Identification of Turquoise in the Gemological Laboratory:
Behind the Scenes with Turquoise at GIA
Natural, untreated turquoise commands a premium in the gem and jewelry industry. As such, gemological laboratories must be equipped to identify this material and separate it from treated turquoise as well as imitations. This presentation will give a behind the scenes tour of the identification process for a piece of turquoise submitted to the laboratory at the Gemological Institute of America. Concepts of spectroscopy, trace element chemistry, and advanced instrumentation used for turquoise will be introduced as well as basic gemological testing used for turquoise identification. This presentation should spark discussion of the current state of research for turquoise as well as the future direction of research in this field.
Why should a scientist attend?
A discussion of the current state of turquoise identification is crucial for identifying needs of future turquoise research and to coordinate potential turquoise research projects.
English