Joined: Tue Aug 01, 2006 3:24 am Posts: 4997 Location: McDonough GA
Anyone have any opinions regarding the reliability of this school's lab? I bought a large cheap topaz on ebay that the vendor says is completely untreated, heat, irradiation or otherwise. I don't really believe him but I want a lab report to prove it. I requested he send the stone to AIGS but his response was to recommend Burapha University as they are local to him in Chantaburi. He wants 30 bucks for the report.
Comments?
Jason
PS: The vendor has impressed me in the past as being one of the very few ebay sellers who discloses beryllium and diffusion treatment on their corundum and usually on their topaz they state that it has been irradiated. This stone however is said to be from Brazil and NOT irradiated. Here's the link to the auction. See what you think.
Hi,
Hope this helps. I would suggest you E-mail the university. I know they have gemology classes. Don't know if they take gems from vendors for testing. here is the e-mail: headbuu@buu.ac.th
Burapha University
169 Long-Hard Bangsaen Road, Tambon Saensook,
Amphur Muang, Chonburi 20131, Thailand.
Tel : 66-38-745900 ext. 1017, 1027 (International Relations Office)
Fax : 66-38-390047 (International Relations Office)
Email : headbuu@buu.ac.th http://www.buu.ac.th
Joined: Tue Aug 01, 2006 3:24 am Posts: 4997 Location: McDonough GA
Barbra,
What equipment would be used for testing for radiation treatment? I have not received a response from Burapha...yet. However I've been discussing this with the seller. He does not think that Burapha is equipped for this type of testing and suggests I send the stone to GIA after I receive it. Does that sound reasonable?
I know I'm not Barbara, I remember reading this article. Maybe it can steer you in the right direction. Or go get a 1940's Geiger counter, that test for all radiation
Anyone have any opinions regarding the reliability of this school's lab? I bought a large cheap topaz on ebay that the vendor says is completely untreated, heat, irradiation or otherwise. I don't really believe him but I want a lab report to prove it. I requested he send the stone to AIGS but his response was to recommend Burapha University as they are local to him in Chantaburi. He wants 30 bucks for the report.
Comments?
Jason
PS: The vendor has impressed me in the past as being one of the very few ebay sellers who discloses beryllium and diffusion treatment on their corundum and usually on their topaz they state that it has been irradiated. This stone however is said to be from Brazil and NOT irradiated. Here's the link to the auction. See what you think.
Hi Jason- I am not going to badmouth another one of your Thai-E-Bay suppliers, but I can tell you with the same certainty that the other stone you were looking at wasn't Bixbite, that you can't buy 72ct. VVS Imperial Topaz for a buck a ct. Please don't take my word-Ask one of our Brazilian experts-Steve Lembeck,Amazon Joe, Richard Wise or David Epstein.
Joined: Tue Aug 01, 2006 3:24 am Posts: 4997 Location: McDonough GA
Nick,
If you read my original post again, you'll see that I said I did not believe the vendor when he says the stone is untreated. That said, I doubt the stone is even from Brazil.
It doesnt matter to me one way or the other concerning this particular stone. I bought it for my mother who likes big, sparkly and cheap. If I were looking for topaz to resell I would look elsewhere.
Jason-All I am saying is that I went to the dealers site and he is selling 12 large stones that he is calling Imperial Topaz and they are not. Maybe the deception shouldn't bother me but it does.
Joined: Tue Aug 01, 2006 3:24 am Posts: 4997 Location: McDonough GA
Nicky Newark wrote:
Jason-All I am saying is that I went to the dealers site and he is selling 12 large stones that he is calling Imperial Topaz and they are not. Maybe the deception shouldn't bother me but it does.
Nick,
It bothers me too. What it tells me though is that the vendor is a mass marketer, not a gemolgist. To the average joe, what he is selling as Imperial Topaz, might as well BE imperial Topaz because the average guy on the street neither knows the difference nor cares.
Several years ago my dad bought one of these "imperials" for my mothers birthday. She had it set in a pendant and is quite happy with it. Now, she knows and appreciates the difference between what she's got and a Topaz from Oro Preto. The difference being she can afford one and not the other. I bring this up simply to point out that everyone who sees her pendant says "oh thats an imperial topaz". Such is the perception of the public.
As long as these vendors are not claiming these things to be mined in Oro Preto and to be woth a gazillion dollars, I'm willing to overlook it. There are much worse frauds on ebay to worry about.
The average guy on the street couldn't tell a CZ from a diamond- That doesn' t give a dealer a license to misrepresent. This Settgold clown knows what he is selling is common brown Topaz not Imperial. For a dollar a ct. you are paying what brown Topaz is worth. He has one of these stones at a " Buy it now" for over $800. I feel sorry for the" Average Joe" that buys this thinking he is getting Imperial. There is nothing wrong with inexpensive stones. I have an Irai(Brazil) citrine that looks like a fine Mandarin garnet. It was purchased as a citrine and if I ever sell it it will be sold as a citrine. I just don't buy the excuse that these guys are not GG's and really don't know what they are selling. They are dumb like foxes! I have nothing else to say about these scammers.
_________________ Nick
Last edited by Nicky Newark on Sun Aug 05, 2007 2:12 am, edited 1 time in total.
Joined: Tue Aug 01, 2006 3:24 am Posts: 4997 Location: McDonough GA
I'm not exactly sure what it is you are wanting me to say. I think I've agreed with you in principle on just about every point you've made. I did not say that Settgold doesnt know what he's doing. I said it's not the biggest fraud out there. Do you think that these vendors should just be shut down or booted from ebay? Help me out here...I'm trying to see what your point is but so far I'm not doing a very good job of it.
Joined: Sun Jun 24, 2007 5:40 am Posts: 424 Location: Southern California
I know absolutely nothing about the lab, but that topaz is HUGE!
My son has a piece of rough topaz in his collection that is almost that color, but much smaller. It came with a lot of white topaz from Brazil, which would have no reason to be treated, so it is entirely possible that your stone is also untreated.
Joined: Sat Jul 07, 2007 10:04 pm Posts: 476 Location: United States
Is this lab still working? There is no more link, or page to go to when searching on google. My concern is now that many ebay dealers might be forging these certs if the gem lab is no longer operating. I also cannot find a great deal of information on this lab and the quality of their work. Would they be able to determine certain treatments or difficult to detect synthetics?
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