What Makes a Gemstone Untreated? Why It Matters When You Buy
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You'll see the word "untreated" used a lot in the gemstone world — including throughout our listings at Jewelry and Gems by Chandler. But what does it actually mean, and why should it matter to you as a buyer?
What Does "Untreated" Mean?
An untreated gemstone is one that has not been artificially enhanced after it was mined. No heat, no chemicals, no fillers, no coatings, no irradiation. What you see is exactly what nature created.
Treated gemstones, by contrast, have been altered to improve their appearance — usually to enhance color, clarity, or both. Common treatments include:
- Heat treatment — used on sapphires, rubies, and amethyst to intensify or change color
- Fracture filling — used on emeralds and rubies to hide cracks with resin or glass
- Dyeing — used on lower-quality lapis lazuli, turquoise, and jade to deepen color
- Irradiation — used on topaz and other stones to produce vivid colors
Why Does It Matter?
Value. Untreated gemstones are rarer and generally more valuable than treated ones of the same size and appearance. A natural, untreated amethyst with deep color is worth more than a heat-treated stone with the same look.
Authenticity. When you buy an untreated stone, you're getting the real thing — exactly as it came out of the earth. There's no artificial enhancement masking the stone's true character.
Longevity. Some treatments degrade over time. Fracture-filled stones can become cloudy. Dyed stones can fade. Untreated stones don't have these issues — they look the same decades from now as they do today.
How We Source Our Stones
At Jewelry and Gems by Chandler, every gemstone we use is natural and untreated. Our Rwandan amethyst, lapis lazuli, emeralds, Quantum Quattro, and carnelian are all hand-selected for their natural color and character — no enhancements, no shortcuts.
When you buy from us, you're getting a stone exactly as nature made it, set by hand in Maine.