The Chelsea Filter

Copyright Barbra Voltaire, FGG, G.G. 1999

It is important to recognize what a Chelsea Filter IS and more importantly,
what it ISN'T.
Chelsea Filters are simply dichromatic filters developed in 1934, not originally
intended to be used for gemological purposes.
The filter is only able to transmit light in 2 regions of the spectrum: deep red
(690nm) and near yellow-green (570nm).
Therefore, an object can only appear red or green or a brownish tone,
resulting from a combination of red and green, when viewed through the filter.
It was discovered (in 1934 ) that one could gemologically separate some
natural emeralds from imitations and other green gems by observing them
through the filter.
That is because many Colombian and Siberian emeralds absorbed most of
the yellow-green portion of the spectrum, but NOT the red portion of the
spectrum. Therefore, when viewed through an apparatus only allowing
transmission of red or yellow-green, they appear red.
This characteristic is NOT true with all emeralds. Typically African emeralds
and Indian emeralds absorb portions of the spectrum around 690nm, so they
will NOT appear red when viewed through a Chelsea.
When one viewed green glass, green sapphire, many green tourmalines, etc
through the filter, they did not appear red as these stones were absorbing red
color around 690nm.
BUT there are varieties of green flourite, green zircon and demantoid garnets
which also absorb the yellow-green portion of the spectrum while transmitting
red.
Subjective determinations were assigned to the Chelsea. "Colombian
Emeralds appear more red".
OK....as a gemologist, I could easily and POSITIVELY separate all the gems
listed above using a refractometer, polariscope and some magnification.
With the development of synthetic emeralds in the mid to late 20th century, it
was observed that ALL synthetics appeared red when viewed through a
Chelsea, as they were colored solely by chromium, thus absorbing in the
yellow-green and transmitting the red.
It had been subjectively asserted, again, that these synthetics appeared "more
red."
Seriously?
Well, more filters were developed to separate natural and synthetic emeralds.
Would I bet my professional reputation on the basis of subjective observations
made with these filter reactions?
Not likely.
In addition, it is reported that some blue materials colored by cobalt appear
red when viewed through a Chelsea. That is because cobalt can cause the
absorption of the green portion of the spectrum, while allowing transmission of
the red. This was considered useful in helping to separate synthetic cobalt
colored blue spinel, blue cobalt glass, or doublets which may be confused with
sapphire in the mid 20th century. But bear in mind, a sapphire containing
chromium as a chromophore can also appear red, as can some natural blue
spinel.
Again, standard gemological testing equipment would be far more reliable.
Chelsea Filters were also used to help separate aquamarine and natural
zircon from synthetic flame-fusion spinel (used extensively in "birthstone"
jewelry}, as both of the former absorb the red portion of the spectrum and the
synthetic spinel did not.
Again, is there anyone here who would need a filter to make that separation?
Over the years folks have tried to ascribe the Chelsea with vast diagnostic
attributes it simply does not have.
I think it is time to recognize that although a Chelsea may have been
marginally (and I emphasize MARGINALLY) useful to the jewelry industry in
the mid-20th century, it really has little professional benefit at this point.
Possible exception.
Filters are confirmative, not determinative.
What does this mean?
If one has a parcel of stones, let's say, represented as aquamarine, and some
of the stones appear RED when viewed with a chelsea, we have confirmed,
they are not aquamarine.
BUT, we have neither determined what they are nor the identity of the rest of
the stones in the parcel. They may be aqua.....they may not.

Chelsea Filter Reactions
compiled by Cheryl Castner

The Chelsea Filter is a tool that helps confirm what something is NOT. It can not identify
what something is. Use it with reservation, as all reactions should be confirmed with
other more reliable gem identification instruments.
Stone Reaction
Green Stones

Alexandrite Red
Aquamarine Distinctly
Green
Aventurine Quartz Reddish
Chrome Chalcedony Red
Chrysoprase Green
Demantoid Garnet Reddish
Emerald (some Emeralds from South Africa and India may not show a Red
hue, but remain Greenish)
Pink to Red
Enstatite Green
Fluorite Reddish
Glass (Paste) Green
Hiddenite Slight Pink
Jadeite Green
Peridot Green (Aqua
Blue)
Sapphire Green
Soude Emerald (the old type Soude emerald may show red) Green
Stained Bowenite Red
Stained Chalcedony Red
Stained Jadeite Red
Synthetic corundum (alexandrite effect) Red
Synthetic emerald Strong Red
Synthetic Sapphire Red
Synthetic Spinel (some old types may show green) Red
Tourmaline (Certain anomalous green tourmalines have been
found to show Red which would indicate chrome tourmaline)
Green
Tsavorite Ganet Red
Uvarovite Garnet Pink
Zircon Reddish
Red Stones

