Not every gemstone comes out of the Earth looking perfect.
Some are clouded, dull, or pale. Some carry visible fractures or uneven color.
That’s where treatments come in — human efforts to improve what nature began.
But not all treatments are the same. Some are traditional and accepted. Others are controversial — even deceptive.
If you’re buying a gemstone, here’s what you need to know.
What Is a Treated Gemstone?
A treated gemstone is one that has undergone a man-made process to enhance its appearance, clarity, or color.
The gem is still natural in origin — but it’s been “helped along the way.”
The most common treatments include:
Heat Treatment
- Used to intensify color and reduce visible inclusions
- Common in sapphires, rubies, zircon, topaz
-
Stable and permanent
✔️ Widely accepted in the gem trade
Oiling / Fracture Filling
- Used to make surface fractures less visible
- Most often applied to emeralds using cedar oil or synthetic resins
- May fade over time or require re-oiling
✔️ Traditional, but should always be disclosed
Diffusion, Dyeing, Coating, Irradiation
- Techniques to artificially create or deepen color
- Often used in cheaper stones or simulants
- These can affect durability or mislead buyers
✘ Less desirable, especially when not disclosed
At Sosna Gems, we never hide treatments — and we never sell dyed or coated stones.
What Is an Untreated Gemstone?
An untreated gemstone is exactly what it sounds like:
- Mined from the Earth
-
Cut and polished, but not heat-treated, oiled, dyed, filled, or altered
- Often rarer — and more valuable, especially in top color or clarity
Collectors, investors, and gem lovers often seek untreated stones for their:
- Natural purity
- Historical integrity
- Higher long-term value
Some customers ask: “Can you prove it’s untreated?”
Yes — through independent certification and full gemological disclosure.
How Treatments Affect Value
Not all treatments are equal — and not all should reduce value.
But transparency is everything.
| Treatment Type | Effect on Value | Acceptability |
|---|---|---|
| Heat (Sapphire, Ruby) | Minor impact (if disclosed) | Generally accepted |
| Oiling (Emerald) | Some value reduction | Traditional, accepted |
| Dyeing / Coating | Strongly reduces value | Not accepted |
|
Untreated (Top Quality) |
Premium value |
Rare and collectible |
Sosna Gems Approach: Full Transparency
We believe that beauty is best when it’s honest.
Here’s how we handle treatment disclosure:
- Every product description includes treatment status
- Precious stones (like ruby, sapphire, emerald) include GIA, IGI or equivalent certification if untreated or significantly valuable
- Affordable stones may include our in-house clarity & treatment grading
- We never enhance or alter photographs to hide features
Our promise: if a stone is treated, we tell you how, why, and to what extent.
Final Thought
Treatments aren’t bad — but secrets are.
We believe you deserve the full story behind every gemstone. That’s why we work with nature, not against it — and why our gems are chosen not just for beauty, but for integrity.
Browse Our Certified Natural Gemstones
Explore our collection of natural stones — treated where tradition allows, untreated where rarity speaks for itself.
View certified gems →
