Impostors! Don't Be Fooled By Imitations

[PinkDiamond]

Let this be a reminder to all of us that there's always someone out there who will go to great lengths to deceive others for profit.

Alarming Rough Diamond Imitations in the Market
By Thomas Hainschwang

The Phenakite / Topaz Diamond Rough Scam

"Until a few years ago rough diamonds were relatively rarely imitated because the market for rough diamonds was pretty much inaccessible for people not being members of the rough diamond trade. In the past 15 years rough diamonds from countries like Brazil, Russia and especially from certain African countries such as Sierra Leone, Guinea and Congo have become more and more accessible to almost anybody, or at least it is being pretended to anybody that this is the case. Together with this development increasing numbers of rough diamond imitations started appearing in the market, which are easily recognized by the experienced buyer, but that can appear very convincing for inexperienced buyers. Now recently large quantities of surprisingly naturally looking and convincing crystals imitating rough diamond have appeared in Europe."...

http://www.gemlab.net/website/gemlab/fi ... 4-2008.pdf

Let the buyer beware.

[PinkDiamond]

This is extremely important for all interested in the andesine/labradorite debacle brought to light by the ISG last year, and confirmed in this report:

Interim Report; 14-Sep-2009
The Red Feldspar Project
George R. Rossman, California Institute of Technology

"...Is There a Mine in Tibet That Produces Natural Red Andesine?
The argon release experiment results were the same on all stones we tested from Inner Mongolia or Tibet (or those claimed to have come from the Congo). None of the stones from Tibet (that were obtained from either people who say their family owns the mine or from people who have visited the mine) showed the large amounts radiogenic argon that the yellow, rough Inner Mongolia stones showed...."

http://www.gia.edu/research-resources/n ... alyses.pdf

REMEMBER: there is NO evidence of any mines producing red and green andesine EXCEPT in Oregon in the U.S.! Don't be fooled, and whatever you do, do NOT sell any as natural and untreated UNLESS it is Oregon material.

*This post will also be posted in the Oregon Sunstone thread.

[PinkDiamond]

I'm not sure where to post this one so since this topic is for impostors and imitations, I decided to put it here.

Counterfeit Money Orders

"Should you accept a money order as payment for goods sold online? How do you know if it's real? Identifying counterfeit money orders is easy if you know what to look for..."

http://www.fraudguides.com/internet_cou ... orders.asp

[PinkDiamond]

Found this from the Society of American Silversmiths, posted on the ISG forum today. What a surprise, eh? ...NOT!!

Buyers of Chinese "Sterling" Beware!
Fake Chinese Sterling Poster

"Fake Chinese sterling jewelry and holloware is a growing problem on eBay and rapidly spreading throughout the world. Marketed as sterling or 925, this merchandise is actually PLATED BASE METAL, as illustrated by its unusually low pricing and free shipping. Selling these fraudulent pieces will cancer the market and, very possibly, turn the general public off to legitimate sterling entirely.

The sterling or 925 quality mark that is stamped directly on the object or attached as a tag indicates that the entire piece is sterling, even if the seller says it's plated. If you intend on buying these plated Chinese pieces with this quality mark, it MUST be removed to make it a legitimate plated piece. The law in the United States says that if a piece is marked or has an attached tag that says "sterling" or "925," it must be SOLID sterling.

If you're selling this fraudulent merchandise, you could be sanctioned by the Federal Trade Commission.

Above: Sterling chains rarely have this type of attached quality tag since it dramatically adds to the cost of the chain. You will more likely see an in-chain tag. These inexpensive chains may also have the quality mark on the clasp.

Above: Notice the copper showing through the plating of this new mint julep cup that was marked "sterling" on its bottom.

If you cannot determine if an object is solid silver, consult a silversmith or jeweler who may use an acid test.

Buyer and seller beware!

Jeff Herman, Executive Director
Society of American Silversmiths


From the Jewelers Vigilance Committee

Most precious metal buying experiences are pleasant ones and lead to a long-lasting relationship between the buyer and the seller. However, from time to time, there are questions or problems that might arise.

Should difficulties arise after the sale is completed, your first step should be to talk with the seller. If that proves fruitless and you feel outside intervention is necessary, you may contact the JVC for assistance.

Steps to submit a complaint:

1. All complaints MUST be submitted in writing and mailed or faxed (if less than five pages) to the JVC.

2. You MUST enclose copies of documentation to support your claim (i.e. advertising, sales receipts, initial order forms, take in sheets, correspondence, etc.) Send copies only!

3. There is a fee of $100, a one time fee to offset administrative costs (i.e. postage, telephoning, faxing). Again, using JVC's services is much less costly than hiring an attorney. (Please make your check or money order payable to the JVC.)

4. The person filing the complaint is kept apprised as new developments occur.

Should the above information not answer your questions, please contact Jo-Ann Sperano, Paralegal/Mediator, JVC, joann@jvclegal.org, 212/997-2002, Fax: 212/997-9148, 25 West 45th Street, Suite 1406, New York, NY 10036"

http://www.silversmithing.com/chinese_sterling.htm

I don't know about y'all, but I'm at the point where I look for the country of origin on just about everything I buy, and if it's made in China, I'll look to see if there are any other products like that that are made elsewhere; just about anywhere else will do.

[PinkDiamond]

Duh!! The mere size of these things should have been a big red flag to the buyers.

