More on Gemstone Treatments

Dyed Chalcedony

Since I am interested in knowing how and why gemstones are treated, I thought you might like to know to.  

Many dealers treat gemstone materials through several of the methods listed below.  The reason being, to gain higher prices when selling on the world markets.

The goal of any gem treatment is to improve the stone's color and clarity. Some methods help to remove inclusions; some fill the cracks in a stone; other methods can make clear crystals appear colorful.

The following list will help you identify and understand some of the gemstone treatments known to exist in the gem trade. Some of these treatments are temporary, while others are permanent.

Heating : Heat is used to achieve a desired alteration of color, clarity, and /or phenomena. This is a permanent treatment. Examples: Tanzanite, Blue Topaz, Smoky Quartz, Citrine, Aquamarine, Quartz.

Diffusion: The use of chemicals in conjunction with high temperatures to produce color and/or asterism-producing inclusions. This is a permanent treatment. Examples: Topaz, Sapphire.

Irradiation : The use of neutron bombardment to alter a gemstone's color; may be followed by a heating process. This is a permanent treatment. Examples: Topaz, Smoky Quartz, Diamonds.

Coating : The use of surface enhancements such as lacquering, enameling, inking, foiling, or sputtering of films to improve appearance, provide color or add other special effects. This is a temporary enhancement.Examples: Emerald, Opal.

Dyeing : The introduction of coloring matter into a gemstone to give it new color, intensify present color or improve color uniformity.  Sometimes stable, but often not, may fade or bleed. This is a temporary enhancement. Examples: Chalcedony, Quartz, Agate.  Sometimes (not always) also used to intensify the color of Amethyst, Garnet, Iolite and many other stones.

Dyed Pink Chalcedony

Oiling/Resin Infusion : The intentional filling of surface breaking cavities with a colorless oil, wax, natural resin, or unhardened man-made material into fissured transparent gemstones to improve appearance. (i.e., oil, man-made resin, cedar wood oil, Canada balsam, paraffin, etc.) This is a temporary enhancement. Examples: Emerald.

Filling : As a by-product of heat enhancement, the presence of solidified borax or similar colorless substances. This is a temporary enhancement. Examples: Emerald, Opal.

Infilling : The intentional filling of surface cracks or fractures usually with glass, plastic, or other hardened foreign substances to improve durability, appearance and / or weight. This is a temporary enhancement. Example: Emerald, Mexican Opal.

Waxing/Oiling : The impregnation of a colorless wax, paraffin and oil in porous opaque gemstones to improve appearance. This is a temporary enhancement. Examples: Emerald, Opal.

Laser : The use of a laser and chemicals to reach and alter inclusions in diamonds. This is a permanent treatment.

Vacumn Deposition  : A newly patented process, that deposits a permanent coating. Stable. This is how all "Mystic Topaz", Green Topaz, and most or probably all Pink Topaz available to the average consumer is acquirred.

Stabilization :  The use of resin like coatings. Usually stable, but may attract grime and discolor. Common with Turquoise.  Sometimes a dealer may incorrectly use this term for chips that have been reconstituted and dyed.

What is Zircon?

Zircon and cubic zirconium, while often confused, are two different stones.  Zircon is a natural forming mineral and Cubic Zirconium is created in a laboratory or is man-made.

Natural Zircon is made from Zirconium silicate and one of its attributes is its high refractive qualities.  Zircon also comes in a myriad of colors from colorless which is the closest natural forming mineral that resembles the diamond, to blues, greens, yellows and most commonly brown.

It should be noted that Zircon is pretty hard, but can be brittle and scratched easily.  It is a great stone for jewelry, but care for it when wearing it on a day to day basis.  Zircon is believed to come from the Persian word zargun.  This word means gold color, while Zircon is commonly brown, it can also be goldish in color as well.

Most Zircon is color treated with the help of heat and radiation.  When Zircon is exposed to intense heats, usually ranging from 900 to 1,000 degrees Celsius, the color center can change giving it a new color.  In fact, all Zircon can easily change with heat treatments and Zircon can usually go through a round of heat treatments before creating the desired color.

Zircon has plenty of great attributes such as a wonderful refraction which gives the gemstone lots of fire.  It also has an effect called pleochroism, which is  the property of exhibiting different colors when viewed from different directions under transmitted light.

Some of the many regions that Zircon can be found in are Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia and Sri Lanka.  However, Thailand is the world’s leading producer of Zircon.

(this information shared from the website GemstoneEducation.com)

March's Birthstone, Aquamarine on SALE

This is just a quick post to let you know that it is...SALE TIME!!!

***MARCH BIRTHSTONE SALE*** Today through friday, (3/19-3/22) take 20% OFF all purchases of AQUAMARINE gemstones and crystals at Tiger Bead Store! *(Please make your purchase first and the discount will be credited back to your Paypal account or credit card).*

Here is a sample of what I have available:

4mm round cabochons.

Wire wrapped swarovski crystal pendant.

Crystal Swarovski briolette pendant.

Crystal Swarovski briolette pendant.

Swarovski Crystal Pendant  in 8mm and 4mm.

Crystal Swarovski pendant in Baroque style.

Faceted Aquamarine in 4mm and 5mm.

I have more aquamarine cabochons coming in at any moment,  in rose cut and checkerboard.  I will list them as soon as I get them, so that hopefully, they will be a part of this SALE.  

Watch for them in the bead store, or on my Tiger Bead Store Facebook page.  Since I have not been very good about blogging lately, you can find out about new gemstone listings by following me on Facebook.  I am much better about staying up to date with news there.