Garnets, dark red, no fluorescence Red
Garnet topped doublet , no fluorescence Dark Red
Glass, paste, no fluorescence Reddish
Ruby, natural and synthetic, strong fluorescence The natural and
synthetic sapphire are indistinguishable under the color filter)
Red
Spinel, fluorescent Red
Spinel, synthetic, fluorescent ( pink synthetic spinel does not show a red
color through the filter)
Red
Blue Stones

Aquamarine Distinctive
Green
Garnet topped doublet Greenish-blue
Glass, paste, dark blue Red
Glass, paste, light blue Greenish
Lapis lazuli Weak
brownish red
Sapphire, blackish (The Blue sapphire which shows a Purple color under
artificial light, usually shows Red under the filter)
Green
Sodalite Slightly
brownish
Spinel Reddish
Spinel, colored by cobalt Red
Swiss lapis, greenish-blue Greenish blue
Synthetic sapphire (The natural and synthetic sapphire are indistinguishable
under the color filter)
Dark Greenish
Blue
Synthetic Spinel,dark blue Red
Synthetic Spinel, light blue Orange
Synthetic Spinel, zircon color Orange to Red
Synthetic Spinel, lapis lazuli color Bright Red
Zircon Greenish
Purple Stones

Amethyst Reddish
Violet Sapphire Bright Red

















Crystal Ststems
Cubic
The cube is
composed of 6
square faces at 90
degree angles to
each other. Each
face intersects one
of the
crystallographic
axes and is parallel
to the other two.

Diamond
Garnet
Rhodolite
Spinel
Tetragonal
The tetragonal
system also has
three axes that all
meet at 90. It
differs from the
isometric system in
that the C axis is
longer than the A
and B axis which
are the same length.

Zircon
Hexagonal
In the hexagonal
system we have an
additional axes,
which gives the
crystals six sides.
Three of these are
equal in length and
meet at 60 to each
other. The C or
vertical axis is at 90
to the shorter axes.
Mineralogists
sometimes divide
this into two
systems, the
hexagonal and the
trigonal, based on
their external
appearance, as

Aquamarine
Benitoite
Beryl
Emerald
Heliodor
Morganite
follows:
Trigonal
Again, the trigonal
system is a
subsystem of the
hexagonal. Most
gem references will
list these as
hexagonal.

Amethyst
Citrine
Corundum
Ruby
Sapphire
Tourmaline
Eudialyte
Quartz

Orthorhombic
In this system there
are three axes, all of
which meet at 90 to
each other.
However, all the
axes are a different
length.

Alexandrite
Andalusite
Chrysoberyl
Iolite
Peridot
Tanzanite
Topaz
Varisite








Monoclinic
. The above crystal
systems all have
axes sides that
meet at 90. In the
monoclinic system
all the axes are
different lengths.
Two of them, the A
and C axes, meet at
90, but the third
one does not.

Azurite
Diopside
Feldspar
Kunzite
Nephrite
Triclinic
In this system all the
axes are different
lengths and none of
them meet at 90.

