International Gem Testing Laboratory Jaipur (IGTLJ) was established to meet the growing demand of Technology, Expertise and Knowledge in the field of Gems, Diamond and Jewellery. IGTLJ has been providing all kind of Services & Solutions like Education, Consultation, Designing and Laboratory services to the Gem & Jewellery Industry.

1. AMIIT SONIAMIIT SONI
(LABORATORY DIRECTOR, IGTLJ)(LABORATORY DIRECTOR, IGTLJ)
http://www.igtlj.com/
GemstonesGemstones

2. GemstonesGemstones
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Any non-metallic mineral or other natural
material (e.g., amber, jet, pearl) that can
be cut and polished for use in jewelry and
related products.
Mineral gemstonesMineral gemstones include: sapphire,
ruby, diamond, emerald, topaz, turquoise
and opal

3. 
With the exception of diamonds, most
gemstones are highly valued because of their:
BeautyBeauty
RarityRarity
TraditionTradition
Perception of permanencePerception of permanence
Why are some gems so expensive?Why are some gems so expensive?
http://www.igtlj.com/

4. New International
Version
New American
Standard
King James Young’s Literal
Translation
Contemporary English
Version
New Living Translation
ruby ruby sardius sardius carnelian red carnelian
topaz topaz topaz topaz chrysolite pale-green peridot
beryl emerald carbuncle carbuncle emerald emerald
turquoise turquoise emerald emerald turquoise turquoise
sapphire sapphire sapphire sapphire sapphire blue lapis lazuli
emerald diamond diamond diamond diamond white moonstone
jacinth jacinth ligure opal jacinth orange jacinth
agate agate agate agate agate agate
chrysolite beryl beryl beryl beryl blue-green beryl
amethyst amethyst amethyst amethyst amethyst purple amethyst
onyx onyx onyx onyx onyx onyx
jasper jasper jasper jasper jasper jasper
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Aaron’s Ceremonial BreastplateAaron’s Ceremonial Breastplate
"Fashion a breastpiece for making decisions—the work of a
skilled craftsman. Make it like the ephod: of gold, and of
blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and of finely twisted linen. It
is to be square—a span long and a span wide—and folded
double.

5. Original Publication Date: 1913
Claimed that the twelve stones on
Aaron’s breastplate symbolized
the 12 months of the year, not the
12 tribes.
The Hebrew calendar
contains either 12 or 13
months in a year.
The Curious Lore ofThe Curious Lore of
Precious StonesPrecious Stones
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6. 94.83 CT.
$266.75
14.60 CT.
$737.99
Price per CT.
$50
Price per CT.
$0.35
January garnet rose quartzSiO2
18.61 CT.
$626.99
Price per CT.
$34
February
amethyst onyx
9.48 CT.
$9.99
Price per CT.
$0.95
SiO2
104.89 CT.
$7,854.59
Price per CT.
$75
March
aquamarine bloodstone
3.04 CT.
$12.99
Price per CT.
$4.27
SiO2
http://www.igtlj.com/

7. http://www.igtlj.com/
15.58 CT.
$93,230.99
42.53 CT.
$119.80
Price per CT.
$5,984
Price per CT.
$2.82
June
alexandrite moonstone
4,500.00 CT.
$2,528.75
1.61 CT.
$10,368.40
Price per CT.
$6,440
Price per CT.
$0.56
April
diamond rock crystal
SiO2
4.70 CT.
$29.817.83
4.57 CT.
$9.35
Price per CT.
$6,344
Price per CT.
$2.08
May
emerald chrysopraseSiO2

8. http://www.igtlj.com/
26.62 CT.
$18,688.16
13.06 CT.
$774.79
31.03 CT.
$23,236.19
18.97 CT.
$160.67
Price per CT.
$749
Price per CT.
$8
Price per CT.
$702
Price per CT.
$57
October
opal tourmaline
November
topaz citrine
December
zircontanzanite
5.84 CT.
$219.95
13.32 CT.
$6,681.99
Price per CT.
$502
Price per CT.
$38
SiO2

9. 
Diamonds would be moderately expensive for the same
reasons other gemstones are (beauty, rarity, tradition,
etc.)
However, the price of diamonds is artificially high due to
the blatant and highly successful manipulation of the
world’s largest diamond conglomerate: DeBeers.
The company maintains a virtual monopoly on jewel-
quality diamonds, controlling the supply to keep the price
high.
The company also has a series of highly successful
marketing campaigns (e.g., “a diamond is forever”) to
keep demand high.
Why are some diamonds so expensive?Why are some diamonds so expensive?
http://www.igtlj.com

10. http://www.igtlj.com
“A Diamond is Forever”

11. Besides their questionable business practices, DeBeers:
DeBeers and Injustice in AfricaDeBeers and Injustice in Africa
Officially “rejected” apartheid in South Africa, but exploited
the system to the benefit of the company (although not the
workers).
Continued to engage in apartheid practices at its South
African mines long after the apartheid government fell.
Supported the forced removal of the Basarwa people from
their traditional lands in Botswana, virtually ensuring the
destruction of their culture.
http://www.igtlj.com

