David Adamson Designer Jewelry

The treatment and enhancement of gemstones has existed for thousands of years (the cutting process is an enhancement in and of itself). The first documentation of treatments was a complaint by Pliny the Elder (the passing of pearls through a chickens digestive system to enhance beauty). And, 2000 years later, many of these treatments are still being used today! Some enhancements improve on nature, cannot be detected and are permanent; this provides the gem market with a larger supply of beautiful gemstones. Other treatments produce dramatic changes in the gemstone itself or its clarity.   Some treatments are less stable and should be avoided by the knowledgeable buyer.

Love it or not gemstone treatments are here to stay and unavoidable in most cases.  The best way to deal with then is to be well informed.
There are some gemstones that would not even exist if it were not for treatments.  For others if not for treatments the stone would be far more expensive than it is!

Does this mean that the untreated gem is more beautiful?  Not necessarily.  Usually the treatment enhances the gemstone to make it more beautiful; any price premium is the result of the rarity of an untreated gemstone.

Heating is the most commontreatment available. It can cause the color of a stone to lighten, darken, or change completely. It can bring about an improvement in clarity and brightness. This IS  a permanent treatment.

Oiling is universal, and virtually every emerald is oiled, (fine untouched specimens will command astronomical prices). When the rough emerald is mined it is oiled; when it is cut it is oiled, then oil is pressurized into the fissures of the polished stone.  This is something that must be accepted; it's the way it is!  If an emerald that has been oil treated is put into an ultrasonic or is steamed cleaned, then the oil may be leached out and the flaws will become visible.  The oiling can of course be repeated.  This IS NOT a permanent treatment.

Occasionally COLORED OILS are used on some gemstones. The idea is to add color while concealing fractures. You want to avoid buying these because you can't judge the true color or know how bad the fractures are. This is unlikely if you buy from a REPUTABLE source in the United States.   This IS NOT a permanent treatment.

Synthetic resins or even fused glass can be used to fill in fractures in gemstones with fractures that reach the surface of the gem and can be more durable than oil.  Hardeners (think fiberglass) are often applied to resins to make the process more lasting.  This IS NOT a permanent treatment.

Irradiation is a pounding of materials with subatomic particles or radiation. This can be as simple as x-rays or as complex as slamming a subatomic particle into a gemstone in a particle accelerator.   Blue Topaz is the most common example. Although blue topaz occurs in nature, it is quite rare and pale in color. If you could find an untreated blue topaz, it would sell for a premium price.   Yet many gemstones are radiated today.  This IS a permanent treatment.

In the United States irradiated gems are regulated by the Nuclear Regulatory Agency to in an attempt to insure there is no harmful residual radiation.
You do not have this protection if you buy it outside of this country.  Some Gems were brought into this country of which sales had to be banned because of dangerous radiation levels.  Therefore be cautious!

Coating is a process used and described for over 200 years!  Today, coatings are increasingly utilized to alter and improve the color of gems. Mystic topaz is an example of a coated gem.  Companies are now coating topaz in all colors, including pinks and rich "imperial" tones.  This IS NOT a permanent treatment.

Diamonds with inclusions are sometimes filled with glass or resin to make them appear clearer. Filler can be damaged by heat, ultrasonic cleaning, and by re-tipping. The filling DOES NOT repair the inclusion, it just masks it.  Check for guarantees before buying such a diamond.   This IS NOT a permanent treatment.

Laser drilling is sometimes used on diamonds creating very tiny holes into a diamond to provide access to an inclusion which detracts from the beauty of the stone. The inclusion can then be, vaporized or bleached to make it less obvious. These drill holes then are typically filled with resin to cover up the process.  The filling  IS NOT a permanent treatment.

There are some gemstones that are not known to be enhanced but today these are few and far between. 
With some gemstones enhancements it is a requirement of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to make such disclosures and in any case a vendor should ALWAYS disclose any known treatments or enhancements especially if these are not permanent.  Remember, your jeweler may not always know if a gem was treated or how, especially if he didn’t acquire it from a reputable source or from an internet site.

Remember if it sounds too good to be true, it usually is, beware!  Make sure you always purchase your gemstone from an honest, reputable jeweler and receive a written description of any enhancements.

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