Feldspar Fury: Entrance Strategy
It isn't easy to force copper into feldspar. So when gemologist Robert James said copper diffusion was the real cause of red and green in Mexican feldspar sold as natural on TV, and made the official gem of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, no one took him seriously - until he started snapping pictures to prove his point.

Un-True Blue: Cobalt-Treated Tanzanite Is Here
For years, jewelers have complained about the paleness of tanzanite in calibrated sizes. Now there's an avalanche of deep sapphire-blue material. Alas, it's color-coated.

Coming to a Court Room near You: The Labradorite Litigations
If you recently bought red or green "new-find" labradorite on screen or on line as a natural-color gemstone, you may be in for a rude awakening. These feldspars may owe their beauty to the gemological equivalent of color implants - or, more crudely, dyeing.

An Open Letter to the Trade on the Paraiba Controversy
Editor-in-Chief of Colored Stone, David Federman addresses the controversial issue of gemstone nomenclature as it relates to Paraiba and other stones.

Also read the previous story on this topic, Paraiba Predicament.

2008 Gemmy Award Winners

See the winners of our annual gem cutting and design competition!

Sunstone Controversy: The Furor Over Feldspar
All-natural Oregon sunstone and similar-looking
treated andesine once sold as natural are locked in apples-and-oranges competition that is both unfair and unnecessary.

February 1, 2008: Congress set to close major loophole in U.S. law banning imports of Burmese gems

December 27, 2007: Irradiated Topaz: What's Next?