this was written? There is some glaringly obsolete information in this (esp. in the treatments section, where many gems that are now known to be subject to heavy treatment are described as "not enhanced by present technology" and some of the treatment methods described have been superseded by other, harder to detect treatments).

The Ganoksin website says "1999" - I guess I'm showing my age, but somehow that doesn't seem so long ago.  bricks21

Ya know....the lapidary guru's on this website should collaborate on an updated version of this handbook and send it to Ganoksin to post .   
What an awesome handbook THAT would be.   

Some people have tons of knowledge about 'specific stones' but maybe no one has equal knowledge about ALL the stones.
Each guru member could just take on the stones they know.  Keeping it as a "Handbook for Gem Buyers" [updated] [i.e., not intended for gemologists....but for ordinary mortals. 
Each guru or multi-gurus could be credited for the stones they collaborated on.

Would that be cool or what!!!!    thinking12 shocked30   toocool1

The Ganoksin website says "1999" - I guess I'm showing my age, but somehow that doesn't seem so long ago.  bricks21

[/quote]

It doesn't seem that long ago to me either.  But 15 years is an eternity when it comes to gem treatments.  The "bad guys" always manage to be a few (or more) years ahead of the "good guys."  I'm certain there are treatments out there that haven't yet been detected.  Part of the problem is research money goes to high-end gems like diamonds, emeralds, rubies, sapphires etc. because that's where the big money is.  The "fairly" recent (showing my age too) foofaraw over "red andesine" is proof of that.  It took years for the gem labs to generate enough interest to prove that nearly all of the red "African" and "Tibetan" feldspars being hawked on the TV gem shows were phonies cooked up in Chinese ovens.  Andesine is a low-end gem in terms of price, and even though thousands of consumers were being defrauded, they didn't have the clout to interest the elitist gem labs.

All the more reason to provide an updated handbook.

You don't have to be a professor or anything to enter things into the Ganoksin website.  Just knowledgeable about something related to the Jewelry or Lapidary or related world.   I'd TOTALLY be involved, except I really don't know anything to contribute.  This forum is loaded with knowledgeable people.
It just take the will to document it and post/submit it. party1

Writers wouldn't even have to start from scratch.  Just review the gemstones in the existing Handbook, and submit 'updated information' on treatments or whatever that have been seen since the Handbook came out.   Photos of what the treated stones look like, and how to notice the treatments, would help too.