Zimmermann BCS Stones GmbH, a Germany-based company that specialises in treating blue topaz, foresees an increase in the prices of blue topaz due to the costs that would be involved in complying with the revised regulations of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC).
"We, as a company licensed in Germany for the irradiation of topaz with electron and neutrons, generally agree with their actions as we believe it will stop from entering the market stones that have not been properly measured, or that have been produced by companies that are not licensed by the government to do so," Helmut Zimmermann told Jewellery News Asia.
However, Mr Zimmermann acknowledged the difficulty and the costs that would be involved. "The difficult part is the measuring radioactivity in the stones. Each piece has to be measured separately. This is time consuming and costly of course. Further, the NRC requires a complete product history for the stones treated." This, plus the fact there will be only a few companies capable of offering a US-standard treatment, will likely boost topaz prices, he said.
Mr Zimmermann said BCS, which treats more than 100 million carats of topaz a year, has always shipped topaz with average activity significantly less than the international standard of 74 Bq/g. But at the moment, customers have suspended orders because nobody has an NRC import license yet, he said.
In a letter to its customers, the company explained the requirements: "The NRC regulations stipulate that the importer of irradiated gems must have an import and possession licence. The import of irradiated gems must be declared in the shipping papers and it is the importers responsibility to verify the levels of radioactivity in the irradiated gems. In order to distribute to wholesalers or other customers without their own NRC possession licence, the importer must have an exempt distribution licence."
For its part, BSC said will apply for the NRC license in the US in August. The company is also building a laboratory in the US, said Mr Zimmermann.
Source: http://www.jewellerynetasia.com |