12. 
The diamond trade has also supported both war and terrorismThe diamond trade has also supported both war and terrorism
Conflict DiamondsConflict Diamonds
Bankrolled some of most vicious civil wars in Africa over the last
few decades.
Was and perhaps still is used by al-Qaeda groups to raise and
move funds.
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13. BotswanaBotswana
AngolaAngola South AfricaSouth Africa
Dem. Rep. CongoDem. Rep. Congo
NamibiaNamibia
GuineaGuinea
Sierra LeoneSierra Leone
Central African Rep.Central African Rep.
TanzaniaTanzaniaLiberiaLiberia
Ivory CoastIvory Coast
GhanaGhana LesothoLesotho
African Diamond Producing CountriesAfrican Diamond Producing Countries
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14. Lesotho Intervention (1998)
Lesotho, South Africa, Botswana
First Congo War (1996-1997)
Dem. Rep. Congo, Rwanda, Uganda
(over 200,000 civilian killed)
Great War of Africa (1998-2003)
Dem. Rep. Congo, Zimbabwe, Angola,
Rwanda, Uganda, Namibia, Chad,
Libya, Sudan, Burundi (5,400,000
deaths
Angolan Civil War (1975-2002)
(over 500,000 military casualties)
Guinea-Bissau Civil War (1998-1999)
First Liberian Civil War (1989-1996)
(over 200,000 killed)
Sierra Leone Civil War (1991-2002)
(~75,000 dead)
Wars in African Diamond-Producing Nations Since 1990
Ivory Coast Civil War (2002-2007)
http://www.igtlj.com

15. http://www.igtlj.com
Human Rights Abuses by RUF (Sierra Leone rebel group)
Massacres, Individual Murders, and Fire-Related
Deaths
Burning Alive
The Use of Games to Maximize Terror
Mutilation and Amputation
Rape and Sexual Assault
Abduction
Targeting of Particular Groups
The Use of Civilians as Human Shields
The Use of Drugs by the RUF and Forced Drugging of
Civilians
Treatment of Prisoners
Violations of Medical Neutrality

16. Human Rights Abuses by RUF (Sierra Leone rebel group)
“Some of the atrocities committed by the RUF rebels were
unthinkable. Infants and children were thrown into burning
houses, the hands of toddlers as young as two were severed
with machetes, girls as young as eight were sexually abused,
and hundreds of children of all ages were traumatically
separated from their communities and forced to walk into the
hills with strangers whom they had seen kill their family
members.
In some cases children, many of them originally abductees,
participated in the perpetration of these abuses. Child
combatants armed with pistols, rifles, and machetes actively
participated in killings and massacres, severed the arms of
other children, and beat and humiliated men old enough to be
their grandfathers. Often under the influence of drugs, they
were known and feared for their impetuosity, lack of control,
and brutality. http://www.igtlj.com

17. 27% of shops were able assure us that they had a policy on conflict diamonds.
30% of the shops that said they had a policy were unable to produce a hard
copy or explain it.
13% of shops provided warranties to their customers as a standard practice.
37% of the shops claimed to be aware of the conflict diamonds issue, but 54%
of them reported an inaccurate definition of the crisis.
28% of the shops were aware of the Kimberley Process.
29% of those who were aware of the Kimberley Process had only a minimal or
limited understanding of it.
When asked whether consumers inquired about conflict diamonds, 83% of
respondents answered rarely or never.
110 shops refused outright to take the survey.
National Day of Action on Conflict Diamonds
September 18, 2004
Amnesty International surveyed 246 stores in 50 U.S. cities:Amnesty International surveyed 246 stores in 50 U.S. cities:
http://www.igtlj.com

18. The majority of the top-selling US retail jewelers that provided information to Global
Witness and Amnesty International do not have adequate policies in place to
combat blood diamonds. A survey, conducted by Global Witness and Amnesty
International between December 2006 and February 2007, queried the 37 jewelry
retailers listed collectively by National Jeweler magazine as The $100 Million
Supersellers on their policies to stop the trade in blood diamonds.
56% of respondents had no auditing procedures to combat blood diamonds.56% of respondents had no auditing procedures to combat blood diamonds.
57% of respondents had no policy posted on their websites.57% of respondents had no policy posted on their websites.
50% of these huge retailers did not respond at all.50% of these huge retailers did not respond at all.
The survey also noted that a few industry leaders such as Helzberg Diamond
Shops, Sterling (Signet) and Tiffany & Co. have taken stronger measures to
combat conflict diamonds.
Conflict DiamondsConflict Diamonds
US jewelry retailers still not doing enoughUS jewelry retailers still not doing enough
Published February, 2007
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19. http://www.igtlj.com