Gemstone Treatments

We’ve tallied your opinions from our gem treatment survey. Are treated gems natural? How much should they cost? With a wide variety of attitudes…

Emerald treatments, such as oiling, are very common. Learn what these techniques do, how emeralds are graded, and what gems make great green alternatives,…

Learn how to spot diffusion treated gems with a simple immersion test. This common treatment for sapphire can significantly reduce their value…

Two major problems plague the cut gemstone market: undisclosed gem treatments and substitutions of synthetic for natural gems. Gem buyers need…

Disclosing enhancements to gems is a key duty for gemologists. Learn what are the hardest treatments to detect and how to report your findings clearly.…

Gemstone heat treatments can increase the beauty and value of many rough pieces. Learn how to conduct the most common procedures safely.

Two of the trickiest gemstone separations to make are scapolite from citrine and apatite from tourmaline. Learn some tips for distinguishing…

There’s more to aquamarine color than blue. Most natural stones start blue-green and are heated to blue. Learn the pros and cons of this treatment.…

Many techniques have been developed to enhance the appearance of Corundum gems. Some of the treatments are very subtle, invisible even with a loupe.…

When Identifying Inclusions found in Enhanced Gems, you have to be very careful when inspecting your stones. A clue is to find bubbles in the glue…

Earlier this year a new gem treatment was introduced, called “center-fused color treatment,” it may sound confusing at first, but it is actually…