Turquoise
C.S.I.*
*(Colored Stone Identification)
The instruments do not lie! So often, a gem can be misidentified because we make assumptions based
on our first impressions when looking at a stone. ("It's red. It must be a ruby or a garnet").Using our
instruments first, can avoid some embarrassing mistakes.
Below is a table of refractive indices, LOW to HIGH. More selections will be added as time permits. I'm
going to start with stones we will most commonly encounter.
> >
Refractive
Indices
Birefringence
Specific
Gravity
Optic
Chartacter
Identity
1.434 - 3.180.01 isotropic Fluorite
1.44 2.05 isotropic Imitation Opal
1.44 to 1.90 - 2.3-4.5 isotropic Glass
1.450 +0.020
-0.08
-
2.15 +0.07
-0.90
isotropic Opal/ Fire Opal
1.45 to 1.55 -
2.45 +0.05
-0.10
isotropic Obsidian
1.483 0.003 - 2.20-2.40 isotropic Sodalite
1.486-1.658 0.172 2.65 0.05 1- Coral
1.486-1.658 0.172 2.700.01 1- Calcite
1.500 - 2.75 0.25 isotropic Lapis Lazuli
1.50: approx - 2.38 isotropic Lapis: Gilson imitation
1.50 - 2.40 0.04 isotropic Moldavite
1.518-
1.5260.004
0.008 2.56 0.01 2-
Orthoclase: Moonstone
or Sanidine
1.522-1.530 0.008 2.56 0.01 2- Amazonite
1.53-1.69 0.16
2.66 +0.12
-0.05
- Pearls
1.53-1.69 0.16 2.72+0.06 - Cultured Pearls
1.532( 0.007)-
1.542( 0.006)
0.010 2.650.02 1-
Aventurine
Feldspar(pladgioclase
w/ flecks of hematite)
1.535-
1.5390.005
0.004-0.006 2.600.05 1+ Chacedony
1.54 (1.539-
1.545)
- 1.080.02 isotropic Amber
1.54 (1.535-
1.57)
- 1.850.15 isotropic Ivory
1.542- +0.045 0.008-0.009 2.610.05 2- Cordierite /Iolite
1.551
-0.011
1.544-1.553 0.009 2.660.01 1+ Quartz
1.559-
1.568 0.002
0.009-0.011 2.7000.05 2+ Labradorite:Plagioclase
1.560-
1.563
+0.004
-0.003
0.003-0.004 2.65 1-
Synthetic Emerald:
Lechleitner IV
1.561-1.564 0.003-0.005 2.650.01 1-
Synthetic Emerald:
Chatham
1.562-
1.5670.012
0.005-0.008 2.68 1-
Synthetic Emerald:
Gilson
1.566-1.570 0.004-0.006 2.68 1-
Synthetic Emerald:
Lechleitner II
1.566-
1.571+0.007
0.005-0.006 2.680.01 1-
Synthetic Emerald:
Linde
1.569-1.574 0.005 2.70 1-
Synthetic Emerald:
Lechleitner III
1.570-
1.5750.004
0.005-0.009 2.700.02 1- Heliodor
1.5700.005-
1.575 0.006
0.005-0.009 2.690.02 1- Emerald: Brazil
1.570-
1.5760.006
0.005-0.009 2.700.02 1- Emerald: Colombia
1.5750.011-
1.580 0..016
0.005-0.009 2.710.03 1- Aquamarine
1.575-1.581 0.006 2.69 1-
Synthetic Emerald:
Lechleitner I
1.577
+0.016
-0.015-
1.583
+0.019
-0.015
0.006
2.72 +0.15
-0.04
1- Beryl
1.579-
1.5850.002
0.005-0.009 2.730.02 1- Emerald: Urals
1.580-
+0.020
-0.002
1.790
+0.030
-0.004
0.210
(0.208-0.220)
3.68 +0.02
-0.23
1-
Aggregate
Rhodochrosite
1.581-
1.5900.001
0.009 2.71-2.76 1- Emerald: Zambia
1.585-
1.5920.003
0.005-0.009 2.740.02 1- Emerald: Africa/India
1.585-
1.5940.006
0.005-0.009 2.820.05 1- Morganite
1.602-
1.6210.003
0.019-0,021 2.940.03 2+ Brazilianite
1.606- 0.026-0.027 2.950.08 2- Nephrite
1.6320.006
1.610-1.650 0.040
2.76+0.08
-0.45
2+ Turquoise
1.612-1.636 0.020-0.027
3.020.04

