Irradiated stones??

vj found this in rec.crafts.jewelry, from "Peter W.. Rowe,"
:

] in many or perhaps most cases, the starting material isn't even clear
]quartz, but rather, clear glass.

exactly my problem! cherry quartz is too rare [if it exists at all]
to be in the general market. nothing i've found yet is anything but
colored glass. and i've had more than one 'dealer' tell me "well,
yes, it's glass, but cherry quartz is the accepted name." NOT!!!!
too many people are buying cherry quartz, pineapple quartz, and a
whole list of others, thinking they are buying a stone, when in
reality they are buying GLASS. and while i have nothing against glass
[the good lord knows i use enough of it!] i seriously object to
misleading labels!

so, i try to be as clear as i can in the descriptions i write up -
even if i have to say "i don't know what the stone is - i found it in
the river!"

Swarovski, however, takes things to an insane level!


--
@vicki [SnuggleWench]
(Books) http://www.booksnbytes.com
(Jewelry) http://www.vickijean.com/new.html
(Metalsmithing) http://www.snugglewench.com
yahooID: vjean95967
-----------
"Only Irish coffee provides in a single glass all four essential
food groups: alcohol, caffeine, sugar, and fat." -- Alex Levine

On Wed, 05 Jan 2005 06:16:35 GMT, wrote:

What's the difference between "heat treated" and "irradiated"? Does
heat treatment involve radiation of any sort?
...
I had read that the two are similar, though it didn't make much sense
at first. I'm new to all of this and a little slow about things like
this.

Thinking back to jr high science class: Radiated heat/ infared,
visible light, ultraviolet, radio waves, microwaves, x-rays, gamma
rays...all electromagnetic radiation - just different
wavelengths/frequencies.

(Alpha and beta radiation are particles, actual bits of atoms that get
tossed off and do damage by running into things. See
http://www.radmeters4u.com/#1c)

Cheers!
Neil

Neil Marsh wrote:
On Wed, 05 Jan 2005 06:16:35 GMT, wrote:


What's the difference between "heat treated" and "irradiated"? Does
heat treatment involve radiation of any sort?
...
I had read that the two are similar, though it didn't make much sense
at first. I'm new to all of this and a little slow about things like
this.


Thinking back to jr high science class: Radiated heat/ infared,
visible light, ultraviolet, radio waves, microwaves, x-rays, gamma
rays...all electromagnetic radiation - just different
wavelengths/frequencies.

(Alpha and beta radiation are particles, actual bits of atoms that get
tossed off and do damage by running into things. See
http://www.radmeters4u.com/#1c)

Cheers!
Neil


Not quite how I would say it,
Heat treated is like boiling an egg,
Irradiated is like when youve been treated for cancer.
2 very differnet effects.
the 1st youd know its hot anything above 100"f
the 2nd you wont feel a thing till later..
I this any clearer?
Best to avoid both on yourself.
theres always someone thats trying to turn old lamps into new.
IE take a poor quality stone and turn it into a high class one.
for the money of course.
goes back to the medieval search for the philosophers stone that would
turn lead into gold.
the more money to be made the bigger the greed.
Like the current artificial yellow diamond coming onto the market.
Have fun!






--------------010209050402010500030905--

well, X and Gamma are considered ionizing radiation. Most of the others
are unlikely to cause as much damage as quickly to animal tissue. Any
microwave damage for instance would be from heat - like diathermy. Some
componenets of the visible spectrum - like UV may be ionizing to some
componenets of tissue I suppose - not sure.

Carl
1 Lucky Texan


Neil Marsh wrote:
On Wed, 05 Jan 2005 06:16:35 GMT, wrote:


What's the difference between "heat treated" and "irradiated"? Does
heat treatment involve radiation of any sort?
...
I had read that the two are similar, though it didn't make much sense
at first. I'm new to all of this and a little slow about things like
this.


Thinking back to jr high science class: Radiated heat/ infared,
visible light, ultraviolet, radio waves, microwaves, x-rays, gamma
rays...all electromagnetic radiation - just different
wavelengths/frequencies.

(Alpha and beta radiation are particles, actual bits of atoms that get
tossed off and do damage by running into things. See
http://www.radmeters4u.com/#1c)

Cheers!
Neil



--
to reply, change ( .not) to ( .net)

On Wed, 05 Jan 2005 06:56:28 GMT, "Peter W.. Rowe,"
wrote:


So, as for Moonstone and Peridot... it's pretty much never used? If
not, how are these stones usually enhanced? As in peridot's to look
greener or darker or more coloration, or moonstone do give more of the
blue streak effects, etc.?

Neither treatment is generally used with either stone.

However, peridot is frequently dyed. Also amethyst, citrine, and rose
quartz. Check the string they're on -- if the string is the color of
the beads, they've been dyed and the dye will be lightened by
sunlight.

--
Marilee J. Layman

Yep, I have Radon in the basement. What would be the best way to research
Arsenic in the water - I can't think of good search parameter for Google. I
don't remember it being listed on the last water review but that may not
mean anything. The water in our area leaves something to be desired. If I
try to drink a whole glass in the morning it makes me feel sick. My dog
doesn't like it either.
Thanks,
--
Connie Ryman
Cryman Studio



All in all, you experience many health risks and never know it. Radon is
a common one. Arsenic in drinking water is a under-rated hazard, maybe
because it is so widespread throughout the country. Check that one out!
Low does of arsenic are really bad for your health. As a health risk,
it's a real sleeper. Blue topaz belongs way, way down on the list of
things that can be potential health risks.

