Gemstone Enhancement Codes and Information

Copied from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)

"With the exception of the normal fashioning (cutting and polishing) of a diamond and other gemstones, it is the seller's responsibility at the time of sale to provide all informations pertinent to the enhancement of a natural gemstone. If the stone is man-made, it is also the seller's responsibility to disclose that fact. This information is required by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)."

Failure to identify enhancement of natural gemstones, when present, is an unfair trade practice.

"Such information is required at each and all levels of jewelry commerce. Those specifically responsible to inform buyers include suppliers of uncut or polished diamonds and other gemstones; manufactures and wholesalers of jewelry containing natural or man-made stones; retailers, including sales, over the counter, catalog, catalog showrooms, mail order firms, television or other media sales programs, and advertisers."

Failure to inform buyers could subject violators to civil as well as administrative remedies.

Mine Design is a strong advocate for complete gemstone enhancement disclosure at all levels of commerce. All gemstones offered for sale by Mine Design will have a gemstone enhancement code (GEC) listed with its description. All dealers offering gemstones for sale should do this since this is something that is required by FTC law.

GEC - Gemstone Enhancement Codes

Codes and Definitions

N - None The N symbol can be used for natural gemstones which are not currently known to be enhanced. It can also be used for other natural gemstones in the event that a stone has received no enhancement and the seller will provide a guarantee that there has been none. That gemstone must be accompanied by a commercial document such as an invoice, memorandum and/or a laboratory report to support the fact that the gemstone is not enhanced.

E - Enhanced The E symbol indicates that the gemstone has undergone its traditional enhancement process or is routinely enhanced.

B - Bleaching The use of heat, light and/or other agents to lighten or remove a gemstone's color.

C - Coating The use of such surface enhancements as lacquering, enameling, inking, foiling or sputtering of films to improve appearance, provide color or add other special effects.

D - Dyeing The introduction of coloring matter into a gemstone to give it a new color, intensify present color or improve color uniformity.

F - Filling The filling of surface breaking cavities or fissures with colorless glass, plastic, solidified borax or similar substances, which are visible under properly illuminated 10X magnification. This process will improve durability, appearance and/or add weight.

H - Heating The use of heat to affect desired alteration of color, clarity, and/or phenomena. (Residue of foreign substances in open fissures is not visible under 10X magnification.)

HP - Heating and Pressure The use of heat and pressure combined to affect desired alteration of color and/or clarity.

I - Impregnation The impregnation of a porous gemstone with a colorless agent (usually plastic) to give it durability and improve appearance.

L - Lasering The use of a laser and chemicals to reach and alter inclusions in diamonds.

O - Oiling/Resin Infusion The filling of surface breaking fissures with colorless oil, wax, resin or other colorless substances, except glass or plastic, to improve the gemstone's appearance.

R - Irradiation The use of neutrons requiring an environmental safety release from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), gamma and/or electron bombardment to alter a gemstone's color. The irradiation may be followed by a heating process.

U - Diffusion The use of chemicals in conjunction with high temperatures to produce color and/or asterism-producing inclusions.

W - Waxing/Oiling The impregnation of a colorless wax, paraffin and oil in porous opaque or translucent gemstones to improve appearance.

SYN - Synthetic The tag code may be used to describe "synthetic" materials which have essentially the same optical, physical and chemical properties as a naturally occurring counterpart. The code name may not be used as a noun; thus a stone must not be referred to as a :synthetic". In all cases, the name of the stone must also be used; thus a stone must be referred to as "synthetic emerald," :synthetic ruby," etc.

IMIT - Imitation IMIT is the tag code used for a manufactured product fabricated in such materials as glass, ceramic or plastic designed to imitate or resemble the appearance, but not duplicate the characteristic properties of a natural gemstone.

ASBL - Assembled is used for products made of multiple layers or combinations of manufactured and/or natural materials fused, bonded or otherwise joined together to increase stability and/or to imitate the appearance of a natural gemstone, create a unique design or generate unusual color combinations.

The above codes and explanations were taken from the American Gem Trade Association's AGTA Source Directory 2000-2001. This information is posted here for educational use and is also available from other sources.

This page last updated October 10, 2003

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