Gemstone composition and care
Enhancement techniques and care instructions
Gemstones are often treated to enhance the color, clarity, and stability of the stone. Heat can improve its color or clarity. The heating process has been well known to gem miners and cutters for centuries, and in many stone types heating is a common practice.
At Hannah's Gemstone Jewelry we use natural, dyed, and heated gemstones stones; which does not take away from the quality of the gems. For example:
Black onyx, carnelian, and some of the red agate have been dyed and heat treated to enhance color.
Our turquoise have been stabilized for strength. Preciosa Ornela Traditional bead in Fire polished Czech glass and glass pearls are used in many designs to add a bit of sparkle and glamor and enhance the gemstones in a particular design.
See the "Extended Information" tab under each product to learn about how to take care of your gemstone jewelry.
For more information about gemstone quality and enhancements you can view this handy booklet in PDF from The American Gem Trade Association at http://www.agta.org/gemstones/agta-gim/index.html
Glossary
The appropriate letter coding will appear next to the gemstone name accordingly on our website, in some cases we will also use plain text.
Dyed: (D)
Dyed and heated: (D/H)
Natural: (N)
Terms used in the Art of Jewelry-making
Gems or Gemstones: Are pieces of naturally occurring stones or rocks which have been cleaned and polished to use in jewelry....read more
Nugget: Can be found as large chunks or small chips of gemstones or glass.
Semi-precious: In modern times, this is any gem other than diamond, ruby, pearl, sapphire, emerald or opal.
Fire Polished Czech Glass: Each bead is made by hand in small batches in the Czech Republic and is then finished with a re-firing polish to give it a sparkling reflection. The shine is light and subtly and not overwhelming. These beads reflect light beautifully. They are smooth to the touch. They are lead-free. They are of great quality traditional glass.