June 2008 Archives

ALTERED STONES PUT COLOMBIA AT RISK OF LOSING ITS REPUTATION AS HAVING THE BEST EMERALDS IN THE WORLD

Leopoldo Losano, his clothes smeared with dirt and sweat, blinks as he emerges from the Puerto Arturo mine in the jungle-covered hills of Colombia.

''It's back-breaking,'' says Losano, 60, after guzzling water from a flask and collapsing onto a wooden bench in the tropical heat. ``But to find an emerald, it's worth it.''

Stones from the Boyacá mountains where Losano works helped Colombia build its reputation as the source of some of the world's finest emeralds. That image may be at risk as jewelers and traders use undisclosed materials to disguise natural flaws in the stones.

''Emeralds all over the world are treated, but the fact that it's happening in Colombia, where the finest stones come from, is the problem,'' said Shane McClure, director of identification services at the Carlsbad, Calif.-based Gemological Institute of America.

SEEKING CLARITY

The industry and the government are planning to bring greater transparency to the market and certify gems.

Colombia accounts for about half the world's $280-million-a-year emerald trade, said Stuart Robertson, research director at Gemworld International, which provides pricing and reference information, in Glenview, Ill. Other top producers include Brazil, Zambia and Afghanistan.

Jewelers have been treating emeralds with oils and resins to improve their color and condition since the time of Cleopatra, the queen of Egypt from 51 to 30 B.C. The green gemstones have been mined there for 4,000 years.

Nowadays, polymers are also used to fill cracks and enhance color.

''It's throwing very poor merchandise into the market,'' said Arthur Groom, a jeweler from Ridgewood, N.J., with $8 million in annual sales. ``What they are doing with the emeralds is only damaging their own industry.''

Colombia's government and the National Emerald Federation plan to open a laboratory this year where buyers can test stones and have them certified.

''We have to stop this before it's too late to prevent damage to one of our most prestigious industries,'' Interior Minister Carlos Holguin said in an interview at his Bogotá office.

The federation and the government also plan joint publicity campaigns aimed at tripling sales to as much as $425 million in five years from about $140 million in 2007, said federation President Carlos Arboleda.

''We want to make sure people know there is nothing illegal going on,'' said Arboleda, whose association represents miners, exporters, dealers and jewelers.

CRIME WAVES

Colombia's emerald trade has a history of crime and violence. After the government relinquished control of state-owned mines in 1973, rivals tried to stake out claims in a dispute known as the ''Green War.'' About 8,000 people died, according to Nixon Vega, 35, who helps run social programs for miners in Muzo, in the heart of Colombia's emerald-mining area.

In the late 1980s, more than 3,000 more died when drug lord Pablo Escobar attempted to seize control of the emerald industry and failed. Escobar, whom police shot dead in 1993, probably planned to use emeralds to launder drug money, Vega said.

The planned laboratory will do little to stamp out the doctoring of stones, said Edwin Molina, 27, who helps run Coexminas, the Bogotá-based company that owns the Puerto Arturo mine.

''What's the point of issuing a certificate providing information on the fillers if the next day they can be treated with something else?'' Molina said.

Many newly discovered emeralds first trade on the sidewalk of Avenida Jimenez in central Bogotá, where hundreds of dealers inspect stones in the light of day.

Many of those stones come from mines around Muzo, a six-hour drive away.

Inside the Puerto Arturo mine, 40 minutes along a winding mud trail from Muzo, miners haul trolleys piled with dirt though a warren of shafts.

The walls drip with humidity. The whine of drills pierces the air.

''The conditions are excellent compared with a few years back,'' said William Sanchez, 42, breathing from a plastic air tube punctured with holes. ``We get lunch and a decent break.''

Miners receive a commission for finding a stone. When a vein is discovered, the area is cordoned off, lights are installed and access is restricted.

The life-changing lure of the emeralds is such that even the mine tailings draw gem hunters.

Miner Horacio Peña, 27, and his wife sift dirt from the bed of a nearby stream in the hope that a find will lift them out of poverty, Peña said. He has been searching for emeralds since he was a child.

''It's the will of God and pure luck,'' Peña said. ``One day, I'll find it.''

Source :- Bloomberg News

Sri Lanka stages international gem show to entice buyers.

