An article on heat-treated and color-enhanced gemstones

shelikes2read

Here's the daily tip from one of my jewelry-making supply sites. It talks about the heat treating of gemstones.

While they are referring largely to the precious and semiprecious gemstones that are intended to be used in jewelry, it's well worth mentioning because these very same stones are sold as crystals in the New Age market, as well. The metaphysical stones have often undergone the very same treatments (heat, dye, and irradiation) as the stones intended for jewelry-making have been through.

Read this article and it will help you learn more about the stones you are buying, be they for jewelry or metaphysical work. It will also give some clues to help recognize when stones have been treated vs. when they are natural. For example, Amethyst that has been heated to change it into Citrine is a brownish-orange, while most natural citrine is lemon yellow. Smoky quartz that has been irradiated by humans is a VERY dark color, while the stones whose irradiation came from nature are often much lighter in hue. Some stones are often dyed in order to impart a more vibrant color that will make them more appealing to buyers. Agate, Onyx, Sardonyx, and Carnelian are examples of this. (Blue Lace Agate is naturally blue, but there are many, many blue or purple Agates on the market that have been color-enhanced.)

Anyway, here is the link to the article. Happy learning!

http://www.wire-sculpture.com/jewel...tent=Wlink&utm_campaign=WedTip&utm_override=1
 

Tarot Orat

During my gemstone-collecting phase, I purchased heated stones aplenty; as the article points out, it's the only thing that makes colorful sapphires affordable! It didn't bother me because the heat of the earth is where stones come from and the treatment is permanent and won't fade. For decorative gemstones, it was not a problem for me at all.

I do have a good eye for stones that are natural vs. heated; again, those gem collecting years taught me a lot. I was rather taken aback one time when someone posted a picture of light-colored natural smokey quartz, which I identified as such, and was told by another poster that I was wrong because "smokey quartz is dark brown." (This mainly indicates that there isn't enough education about the natural appearance of stones, I think.)

I prefer untreated stones for metaphysical work, and I generally know them when I see them. If it's something extremely special or rare that I can only find in a heated version, I might get it anyway, but I'd be sure to cleanse it very well to bring its natural properties to the forefront. And usually, even if it IS special or rare, I'll just keep looking till I find a natural one. I spent at least a year looking for a demantoid garnet with visible horsetails, and longer than that for a natural blue topaz! It was much more rewarding to have the unenhanced stone than one that had been artificially made more visually appealing.
 

shelikes2read

Reputable dealers will indicate which stones have been treated and how. That's one reason why I like the sites that I purchase beads and cabochons from (Wire Sculpture, Fire Mountain, Lima Beads, to name three). I like truth in advertisement. Once we see what the treated or natural stones look like, because we see that they have been labeled accordingly, then it becomes much easier to identify the condition of a stone that lacks such identification. Like everything else, practice makes perfect.

I consider this knack to be an offshoot of being able to identify stones in the first place -- now we're adding some new stone categories. Where once we just thought, "This is Stone X", now we will be thinking, "This is Stone X, natural" and "This is Stone X, enhanced".
 

Hemera

Thank you for the link shelikes2read. I found it most interesting! I came across heat treatment last year when I was looking for an aquamarine. It turned out most of them are heat treated. I bought an affordable one but didn´t really like the thought of it having been heated..
Tarot Orat said:
D It didn't bother me because the heat of the earth is where stones come from and the treatment is permanent and won't fade. For decorative gemstones, it was not a problem for me at all..
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And thank you for this comment Tarot Orat. It used to bother me to think they are heat treated but your comment has made me re-think.
 

Moonbow

Most of the citrine we see in shops and online is heat treated. If its yellow to golden to orange to brown then it hasn't been heated by Mother Nature it's been put in a kiln. Pretty as it may be, and I have a few pieces myself, its not what I would refer to as Citrine. Earth heated citrine looks completely different in colour and form and I find its metaphysical qualities different as well. The yellow citrine is heated Amethyst, still a nice crystal but not citrine. I think it's good to have some of each though the real one is pricey.
 