2 Amblygonite
1.616-1.641 0.022-0.027
3.00+0.10
-0.05
2-
A ggregate
Actinolite
1.619-
+0.014
-0.010
1.627
+0.016
-0.010
0.008 3.530.04 2+ Topaz
1.616-
1.6400.002
0.024 3.05-3.06 1- Tourmaline: Brown
1.630-
1.6360.003
0.006 3.000.03 2+ Danburite
1.616-
1.6400.002
0.024 3.05-3.06 1- Tourmaline: Brown
1.634-
1.6380.012
0.002-0.008 3.180.05 1- Apatite
1.624-
+0.015
0.010
1.644
+0.022
-0.010
0.020 3.06+0.15
-0.05
1- Tourmaline
1.627-1.640 0.013 3.17 2- Andalusite
1.642-
+0.005
-0.014
1.648
+0.003
-0.014
0.002-0.006 3.17 1- Apatite
1.654-
1.6900.013
0.036-0.038 3.140.14 2+ Peridot
1.660-
1.6760.005
0.014-0.016 3.180.03 2+ Spodumene
1.660-
1.6800.008
0.020 3.340.04
2+
aggregate
Jadeite
1.660-1.910 0.250 3.950.15 2- Malachite
1.675-1.701 0.024-0.030 3.290.11 2- Diopside
1.678-1.688 0.010-0.012 3.290.07 2- Axinite
1.690-1.700 0.010 3.35-3.55 2+ Zoisite: Tanzanite
1.700 to1.712 - 3.32-3.36 isotropic Garnet: Grossular
1.712-1.725 - 3.600.06 isotropic Spinel
1.716-1.744 - 3.40-3.74 2+ Rhodonite
1.730 - 3.650.13 isotropic Synthetic Spinel
1.7340.025 - 3.610.12 isotropic
Green Transparent
Grossular
1.7400.017 - 3.610.12 isotropic Hessonite
1.7460.026 - 3.780.16 isotropic Pyrope
1.746- 0.007-0.011 3.730.02 2+ Chrysoberyl:
1.7550.005 Alexandrite
1.7600.020 - 3.840.10 isotropic Rhodolite
1.762-
1.7700.010
0.008 3.990.04 1- Sapphire
1.762-
1.7700.008
0.008 4.000.03 1- Ruby
1.7900.030 - 4.050.12 isotropic Almandine





















Gemstone Treatments and Enhancements
The treatment and enhancement of gemstones has existed for hundreds and hundreds
of years. The first documentation of treatments was presented by Pliny the Elder. 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 it's clarity; the irradiation and heating of
colorless topaz that permanently transforms it into blue topaz is an excellent example. A
few treatments are less stable and should be avoided by the knowledgeable buyer.
Following is a description of some common treatments. This is just the tip of the
iceberg. Please refer to the recommended reading list at the bottom of the page for
further information.
In the past, treatments of gemstones were usually done by the cutter. The lapidary
wanted the value of the finished product to be as high as possible. Today, there are
centers, such as Bangkok in Thailand where there are facilities that specialize in
treatment of both rough and fashioned gems. The heat treatment of corundum (rubies
and sapphires) is an excellent example. The heat treatments of corundum (both simple
heating and heating with a flux, such as beryllium) are often done before before cutting,
and may not be disclosed to the lapidary before cutting is done.
Treatments and Pricing
There are some gemstones that would not even exist if it were not for treatments. The
abundance of citrine, in shades of yellow, gold and orange is the result of heat treating
amethyst. Naturally occurring citrine is quite rare in nature. If it was not for treatments
the stone would be far more expensive than it is!
Tanzanite in shades of violet and blue depends on heat treatment to produce enough
supply to meet the demands of the public.
Pink topaz is another example of a gem that would not be available without heat
treatment. Not only are these treatments acceptable, they are necessary to keep these
products affordable and available.
Recent demand for unheated sapphires and rubies has caused a price increase of as
much as 50%-100% for unheated material. Does this mean that the untreated gem is
more beautiful? NO!In most cases the heating enhances the gemstone to make it more
beautiful; the price premium is the result of the rarity of being unheated!.
Heating
Heating is the most common treatment 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. Heating is detectable only by trained observers in a laboratory setting and is
usually irreversible under normal conditions. Unheated rubies and sapphires will contain
microscopic rutile needles or tiny gas bubbles in pockets of liquid which are evidence
that laboratories can use to guarantee that these stones have not been heated. If these
gems are the finest color they will command premium prices due to their extreme rarity.
Within the last couple of decades, it was discovered, quite accidentally, that if sapphires
were heated along with a flux containing beryllium, the color of the sapphire could be
dramatically changed.
See diffusion below.

The following gems are routinely heat treated:
tanzanite
citrine
pink topaz
aquamarine
Paraiba tourmaline
apatite
ruby
sapphire
zircon (both blue and colorless)

