Anyone who is a lover of precious stones knows that the process of cutting them is not at all simple. In order to reach the beautiful model you find when they are sold, they go through a long process of improvements, also known as gem treatment. In this case, the version that you find in the main jewelry stores in the country has already gone through a lot of work..
Keep reading to better understand the subject and kill your curiosities about the process!
What is Precious Gemstone Treatment?
A gem (or gemstone) It is a mineral that has a special luster and color, which is valuable for its rarity and hardness. Before being marketed in a jewelry store, it undergoes a cutting and treatment process, which causes some of its physical properties to be changed — usually the color.
The treatment can be done in different ways, always aiming to enhance the gem and improve it, but all this happens as long as its chemical composition is not altered. That is, the version you find in jewelry stores is the gem without impurities and already worked.
What types of treatment are available?
Now that you know how it happens, you must be wondering what are the most common treatments on the market, right? See some of them below:
Tratamento térmico
Gems can change some of their attributes when they are heated a lot, improving their natural color or even getting different colors. Some of the most famous stones undergo this procedure, such as ruby, sapphire, amethyst, and tourmaline.
Branching
This treatment uses a chemical to alter (or reduce) one of the yolk's components. Some gemstones are bleached and then dyed again, giving them a beautiful appearance and taking away the porous appearance that bleaching normally causes.
Among the common stones of this type of treatment is jade, which makes it necessary to remove a brown component that makes the gem a little ugly. After acid bleaching, it can become porous and susceptible to breakage, so it is treated with polymers to make it look better.
Dyeing
Dyeing, as the name implies, aims to change the color of the gem. It is widely used in some stones, but agate and howlite are the great champions. Of course, there are natural stones, but purple, green and blue colors are usually dyed.
Impregnation
As you've already noticed, stones with a more porous profile are more common than most people realize. In that case, some may have their color or transparency improved with some colorless oils, resin or wax.
A emerald undergoes many such treatments, receiving oils with more or less the same type of refraction. To place the oil, the yolk is usually placed in a vacuum to remove impurities and then it is subjected to pressure.
Irradiation
As we said, radiation can change the color and make the gem more beautiful. Treatments can be done with x-rays and gamma rays. O blue topazThe morganites and sapphire are very subjected to these treatments. The most sensible way to do the irradiation is with neutrons, as they give a stronger color, but the gem becomes radioactive and you have to wait for it to dissipate before selling it. There are serious institutions that carry out this type of procedure respecting all the legal requirements for this.
Diffusion
This model consists of introducing impurities into the yolk, which is then heated at a high temperature for a variable time. The result of this treatment is a highly colored layer with stable color and the procedure is often used on rubies, sapphires and topaz.
As you can see, there are many treatments for precious gemstones that are efficient and make the stones even more beautiful and attractive. This way you can value even more the jewels we love so much.
If you have any questions about any of the gemstone treatment procedures, leave your comment in the space below!
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7 Answers
Is there a professional in São Paulo, capital, who does emerald treatment?
Can you remove impurities from gems with ultrasound and laser?
I have more than 100kg of ruby, I want to treat it with diffusion, how can I do it?
Hello! We suggest that you get in touch directly with companies that specialize in treating gemstones.
Hello goodnight!!
I'm a lapidary and I have some questions for you!
What is the resin for treating stones called?
Which glue is more efficient to glue the diamond to the dop to lapidate without the stone coming loose?
What is the name of the oil used to treat emeralds?
These are some of my doubts about the treatment of stones to cut without them breaking.
I will be very grateful if you clear these doubts, thank you.
Good afternoon, is there a course for those who want to learn how to treat gemstones?
Hello, I would like to know how the Glasil treatment (I don't know if this is exactly the name) changes the Ruby's value. I would also like to know if he
It makes the stone more brittle. Thanks