Sri Lanka's international gem and jewelry trade show 'Facets Sri Lanka', a key annual event that helps increase the island's gem exports, is to be held in September this year, its organizers said. A new feature at this year's show will be competitions to recognize the best gem cutter, best jewelry designer and the best booth.

 
The trade show helped increase industry exports to 471 million dollars in 2007, from 364 million in 2005, Sri Lanka Gem and Jewelry Association said in a statement.

 
The exhibition will be held during 6-9 September for the 18th consecutive year at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall in Colombo.

 
"Facets Sri Lanka exhibition is the most important industry event which attracts numerous buyers and sellers from across the globe," Chanaka Ellawala, chairman Sri Lanka Gem and Jewelry Association says.

 
The exhibition is organized by the Sri Lanka Gem and Jewelry Association and National Gem and Jewelry Authority.

 
Facets Sri Lanka will include 150 stalls displaying products from local and international as well as new entrants to the industry.

 
"We are making a conscious effort this year to give an opportunity for new entrants and small and medium scale businesses in the industry to get much needed exposure and experience at an international event of this caliber," Macky Hashim, chairman of organizing committee, said.

 
The exhibition will showcase more than 75 varieties of gems such as sapphire, ruby, cats-eye, amethyst, topaz, moonstone, tourmaline, garnet, alexandrite, padparadscha and zircon that are found in Sri Lanka.

 
"Trade alone cannot sustain itself unless we have complementary exhibitions of this nature," Hashim told reporters.

 

The American Gem Trade Association (AGTA) will establish an AGTA Colored Gemstones and Cultured Pearl Pavilion at the inaugural InStore Show, to be held at the Navy Pier in Chicago,  April 19-21, 2009.

Douglas K. Hucker, AGTA's CEO, said, "Our member firms are looking forward to seeing how InStore's fresh thinking extends to the trade show environment."

The AGTA Pavilion will be comprised of AGTA members selling loose colored gemstones and pearls along with designers and manufacturers of colored gemstone and cultured pearl intensive jewelry.

James Reed, show director, said, "The product quality and ethical business practices of AGTA firms are exactly what we are looking for in creating the best show experience for our buyers."

At this stage, the three-day event is expected to draw approximately 400 booths and will offer special educational opportunities aimed at addressing the most essential purchasing, marketing and management questions independent jewelers face today.

Military-run Myanmar on Tuesday launched an 11-day auction of precious gems in Yangon, state media said, as the country struggles to recover from last month's devastating cyclone.

The New Light of Myanmar announced that the sale of gems, jade and pearls would run until July 4 in the economic hub, where some buildings remain in ruins and fallen trees litter the roads seven weeks after Cyclone Nargis.

The junta-run daily gave no further details of the sale, but a staff member at the Myanmar Convention Centre confirmed an auction opened there this morning that was attended by both local and foreign dealers.

Myanmar auctioned off more than 7,700 lots of precious stones, which officials valued at more than 100 million euros (153 million dollars), in March.

Myanmar, one of the world's poorest countries, is the source of some of the globe's most beautiful rubies. Each auction brings in more than 100 million dollars, making it a key source of revenue for the ruling junta.

The military regime has estimated it will need 10.7 billion dollars to rebuild after the cyclone struck in early May, leaving more than 138,000 people dead or missing when it pummelled the southwest delta and Yangon.

An international donor conference in late May only garnered a small proportion of those funds.

International donors have historically been reluctant to pump money into Myanmar, which has been ruled by the military since 1962 and keeps opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi under house arrest.

The United States and Europe intensified economic sanctions on the regime after a deadly crackdown on pro-democracy protesters last year, while Washington and human rights groups have urged gem buyers to boycott the sales.

Myanmar's two biggest customers, China and Thailand, have continued to attend the frequent gem auctions despite an international outcry over the bloody suppression of pro-democracy protests last September.

 

The Jewelers Vigilance Committee (JVC) is presenting "Color Gemstone Sales: Are you Compliant or at Risk?" sponsored by American Gemological Laboratories at the JA/NY Summer Show, Jacob Javits Convention Center, Monday, July 28, 2008, 8:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. in room IEO3.

