Difference between Heated and Unheated Gemstones

With growing popularity of gemstones these days, some low-quality ones are also being sold in the market with the help of treatment and enhancements. They are treated with various methods that include Bleaching, Dyeing, Radiation, Heating, and Filling to enhance their colour, appearance, and durability. One of the most common methods amongst them is heating.

Heating is a treatment that has been used for centuries! If we dig deep into its history, the early man happened to be the first practitioners of the art of heat treatment. Since then it is being used in a more sophisticated manner for treating gemstones.

The gemstones are subjected to a very high temperature between 500 and 1800 degrees Celsius which changes their colour altogether. It improves both, clarity and colour. All this depends upon other factors such as the rate of heating and pressure as well.  The best example is Sapphire. In the market, very nearly 90% of the Sapphires are heat treated! That is why the heat treated sapphire value is less. If some amount of titanium is being added to the furnace during heating, then a white color sapphire can be converted into a beautiful looking Blue Sapphire (Neelam). From the astrological point of view, the original stone is a white sapphire which represents planet Venus (Shukra) but after heating it has become blue sapphire, which is actually meant for the planet Saturn/ Sani. So, the wearer who wants to reap benefits from the planet Saturn/ Sani in his horoscope won’t get the desired results. In fact, this treated sapphire may give adverse effects to the wearer. So, one should avoid wearing heated gemstones.

But the big question here is how to differentiate between heated gemstones and unheated gemstones? Below you’ll find a table that showcases the basic difference between the two to make a careful decision while buying gemstones online.

Why opt for Unheated, Natural Gemstones?

No doubt about the fact that many heated gemstones are being sold in the market but the impact that it has on the wearer also matters. For someone who is planning to wear a gemstone for healing or astrological purpose, then natural gemstones are the best choice. They provide all the benefits of the respective planet and are naturally occurring which makes them seem more genuine and reliable.

Once you have decided to buy a gemstone here are two important things to keep in mind.

• Rarity is an important factor that determines the value of a gemstone. If gemstones are easily available in the market, then it doesn’t hold much value. It is scarcity that drives people to buy a gemstone due to being uncommon and unique. They might be expensive but are available in the market.
  Also, get a certificate from a reputed gemological laboratory when buying natural, untreated gemstones. It has all the information about the gemstone and its treatment.

Gemkart is a leading gemstones brand that has the largest collection of certified and unheated gemstones all under one site. For more information, please visit: www.gemkart.com