Gemstone Enhancements and Special Care

Gemstones Enhancement/Treatment Special Care
Abalone Occasionally coated Avoid chemicals, heat, and ultrasonics. Wear with care.
Agate (Chalcedony) Commonly dyed and/or heat treated Avoid chemicals, heat, strong light, and ultrasonic cleaners. Wear with care
Alexandrite (Chrysoberyl) Not known to be enhanced No special care required
Almandite (Garnet) Not known to be enhanced Avoid sudden temperature changes
Amazonite Occasionally impregnated with colorless wax, paraffin Avoid chemicals, heat, and ultrasonics
Amber Commonly heated and compressed Avoid chemicals, heat and ultrasonics
Amblygonite Usually untreated but in rare cases can be irradiated Avoid exposure to excessive heat. Wear with care
Amethyst (Quartz) Occasionally heat treated No special care required
Ametrine Occasionally heat treated No special care required
Ammolite Assembled as a doublet or triplet Avoid chemicals, heat and ultrasonics. Wear with care
Andalusite Occasionally heat treated No special care required
Andesine Commonly diffused Avoid chemicals, heat, strong light, and ultrasonics. Wear with care.
Andradite Grossular (Garnet) Not known to be enhanced Avoid chemicals, heat and ultrasonics
Apatite Occasionally heat treated Avoid chemicals, heat and ultrasonics. Wear with care.
Aquamarine Usually heat treated No special care required
Aragonite Occasionally dyed Avoid chemicals, heat and ultrasonics. Wear with care.
Australian Opal Rarely impregnated with colorless wax/oil/resins Avoid chemicals, heat and ultrasonics. Wear with care.
Aventurine Occasionally dyed  
Azurite Occasionally coated and/or impregnated with colorless wax Avoid chemicals, heat and ultrasonics. Wear with care.
Azurmalachite Occasionally coated and/or impregnated with colorless wax Avoid chemicals, heat and ultrasonics. Wear with care.
Black Coral Occasionally coated with colorless wax Avoid chemicals, heat and ultra sonics. Wear with care
Black Onyx Always dyed Avoid chemicals, heat, and strong light
Black Spinel Commonly coated no special care required
Black Star Diopside Not known to be enhanced Avoid chemicals, heat and ultrasonics
Bloodstone (Chalcedony) Not enhanced no special care required
Blue Lace Agate Not enhanced no special care required
Blue Opal (Peruvian) Not enhanced Avoid chemicals, heat and ultrasonics - wear with care
Blue Tiger Eye (hawks eye) Occasionally bleached and/or dyed and/or heat treated Avoid chemicals
Blue Topaz Usually heat treated and/or irradiated no special care required
Blue Zircon Always heat treated Avoid heat
Bone (bovine) Commonly bleached and/or dyed Avoid chemicals, heat and ultrasonics. Wear with care
Boulder Opal Occasionally coated Avoid chemicals, heat and ultrasonics. Wear with care.
Bumble Bee Jasper Commonly coated Avoid chemicals, heat and ultrasonics
Carnelian (Chalcedony) Commonly heat treated Avoid chemicals, heat, and strong light
Cat's Eye (Chrysoberyl) Occasionally irradiated Avoid chemicals, heat and ultrasonics. Wear with care.
Chalcedony-Agate Commonly dyed and/or heat treated Avoid chemicals, heat, and strong light. Wear with care.
Charoite Not known to be enhanced Avoid chemicals, heat and ultrasonics. Wear with care.
Chrome Diopside Not enhanced Avoid sudden temperature changes and chemicals. Wear with care.
Chrome Tourmaline Not enhanced Avoid heat and ultrasonics. Wear with care.
Chrysoberyl Ocassionally heat treated Avoid chemicals, heat and ultrasonics. Wear with care.
Chrysocolla Occasionally coated Avoid ultrasonics. Wear with care.
Chrysoprase Not enhanced Avoid strong light
Conch shell Not enhanced Avoid chemicals, heat and ultrasonics. Wear with care.
Citrine Usually heat treated No special care required
Color Change Garnet Not enhanced Avoid chemicals, heat and ultrasonics
Coral Commonly dyed and stabilized. Occasionally compressed. Avoid chemicals, heat and ultrasonics
Corundum Commonly dyed No special care required
Cultured Akoya Pearl Occasionally bleached and/or dyed Avoid chemicals, cosmetics, and ultrasonics. Wear with care
Cultured Freshwater Pearl Usually bleached and/or occasionally dyed Avoid chemicals, cosmetics, and ultrasonics. Wear with care
Cultured South Sea Pearl Occasionally bleached and/or dyed Avoid chemicals, cosmetics, and ultrasonics. Wear with care
Cultured Tahitian Pearl Occasionally bleached and/or dyed Avoid chemicals, cosmetics, and ultrasonics. Wear with care
Csarite (diaspore) Not enhanced Avoid chemicals, heat and ultrasonics. Wear with care
Demantoid Garnet Occasionally heat treated Avoid sudden temperature changes
Diamond-Colored Often heat treated and or irradiated Avoid chemicals, heat and ultrasonics
Diamond-Colorless Usually untreated but sometime can be Fracture Filled or exposed to HPHT no special care required
Diopside Not known to be enhanced Wear with care
Drusy Commonly dyed or treated Avoid chemicals, heat and ultrasonics. Wear with care
Emerald Usually treated with colorless oil or wax Avoid chemicals, heat and ultrasonics. Wear with care.
