Reviewed By Andreas Zabczyk
Untreated GemstonesIt's a fact of life in the gemstone industry that many gems are treated. The most common form of treatment is heat treatment, which is applied routinely to ruby and sapphire, and to other gems such as tanzanite, blue zircon and blue apatite. Some gems, such as blue topaz, are irradiated to produce their distinctive color; in fact it's virtually impossible to buy a blue topaz gem that has not been irradiated. Other gems, such as emerald, are treated with oils or resins to fill fractures. More recently, we've seen heat treatment with beryllium diffusion for yellow and orange sapphires, and fracture-filling with lead glass for African rubies. Sometimes it seems like the gemstone world is awash with gem treatments. Untreated African Ruby
The idea of treating gems is hardly new. Pliny's Natural History, the compendium of knowledge from ancient Rome written in the first century A.D., discusses a range of techniques for altering gems, including heating, oiling, dyeing and the use of foil backings and coatings. Some of those ancient techniques were undoubtedly deceptive, but nowadays, gem treatments are just a way for the industry to meet the global demand for gemstones in the face of very limited supply. Even with the prevalence of gem treatments, there remains a wide selection for buyers seeking untreated gems. While rare untreated sapphires or rubies may come at a high price, there are other gemstone varieties that possess excellent characteristics like hardness, durability, brilliance, and clarity, all while boasting outstanding natural color. These untreated gems can be purchased with assurance of their authenticity. Here are our top recommendations for untreated gem varieties:
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