AGTA Requires Andesine Disclosure
AGTA Requires Andesine Disclosure
Since its inception, the American Gem Trade Association (AGTA) has required that its members disclose all known gemstone treatments at the time of consignment or sale. With this in mind, the AGTA’s Industry Rules Committee recently prepared a statement concerning the proper disclosure nomenclature for andesine. The statement was approved by the AGTA Board of Directors in their April 13th meeting.
For many months there has been an industry-wide debate on the treatment of red feldspars in the andesine / labradorite varieties. There has been significant research done on this material and there is general agreement within the scientific community that a great deal of this material is treated.What is also clear, from the body of research that has been done, is that there is currently no reliable methodology to prove treatment or to separate treated from certain natural red-colored material. Current research is underway to detect the differences in the treated and untreated material.
With consumer and buyer protection in mind, the AGTA will now require its members who sell or consign any red andesine-labradorite to disclose it as diffused material, and indicate this either in plain language or by use of the industry accepted code, “U”, for diffusion*. If it can be determined that the material is natural, as in the case of particular Oregon material; then it may be disclosed as untreated.
*Codes must appear in a column next to all gemstone descriptions, with a noticeable reference or label, at the bottom or back of invoices and memorandums. Codes and type of treatments must only be used as directed in the Gemstone Information Manual (GIM), 8th Edition, available from the AGTA.
For further information, please contact the AGTA at 800-972-1162 or by email at info@agta.org.
It is about time! Kudos to the AGTA for finally stepping up to the plate and requiring action to be taken! It is extremely late in their doing so, but better late then never! Special thanks to the ISG for working so hard to bring this entire fiasco to the light of the Industry and the public!
It is WAY PAST TIME! And the press release is full of weasel words–providing lots of wriggle room. But it is a welcome policy change, and I hope AGTA will now police its own member and world’s worst offender: Ande Jewelry & Mineral Co. aka Andegem.