Ethiopian Opal Occasionally dyed Avoid chemicals, heat and ultrasonics. Wear with care
Fire Agate Not enhanced no special care required
Fire Opal Occasionally dyed Avoid chemicals, heat and ultrasonics. Wear with care
Fluorite Commonly heat treated and/or irradiated Avoid chemicals, heat and ultrasonics. Wear with care.
Fossil Coral Commonly dyed and/or stabilized Wear with care.
Goldstone Glass Usually enhanced with various coatings Avoid chemicals, heat and ultrasonics. Wear with care.
Goshenite Not enhanced No special care required
Green Tourmaline Commonly heat treated Avoid chemicals, heat and ultrasonics
Grossular Garnet Not known to be enhanced Avoid sudden temperature changes
Heliodor Commonly heat treated and/or irradiated Avoid prolonged exposure to light or heat
Hematite Not enhanced Avoid chemicals and heat
Hemimorphite Not enhanced Wear with care
Hessonite Garnet Not enhanced no special care required
Howlite Occasionally dyed Avoid chemicals, heat and ultrasonics. Wear with care.
Imperial Jade Not enhanced Avoid chemicals and heat
Imperial Topaz Commonly heat treated and/or irradiated Avoid chemicals and heat
Indicloite (Tourmaline) Commonly heat treated Avoid chemicals, heat and ultrasonics
Innova™ Ruby Enhanced with colored lead glass through pressure and heat Avoid cleaning solutions, ultrasonic cleaners, acidic liquids and excessive heat. Inform your jeweler of this enhancement process in case of repairs.
Iolite Not enhanced Avoid chemicals, heat and ultrasonics
Jadeite Jade Commonly bleached, dyed and/or stabilized Avoid chemicals, strong light, and ultrasonics
Jasper Occasionally dyed Avoid chemicals, heat, and strong light
Kunzite Commonly heat treated and/or irradiated Avoid strong light and ultrasonics
Kyanite Not enhanced Avoid chemicals, heat and ultrasonics
Labradorite Not known to be enhanced Avoid chemicals, heat and ultrasonics
Lapis Lazuli Commonly dyed or impregnated with colorless wax/oil Avoid chemicals and ultrasonics
Larimar Stabilized and/or coated Avoid chemicals, heat and ultrasonics
Lemon Quartz Heated and/or irradiated  
Leopard Skin Jasper Not enhanced No special care required
Lilac Quartz Occasionally heat treated Avoid chemicals and heat
London Blue Topaz Heated and / or irradiated No special care required
Mabe Pearl Assembled. Commonly bleached and/or dyed Avoid chemicals, heat and ultrasonics
Madeira Citrine Always heat treated No special care required
Magnesite Commonly dyed Avoid chemicals, heat and ultrasonics
Malachite Occasionally coated with colorless wax Avoid chemicals, heat and ultrasonics
Malaya Garnet Not enhanced Avoid heat
Mandarin Garnet Not enhanced Avoid heat
Marcasite (Pyrite) Not enhanced Avoid chemicals and heat
Maw sit sit Not enhanced Avoid chemicals, heat and ultrasonics
Mexican Black Opal Rarely impregnated with oil/wax and resins Avoid chemicals, heat and ultrasonics
Mexican Cherry Opal Not enhanced Avoid chemicals, heat and ultrasonics
Mexican Fire Opal Not enhanced Avoid chemicals, heat and ultrasonics
Mint Garnet Not enhanced Avoid sudden temperature changes
Mocha Zircon Occasionally heat treated Avoid chemicals
Mohave Turquoise Compressed and stabilized. Possibly dyed.  
