The finished color range of these goods runs the gamut from yellow through golden yellow, to orange (including the range that encompasses padparadscha) and even into borderline ruby colors, some of which resemble red spinels. 16, 2002, along with discussions we have had with American experts, such as John Emmett, and other dealers and gemologists around the world. The following is based upon the AGTA Report of Jan. Shortly thereafter, the AGTA issued a Lab Alert and Pala International sent a number of stones to the GIA for analysis. We quickly examined the Pala stones just purchased in Bangkok and found identical color rims on most pieces. On December 28, 2001, Scarratt asked the author if he knew anything about the stones, mentioning the orange color rims. But under immersion, many displayed unusual orange color rims surrounding pink cores, suggesting there might be more to this than a simple bake job. When Scarratt examined his stones back in New York, he found that all had been exposed to high-temperature heat treatment. Pala International's Bill Larson also purchased samples in early December 2001 in Bangkok.

The stones were to be marketed under new names, such as Sunset sapphire, etc.įollowing the author's email blast with the news provided him by Coldham, AGTA Lab Director Ken Scarratt visited Bangkok in December 2001 and obtained samples. Shortly thereafter, several other sources confirmed the news. His initial report was that a burner in Chanthaburi, Thailand had developed a new method to treat off-color Songea (Tanzania) stones to a fine orange to red-orange color. March 2002 – In October 2001, Australian gemologist Terry Coldham informed the author of a new treatment for orange sapphire. The early history of beryllium diffusion in sapphire, starting with the 2001 appearance of large numbers of padparadscha sapphires in the Thai gem market.

Padparadscha sapphire gia