New Treatments and Imitation Gems

Rajneesh Bhandari
RMC Gems Thai Co. Ltd.
Interview with Rajneesh Bhandari, RMC Gems Thai Co. Ltd.
In an exclusive interview with GIA conducted at the 2013 Gem Show in Tucson, Rajneesh Bhandari pulls back the curtain on the too-often secretive world of gemstone treatments. Bhandari is with RMC Gems Thai Co. Ltd., which specializes in gem treatments, synthetic gemstone processes, and the creation of imitation gemstones.

In the interview Bhandari speaks professionally and proudly about this important aspect of the gem trade. He is a strong advocate for these products with the stipulation that they are fully disclosed to customers so they know exactly what they’re getting. Rather than view disclosure as a burden on his business, Bhandari sees it as a necessity that allows the gem trade to meet its necessity to treat in order to produce more pleasing products. He compares gem treatments to treatments that are done across a wide cross section of industries where new technologies increasingly make natural products better in numerous ways.
 
He explains in some detail what some of those technologies are that allow RMC to create imitation morganite beryl, bi-color tourmaline, unusual quartz triplets and thin film coatings for increased durability. People in the trade should find Bhandari’s disclosures both informative and reassuring as they struggle to deal with the always-tricky subject of treatments. As for customers--if you have no idea what electron vapor deposition has to do with the shimmering gold drusy you just purchased as a gift on the home shopping channel, this interview will prove to be a fascinating eye-opener.

Mr. Bhandari is an expert in gem treatments, gemstone synthesis processes, and the creation of imitation gemstones. All of these are topics of the utmost importance to the trade and consumers alike. In these interviews, Mr. Bhandari discusses imitations of morganite beryl and bi-color tourmaline as well as the use of thin film coatings on gemstones and the future of treatments.