Moldavite (Tektite) Not enhanced Avoid chemicals and heat
Montezuma Amethyst Always heated and irradiated Avoid heat
Moonstone Not enhanced No special care required
Morganite (Beryl) Commonly heat treated No special care required
Moss Agate Occasionally dyed and/or heat treated Avoid chemicals
Mother of Pearl Commonly dyed and/or coated Avoid chemicals, heat and ultrasonics
Mozambique Garnet Not enhanced No special care required
Mystic Topaz Always enhanced with various coatings Avoid chemicals, heat and ultrasonics
Nephrite Jade (all colors) Commonly bleached, dyed and/or stabilized Avoid chemicals, strong light, and ultrasonics
Obsidian Not enhanced Avoid chemicals and heat
Opal Rarely impregnated with colorless wax/oil/resins Avoid chemicals, heat and ultrasonics
Opal Doublet Assembled. Rarely impregnated with colorless wax/oil/resins. Avoid chemicals, heat and ultrasonics
Opal Triplet Assembled. Rarely impregnated with colorless wax/oil/resins. Avoid chemicals, heat and ultrasonics
Ouro Verde Always irradiated No special care required
Padparadscha (Sapphire) Commonly diffused Avoid heat and ultrasonics. Wear with care
Paraiba Tourmaline Commonly heat treated Avoid chemicals, heat and ultrasonics
Peridot Rarely treated with colorless oil/wax or natural Avoid sudden temperature changes, chemicals, and ultrasonics
Phosphosiderite Commonly stabilized Avoid chemicals, heat and ultrasonics
Pink Opal (Peruvian) Not known to be enhanced Avoid chemicals, heat and ultrasonics
Pink Tourmaline Occasionally heat treated Avoid chemicals, heat and ultrasonics
Prasiolite Usually heated and/or irradiated Avoid exposure to heat of jewelers torch
Pyrite occasionally coated Avoid chemicals and heat
Pyrope Garnet Not enhanced Avoid sudden temperature changes
Quartz Occasionally dyed and/or heat treated and/or irradiated Avoid chemicals
Rhodochrosite Not enhanced Avoid chemicals, heat and ultrasonics
Rhodolite Garnet Not enhanced Avoid sudden temperature changes
Rhodonite Not enhanced wear with care
Rose De France Occasionally heat treated Avoid chemicals, heat and ultrasonics
Rose Quartz Not enhanced Avoid chemicals
Rubellite (Tourmaline) Occasionally heat treated Avoid chemicals, heat and ultrasonics
Ruby Usually heat treated and/or flux filled Avoid chemicals, heat and ultrasonics
Rutilated Quartz Not enhanced Avoid chemicals, heat and ultrasonics
Sapphire (Corundum) Usually heat treated and/or diffused wear with care
Scapolite Rarely heat treated and/or irradiated Avoid, chemicals, heat and ultrasonics
Serpentine Commonly dyed and/or impregnated with colorless wax Avoid ultrasonics
Shell Often dyed and or coated Avoid chemicals, heat and ultrasonics. Wear with care.
Sky Blue Topaz Usually heat treated and/or usually irradiated Avoid heat and strong light
Smoky Quartz Usually heat treated and/or irradiated Avoid chemicals and heat
Snowflake Obsidian Not enhanced Avoid chemicals and heat
Sodalite Rarely dyed Avoid chemicals and heat
Spessartite Garnet Not enhanced Avoid sudden temperature changes
Sphene Not known to be enhanced Avoid chemicals, heat and ultrasonics
Spinel Not enhanced Avoid chemicals, heat and ultrasonics
Spiny Oyster Shell Possibly compressed and stabilized  
Spodumene Usually heat treated and/or irradiated Avoid chemicals, heat and ultrasonics.
Star Ruby Not known to be enhanced No special care required
Sugilate Not enhanced Avoid chemicals, heat and ultrasonics
Sunstone Not enhanced Avoid chemicals, heat and ultrasonics
Swiss Blue Topaz Usually heat treated and/or usually irradiated Avoid chemicals, heat and ultrasonics
Tanzanite Usually heat treated Avoid sudden temperature changes and ultrasonics
Tashmarine Not known to be enhanced  
Teal Diamond Occasionally heat treated and/or irradiated Avoid heat, and ultrasonics
Tiger’s Eye Occasionally bleached and/or dyed and/or heat treated Avoid heat and strong light
Topaz Usually heat treated and irradiated Avoid chemicals, heat and ultrasonics
Tourmaline Commonly heat treated and/or irradiated Avoid chemicals, heat, strong light, ultrasonics
Tourmalinated Quartz Not known to be enhanced Avoid chemicals, heat and ultrasonics
Tsavorite Garnet Not enhanced Avoid sudden temperature changes
Turquoise Commonly stabilized with plastics or by the Zachary process. Avoid chemicals, heat and ultrasonics
Umbalite Garnet Not enhanced Avoid sudden temperature changes
Unakite Not enhanced Avoid chemicals
Variscite Usually stabilized Avoid chemicals, heat and ultrasonics
Watermelon Tourmaline Occasionally heat treated Avoid chemicals, heat and ultrasonics
Zircon Occasionally heat treated Avoid chemicals
Zoisite (ruby in) Not enhanced Avoid chemicals, heat and ultrasonics