untreated gemstones

[Paul38]

Hallo, does anyone know a good and trustable gemstone-dealer on the web? I am searching for a godd untreated blue sapphire or a pink untreated Spinel. For around 500-2000 $. Does anyone have experiences with gemstone-websites dealing with such stones?

I am very thankful for any helping answers.

Paul

 

[chrono]

Spinels are always untreated so no problems there. For untreated sapphires, I like www.thenaturalsapphirecompany.com

My usual haunts are:

Wink at www.winkjones.com
Allen at www.atggems.com
Gary Dutton at www.diamondexpert.com
Jeff White at www.whitesgems.com
Barbara Smigel at www.acstones.com
www.ajsgems.com
Dan Stair at www.customgemstones.com
www.mineralminers.com
www.multicolor.com

Is just for a "play" jewellery item or for an engagement ring?
What size and carat weight are you looking for?

I just finished my pink spinel project here: Colour Me Pink and am satisfied with my purchase so far. Also, just because you don't see the gemstone on the vendor/cutter's website, it doesn't mean that they don't have it. Sometimes they just haven't cut the stone yet or had time to upload the pics.

 

[Franziska]

Why don´t you try www.wildfishgems.com
They sell only untreated gemstones. Any kind of stones: Sapphires, Rubies, Spinels, Tourmalin, Garnet and many more.
I ordered there twice and I was always very much happy with the stones and the service.

Good luck.
Franziska

 

[Richard M.]

Date: 6/6/2007 2:47:40 PM
Author:Paul38
I am searching for a good untreated blue sapphire or a pink untreated Spinel.

Paul, you need not be concerned about treated spinels. Unless there is a very new and very secret technique, they along with garnets are among the few totally untreated gems available on today''s gem market. The only exception I''m aware of is low heat treatment of some demantoid garnets to drive off an undesirable brown mask. That treatment is permanent and low impact, similar to the heating of tanzanite.

Richard M.

 

[elmo]

very new and very secret technique.

I wouldn't beat a dead horse but this has happened to me twice. At this point I think it's almost dangerous for folks to talk so much about spinel being unenhanced because it becomes such a mantra that even very experienced folks overlook the oldest trick in the book. Bottom line - any spinel I buy now gets soaked in acetone for a few days.

 

[Richard M.]

Date: 6/8/2007 9:25:16 PM
Author: elmo
very new and very secret technique.

I wouldn''t beat a dead horse but this has happened to me twice. At this point I think it''s almost dangerous for folks to talk so much about spinel being unenhanced because it becomes such a mantra that even very experienced folks overlook the oldest trick in the book. Bottom line - any spinel I buy now gets soaked in acetone for a few days.

True, any gem can be surface treated or dyed. That''s certainly a type of treatment but of course not what I had in mind. More specifically I meant spinel color is not routinely enhanced through heat, irradiation, glass filling or any of the modern laboratory techniques sometimes applied to sapphire and ruby, emerald, tourmaline, quartz, topaz, tanzanite, etc. It''s not possible to cover every single possibility in a paragraph or two. I hope you have better luck with your purchases in the future.

Richard M.

 

[Harriet]

Try Richard M. at www.artcutgems.com.

 

[elmo]

Date: 6/8/2007 9:51:04 PM
Author: Richard M.
True, any gem can be surface treated or dyed. That''s certainly a type of treatment but of course not what I had in mind. More specifically I meant spinel color is not routinely enhanced through heat, irradiation, glass filling or any of the modern laboratory techniques sometimes applied to sapphire and ruby, emerald, tourmaline, quartz, topaz, tanzanite, etc. It''s not possible to cover every single possibility in a paragraph or two. I hope you have better luck with your purchases in the future.

Richard M.

I understood what you had in mind. But I think many folks reading don''t fully understand. These stones I refer to were not purchased from eBay or some similar source, provenance was about as good as it gets. I don''t have professional experience but my gut feeling is this is more widespread than many folks realize, especially with the big price increases lately for really fine spinel.

 

[Richard M.]

Good points, elmo. All my red spinels will go into acetone tonight, just to be doubly sure. And all the cracked ones will go into some oil -- nope, just kidding!

But it introduces a question. Emeralds have been oiled at least since Cleopatra got into the gem mining business. It''s generally considered an acceptable treatment. So where does one draw the line as to what treatments are "acceptable" in other gems. Do we draw the line at emeralds? If so, why only emeralds? What if sellers of oiled spinels disclosed the treatment on their invoices? I''m not endorsing the idea, just raising it for discussion.

Richard M.

 

[StonesRock07]

NSC is a gemstone dealer that I have used that specializes in untreated stones. You might want to check them out they are honest and trust worthy in my opinion. http://www.thenaturalsapphirecompany.com/ Steve is the person you will want to talk to. I love my pieces from them!


Gem treatments as long as they are fully disclosed are accepted with in the jewelry industry they do not harm the stone and most are permanent. They treat stones because with out treatments gemstones would not be affordable to the masses. Most gemstones on the market today are treated in some way.

 

[colorchange]

Spinels are almost always untreated.

The only you will find will be fracture filling and dying.

My website used to be running offering for sale some untreated stones (it will be back soon).

In pink spinel, I have two very good ones of approx 4 Ct in your range, I guess you will find some others.

Take care at many sellers asking stupidly high prices for spinels !!!!

Henri