Panelists include Christopher Smith, vice president and chief gemologist, American Gemological Laboratories (AGL), and Cecilia Gardner, JVC's president, CEO and general counsel. Robin Spector, attorney for the Federal Trade Commission, will appear on video with comments she has previously made on the federal regulations governing gemstone disclosures. 

Topics to be discussed include: Disclosure of gemstone treatment to consumers, current legislation and initiatives on gemstones from Burma; updates on irradiated gemstones, including selling current inventories and legal compliance obligations on the part of manufacturers and retailers to disclose treatment of color gemstones. Knowledge of these obligations will avoid exposure to expensive lawsuits.

Smith and Gardner will examine some of the challenges the colored gemstone industry face today, particularly supply side integrity - conditions under which colored gemstones are produced and distributed.  Gardner will review material presented by the Federal Trade Commission at a color gemstone seminar presented by JVC earlier this year. There will be a Q&A period.

Seminar attendees will receive "The Essential Guide to the U.S. Trade in Irradiated Gemstones" brochure, co-authored by JVC and the American Gem Trade Association (AGTA).

Smith said, "Proper representation during the sale of gems is essential to be fully compliant with FTC guidelines. This relates to the proper identification of the gem, as well as the disclosure of gemstone treatments. Today, gemstone treatments are more extensive than ever before and they are becoming more and more complicated in terms of the techniques applied, means of identification and terminology for full and accurate disclosure. As a result, accurate gemological authentication and disclosure from independent third-parties is becoming increasingly more important."

Gardner added that the seminar focuses upon the issues facing colored gemstone manufacturers and retailers and the steps the industry must take to disclose colored gemstone treatment to consumers, securing distribution licenses for irradiated gemstones and current legal initiatives in the House and Senate regarding gemstones from Myanmar (also known as Burma.) "Failure on the part of retailers and manufacturers to disclose treatment to color gemstones can result can result in costly lawsuits and negative publicity to jewelry businesses and to the industry.  JVC urges all jewelers to protect themselves from risk by disclosing any and all treatments -- and the effects of the treatments -- to color gemstones."

This seminar is free to attend. No registration is required. For more information about JVC's free legal compliance seminars, products and services, visit JVC's Website: www.jvclegal.org.

Those looking for hidden and unhidden gems will be able to find them at an annual rock swap on Sunday

The Loup Valley Gem and Mineral Society will be hosting its third Rock Swap from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. at Izaak Walton in Columbus. Admission is free.

Several dealers and collectors will be on hand, as well as several displays of fossils, minerals, agates, artifacts, faceted gemstones and jewelry. People are invited to buy, sell and trade at the swap.

Mary Wemhoff, society board member from Platte Center, said collecting rocks and gems is a hobby that can be enjoyed by many and is a particularly good activity for the whole family to get involved in. Kids like learning about fossils and artifacts, and getting them interested at young age can turn result in a lifelong hobby.

"You pick it up as a child. When you see a rock glistening on the ground, you pick it up," Wemhoff said.

Her group, which has about 60 members from Columbus and the surrounding area, does its part to help youths learn about rocks and minerals through presentations at local schools.

Finding treasures such as woolly mammoth fossils and other artifacts can easily be done in the state, Wemhoff said.

"Woolly mammoths were all over Nebraska. They lived next to rivers and water," she said. Some have found woolly mammoths fossils in Skull Creek in Schuyler.

Aside from school presentations and the Rock Swap, the group also holds monthly meetings. The site of the meetings switches every other month between the Mural Room in the Loup Power building in Columbus and the museum in Schuyler.

The Rock Swap will also feature children's activities and a silent auction. Members will also be available to identify rocks and fossils that individuals bring with them.

The Himalayan highlands of Padder, in Doda district of Jammu and Kashmir, lay the world's best sapphire in abundance. However, extreme geographical conditions and lack of resources have till date hampered the commercial exploitation of this valuable natural reserve.

But things are likely to change soon with the Government in the final stages of granting the license for mining to a major company.

The authorities are enthusiastic about the high-value project. "We had floated a global tender for mining activity and we have currently short-listed three companies," said Industries Minister Nawang Rigzin Jora. The companies will be assessed for their financial and technical capability, as well as past experience, to ensure that the Padder sapphire is mined in the most scientific manner, he added.

