Guess we'll cover some enhancement techniques there, then, too.

Yes, please. That's one of the things that boggles me - heat-treated, dyed, etc. Does it mean the stones were inferior to begin with? Does it lessen the value of the stone if it's been enhanced?

Things like that :)

It doesn't lessen the value if it's enhanced, because one only enhances stones in order to increase their value. However, because enhancement can make a stone look better -- that's the whole point, yah? -- an unwitting (or unscrupulous) dealer can pass off an enhanced stone as a natural stone... at natural stone prices, which is not the best thing if the buyer is not aware of the exact nature of what they're buying.

Vendors are supposed to provide information on whether stones, pearls, et cetera, have been color-treated or otherwise enhanced; in practice, very few of them do. Many of their employees do not even know. (In my less charitable moments, I grumble about bead shops and wholesalers being careful to preserve their plausible deniability status in this area, as it were.)

In "The Trickster" we'll be talking a LOT about enhancements and simulations, as well as common confusions.

What it boils down to is this:

A natural stone of good color and other desirable qualities is always worth more, i.e. "is a better stone," than an enhanced stone of the same color and qualities. On the other hand, if you can get something beautiful for less money than a natural (unenhanced) stone would cost you, there are good reasons for being pleased about that sometimes.

Hmmm....maybe I'd best sign up for April, then.

If you'd like an interesting introduction to some common enhancement techniques and which stones they are often used on, I recommend reading the Rings and Things site and their index of gemstones. They are generally very good and highly informative. Be aware that it'll absorb all your attention for the next hour or so to go through the site, and that you'll be at risk for severe disillusionment about several other major bead sources if you read it -- but you'll be a much more well-informed buyer.

(I personally ignore the metaphysical notes, but I have a policy on that. There are so many different systems of what stones "mean" or "are good for" that I long ago decided to have no professional opinion on it, so as to keep a clear field for my customers to assign whatever meanings or virtues they wished. It's actually a way of being respectful, I hope. Such is my intent, anyway.)

Edited at 2008-02-08 11:14 pm (UTC)

I have been a rock-hound and magpie since I was barely able to walk, so I always love reading about gems and stones and such.

Are these one of the folks you order from?

I have, on occasion, bought directly from them at shows. I don't order much; I prefer handling the beads before deciding.

I do trust them enough to order from, though, if I did that sort of thing.

I presume that we're talking about a hefty amount of heat during "heat-treating?"

I actually don't know. But I'd better look into it, as it would be useful for the info sheet and for this here discussion.

I'm guessing this isn't something you could do in your own oven - but then, I could be wrong!

Oven, maybe not, but they've been heat-treating carnelian for thousands of years, for example, according to some of the sources out there, so I imagine it doesn't take too much tinkering with fires and closed compartments and bellows and whatnot to get a temperature sufficient to change the color of certain stones. Dunno if a campfire would do it, but it might.

I imagine there are some links out there for it. I wonder if anybody in the SCA has tried it. Hmm!

Yep. ;) But he's in Arizona right now, buying things, so I can't ask him.

I'm sure someone in the SCA has. But I also know of an atlatl flint knapper who tempers his flint in fire to make it work better. He says the prehistoric peoples did it as well. He has made some pieces worthy of jewelry. They look lovely wire wrapped.

Here's a link or two about heat treatment and other enhancements:

IGS (International Gem Society) heat treatment and other enhancement info

Canadian Institute of Gemmology's (sic) reprint of the GIA (Gemological Institute of America) categories of gemstone treatments

...and an article from Colored Stone, which contains the statement from a gemologist that ""All these terms are defined by people who want to make money by essentially deceiving the public by making the product appear [more] desirable."

January? I htought these were already out - or is this '09?

It's for January '09. That's the final month of Year Five, since we always start in February. (I know, it feels odd to be thinking of '09 already... but hey, I've got beads set aside for the Frida Kahlo package in Year Six already.)