Ethical Gemstones

[Victoria]

Channel Island Gems is definitely no longer on ebay

Instead I've found this, but I can't figure out if these are lab diamonds or cz - what do folks think??? http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1906522213...84.m1423.l2649

Vx

[medusa]

It says they are CZ, Victoria. Right at the very bottom.

I didn't realise CZ were lab created though. Learning a lot here today.

[caroleallen]

Rubyfair visited me last year with samples. They were beautiful but as you say, very expensive.

[ps_bond]

Instead I've found this, but I can't figure out if these are lab diamonds or cz - what do folks think??? http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1906522213...84.m1423.l2649

What do I think? The seller is a fraudster. "Lab diamonds" indeed - chemical composition ZrO2. So... Not even remotely diamonds. Lab grown diamonds are exactly that - diamonds, grown in a lab (well, probably not quite what I'd recognise as a lab but not to worry). Cubic zirconia are cubic zirconia and at best can be described as a diamond simulant.

Grr.

[Victoria]

Thanks everyone...all the way through that listing they talked about lab diamonds then there's that slightly oddly worded paragraph at the end which mentions cz but doesn't explicitly say that they are cz.

I wasn't sure if it was just me getting confused about the difference between lab diamonds and cz, but thanks Peter, you've confirmed what I was thinking!!! However, I refuse to give up! If I keep searching, what kinds of things do I need to look for to see if they are actually lab diamonds...not being a scientist, I didn't know that ZrO2 meant cz!

cheers
x

[ps_bond]

Well, diamonds are carbon. Cubic zirconia is zirconium oxide (ZrO2), moissanite is silicon carbide (SiC). Glass is usually silicon dioxide (ish - SiO2).

Lab grown or synthetic diamonds are usually in the order of 70% of the mined variety - so the price is a pretty good indicator.

I've spoken to the person with the lab-grown diamonds (and these are papered as well) and she's quite happy to wholesale if people want.

[AFJ]

Hi Peter,

I'd be really interested in speaking to the lab-grown diamond person. Could you send me her details please?

Well, diamonds are carbon. Cubic zirconia is zirconium oxide (ZrO2), moissanite is silicon carbide (SiC). Glass is usually silicon dioxide (ish - SiO2).

Lab grown or synthetic diamonds are usually in the order of 70% of the mined variety - so the price is a pretty good indicator.

I've spoken to the person with the lab-grown diamonds (and these are papered as well) and she's quite happy to wholesale if people want.

[pearlescence]

I'm off to Hong Kong to the gem show in sept so I'll keep lab gems in mind and get info if I see anything - if it isn't there it isn't much of anywhere!
There is a huge exhibition hall (think jumbo aircraft hanger+) with just diamonds. nothing else, just rows and rows and stalls and stalls of diamonds.

[Edward Fleming]

Hi,
I was wondering if people can recommend some suppliers of ethical gemstones, preferably UK based (to reduce postage costs/customs taxes, etc) I appreciate there is no definition or gold standard on ethical stones, but I guess I mean companies that at least have put some thought into it and have an ethical policy and are in some way committed to using mines that don't use slave workforce, etc etc. I'm also interested in reputable suppliers of lab diamonds.
Any general advice in this area also welcomed :-)
Thanks!
Vx

As you rightly say there is no definition or standard when it comes to coloured stones so its up to you to decide who is actually making an effort to trace their stones and who is just paying the whole ethics issue lip service. I can personally recommend Nineteen48 http://www.nineteen48.com/ .You can see on the site there is plenty of stuff about ethics and Stuart is very happy to talk about the subject. He is also an important part of an 'ethical jewellers group' who meet quarterly to discuss these issues.

I have some stones left from a buying trip to Namibia, though not an extensive stock by any means, some tourmalines and demantoid garnets mainly. You can read about the trip and my thoughts about ethics and the jewellery trade via these links

http://edwardflemingjewellery.com/20...ng-in-namibia/
http://edwardflemingjewellery.com/20...ticle-feature/

If its an issue you are genuinely interested in then there is pilot project by a swiss group called RESP, that starts soon in Mozambique with rubies. I dont know if the stones from the project will be openly available but if its successful this project will have implications so its good to know about it.

http://resp.ch//iwg/coloured-gemstones

Hope this helps