sapphire question

[Larry]

What is a diffusion sapphire?


Larry

[denverappraiser]

It's a color treatment technique. It's a fairly recent development and the improvement is sometimes quite striking. Like all treatments, it's legally required in the US that this be disclosed to the consumer and it can have a substantial effect on the pricing. Treated and synthetic stones are generally considerably less expensive than similar untreated natural stones.

[Joselyn]

I think the most recent diffused sapphires are the "beryllium diffused" padparaschas. Padparaschas are the peachy orangy sapphires that are EXTREMELY rare. The new treatment allows lesser sapphires to have the same sort of color, but it is only a surface treatment. If you crack the stone, you'd see that the color is not very deep.

Again, with all treatments, the difference between a Beryllium diffused padparascha colored sapphire and a true padparascha sapphire are huge pricewise. In this case, there are probably actually 3 levels of price > Beryllium diffused > Heated/Treated > Natural/Untreated. Huge dollar differences between each level.

[panachegems]

My understanding of the treatments are,
Diffusion is a heat treatment where Cobalt is introduced onto the stone. This is only surface deep due to the molecules of Cobalt being to large to enter far into the stone. This treatment is not really permanent as if the stone is chipped or recut the natural color would be seen. This treatment is pretty easy to detect.

BE (beryllium) treated stones are subjeacted to heat and Berillium. Usually the BE is natural Chrysoberyl. The molecules of the BE are small enough to penetrate deep into, and sometimes all the way through the stone. This makes the treatment permanent and harder to detect to the layman.

If anyone has a better explanation or mine isn't correct please chime in. I am only trying to help those who don't understand the treatments in simple terms.
AC:)