Grading Reports for the "Star Wars" Red Gemstones
October 04, 21
(IDEX Online) - Grading reports are now available for red gemstones marketed with the trade name Jedi spinels, after the Star Wars movies.
The Bangkok-based Asian Institute of Gemological Sciences (AIGS) says it aims to standardize six key criteria - color, fluorescence, clarity, cut, brilliance, treatment and origin.
Spinel are a magnesium/aluminium member of the cubic crystal system which occur in many colors. They are increasingly popular in Asia as highly saturated pinks to reds.
Top reds and pinks typically sell for $600 to $1,200 a carat in one to two-carat sizes but larger stones can fetch up to $5,000 a carat.
The trade name Jedi plays on the fact that they're "untouched by the Dark Side" and have no dark tones.
AIGS says there have been discrepancies in the interpretation of the quality standard of "Jedi"spinel and it wants "to transform the trade name of Jedi to a strict quality standard". It launched its grading reports last month.
It says the Jedi spinels it grades come are exclusively from Myanmar mining areas.
AIGS grading chart shows which colors and saturations qualify as Jedi spinels