Gemstone Treatments

An old lapidary taught me an excellent trick for sealing cracks in gemstones. Some gems are inherently unstable. If a...

Since the beginning of time, man has sought to improve upon nature. Pearls are no exception. The majority of today's...

The prime requisite for coloration of gemstone is that it be porous . That is to say there must be...

Many gemstone owners enjoy wearing their treasures. Few things can ruin that enjoyment faster than the discovery of damage such...

Beryllium diffusion typically brightens the color of ruby or sapphire, making a stone more yellow, orange, or red, depending on...

Fluorescence is the emission of visible light from a substance under the stimulation of radiation of a shorter wavelength. It...

Can the colored stone industry choose a standard light source from the multitude on the market?

A summary of the most common treatment techniques used on diamonds, how they are identified by trained gemologists, and what...

There are only a few inorganic processes, in my experience at least, that will impart pinks or reds to gemstone....

When the first warnings about color enhancement of golden South Sea pearls came out five years ago, fear struck the...

Dendrites, moss, plume and similar inclusions have added interest and value to gemstone for about as long as man has...

This book is the culmination of some twenty-five years of personally supported research on the use of inorganic chemicals to...

The most important detail in the preparation of gemstone for chemical coloration is that it be clean. Oil and grease,...

The treatment and enhancement of gemstones has existed for centuries. Some enhancements improve on nature slightly, are undetectable, and they...

I’m hoping this series of articles will save some of you time, money, and embarrassment by discussing some of the...

Historically gem possession has been reserved for wealthy, royalty, or high religious leaders. It has always been human nature to...

There are only two ways that I know of to induce black into gemstone. One of these involves carbon while...

The use of cobalt compounds to impart blue hues to glass, glazes and enamels has been known for centuries. "Cobalt...

Various and attractive shades of blue can be induced in gemstone by the use of copper compounds. This is perfectly...

I'm hoping this series of articles will save some of you time, money, and embarrassment by discussing some of the...

Foreign affairs - A well-known European dealer sells a 2.5-carat Möng Hsu ruby to a major jeweler in Europe. This...

Since the discovery that the principle of electrochemical displacement of metals can be used effectively and easily to induce inclusions...

There are several reactions well known to chemists, involving iron compounds and prussiate compounds (ferrocyanides and ferricyanides) that yield characteristic...

It seems that everyone likes the greens in chemically colored gemstone. Probably this is because greens are almost universally pleasing...

Ever since childhood, I’ve been fascinated by rocks and gems. I started cutting cabs more than 40 years ago, and...

At first consideration, it might seem poor organization to include browns and yellows in the same chapter. However, I do...

GIA recently released a video that provides an overview of lead glass-filled rubies and explains why it has begun to...

Tin inclusions can be induced in agate and other gemstone varieties in much the same way as with copper. Just...

Which is the best to buy: natural, enhanced, imitation, artificial or synthetic gems? The answer depends on how you plan...