Colored gemstones are known for being the most fascinating and beautiful natural objects we know today. From ancient days when primitive peoples believed in the stones magical or medicinal powers to present day when gems encrust and adorn all classes of people, the mystique and beauty surrounding gemstones make them coveted prizes for any who appreciate fine jewelry. Formerly, colored gems were typically assessed based on their colors; all green stones were known as emeralds and all red stones as rubies. However, with the introduction of imitation gems and man-made/man-treated materials also came a great need for experts who could separate the false from the genuine. Today, colored gemstones are graded in a similar fashion to diamonds based on a scale using color, clarity, cut, and karat weight as the defining characteristics of quality. However, due to the importance of the color of these gemstones, clarity tends to hold more importance than it does for a diamond; even a minor difference in clarity may greatly affect the value of a gemstone.

COLOR
The vibrant colors we know in gemstones are generally the result of tiny amounts of trace elements existing within the stone. Many of these coloring agents are essential components of the gems overall composition, whereas some are introduced as something of an extra element as the gem is forming in the earth. Yet in either case, these trace elements are responsible for the incredible variety of colors we all know and love in our favorite gemstones available today. Typically, the more pure and intense the color of the gem the more valuable the stone becomes. For gemstones, top color outweighs top clarity when determining the overall value.

CLARITY
Second only to the color quality of a gemstone is the internal purity or clarity of the gem. Unlike diamonds, inclusions may actually increase the value of certain gems. Clarity characteristics are often key in identification of a gemstone, and some collectors and experts value colored stones for their distinct inclusion scenery. A good example to keep in mind when searching for these clarity characteristics is the star-like appearance visible within sapphires and rubies; this beautiful geometric phenomena occurs due to the presence of intersecting inclusions within the stone. Similarly, the cats eye that appears inside tiger-eye quartz is the direct result of a similar inclusion network boasting a pattern of parallel rather than intersecting striations. Certain inclusions may still diminish a stones value, such as when the inclusions are so numerous that they impede the passage of light through the stone, creating a cloudy appearance from within.

CUT AND SHAPE
Colored stones are typically cut into a greater variety of proportions and shapes than diamonds. Whereas diamonds are most popularly available in the round cut, shapes such as oval, pear, marquise, emerald, and trapezoid are better suited to display a colored stones natural beauty. Each gemstone is specifically cut in order to perfectly show off the most vibrant color and preserve the most weight post-shaping. Colored gemstone proportions differ extremely from what you would expect from a properly cut diamond. The greatest bulk of a colored stone will often occur on the bottom half where it will have the best opportunity of emitting the greatest brilliance and color for a viewer. Certain cuts also lend themselves to colored gems far better than others; for example, opals are always cut a smooth curved top (en cabochon), and emeralds more often than not appear in their namesake rectangular shape (emerald cut).

SIZE
Unlike diamonds, colored gems tend to be unique from stone to stone, so experienced buyers know that when shopping for a colored gemstone, it is crucial to be mindful of the size as well as the weight of the gem. Gemstones tend to vary more in density and cut than diamonds, and a consumer cannot always accurately determine the size of the stone based solely on the karat weight.  While emeralds and rubies are in fact sold by karat weight, an educated shopper would do better to select a gem based on the size of the stone; for example, a 1.8 karat emerald will not necessarily fit into your ring setting of that size because emeralds of this weight will come in a variety of sizes due to their variegated densities. Additionally, your ring setting that was made to fit a 1.8 karat emerald will most likely not fit a 1.5 karat ruby. Settings for gemstones will always be sold by the size of the stone, and not by the exact karat weight.

Because gemstone density varies greatly by the chemical composition of the material, the size of some colored gems may ultimately be far different from what a buyer expects, especially if the buyer is most familiar with selecting diamonds. Many popular gemstones are substantially denser than diamond, meaning that a 1 karat ruby, for example, will turn out to be noticeably smaller than a 1 karat diamond. Conversely, some gemstones are less dense than diamond, which will yield a far larger result when shopping karat by karat for your stone.

Ultimately, one must take great care when purchasing a colored stone for an existing setting. Always know the exact size of the setting itself, and select the gem based on that size, not the weight, to find a perfect fit.

ENHANCEMENTS
In reference to gemology, the term enhancements refers to any treatment or process, other than polishing or cutting, which improves the durability, value, or appearance of a gemstone. In todays modern gemstone market, it is easy to find gems that have been enhanced by a multitude of methods. Enhancement processes range from simple heating to sophisticated irradiation. It is valuable for you to know that some enhancements are more stable than others, which means that the appearance of a gem could possibly change with time as the enhancement fades; it is best to purchase gemstones with good to excellent stability, meaning that the stone will not alter in appearance due to normal wear and tear conditions.

At GSS we understand the great importance of enhancement disclosure, and guarantee that we will provide you with thorough information about any enhancements a gem has undergone. While it is true that many enhancements are virtually undetectable, at GGS we follow guidelines that are the most stringent in the industry in order to provide you with all the knowledge necessary to make an appropriate purchase decision. Here GGS provides you with some specific information regarding enhancements so you can purchase with full knowledge of what type of enhancement, if any, is right for you.

All gemstones fall into three enhancement categories:

• Not Enhanced – This category indicates one of two possible situations. The first being that the gemstone in question has never undergone an enhancement to its appearance, durability, or value. The second is that the gemstone in question is one for which there are no enhancements currently available or practiced.
• Normally Enhanced – The second category labels gemstones that are routinely enhanced. Because many enhancements are virtually undetectable, it is often wise to assume that such an enhancement has been practiced on your gemstone of interest.
• Nontraditional Enhancements – This category is for gemstones not covered by the first two categories, and refers to more specific enhancement methods not as commonly practiced on gemstones.

TYPES OF ENHANCEMENT

• Bleaching: Bleaching is the use of light, chemicals, or heat to remove or lighten a gem’s color.
• Coating: The application of surface enhancements such as enamel or lacquer to improve the color, appearance, or add other special affects such as diamond coating.
• Dyeing (Staining): Staining a gem introduces a coloring agent into a gem to give it a new and different color, amplify the original color, or improve the uniformity of the original color.
• Filling: Potentially surface-breaking cavities or fissures can be filled with plastic, colorless glass, or other durable substances to improve the strength of the gem or add weight.
• Flux Heating: Flux heating may be applied during heat enhancement to heal fissures or fractures.
• Heating: Heat enhancements may alter the clarity, color, or inclusion patterns of a gemstone.
• Impregnation: A more porous gemstone may undergo impregnation using a colorless agent in order to boost durability and appearance.
• Lasering: Laser enhancements are used in order to reach and alter deep inclusions in a stone.
• Oiling/Resin Infusion: The filling of surface-breaking fractures or fissures with a colorless oil, wax, resin to improve the gemstones overall appearance.
• Irradiation: The use of electron bombardment or neutrons to alter a gemstones color. Irradiation enhancement is often followed by a heating process.
• Lattice (bulk or surface) Diffusion: This enhancement is an outside-in diffusion of coloring chemicals via high-temperature heat treatment to produce color.
• Waxing/Oiling: Using impregnation of a colorless wax, paraffin and/or oil in porous gemstones to improve appearance.