Ask A Gemologist - Eunice R. Miles

Today’s question is about diamond treatments, fillers, diamond look-alikes and making a difference. Before we begin, let me emphasize the obvious: During general observation, always check for coated diamonds first!

Fooled you - this segment is about reminding our readers how women continue to make a difference in the jewelry industry. Recently during the Las Vegas show a question came up about Eunice Miles. My first thought, that would be a great segment for Ask A Gemologist.

Eunice R. Miles, G.G., 1917 - 1997, was the first female gemologist/researcher in the GIA Laboratory. Her GIA career began in 1953. She made history by becoming the first woman to join then GIA’s Gem Trade Laboratory, in New York. In 1963 she did it again when Gems and Gemology (Winter 1962–63, Vol. 10, No. 12, pp. 355–364, 383) published her article Diamond-Coating Techniques and Methods of Detection.

In 1963, she was acknowledged in the U.S. Department of Mines annual report for advancing diamond research with her two-year investigation into detecting coated diamonds. Later, the FBI used her data to arrest a major coated-diamond dealer.

In her words, the article’s objective was “to present for the first time in print a discussion of the practice of raising the color grade of certain diamonds to near-colorless by disguising the true light-yellow or brown body color by the application of a foreign substance to the surface of the stone.”

Eunice’s commendations demonstrate her professional diversify as a gemologist, designer, educator, and writer. In 1984 Eunice was elected an honorary fellow of the Gemmological Association of Great Britain, now Gem-A. In 1985 she became an honorary member of the American Gem Trade Association (AGTA). In 1985 the International Society of Appraisers (ISA) presented Eunice with its “Gems and Jewelry Industry Service Award,” and in 1986 GIA named Eunice as the first recipient of the “Eunice Miles Lifetime Achievement in Gemology” award.

In 1987 the Women’s Jewelry Association inducted Eunice Miles into its Hall of Fame.

The Manhattan Chapter of the GIA Alumni Association honored Eunice in 1988. Under the leadership of Gail Brett Levine, of the National Association of Jewelry Appraisers (NAJA), the Eunice Miles Scholarship Fund was founded. Each year the Chapter contributes to the fund to assist students attending GIA to further their educational endeavors.

So . . . let’s take a moment and look around our industry today. Who are the women you know making a difference? Maybe it’s you! Have you considered what your legacy will be? Don’t worry, you don’t need to focus on your legacy just do what Eunice Miles did, give it your best every day, love what you do, and continue to share your enthusiasm for life. The rest will take care of it’s self, it’s inevitable.

You too may be making history right now!

(This post appeared in Fall 2014 edition, WJA News San Diego)

Comments

Patience – the Only First-Class Ticket

In this episode, Why Patience is the Only First-Class Ticket They say travel broadens the mind. After eight days sailing the Rhône with 140 fellow luxury vacationers, I can confirm it also tests patience, calf strength, buffet strategy, and one's tolerance for people furious that France insists on being French. Don't get me wrong—I adored this trip. The river shimmered like liquid optimism. The villages looked hand-painted. The pastries could negotiate world peace. But somewhere between Ship Horn Hello and Bon Voyage, we'd inadvertently boarded a floating behavioral research study disguised as a holiday. Our ship was less a cruise and more a ferry for the Sailors of Status. ⌚ The Wristwatch Wars Some passengers approached relaxation like yogis. Others treated leisure like a final exam with extra credit. I came to believe certain luxury watches emit ultrasonic signals that only their owners can detect. A frequency calibrated to trigger rapid movement toward any line forming...

Our Journey to Avignon

🇫🇷 Lost in Transition: Our Journey to Avignon (Part 1) When everything that can go wrong—does—sometimes grace still finds you. Our Monday morning trip began on the quiet island of Noirmoutier , where salt marshes and sea breezes whisper of simpler days. From there, our early morning drive was uneventful; we arrived at the Nantes station with plenty of time to spare. From Nantes to Paris Montparnasse, everything went smoothly—so we thought, until it didn't. That's when things started to unravel. If you've never traveled the Paris Metro , imagine a vast underground maze pulsing beneath the city—corridors twisting into one another, trains roaring in and out of the dark, staircases that rise and fall like riddles. It's efficient, yes—but only if you know where you're going. We had over an hour and a half to make our next train to Avignon —plenty of time. Or so we believed. We needed to reach the Gare de Lyon station, where our TGV (high-speed train) was headed south...

Up the Rhône

Up the Rhône by Patrick Ball We booked a fine cruise up the Rhône — what a treat! With iPhones, lanyards, and schedules so neat. They promised us peace and a mind that would mend, But each calm beginning had chores at the end! "Now breakfast at seven! At eight, take the view!" At nine, there's a lecture on ' What Tourists Do!' At noon, there's a tasting (you must love the cheese), Then hurry to nap time — as corporate decrees! I followed that plan till my patience ran dry. The Rhône softly chuckled, "Oh my, oh my, my! You've missed half my sparkles, my ripples, my tone— You're busy pretending you've peacefully grown!" So I fired my planner and banished my clock. I tossed my agenda right off the dock! I let the wind tickle my schedule away, and drifted through hours that danced where they may. I chatted with swans, had no notion of when, I'd nibble, or nap, or go roaming again. No Wi-Fi! No meetings! No planning! No fuss! Just me and ...

Journey to Avignon (Part II)

🇫🇷 Lost in Transition: Our Journey to Avignon (Part II) When plans derail, sometimes the story gets better. "Mais attendez… peut-être…" the agent murmured, fingers flying across her keyboard. Lori and I leaned in, holding our breath. She frowned, typed again, then sighed. "With this disruption, all trains have been rerouted—and they're already full." We exchanged glances. Around us, the Gare de Lyon pulsed with energy: travelers clutching tickets, voices echoing, the scent of exasperation drifting through the chaos. It felt like the entire station had been swept into the same storm of confusion. Just then, another, older agent appeared beside us. He spoke in clipped, military French. "Where are you coming from? Did you miss your connection because of the incident—the acte de vandalisme ?" We both began to explain, recounting the wrong station, the Metro dash, the missed train—but before we could start, our first agent leaned close, her eyes wide wit...

On The Fly

Search This Blog