Oiling
Oiling of emerald is universal, but not EVERY emerald is oiled, (fine untouched
specimens will command astronomical prices). When the rough emerald is mined it is
thrown into a barrel of oil; when it is cut, oil is used as a lubricant on the cutter's lap. The
colorless oil seeps into the fissures on the surface of the emeralds. When the fractures
contain the oil they are less eye visible. To complete this process oil is pressurized into
the fissures of the polished stone. This is something that must be accepted; it's the way
it is! The only way you will find an emerald that isn't oiled is if there are no fractures at
the surface of the emerald, so no oil can get inside the stone. If color is equal, obviously
you will pay more for an emerald if it has no fissures that reach the surface; they simply
will have fewer inclusions. If an emerald that originally had fissures that reached the
surface,is put into an ultrasonic or is steamed clean, then the oil may be leached out
and fractures. This will make the surfacing inclusions appear whiter and more obvious.
In this case, the stone can be re-oiled.
Recently, I have read articles that other colored stones such as rubies, alexandrite,
other varieties of chrysoberyl, and demantoid garnets have been treated with oils and
resins to make surfacing inclusions less visible. Occasionally colored oils are used on
emeralds and rubies. 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 done to deceive the buyer. Fortunately this is not common and it is
unlikely you will encounter this if you buy from a reputable source in the United States.
Synthetic resins can be used to fill in fractures in emeralds and other stones with
fractures that reach the surface of the gem. Hardeners are often applied to make the
process more permanent. The use of these resins, with hardeners (Like Opticon) are
NOT acceptable treatments.
Irradiation
Irradiation means pounding material with subatomic particles or radiation. Sometimes
irradiation is followed by heating to produce a better or new color for the gem. Blue
topaz is the most common example. Although blue topaz occurs in nature, it is quite
rare and pale in color. 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 out of this country. Today irradiation of blue
topaz has created shades not found in natural blue topaz; prices are very reasonable for
irradiated blue topaz since there is a great deal of competition in the wholesale end of
this market. If you could find an untreated blue topaz, it would sell for a price
comparable to untreated Imperial Topaz. Tourmalinecan be irradiated to darken pink
stones into red ones; these are indistinguishable from natural red ones. Off colored
diamonds can be irradiated and heated and turned into intense greens, yellows, blues,
browns & pinks. These stones are fairly common. Irradiated diamonds will sell for much
less per carat than the naturally colored ones of comparable color, clarity grade, and
size Cultured pearls can be irradiated to produce gray or blue colors; but dyeing in
these colors is more common. Irradiated pearls will sell for about the same price as the
dyed pearls, this should be well below the prices asked for pearls with very fine colors.
Varieties of quartz and spodumene are irradiated and subsequently annealed with heat
to produce dramatic and desirable colors.

