| Holiday jewelry buyers may have a very special | | | | These rules require that a licensed agent check |
| concern this season - blue Topaz gems that may | | | | the stones for any dangerous residual |
| possibly be radioactive. In July, several major | | | | radioactivity. In spite of the fact that thousands |
| jewelry companies reported that they had | | | | of blue Topaz gemstones are sold in the US, |
| suspended all sales of blue Topaz gems because | | | | currently there is not a single licensee authorized |
| of concerns about whether the radiated stones | | | | to do so, and there has not been for a number |
| have been properly tested for safe radiation | | | | of years. The stones which are being sold have |
| levels before entering the United States. | | | | not been checked as required by law. |
| In the last 30 years or so, blue topaz, in a light | | | | The question has arisen among consumer |
| shade similar to that of aquamarine, has become | | | | protection groups asking why no one has been |
| a very popular gem. It is estimated that blue | | | | monitoring the safety of the stones. In addition, |
| Topaz gems generate roughly $1 billion in annual | | | | because virtually no individual jewelry stores are |
| sales across the US according to the American | | | | equipped to check these stones for residual |
| Gem Trade Association. Nearly every standard | | | | radioactivity, there is a concern that some |
| commercial jewelry store carries this gem for | | | | radioactive stones may be making it into the US |
| sale in a variety of jewelry settings. In fact, it's | | | | market and being sold to unwary jewelry |
| hard to imagine the jewelry industry without this | | | | consumers. At this time the NRC has not publicly |
| gemstone staple, but few people know that | | | | requested jewelry retailers to stop selling blue |
| virtually all these beautiful blue gemstones have | | | | Topaz, however some companies have done so |
| been treated by irradiation. Some years ago, it | | | | voluntarily because of the potential risk to their |
| was discovered that inexpensive, colorless topaz | | | | customers. |
| crystals could be treated by nuclear radiation and | | | | The NRC is currently working with several |
| the ionizing energy of the radiation would change | | | | associations of jewelers to create a system |
| the color of the topaz. The radioactive energy | | | | whereby all irradiated gems will be fully tested for |
| slightly alters the crystal and creates a color | | | | safety before they are sold to the jewelry |
| center that gives the blue color to the formerly | | | | consumer. Several batches of blue Topaz have |
| colorless crystal. In general, the blue color is | | | | been tested, and no stones which would present |
| permanent. | | | | a hazard to the wearer have been found. |
| The beautiful blue gemstones are comparatively | | | | However, this testing covered only a limited |
| inexpensive and have long been a consumer | | | | number of stones, especially when considering the |
| favorite in the US. Virtually 100% of these blue | | | | huge numbers that are currently being imported |
| gems have been irradiated with some form of | | | | into the US. |
| treatment or another, and essentially all of them | | | | The topaz gems which are of the greatest |
| are radiated in facilities outside the US that are | | | | concern are those stones which display what is |
| not subject to US government safety regulations. | | | | called a London blue color. This is a darker than |
| Certain types of irradiation can actually create | | | | normal blue, produced by more powerful nuclear |
| radioactivity within the topaz gems. Topaz | | | | radiation. It is this more powerful radiation that is |
| gemstones which were previously safe can | | | | most likely to make the treated topaz stone |
| become radioactive to levels above what is | | | | become radioactive itself. Jewelry industry |
| considered safe by the government. Under the | | | | spokesmen say that the risk is low, but |
| current regulations of the US Nuclear Regulatory | | | | concerned consumers should be aware of the |
| Commission, only licensed companies may import | | | | potential for this problem. |
| and sell blue Topaz stones to the US market. | | | | |