Table of Contents
- 1 Is heat treating gems bad?
- 2 What happens when you heat a gemstone?
- 3 Are heated gemstones less valuable?
- 4 Why is Tanzanite heat treated?
- 5 Are heated rubies valuable?
- 6 Are Burmese rubies heat treated?
- 7 What are the disadvantages of heat treated gemstones?
- 8 Should you heat treat stone before selling it?
- 9 Can a heated sapphire be used for jewelry?
Is heat treating gems bad?
Durability: Since most gem crystals were formed under high temperatures, when it comes to wearability and durability heating usually does not have a negative effect on a gemstone. Also, the color stability (resistance to fading or color changing) of heated gems is usually very good and they are super stable.
What happens when you heat a gemstone?
Heat treatment is most commonly used to alter color but is also used to increase clarity. Rubies and sapphire can require significantly higher temperature to alter color and change clarity. Heating is used to either lighten, darken or alter the color of a gem.
Are heated gemstones less valuable?
Does heating a gemstone lower its value? For lower-priced gemstones, the price between heated or unheated won’t differ too much generally. For example, a carnelian that is heated for its fiery orange color won’t have a much higher price tag than an untreated one.
Is a heated ruby bad?
It is good to note that the Gemological Institute America and other certification authorities ACCEPT that heat treatment is perfectly normal for enhancing a natural ruby and indeed that the process is permanent and will not degrade over time.
Are rubies always heat treated?
Usually, the rough stone is heated before cutting. These days, almost all rubies are treated in some form, with heat treatment being the most common practice. Untreated rubies of high quality command a large premium.
Why is Tanzanite heat treated?
After mining, the gems are usually heat treated regardless, in order to remove any residual unwanted colours. Natural Tanzanite gemstones can also be heat-treated to remove the brownish colour and leave behind the blue and violet that we have all come to adore.
Are heated rubies valuable?
The most valuable rubies by far are natural, untreated ones, but this can be rare in today’s market. Heated rubies are generally worth more than rubies that have been diffused or filled.
Are Burmese rubies heat treated?
Are Burmese Rubies Treated? Most rubies on the market, whether Burmese or otherwise, are heat treated directly at the mines. This makes it virtually impossible to find a ruby that hasn’t been heat treated to enhance color and clarity.
How much is a pigeon blood ruby worth?
As of May 2015, the record price for a ruby is approximately $1.172 million per carat. ($30 million for a 25.59 carat Mogok “pigeon’s blood” ruby).
Does heating gemstones mean they are genuine?
Not at all, heating gemstones have nothing to do with whether the gem is genuine or not. Many consider the treatment as an extension of the natural process. As long as the seller is transparent, and the color by heating is permanent (which it usually is), heat treatment is widely accepted in the gemstone industry.
What are the disadvantages of heat treated gemstones?
Heat treatment with a lower temperature doesn’t have any drawbacks most of the time. However, with high temperature like the case for ruby and sapphire, the gem may become “slightly more brittle than usual, and care must be taken not to damage pointed faceted corners and edges” according to this GIA article.
Should you heat treat stone before selling it?
They can choose to leave the stone as-is or mark it for heat treatment. If they were to leave the stone in its natural state they would not reap a financial gain. But if they improve the color via heat treatment, the stone becomes more sellable and they can get a better return on their investment.
Can a heated sapphire be used for jewelry?
This is the reason why heat treatment on sapphires is accepted by most retailers. Some jewelry houses still prefer to offer only natural, unheated sapphires, but they would happily use a heated sapphire if it was requested by their client. Are all heated sapphires the same?