The project would be implemented on a joint-venture basis with the State-owned Jammu and Kashmir Minerals Ltd (JKML), which currently holds the lease for the sapphire mines.

Prized qualities

Because of a caravan prospect during the early-1880s, the sapphire producing mines at Padder have achieved legendary status in the jewellery world. Mining activity began in a big way in 1885 and ended in 1890. The gems mined during this period are valued highly and usually fetch enormous prices around the world. They are prized for the intensity of the pure blue color sans the undertones of green, grey or purple.

Their color holds up in all kinds of light, which experts describe as a magical property, as compared to other fine sapphires such as Burmese stones which lose their rich color in the evening light. The presence of microscopic inclusions in the stone gives it a magical 'velvety' effect, creating a soft and yet strong color.

According to eBay, the price of Kashmir sapphire easily crosses $100,000 a carat, making it the most expensive in its category.

Abid Suhail, General Manager of JKML, says, "The beauty of Kashmir sapphire is simply unmatched."

Last year, a 22.66-carat Kashmir sapphire pendant was auctioned by Christie's for a record $3 million.

The mining activity at Padder takes place only two months in a year at 4,500 meters above sea-level. "The geography is extreme, there is high altitude, low air, men and machinery can't work properly and one gets there after traveling three days on foot," says Suhail.

Raw sapphire auctions

JKML has undertaken sporadic mining in the area and, as a result, accumulated some raw sapphire known as corundum.

It recently auctioned some of the corundum, which attracted buyers from as far as South East Asia, and fetched Rs 1.3 crore for the 12 kg sold.

The company plans to auction more corundum during the next few months. However, it does not have the facility or infrastructure to convert the corundum into finished gems.

Illegal mining

Like other industries in Jammu and Kashmir, sapphire mining too received a setback during 1989, when violence erupted in the Valley. Owing to their location, the mines became a 'no go' area for authorities. Nobody knew what went on at the mines during the turbulent 1990s.

Finally, when a government team visited the mines in 1998, they were shocked to find rampant illegal mining. The miscreants had used crude devices, even detonations, to remove the prized gems, thereby causing considerable damage to the infrastructure at the mines.

"A huge smuggling ring has thrived in the area with some active help from employees of the company," an insider at the company said.

Waking up to the threat, the government has gradually begun providing security cover to the mines and now plans a foolproof, year-round security grid.

The absence of mining activity during the 1990s has pushed JKML further and further into losses. The staff has not been paid for seven months due to non-availability of funds.

The company earns about Rs 12 crore a year, which includes government aid, but its total expenditure is Rs 18 crore.

Future prospects

However, Suhail is convinced the mines hold a bright future for J&K economy. "Till date no comprehensive study has been made in this regard, but one thing is sure: the deposits are huge enough to turn the fortunes of Jammu and Kashmir," he says.

Haji Abdul Majid Butt, a noted geoscientist, says that "on the basis of satellite imagery done by National Remote Sensing Agency, there is presence of 480 kg of gem variety on the ridge as initial deposit, which can be recovered through mining." There are six ridges in the 2-sq km area.

The government is contemplating a satellite study as part of a multi-pronged survey to determine the exact potential of these mines.

"The Government has approached the Indian Remote Sensing Centre at Hyderabad and sought its help to work out the quantity of sapphire reserves in Padder," says the Industries Minister Jora. Senior officers of the Industries Department have been directed to stay in touch with IRSC authorities to ensure the exercise is undertaken at the earliest.

According to sources, the Gujarat Minerals Development Corporation (GMDC) is tipped to be the favourite for getting the mining contract at Padder.

"Mining is an extremely sensitive issue here and fingers of suspicion are raised if the contract is awarded to private companies," says a source. "So it seems they want to play safe by giving the contract to a government undertaking which is also financially strong and Gujarat Minerals matches both categories," he added.

As India's second-largest lignite producer, GMDC also has interest in other projects like coal, power, cement, bauxite and so on. According to experts, if GMDC hits the bull's eye at Padder it will be a win-win situation for both the company and the State.

