New Glass Ruby Treatment
Being a member of the colored gemstone industry has always been tricky. Some say it is now becoming treacherous. A little over 10 years ago, a new find of Burma ruby entered the United States market from Mong Hsu. It was later discovered the stones were heated and fracture-filled. Although glass is often found in the Mong Hsu material, it is the result of the healing of fractures after the material is heated with borox and other chemicals. More recently, the new beryllium diffused treatment process caused panic in the international markets after that treatment was uncovered. It now appears another new treatment method may be entering the marketplace. The new treatment is essentially a Yehuda treatment for ruby that injects a high
refractive index glass into the fractures of ruby which visually improves the clarity.
Diamonds
Diamonds have been treated by fracture-filling since the technique was first used by Israeli scientist Zvi Yehuda, of Ramat Gan, Israel in the mid 1980s. The purpose is to impregnate the cleavages or fractures with highly refractive glass to improve diamond clarity. This treatment is usually detected by a rainbow-colored light called the “flash effect.” The main colors seen are usually blue, yellow or orange. As a general rule, the host gemstone and the impregnated material should have very close refractive indices and different dispersion to show a “flash effect.” Today, this treatment is accepted if disclosed, and a few diamond companies produce and market these stones as clarity enhanced diamonds. If the treatment reverses due to high heat or strong acids, the companies will re-enhance the diamond at no charge.
GAAJ
In March 2004, The Gemmological Association of All Japan (GAAJ) first identified the glass-filling technique in a ruby. They graded a 13.22 carat ruby that was heated and was probably African in origin. The ruby had many surface-reaching cracks needed by the treaters as a portal for filling via this method. A blue to purple light effect (flash effect) was observed. X-ray fluorescence analysis also detected the presence of lead.
AGTA
In July, 2004, The American Gem Trade Association reported testing a 16 carat faceted ruby treated by a glass-filling process. This stone appeared to be unheated, unlike the one seen in Japan. The stone was probably African and considered low quality. The glass-filling was detected by viewing the “flash effect.” A spectrometer confirmed the presence of leaded glass in the fracture of the ruby.
Gem Dealers Reactions
Richard Hughes of Pala, Fallbrook, CA does not expect large quantities of these stones to enter the market. Presently the few stones seen are low quality with surface breaking inclusions. Hughes states, “I take a position similar to that of the diamond dealers on fracture-filled diamonds. As long as the treatment is disclosed and priced properly, it is not a problem." What is the average jeweler or gem dealer to do about the emergence of this new treatment? Hughes contends, “Most dealers and jewelers will need labs. Only a few have the skill necessary to spot this new treatment.”
A Chicago gem dealer says, “We will shy away from this new material. My company sees numerous stones in New York with grading reports showing heated ruby, which you never saw 5 years ago.” They buy most of their ruby on trips to Bangkok and Hong Kong. He concludes, “We trust the people we have been doing business with for over twenty years but we will now look for glass filling via the “flash effect.” As you know, accurate disclosure is not rampant overseas.” Not all in the colored gemstone industry view this new treatment as a problem. A gemstone dealer who wished to be anonymous stated, “I don’t understand what the big deal is with this new treatment. Are the laboratories and gem organizations simply trying to scare us? I see this treatment as a last resort for low quality included stones that sell for a couple of hundred of dollars per carat. Anyone who is going to spend serious money on a gemstone is going to demand an independent grading report from a major lab, so what is the problem? I don’t believe this will affect the main ruby market at all.”
Sammary
This new technique currently is not widespread in the ruby market. However, alerts have been issued to advise members of the trade that rubies treated by this method are now present in the U.S. market.
The real question is what will another new treatment do to the overall gemstone market? Any new treatment can potentially give the industry a black eye. This new treatment is another reason why it is critical for collectors or jewelry buyers to have an American Gemological Laboratories (AGL) grading report when buying an important ruby. Gem dealers buying or selling ruby should be sure to look for signs of this new treatment.
Publish Date : Sat 20 Nov 2004 Source : by Robert Genis
Exporter of Burmese Rubies, Sapphires, Tourmalines and Precious loose Gemstones for the Wholesale Gemstone Industry.