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Course
description. Learn the heat treatment of ruby-sapphire
from Ted Themelis, one of the world's foremost authority in the
subject matter. You will gain invaluable insights into the unique
world of the gem treatments. And more importantly, will be prepared
to take your place among the leading figures in the gem & jewelry
industry. Ted's training course is the only one of its kind available
today in the world that provides unique training in the heat treatment
of ruby-sapphire.
What
you will learn: For a week you will study under the personal
tutelage and watchful eyes of Ted working together on actual lab
environment. One-to-one instruction supplemented by powerful presentations
and hands-on practical experience, all of which ultimately will
empower you with confidence to walk out at the end of the course
and find yourself enriched with knowledge and skills to put you
miles ahead of your competition. Although, at the end of the course
you will not become an expert in heating ruby-sapphire, this course
will help you to develop a comprehensive knowledge in your career
that ultimately help your business.
Who
will benefit:
- Gemologists
and instructors of gemology, students and other individuals wishing
to acquire knowledge and skills in high-temperature furnace technology
and in the heat-treating ruby & sapphire.
- Next generation
research-gemologists focusing on forensic gemology, beyond the
ordinary.
- Gemstone
miners, producers, importers, distributors and dealers who need
to understand the heat treatment technology to help them evaluate
the potentiality of their gem inventory.
- Gemstone
treaters wishing to expand their current skills and knowledge
and to improve their methodology in heat-treating ruby & sapphire.
- Individuals
wishing to acquire the technical skills to develop their own gem
treatment facilities
Syllabus:
The course features
a) theory-demonstrations and b) on-hands practical experience. Theoretical
knowledge convey the principals, definitions and fundamentals in
heat-treating technology. On-hands practical experience allows preparation
of samples and subsequent heating on a high-temperature top loading
muffle furnace.
Part
I. (Powerpoint presentations and demonstrations)
- Review the
historical aspects in heating ruby-sapphire
- Understand
corundum as an imperfect crystal
- Recognize
the various treatment types of ruby-sapphire
- Plan the
strategy in heating ruby-sapphire
- Gain knowledge
in heat and the effect of heat in
ruby-sapphire
- Comprehend
temperature measurement (types, description,
calibration)
- Get the fundamentals
and concept of oxidizing-reducing atmosphere,
buffering & non-buffering reactions, gas fugacity, and influence
of gas fugacity in heating ruby & sapphire
- Master the
muffle concept and how to obtain
precise gas mixtures
- Understand
gas technology and gas mixing
- Learn
the concept of diffusion phenomenology
and its role in heating ruby-sapphire
- Learn about
additives and fluxes: methodology,
application, safety & handling. Learn how to prepare and apply
flux-melt additives and reagent-grade powers for heating ruby-sapphire.
- Develop the
skills in understanding the heat-treatment
processes of ruby, pink, "padparadscha", orange,
yellow, purple/violet, sapphire, yellow, blue, blue/green, green
and star sapphire.
- Become skilled
in setting up the heat-treatment parameters
in heating ruby-sapphire. Learn how to prepare and run a heating
process.
- Be familiar
and work with different types of ceramics
used for heating ruby-sapphire.
- Learn about
and examine the anatomy of open-flame furnaces
used in heating ruby-sapphire, i.e. traditional kilns (coke, lignite),
diesel-oxy furnaces, LPG-OXY, etc.
- Watch a very
rare documentary videotape in heating
geuda sapphires using a traditional LPG-oxy furnace filmed
by Ted in 1985.
- Understand
the various types of electric furnaces
used in heating ruby-sapphire (box, muffle, graphite, induction,
vacuum, high-pressure, etc.)
- Learn the
"dry" and "wet' beryllium
heating processes of ruby-sapphire (methodology and processes
of different types of corundum, inclusion features, handling-safety,
stability, disclosure)
- Comprehend
the LIBS method in detecting beryllium
in beryllium-treated ruby-sapphire
- Learn the
latest treatment of the lead-filled rubies,
pink sapphires and examine different types of rubies before/after
the treatment.
- Be informed
on the related technology of the re-crystallization
process of blue sapphires and the heating procedures involved.
- Recognize
the integrity of the heat-treated
ruby-sapphire and maintain consumer confidence with proper detection
and disclosure.
- Find out
how to calculate cost effectiveness ratio
and yields before/after the heating process.
Part
II (Practical, hands-on workshop)
- HEAT
PROCESS #1. Select rubies and pink sapphires from Vietnam,
Madagascar, Tanzania, etc. Prepare and execute a heating process
using gas fugacity with/without fluxes.
- HEAT
PROCESS #2: Select, rubies & sapphires from Songea, Madagascar,
Tunduru, etc. Prepare and execute a "dry" beryllium
heating process using the electric furnace.
- HEAT
PROCESS #3: Demonstration of the most sought heating processes
of blue sapphire as performed in Sri-Lanka and elsewhere using
the LAKMINI furnace.
RESTRICTION:
Due to the sensitive nature of the topics, taking photos or videotape
recordings is strictly PROHIBITED.
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JC Ephraim (July 2003 Class) mixing
additives used in the heating process.
Discussing the procedures to be taken
in heating various types of sapphires. (Class April 2003)
Removing the crucible from the furnace after
the heating process.
 An
electric resistance 1800oC top-loaded, vertical muffle furnace
fabricated by three students of class April 2003, based on Ted's
tutelage.
(Class April 2003)
Removing the gems from the crucibles after
the heat-treatment process(Class June 2004)
Demonstration of the "Lakmini" gas
combustion furnace (Class Dec. 2004)
Examining specimens after heat-treatment
process (Class May 2005)
Discussing heat-treated rubies after the process (Class May 2005)
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