Source :- The Hindu Business Line

The Miss Universe Organization has announced that CAO Fine Jewelry (a line of the renowned Phu Nhuan Jewelry (PNJ) company in Vietnam) has created the coveted 2008 Miss Universe crown. The winner of the 2008 Miss Universe Pageant, which will broadcast live on NBC July 13th from the Crown Convention Center in Nha Trang, Vietnam, will be crowned with the masterpiece which was designed by Rosalina Tran Lydster of Jewelry by Rosalina and Ms. Dang Thi Kim Lien of CAO Fine Jewelry.

The crown, valued at $120 thousand dollars, is made of 18K white and yellow gold. It is comprised of over 1,000 precious stones; including 555 white diamonds (30 carats), 375 cognac diamonds (14 carats), 10 smoky quartz crystals (20 carats) and 19 morganite gemstones (60 carats). The colors of the jewels chosen for the crown have great significance. The yellow luster of the gold represents the prosperous thriving economy in Vietnam. White, light pink and cognac are the main hues in the crown which represent inspiration and feeling.

Each piece of the crown was designed to represent an important attribute of the Miss Universe Pageant. The curves of inlaid precious stones represent the strong development and potential of each country. The image of the crane (Lac Bird) symbolizes Vietnamese spirit and culture. The image of the heart represents unified breath, rhythm and vision, which are powerful internal forces that stress faith, hope and unity.

"The Miss Universe crown is one of the most revered pieces of jewelry in the world," said Paula M. Shugart, President of the Miss Universe Organization. "We are very excited to have partnered with CAO Fine Jewelry and Jewelry by Rosalina to create this year's crown."

"The curved design creates a natural rhythm and a stable structure for the crown, symbolizing the spirit of unity. The crown combines the beauty and the character of each nation, accomplishing the goal of the pageant, which is international unity," explained designers Ms. Kim Lien and Rosalina Lydster.

Contestants from more than 80 countries will be judged in three categories: swimsuit, evening gown and interview as they vie for the title of Miss Universe 2008 and the opportunity to wear the crown. The winner will receive a tiara by CAO Fine Jewelry valued at $30 thousand dollars.

The MISS UNIVERSE(R), MISS USA(R) and MISS TEEN USA(R) Pageants are a Donald J. Trump and NBC Universal joint venture. Utilizing its nationwide grass roots infrastructure, the Miss Universe Organization is committed to increasing HIV/AIDS awareness by focusing on women's health and reproductive issues. By forging relationships with organizations committed to research and education such as the Latino Commission on AIDS, God's Love We Deliver, APICHA and Gay Men's Health Crisis, Miss Universe is armed to impact women today.

SOURCE The Miss Universe Organization

The 42nd edition of the Bangkok Gems and Jewelry Fair is improvising the experience of trade events where business meetings are held in a relaxed and informal atmosphere. The trade event is slated between 11 -15 September 2008.

This year the organizers are predicting an attendance of at least 30,000 professionals from 80 nations. The trade expected to be generated would be close to 10 billion baht, or over US$ 290 million. The BGJF is an attempt to promote the gem and jewellery trade of Thailand and is a coordinated effort of the Department of Export Promotion and the Thai Gem and Jewelry Traders Association (TGJTA).

TGJTA intends to hype the importance of the Middle East in today's global gem and jewellery trade, for which, it has struck an association with Dubai Multi Commodity Centre (DMCC), to set up offices for Thai operators in Dubai and establishing sales outlets in DMCC's Gems Club later this year. DMCC is hosting a conference at this BGJF, for the Thai industry members to deliver an understanding of the jewel market in the Middle East. The forum will be led by experts who address key challenges facing the gem and jewellery industry. Focusing on providing finest facilities and services to all visitors, the organizer has chosen the Impact Challenger to expand this one floor one roof fair into 100,000 sq. mts.

PRnewswire--Dara Dubinet, one of the leading designers of natural jewelry, will be launching The Raw Collection at Broken English in the Brentwood Country Mart, CA. Her designs are inviting and exciting, a truly progressive form of art. No two pieces in the collection are the same. Each one is a unique adornment of natural stones and crystals.

"My job is simply to embrace these gems with precious metals of Gold and Silver, and create one-of-a-kind wearable talismans." The collection is a collage of silver with chrysocolla and emerald greens, as well as sun filled 18k yellow gold with soft gold and pink hued stones such as pale yellow beryl and imperial topaz.