But, if you're worried about it, have it checked.

Does anyone know of a place that keeps track of what these selling names
really are? Like 'cherry quartz" and "hemalyke" (you got to love
that one). I have tried to google some of them and usually you can find
lots of folks trying to sell the stuff but nobody saying what it is. I
usually never buy these things but it would be nice to know what some of
them are to inform customers.

Mark



Peter W.. Rowe, wrote:
On Wed, 05 Jan 2005 01:25:06 -0800, in Xõ vj wrote:


vj found this in rec.crafts.jewelry, from "Peter W.. Rowe,"
:



but, i DO care if the things i buy have been treated, dyed, waxed, or
whatever. which is why i don't buy randomly any more. because when i
sell it, i want to be able to tell someone EXACTLY what they are
buying.


As well you should, in all cases. And in fact, as the law requires. Proper disclosure
is the right policy. Properly, you should be getting this info from the people you buy
the stones from, but sadly, some of them are the worst offenders, especially in the
field of beads, it seems, where there seem to be a higher percentage of sellers who know
how to sell, but don't actually understand the gemology at all.

On Wed, 05 Jan 2005 21:56:50 -0800, in ?? "Marilee J. Layman"
wrote:

On Wed, 05 Jan 2005 06:56:28 GMT, "Peter W.. Rowe,"
wrote:


So, as for Moonstone and Peridot... it's pretty much never used? If
not, how are these stones usually enhanced? As in peridot's to look
greener or darker or more coloration, or moonstone do give more of the
blue streak effects, etc.?

Neither treatment is generally used with either stone.

However, peridot is frequently dyed. Also amethyst, citrine, and rose
quartz. Check the string they're on -- if the string is the color of
the beads, they've been dyed and the dye will be lightened by
sunlight.

Marilee,

1. Bead stringing cords of several types are commonly available already dyed in a wide
range of colors, and it's often common practice to use a cord who's color will enhance
the color of beads. The existance of a colored cord, matching the beads or not,
provides no reliable indication that the beads were dyed, and the use of a white or
colorless cord likewise provides no assurance that they were not dyed, since dying would
most likely be done before the beads are strung, not after, due to potential degredation
of the cords by the dye process, or the potential for color mismatch if some beads take
more dye than others. Several of the professional bead and pearl stringers I know
routinely color their stringing threads, often just with permanent colored magic
markers, if they don't happen to have a good match already in stock for a colored stone
bead. Seems to work just fine, from what I've seen.

2. Note too, that the use of dyes with these stones is pretty much limited to beads, not
to most normal cut stones. All four of the ones you mentioned are not permiable to
dyes, except via surface reaching fractures, or perhaps along the protected, but rough
interior surface of a bead's drill hole. Except for rose quartz, the stones you
mentioned are usually used, when facetted or cut as cabs, with few enough fractures and
fissures reaching the surface that most cabochons and faceted stones of these materials
won't be able to be effectively dyed. Rose quartz, when translucent, instead of
transparent, sometimes is able to be dyed, and sometimes is indeed dyed. In beads,
with all four stones you mention, often the use of a nice brightly colored cord to
string beads on makes additional dying no longer needed, as the beads will optically
pick up color from the cord, without any actual dye on the beads.

3. While some dyes do indeed fade in sunlight, not all do. Depends on the color, and
the type of dye used. And note that fading in sunlight is not exclusive to dyes. Some
of the heat treated or irradiated color treatments also are prone to fading in sunlight,
and indeed, some natural stones also, can be prone to colors fading in intense sunlight.
Topaz in particular, is noted for certain types of treatments fading, but there are many
other instances documented. Kunzite is notorious for being a nice naturally colored
stone that cannot withstand exposure toe sunlight, and there are a few others as well.

cheers

Peter

vj found this in rec.crafts.jewelry, from Mark Johnson
:

]Does anyone know of a place that keeps track of what these selling names
] really are? Like 'cherry quartz" and "hemalyke" (you got to love
]that one). I have tried to google some of them and usually you can find
]lots of folks trying to sell the stuff but nobody saying what it is. I
]usually never buy these things but it would be nice to know what some of
]them are to inform customers.

well, try the GIA. if anyone would know, they would.
the jeweler i'm apprenticing to has several books of lists like that.
i'll try to find out names when i go back there on Friday.


--
@vicki [SnuggleWench]
(Books) http://www.booksnbytes.com
(Jewelry) http://www.vickijean.com/new.html
(Metalsmithing) http://www.snugglewench.com
yahooID: vjean95967
-----------
"Only Irish coffee provides in a single glass all four essential
food groups: alcohol, caffeine, sugar, and fat." -- Alex Levine

vj found this in rec.crafts.jewelry, from "Marilee J. Layman"
:

]However, peridot is frequently dyed. Also amethyst, citrine, and rose
]quartz. Check the string they're on -- if the string is the color of
]the beads, they've been dyed and the dye will be lightened by
]sunlight.
]
]--
]Marilee J. Layman

hi, Marilee!
**waving**


--
@vicki [SnuggleWench]
(Books) http://www.booksnbytes.com
(Jewelry) http://www.vickijean.com/new.html
(Metalsmithing) http://www.snugglewench.com
yahooID: vjean95967
-----------
"Only Irish coffee provides in a single glass all four essential
food groups: alcohol, caffeine, sugar, and fat." -- Alex Levine