ARTIFICIAL BLUE GLASS SOLD AS RARE GEMSTONE HAÜYNE!
by GIT-Gem Testing Laboratory
July 11, 2012

http://www.git.or.th/eng/testing_center ... _final.pdf

[PinkDiamond]

Nice! But, according to the report, this scam has been about for 10 years already? WHY was it not widely publicised when first detected?

For us lesser mortals, the advice to treat any 'Haueyne' > 1ct with grave suspicion is seriously good advice. Also, buy the rough and when you are satisfied with it have it cut yourself. There are simple tests/observations that can be performed on the rough that do not require .5M bucks of lab equipment and an expensive trade-controlled certification.

1. Glass is not sensitive to conc. HCl
2. Glass has a conchoidal fracture only. Don't trust to a loupe - get in there with a decent microscope (and watch for dem bubbles as well!).
3. Glass shows no cleavage - ever. Microscope again.
4. Glass does not show a crystal form (watch for cutting!).
5. Hauyene is reported as having an inert to weak reaction to UV (LW and SW). (Mine is inert to both)

to Kerensky, about 6-7 years I was looking at haueyne for a pendent, the stone was just over .30ct. was being sold from a calif seller & the price was @ $2500.00 for the stone. was touted as natural, true blue & faceted. This person had 3-4 stones with the largest at .30ct. They were on the site for several weeks & then gone. When I read stories as urs I see why people are shaying away from colored stones in todays time frame. Asia seems to b buying as much good material as possible & they r now becomming the source for some of the better fakes in gems ever shown on the market. It is becomming buyer beware, & every buy should b verified to CYA & peace of mind.

The Impostors thread is now copied from the old forum.

[PinkDiamond]

This was from a thread named:

Alert on Agates and Jaspers Out of Hong Kong

This has been an ongoing investigation for a few years, heavily over the last 6mths+, one reason for my lack of presence everywhere, lol. The problem has only been getting worse over time. Thousands are listed on under-moderated or unmoderated auction and other internet selling sites daily as well as thousands being sold daily! Showing up in jewelry as well as loose being sold by USA resellers and artisans on Etsy, back on Ebay, Facebook, and other venues. This is NOT a widespread issue in mainstream gem trade, but mainly just the unmoderated/under-moderated social media, auction, and internet marketplaces.

dragon agate or dragon vein agate, some is quench cracked, bleached, and dyed agate some is quench cracked, and dyed glass.

Succor Creek Jasper, some is low grade jasper scraps, others are polymer materials, some is low grade stabilized cherry creek jasper

druzy tiger's eye jasper or tiger's eye jasper, very low grade iron stained kyanite or low sperntine in quartz

Picasso Jasper, most is low grade stabilized cherry creek jasper, some is composite or polymer materials

Kambama Jasper, some is the real deal a stromatolite, others are simply resin/polymer composites

Leopard skin jasper, not even close. Most is low grade agate or onxy or travertine that have been dyed, some are again, polymer composite type

Turquoise & pyrite matrix, dyed, composite material, created by taking low grade scraps of whatever material can be gotten, artificial and/or natural, then adding dye, resin/polymers/epoxy and then compressing into blocks, then slabbed and cabbed.

All kinds of Jade carvings, everything from dyed serpentine, to composites, to polymer/resin, to dyed lepidolite

Flame Jasper, everything from dyed and stabilized low grade chert to resin/polymer

Cherry Quartz, everything from quench cracked and dyed quartz to entirely resin/polymer creations, to quench cracked and dyed glass creations

Fluorite with pyrite/Amethyst with Pyrite/Fluorite & amethyst with Pyrite, everything from amethyst & fluorite chips mixed with pyrite looking stuff in a composite to colored slag glass and metal shavings in a resin/polymer composite.

Sea Sediment Jasper, again, everything from complete resin/polymer dyed creations, to dyed composite materials, to low grade jaspers stabilized and dyed, majority is dyed polymer/resin creations

Agates. mainly low grade dyed agates, but some are, again, dyed resin/polymer creations

Druzy Geode agate cabs, some are simply geode pieces stabilized and dyed two or more colors, others are solid geode insides with resin/polymer pieces and are composite dyed materials

Fire Druzy Agates, more composite or just low grade geode type pieces quenched and dyed

Crazy Lace Agate, everything from dyed composites to dyed resin/polymer to dyed low grade agate or rhyolite or travertine


Dyed Variscite, almost all of it is dyed resin/polymer creations, some are dyed composites, others are low grade impregnated and dyed jaspers or rarely low grade impregnated and dyed variscite

Rhodocrosite, dyed and stabilized travertine

Opalite, just a type of man-made glass

snowflake obsidian, actually a very low grade cheap dalmation jasper

Lapis Lazuli, mainly dyed man-made composite materials

Rainbow stone, man-made dyed composite or polymer/resin creations

Opal Cat's eye from Sri Lanka, just man-made fiber optic glass

All kinds of colored turquoise with and without metal and magnesite, almost all is simply dyed man-made composite materials with NO turquoise in it, some, very little, is actually low grade dyed reconstituted turquoise compressed with resin and metal to make the man-made composite materials

ruby in zoisite, nothing but serpentine mixture

Larimar, just dyed resin/polymer in most cases, dyed aventurine quartz in others

:shock: eieioooo

Unbelievable, and yet not surprising for stuff coming out of HK. Thanks for the heads up GA.

eieioooo

My "fave" is the turqoise with the pyrite material. Yuck.

*End of Alert on Agates and Jaspers Out of Hong Kong thread from the old forum.