The jewels range from $375 to $14,000. Some of the limited edition pieces include monumental warrior-ess like breast plates in Peridot and 18k yellow gold to morganite and ruby raw charms freely dangling from an 18k bail with diamonds.

(Photo:http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080618/LAW526-a)Collect them. After all, "who couldn't use a little more raw charm?"

Dara Dubinet is known for power rings, gypsy rings, raw stackables and cuffs with stones like malachite to ward off negativity and Peruvian opal for happy dreams and changes. Ask to see the private collection of leather ones as well.

At Broken English you will find an intoxicating collection impossible to resist! For a limited time all jewels come with cards exquisitely hand painted and handwritten by Dara Dubinet describing the stones and the magic they bring. Dara Dubinet designs have been described by leaders in the industry as original and fresh, raw and refined. Broken English is located at Brentwood Country Mart, 225 26th Street, at San Vicente Boulevard, suite 17, Brentwood, CA.

Thedaily.com--Move over diamonds - opal engagement rings are all the rage.

It appears that girls may have a new best friend with a surge in popularity in opal engagement rings in recent months showing that young couples want something rarer than diamonds.

Opals Down Under advertising and internet coordinator Rhys Fox said the company had noticed quite a large swing in customer inquiries, with the majority of clients wanting to have the rings handmade.

"The younger generations are really getting into the whole unique appeal using opals in engagement rings," he said.

"I think couples want something different from diamonds and every opal is unique with no one opal showing the same pattern and color as another.

"And a good amount of these customers are actually having the rings hand-made for a completely one-off approach, which is fantastic."

Mr. Fox said Australians had been one of the hardest markets to attract, as they seemed to know less about our national gemstone than international customers.

However, what Opals down under staff had noticed was that a large number of recent inquiries were being made by young Australians.

Mr. Fox emphasized that those who were looking at opal engagement rings should do some research into the gemstone beforehand.

"We really do recommend that if customers want to use opals over diamonds in engagement rings (though diamonds are much stronger than opal) that they think about using Queensland Boulder opals, as they are the strongest of all the opals, as well as providing a brilliant array of color," he said.

Filed under Tzuk.net-- Last November, Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete established a Mining Review Committee chaired by former Attorney-General (retired) Justice Mark Bomani. 

The 12-member committee was given six months to review the mining regulations and relative taxation, as well as the management/control systems currently in force in the country. It was also mandated to look into extant contracts between multinational miners and the government.

The objective was to foster equitability in mining, creating a win-win situation for Tanzanians (the natural owners) and investors (the risk-takers). 

Tanzania is known for its production of raw gold, diamonds and other gemstones -- notably tanzanite, a stone only found in the country, which commands a $400 million global market. The country is the third-largest exporter of gold in Africa, at 40 metric tones a year, behind Ghana (980 metric tones) and South Africa (400 metric tones). 

Any way you look at it, Tanzania is endowed with mineral wealth. This -- together with other natural wealth ranging from woodlands, fishery, water, arable land and livestock -- makes it theoretically one of the richest countries in the world. Yet its people are among the worlds poorest.

Sixty six per cent of its 39 million populations still live on less than $1 a day -- which is less than the $2 a day allocated to a cow in the European Union!

In its 10th anniversary report, the Tanzania Chamber of Minerals & Energy notes that mining hogged 74 per cent of the foreign direct investment share following its proclamation as a priority investment area. 

In the event, eight large miners invested $1,306.3 million, yielding 1.73 million ounces of gold, 221,000 carats of diamonds and 230,000 grams of Tanzanite annually. Although the price of gold has sharply appreciated from $255 a troy ounce in 1999-2000 to $927.5/t-o in May 23, this year, mining contribution to the economy peaked at only 3.8 per cent in 2006, when Tanzania exported $856.8 million worth of gold. 

Mining continues to benefit foreign investors more than Tanzanians. Hence President Kikwete's decision to establish the Bomani Committee, which filed its report on May 24.Among its major recommendations were an increase in royalty rates paid to the government by the investors and the abolition, reduction or suspension of some taxes/tax rates. 

Perhaps the most curious bit is the committee's recommendation that its proposals will not perforce apply to existing mining operations -- only new ones. The committee -- unbelievably -- calls upon the government to negotiate with mining companies operating in the country in an effort to get them to comply with the recommendations.

