M
Meeshoo
Guest Shopper
Ok, I've just received this email from Rocks and Co:-
An attractive cocktail of oranges and pinks, Padparadscha (along with fine blues) are Sapphire's rarest and most coveted colours. While its name is derived from the gem's semblance to a pinkish-orange lotus flower, our modern word 'Padparadscha' is a corruption of the Sinhalese 'padma' (lotus) and 'raga' (colour). Delightfully seductive, Padparadscha Sapphires are so rare and beautiful that they are highly prized by collectors. While Padparadscha Sapphires were originally an exclusively Sri Lankan Sapphire, today they are recognised as also hailing from Madagascar, Vietnam and Tanzania. Nevertheless, Sri Lanka is the 'classic' source for Padparadscha Sapphire and examples from this resplendent isle remain highly coveted. The big news is that our selection all hail from the gem gravels of Sri Lanka, the original source for Padparadscha Sapphire. Obtaining these gems required a Herculean effort - they are extremely scarce and very challenging to source. It has taken a very long time (over 10 years) and careful patience to accumulate enough of these gems for lines of jewellery. Colour plays a major role (50 percent) in determining value in all gems. Given this, it is no wonder Padparadscha Sapphire is so famed. Don't miss this rare opportunity to add rare and beautiful genuine Sri Lankan Padparadscha Sapphire jewellery to your collection.
If you are tempted to buy, PLEASE do your research first.
1. Padparadschas are amongst the rarest natural colour of Sapphire in the world.
2. They are disproportionately expensive
3. To be called a Padparadscha - they MUST be natural and NOT BE diffused.
If they are BE diffused and the picture of the one in their advert STRONGLY suggests they're diffused, they should be called "Padparadscha coloured ...."
IF YOU WANT A TRUE PADPARADSCHA MAKE SURE YOU DO YOUR HOMEWORK AND ASK ROCKS AND CO IF THEY ARE UNTREATED BEFORE YOU BUY. Heated natural Pads are fine but if they're treated they are NOT entitled to be called Padparadschas.
I'm appalled that IF Rocks and Co are selling treated Padparadschas, they haven't disclosed this in their advert which is totally and utterly misleading. ASA would be very interested in this - especially as other channels have had their hands FIRMLY slapped about this. Oh and the same goes for Imperial Topaz.
In April 2007, the Laboratory Manual Harmonisation Committee (LMHC), a committee with representatives from the world's leading gem labs, published a statement on Padparadscha Sapphire ("Information Sheet #4). Here are the main points:
Padparadscha sapphire is a variety of corundum from any geographical origin whose color is a subtle mixture of pinkish orange to orangey pink with pastel tones, and low to medium saturation. Now look at the picture below. Does that look pastel or a stone with low to medium saturation? No.
The name 'padparadscha sapphire' SHALL NOT be applied in the following cases:
* If the stone has any colour modifier other than pink or orange.
* If the stone has major uneven colour distribution when viewed with the unaided eye and the table up +/- 30 degrees
* If the stone has been treated by lattice diffusion of a foreign element, treated by irradiation or dyed, coated, painted, etc.
An attractive cocktail of oranges and pinks, Padparadscha (along with fine blues) are Sapphire's rarest and most coveted colours. While its name is derived from the gem's semblance to a pinkish-orange lotus flower, our modern word 'Padparadscha' is a corruption of the Sinhalese 'padma' (lotus) and 'raga' (colour). Delightfully seductive, Padparadscha Sapphires are so rare and beautiful that they are highly prized by collectors. While Padparadscha Sapphires were originally an exclusively Sri Lankan Sapphire, today they are recognised as also hailing from Madagascar, Vietnam and Tanzania. Nevertheless, Sri Lanka is the 'classic' source for Padparadscha Sapphire and examples from this resplendent isle remain highly coveted. The big news is that our selection all hail from the gem gravels of Sri Lanka, the original source for Padparadscha Sapphire. Obtaining these gems required a Herculean effort - they are extremely scarce and very challenging to source. It has taken a very long time (over 10 years) and careful patience to accumulate enough of these gems for lines of jewellery. Colour plays a major role (50 percent) in determining value in all gems. Given this, it is no wonder Padparadscha Sapphire is so famed. Don't miss this rare opportunity to add rare and beautiful genuine Sri Lankan Padparadscha Sapphire jewellery to your collection.
If you are tempted to buy, PLEASE do your research first.
1. Padparadschas are amongst the rarest natural colour of Sapphire in the world.
2. They are disproportionately expensive
3. To be called a Padparadscha - they MUST be natural and NOT BE diffused.
If they are BE diffused and the picture of the one in their advert STRONGLY suggests they're diffused, they should be called "Padparadscha coloured ...."
IF YOU WANT A TRUE PADPARADSCHA MAKE SURE YOU DO YOUR HOMEWORK AND ASK ROCKS AND CO IF THEY ARE UNTREATED BEFORE YOU BUY. Heated natural Pads are fine but if they're treated they are NOT entitled to be called Padparadschas.
I'm appalled that IF Rocks and Co are selling treated Padparadschas, they haven't disclosed this in their advert which is totally and utterly misleading. ASA would be very interested in this - especially as other channels have had their hands FIRMLY slapped about this. Oh and the same goes for Imperial Topaz.
In April 2007, the Laboratory Manual Harmonisation Committee (LMHC), a committee with representatives from the world's leading gem labs, published a statement on Padparadscha Sapphire ("Information Sheet #4). Here are the main points:
Padparadscha sapphire is a variety of corundum from any geographical origin whose color is a subtle mixture of pinkish orange to orangey pink with pastel tones, and low to medium saturation. Now look at the picture below. Does that look pastel or a stone with low to medium saturation? No.
The name 'padparadscha sapphire' SHALL NOT be applied in the following cases:
* If the stone has any colour modifier other than pink or orange.
* If the stone has major uneven colour distribution when viewed with the unaided eye and the table up +/- 30 degrees
* If the stone has been treated by lattice diffusion of a foreign element, treated by irradiation or dyed, coated, painted, etc.