Briar Rose

In 2008 I posted a thread like this because all the jewelry shops had to take out Blue Topaz from the showcases because of the controversy that surrounded irration the stones. International Isotopes does testing on gemstones to see if there is any dangers present of contracting cancer from the process. So no one got blue topaz for Christmas in 2008.

I have personally written to I.S. and the guy that does the testing.

I got rid of all my Vaseline Glass Beads because of the dangers it can cause. Including your beloved Vaseline Glass collection.


Irrated sort of like the effects of running a microwave in your house 24/7, or if you wear it (running a microwave with you).

But who cares anyway? Lots of foods are now GMO produced. And no one seems to to care about that. It's the same concept.

Some gemstones do come out of the ground in deep rich colors. Remember, "Prospectors" show? The Amethyst and, smokey quartz where so deep, almost black looking, and the Amazonite was deep blue-ish green and vibrant.

The jeweler's magazines are going to give you in depth information and the processes they use. All jewelry shops are supposed to inform the buyers of the treatment of the stones. But to be honest here, a lot of the diamonds and stones from jeweler's and chain shops are bought off the streets in NYC and other cities around the globe. I know this for a FACT and have met several jeweler's that have runners and buyers on the streets. So one knows where the gems come from, or if it's new? Some shop girl isn't gong to know and she'll say, of course it's new. So next time you shop- pawn shops will have stones for a lot less. Who wants a pawn shop diamond? Well, it's the sentiment and not location that counts, right? So many people think the stones they buy from chain shops are stones that no one has owned. Some are- but some are not. You never know what you are getting. Some stones can be traced to the mines. Most cannot be.

There are different types of treatments gems are given to make them shiny too. And some are a chemical coating that permanently adheres to the stones.

There is too many jewelers and shops to keep a strict handle on each single stone.

Heat treated is the way to go. Irrated is not. We heat our food and water.

I worked in gems and diamonds and have a certificate from IGA. if that means any credibility and could go on and on about them. That's how I know. And if you know me, I always get down to the bones about everything from research. I don't even thnk about this anymore until someone brings it up.
 

Margo9023

Briar Rose

Briar Rose said:
In 2008 I posted a thread like this because all the jewelry shops had to take out Blue Topaz from the showcases because of the controversy that surrounded irration the stones. International Isotopes does testing on gemstones to see if there is any dangers present of contracting cancer from the process. So no one got blue topaz for Christmas in 2008.

I have personally written to I.S. and the guy that does the testing.

I got rid of all my Vaseline Glass Beads because of the dangers it can cause. Including your beloved Vaseline Glass collection.


Irrated sort of like the effects of running a microwave in your house 24/7, or if you wear it (running a microwave with you).

But who cares anyway? Lots of foods are now GMO produced. And no one seems to to care about that. It's the same concept.

Some gemstones do come out of the ground in deep rich colors. Remember, "Prospectors" show? The Amethyst and, smokey quartz where so deep, almost black looking, and the Amazonite was deep blue-ish green and vibrant.

The jeweler's magazines are going to give you in depth information and the processes they use. All jewelry shops are supposed to inform the buyers of the treatment of the stones. But to be honest here, a lot of the diamonds and stones from jeweler's and chain shops are bought off the streets in NYC and other cities around the globe. I know this for a FACT and have met several jeweler's that have runners and buyers on the streets. So one knows where the gems come from, or if it's new? Some shop girl isn't gong to know and she'll say, of course it's new. So next time you shop- pawn shops will have stones for a lot less. Who wants a pawn shop diamond? Well, it's the sentiment and not location that counts, right? So many people think the stones they buy from chain shops are stones that no one has owned. Some are- but some are not. You never know what you are getting. Some stones can be traced to the mines. Most cannot be.

There are different types of treatments gems are given to make them shiny too. And some are a chemical coating that permanently adheres to the stones.

There is too many jewelers and shops to keep a strict handle on each single stone.

Heat treated is the way to go. Irrated is not. We heat our food and water.

I worked in gems and diamonds and have a certificate from IGA. if that means any credibility and could go on and on about them. That's how I know. And if you know me, I always get down to the bones about everything from research. I don't even thnk about this anymore until someone brings it up.
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Hi Briar Rose!
Thank you for this information. I had no idea.............
Luv & Peace,
Margo
 
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