If this is truly the case, then the win-win equitability that was being sought through the Bomani Committee becomes an exercise in futility. A chain is as strong as is its weakest link, and if the miners cannot be compelled by law, custom or ethical decency to comply, then this recommendation is the weakest link.

No sane businessman will invest under the proposed regime when he cannot compete fairly with existing investors.  

And if the miners play the enraged bull, stubbornly pursuing their operations, it's only a matter of time before the mineral deposits are exhausted -- with the Bomani report becoming another well meaning relic at State House. 

 

Concerns about gemstone treatments, the looming Burmese ruby ban, rough-supply shortages and the struggling U.S. economy brought a prickly sense of sobriety to this year's Tucson gem shows, usually known for their relaxed sunglasses-and-sandals vibe.

But there were some new finds this year--including a deposit of Tanzanian spinel and rubies from Greenland--and although traffic seemed lighter, some dealers were pleasantly surprised to find serious buyers instead of dallying browsers.

"People are intense in looking and comparing," said René Arnoldi of Carl Friedrich Arnoldi in Idar-Oberstein, Germany. "Higher-quality material is doing well, but the medium-to-lower quality is harder to sell."

Red and pink spinel from Tanzania were attracting interest, but stones in sizes above six carats were scarce, he said. In fact, top-shelf stones of any kind from gemstone centers such as Brazil and Africa remained elusive this year, Arnoldi said, echoing the sentiments of many of the other gem dealers at the American Gem Trade Association (AGTA) GemFair.

Prices on color's traditional troika--sapphire, emerald and ruby--rose in the 20 percent range, hoisted high by the weak U.S. dollar, tighter supplies and competing customers from the European and Asian markets.

Retail buyers, fresh off a holiday season that was disappointing for many, were shopping Tucson carefully.

"It's going to be another tough year," said jeweler Carla Ann Yeager, owner of Diamond Works in Chillicothe, Ohio, who said she picked up "funky pearls that you can't get from the suppliers," smoky quartz and brown quartz, all designed to appeal to her young female clients who accessorize clothing with jewels.

Despite the slowing economy, she is opting to ramp up her colored-stone marketing.

"I've started doing more full-color ads in the newspaper for jewelry with stones like pink tourmaline or (gemstones in) rainbow colors," Yeager said.

Rosy Blue, a global leader in the manufacturing, design and distribution of fine diamonds and jewellery, joined forces with Al Liali Jewellery LLC, a Dubai based retailer, to launch Atyaaf- Spectrum of emotions collection, the company said in a press statement.

Comprising semi-precious stones set in 18 kt white and yellow gold and accented with diamonds, the collection includes designs in stunning groups of pendants, rings, earrings, necklaces and matching sets.

Fashionable, lightweight and innovative, the Atyaaf- Spectrum of emotions collection from Rosy Blue incorporates a variety of natural semi-precious gemstones including rhodolite, citrine, topaz, peridot and amethysts. These natural gemstones will be provided by Swarovski.

"The Atyaaf- Spectrum of emotions collection is sure to attract instant admirers in Dubai due to its remarkable design, craftsmanship and finish. These creations are designed to perk up both the wearer and the viewer on a warm summer day. What's more, these jewelry pieces are perfect for an evening out in town or even as daytime wear for the daring amongst us, " said Harshad Mehta, Chairman of Rosy Blue.

To retail the exclusive Atyaaf-Spectrum of emotions collection, Rosy Blue has partnered with Al Liali Jewellery LLC, one of the premier players of gold, diamond, pearls and semi-precious stones jewelry in the local and international markets. The Atyaaf collection's exclusive and innovative design mirrors Al Liali's vision of providing fashionable and quality jewellery at competitive prices.

"The exotic new Atyaaf - Spectrum of emotions collection from Rosy Blue offers a comprehensive blend of both classic and contemporary jewellery style. The designs look impressive and are in tune with the latest fashion trends and taste in the UAE market. They strike a perfect balance between minimalism and traditional pieces which are generally heavy, to appeal to women of all ages and nationalities.We feel privileged to be associated with Rosy Blue and are confident that their designs will strike a resounding chord with the Al Liali customers," said Raeed Ahmad Baker, Chairman of the Al Liali jewellery group.