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 Post subject: IGR: An Editorial: Do it yourself gemstone graders
PostPosted: Thu Sep 02, 2021 12:35 pm 
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J'accuse. A complaint about the damage caused in Italy by the mushrooming proliferation of do-it-yourself gemstone “graders”
Editorial by Paolo Minieri, published on IGR no.12 wrote:
Is it true or not that gemology (gem/logos) has only one answer to give: what is this gem (or supposed gem) that I have in front of me?
What is it?

First of all, a gemologist is supposed to do nothing more or less than correctly disclose the chemical and physical properties inherent to the “gem”, subject to investigation. This is where I wanted to get to. While we are playing the poets with countless doors opened by the Logos, in Italy there are people who are busy pleasing unscrupulous sellers and issuing improper documents that qualify a piece of junk as a gem. We open our wings and dare to discuss about high systems, they write what they like. We attempt to make observation and characterization a rigorous exercise, and they thrive on “do-it-yourself reports”, exercises in their free, arbitrary, unsubstantiated, deceptive prose.


Please do not get me wrong: I do not question the work and reports of people who work with discernment and fairness, whether they belong to large institutes or they work on their own in less renowned laboratory. Those who are in line with the scientific literature, those who update their methodologies, those who are putting their face to the test, should not feel called into question. Sure, there are discrepancies, different approaches, divergent reference scales and grading systems. IGR has made the borderline between objectivity and unavoidable subjectivity of grading criteria a permanent topic of interest. But this is again Logos.

Wherever there are scientific scruples and professional conscience there will never be damages, just temporary difficulties that a networked community will be able to clarify. No, as far as what we see in Italy, I launch a specific and clear “j’accuse” against the amateurishness, the lack of competence, the approximation, the groundlessness, often accompanied by arrogance, in these reports written by people possessing no titles and – if they have them – certainly no conscience. Whoever has knowledge and sense of responsibility must stop turning away and tolerating such malpractice. The skilled and respectable figures in gemology, the serious and trained analysts should make their outrage heard.

How did we get to this point in our country? Good question, here are a few pointers to answer it.

What is lacking are trusted and reliable bodies in charge of verifying the qualifications of people who sign documents pretending to be gemological statements. The pretension (based on what?) of “writing” a descriptive document is accepted, while people entering the trade and the whole business would rather need to learn first how to “read” it in detail. Without contrasting, but even encouraging, the race to “writing”, it is as if we were suggesting to a high school student to learn directly how to compose novels and symphonies rather than studying the basics of grammar and harmony.
Image
So you don’t fall into shared rules and protocols appropriate to qualify a document as reliable or NOT reliable. What instrumentation do these people have at their disposal? What qualifications have they earned?

Our Italian Parliament has buried a serious regulatory draft bill that would have regulated the gem trade and would have implied an assumption of responsibility by the selling parties. Why such a comprehensive and advanced bill has been abandoned, while very experienced and knowledgeable gemologists, as well as authorities of the industry involved, had responsibly agreed upon, in spite of their different backgrounds?
Why haven’t the most influential and responsible trade associations or individual entrepreneurs – after the proposed law failed – adopted a fair disclosure voluntary code of conduct for materials offered for sale? It is necessary to build an alliance with consumers, to regain their respect, to heal the damage caused by carelessness or bad faith.

Conclusion. A Neapolitan proverb goes: “the fish stinks starting from its head”. Bringing back a level of decency and seriousness in certificates and reports has to be a professional responsibility of those who do this job with qualifications, experience, skills and fairness in the interest of the citizen-consumer. If we do not react immediately, we will end up being accomplices of the vast handful of “do-it-yourself graders”.

By Paolo Minieri, published on IGR – Italian Gemological Review #12, Summer 2021


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 Post subject: Re: IGR: An Editorial: Do it yourself gemstone graders
PostPosted: Thu Sep 02, 2021 1:13 pm 
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Follow up on bogus "certs"
https://insure-jewelry.com/newsletters/2020/2020_01.htm

Gemworld International offers customizable gem card software....
https://www.gemguide.com/credit-card-report/

Reputable Gem Cards:
https://www.aglgemlab.com/gembrief
https://www.aigsthailand.com/brief_report.aspx


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 Post subject: Re: IGR: An Editorial: Do it yourself gemstone graders
PostPosted: Thu Sep 02, 2021 1:55 pm 
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Unfortunately, this will never change. Even here in the U.S. where comprehensive regulation do exists it is rampant.

Some of the major culprits are on line platforms like E-Bay, and Amazon that refuse too police this. They subject their users to being ripped off. This also subjects legitimate dealers to an unrealistic perception in the market of price/value that is impossible to compete with.


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 Post subject: Re: IGR: An Editorial: Do it yourself gemstone graders
PostPosted: Thu Sep 02, 2021 3:50 pm 
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Barbra, I'm somewhat confused on the aigsthailand cert card call as reputable. In the recent thread about andesine controversy aigs is the card gemfrance was using to promote worthless andesine?

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 Post subject: Re: IGR: An Editorial: Do it yourself gemstone graders
PostPosted: Thu Sep 02, 2021 5:01 pm 
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Several labs made the wrong call in the early days before the method of treatment was verified. The AIGS report dates he is using are from 2005, before this was known.
I know AGTA issued some "Natural, no indication of treatment" reports at that time and I suspect GIA did as well.


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 Post subject: Re: IGR: An Editorial: Do it yourself gemstone graders
PostPosted: Thu Sep 02, 2021 5:03 pm 
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Got it.

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