consistency

English translation: reliability

10:07 Jun 9, 2012
English language (monolingual) [PRO]
Mining & Minerals / Gems / tanzanite
English term or phrase: consistency
The treating of gemstones is a common and accepted practice throughout the industry but the cause of much debate.
The majority of ruby and sapphire’s are aggressively heat-treated at extreme temperatures, improving both color and clarity but resulting in both molecular structure and chemical composition changes.
In practice, because of these very high temperatures, heat-treatment can only be detected **with any consistency in corundum**.
Virtually all tanzanite found on the market has been subjected to some form of heating, albeit at a relatively low temperature, to complete what is recognized as a natural process which nature itself would have brought about in geological time.
The resulting color is both permanent and stable.

consistency? Does it mean purity? What does the whole sentence mean? The third sentence (heat-treatment can only be detected with any consistency in corundum.) is confusing to me. Would you please explain or rephrase it? Might be an easy question for native English speakers. Thanks in advance!
Ivan Niu
China
Local time: 06:56
Selected answer:reliability
Explanation:
This seems to be about identifying whether or not gemstones have been heat treated. It would seem that it is not always possible to tell (detect) whether heat treatment has been applied; the only gems that it is possible to inspect or analyse for heat treatment with consistently reliable results are corundum.

To paraphrase: In practice, because of these very high temperatures, only in corundum is it possible to reliably detect whether heat treatment has been used.

Consistently means that accurate results are always obtained (rather than the results being sometimes right and sometimes wrong).
Selected response from:

Armorel Young
Local time: 22:56
Grading comment
thanks!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED
5corundums are predominately heat treated
airmailrpl
4 +1reliability
Charles Davis
3 +1reliability
Armorel Young


Discussion entries: 1





  

Answers


9 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
corundums are predominately heat treated


Explanation:
it means that heat treatments in corundum is very widely used and thus it is easier to detect - especially because of the high temperatures used.

Heat treatment in Tanzanite or aquamarine is not easy to detect and they are heated to much lower temperatures not resulting in molecular structure changes

corundums are predominately heat treated - in fact a "no heat" corundum is sold at a higher price because it is much rarer.

airmailrpl
Brazil
Local time: 19:56
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in PortuguesePortuguese
PRO pts in category: 4
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16 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
reliability


Explanation:
This seems to be about identifying whether or not gemstones have been heat treated. It would seem that it is not always possible to tell (detect) whether heat treatment has been applied; the only gems that it is possible to inspect or analyse for heat treatment with consistently reliable results are corundum.

To paraphrase: In practice, because of these very high temperatures, only in corundum is it possible to reliably detect whether heat treatment has been used.

Consistently means that accurate results are always obtained (rather than the results being sometimes right and sometimes wrong).

Armorel Young
Local time: 22:56
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
thanks!
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thanks for your clear and helpful explanations!


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Teresa Reinhardt: Exactly! In all other gemstones, one can only guess
6 hrs
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10 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
reliability


Explanation:
"With any consistency" refers to "detected". It means that in other gemstones heat treatment cannot be consistently detected by examining or analysing the stone that has been treated; the results of such an examination do not provide consistent or reliable evidence of whether the stone has been treated or not. This is because a very high temperature has been used. Corundum is the exception; when you examine it, even though high temperature has been used, you can consistently or reliably detect the treatment. But only in corundum is this consistent detection possible, not in other gemstones.

The sense of "consistently" is really that all or most cases are detected.

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Note added at 19 mins (2012-06-09 10:26:56 GMT)
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The sense of "consistency" is as I have said, but my comments on temperature are not correct. High temperature makes the treatment easier to detect, not more difficult. So treatment can only be reliably detected in corundum (which includes rubies and sapphires) because of the high temperatures, which produce the detectable changes referred to in your text. Where lower temperatures have been used, as in other gemstones, the treatment cannot be consistently (reliably) detected.

Charles Davis
Spain
Local time: 23:56
Native speaker of: English

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  lorenab23: Absolutely! Happy Weekend Carlitos, un abrazo
4 hrs
  -> Thank you so much, Lorenita ;)
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