Dyeing
Without dyeing there would little, if any, black onyx: although natural black chalcedony
has been claimed to be found in Namibia and Iran, I am at the time of this writing
skeptical. Chalcedony or more commonly known as agate, is often dyed blue, green, or
orange and carved into bowls, statues, or cut into beads. This is fine, as there are some
lovely pieces around using this stuff, especially carved animals and the like and no one
minds that it's not "natural". Japanese cultured pearls, which are grown in an Akoya
oyster that produces pearls up to about l0 millimeters, grow into a limited selection of
colors with various overtones of colors. If they are dark gray, bluish, violet, nearly black,
or intense bronze, assume they are dyed. To meet current demand for pearls with rose
overtones, some cultured pearls have been given a pink tint; this can be detected by
looking for concentrations of dye around drill holes or around blemishes. On the other
hand, South Sea cultured pearls which are generally larger than the Japanese cultured
pearls, may grow into a variety of exotic colors naturally because they are grown in a
different variety of oyster.
Tahitian black pearls are a good example of naturally colored black pearls. Cultured
pearls with a natural exotic color will command a much higher price than a dyed one.
Dyeing of chalcedony and of pearls is prevalent, permanent, and acceptable. These
colors do not occur in nature; no deception is involved. Dyeing of other
materials, jade, lapis lazuli, turquoise, coral, rubies,emeralds and sapphire may be less
acceptable. Generally, dyeing of these materials is done to disguise poor quality goods.
Dyed lapis lazuli can be easily tested by rubbing it with a piece of cotton soaked with
acetone (fingernail polish remover). If it is dyed, blue color will eventually rub off on the
cotton. Dyed lapis should be much less expensive than fine natural lapis. In the case of
lapis lazuli or turquoise, the natural material is not that expensive, so why bother with
inferior material unless it is irresistibly cheap or you just love the color? Dyed lapis lazuli
may bleed blue onto the wearer or his or her clothing (not a fun thing to remove, trust
me). Dyed jade may be tricky to detect, so be careful if the price seems "too good". An
inexpensive tool (around $30) called a Chelsea Filter and supplement emerald filters
can somewhat useful detecting dyed jade but the sophistication of the bleaching and
polymer impregnation of jadeite can be extremely hard to detect without the aid of
spectrographic analysis. Coral beads may also be dyed. Suspect coral that has a very
intense color, coupled with an inexpensive selling price. I recently encountered strands
of sapphire beads which were quench cracked and died. The treatment was easily
visible with microscopic observation, but it did not bleed at all when soaked in acetone.
Click Here for Additional Information on Jade Treatments
Impregnation and stabilization
Impregnation and stabilization are common for turquoise. Impregnation is the infusion of
wax or paraffin into a porous material. Stabilization is the introduction of a bonding
agent, usually plastic, into a porous material. Of the two processes, stabilization is the
most permanent. Impregnated pieces must be kept away from heat or the wax could
melt & leak... not a pretty sight !!. Some gems are waxed on the surface to enhance
luster but this is not very usual. The upside for stabilized turquoise, is that it will not
absorb oils and discolor as untreated turquoise may.
Opal can be stabilized with plastic to hide crazing, but this is not common at all and
would only be done to deceive the buyer.
Bleaching
Bleaching is a process for organic gem materials such as ivory, coral, and
for pearls and cultured pearls. It lightens the color and is permanent and undetectable.
No price difference exists as a result.
Coating
Coating is a process (used and described for over 200 years! where a lacquer or film of
some type is applied to improve a gem's appearance. Today, coatings are increasingly
utilized to alter and improve the color of gems. Mystic topaz is an example of a coated
gem that was conceived by Azotic Coating Technologies. The company is now coating
topaz in all colors, including pinks and rich "imperial" tones. Recent reports have
indicated that tanzanite is showing up in the labs with coatings on the pavilions to
improve the appearance of saturation. Coatings are occasionally identified on diamonds
to improve the apparent color of an off-colored stone and deceive a buyer.
Opals may have a black coating on the back to intensify the play of color or to give the
appearance of a black opal; this can take the form of a simple coat of black lacquer or
what is called a "doublet." A doublet is a thin layer of opal cemented to a black onyx
base.
Diffusion
Diffusion was originally used on sapphires. Chemicals, like beryllium, were infused at
high temperatures, and actually penetrated the gems. Early diffusion only produced
color on the surface of the gem's surface and was referred to as "Surface Diffusion".
Surface diffusion was easily detectable with immersion, and often with simple
magnification. Great advancements have been made in diffusion treatment in the last
decade and it was discovered that if corundum is heated to very high temperatures for a
long duration, the diffusion would penetrate the entire stone!
It can improve color, change color, or create asterism (stars).
Filling
Filling is used on gems with surface fractures or cavities. Glass, plastic or other
materials are used to fill these holes. This is sometimes done to rubies. With close
examination with magnification you may be able to spot differences in surface luster, or
see a spectral effect in fractures when viewed with dark-field illumination.
The AIGS, The Asian Institute of Gemological Sciences, has done extensive research
on filled rubies.
Infilling Diamonds
Diamonds with inclusions are sometimes filled with glass to make them appear clearer.
Oved and Yehuda Diamonds have undergone this treatment. Filler can be damaged by
heat, ultrasonic cleaning, and by re-tipping. The filling does not repair the inclusion, it
just makes it less visible.
If you look at a filled diamond closely, rotate it under light, you should be able to notice a
bluish flash. Both Yehuda and Oved will usually refill your diamond for free if it is ever
damaged. Check for guarantees before buying such a diamond.
Lasering
Lasering is sometimes used on diamonds. The process drills 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 if it is not
burned out by the lasering. Under magnification laser holes are visible when viewed at
the correct angle. A lasered diamond would be classified in the slightly imperfect or
imperfect category regardless of the improvement in apparent clarity and should be
priced accordingly.
Gems that are Not Enhanced
There are some gemstones that are not known to be enhanced. These
include: Garnets,(with the exception of demantoid), Peridot, Iolite, Spinel, varieties
of Chrysoberyl, Tourmaline (with the exception of the Paraiba
variety), Malachite, Hematite, and Feldspar with the probable exception of varieties of
andesine and labradorite Keep in mind that new technology in gemstone treatment is
always changing and improving and many are seriously difficult, if not impossible, to
detect.

Disclosure
With some gemstones enhanced by specifically defined treatments according to the
guidelines of the CIBJO, it is a requirement of the Trade in the US to make such
disclosures and in any case a vendor should always disclose any known treatments or
enhancements (remember, they may not always know themselves, with imported
Gems) and record it on your bill of sale. Most vendors are honest and forthcoming, but it
is YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO ASK