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  • Testing
    • How to submit

      Please click on the button below to get all the necessary information for your testing inquiries.

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    • More info
      • Coloured Gemstones
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  • Education
    • Gemmological courses

      Discover SSEF’s gemmological courses, calendar, and prices.

      Discover all courses
      Apply for SSEF course
    • In-person courses
      • Basic Gemmology
      • Basic Diamonds
      • Advanced Coloured Gemstones
      • Advanced Jewellery
      • Advanced Pearls
      • Advanced Small Diamonds
      • Scientific Gemmology
      • Scientific Diamonds
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2024

A descriptive study on as-grown and HPHT-treated CVD synthetic diamonds

The Swiss Gemmological Institute is testing more than one million colourless melee diamonds for the Swiss watch and jewellery industry on an annual basis to guarantee that no synthetic diamonds are mixed within natural melee diamond batches.

Research Blog
DiamondTreatments
2024

Low-temperature heating of corundum: possibilities and challenges for detection

Heat treatment is generally applied to gemstones to change and enhance their colour. Over the past few decades, it has become a very common practice for certain gem species, such as aquamarine, amethyst (resulting in citrine), copper-bearing tourmalines (Paraiba), tanzanite, and notably for any colour variety o

Research Blog
Treatments
2024

Effects of gamma irradiation on ruby and pink sapphire: an update

Gamma irradiation is a treatment method that may enhance the colour and visual appearance of gemstones, such as diamond, topaz, quartz, and corundum, to name a few. This treatment method uses strong gamma rays, either from radioactive isotopes like cobalt-60 (60Co) or from a linear accelerator (LINAC), to induc

Research Blog
RubySapphireTreatments
2024

Bachelor thesis on fissure filling substances in emeralds

Fissures in emeralds are commonly filled with colourless substances such as oil, wax, or artificial resin to modify and enhance their clarity. This treatment is not new and has been known for many centuries, specifically with oil.

Research Blog
EmeraldTreatments
2024

Too good to be true: SSEF measures against fraudulent gem scams

Research Blog
Treatments
2024

A descriptive study on as-grown and HPHT-treated CVD synthetic diamonds

The Swiss Gemmological Institute is testing more than one million colourless melee diamonds for the Swiss watch and jewellery industry on an annual basis to guarantee that no synthetic diamonds are mixed within natural melee diamond batches.

Research Blog
DiamondTreatments
Dehydration of Diaspore and Goethite during Low-Temperature Heating as Criterion to Separate Unheated from Heated Rubies and Sapphires
2023

Dehydration of Diaspore and Goethite during Low-Temperature Heating as Criterion to Separate Unheated from Heated Rubies and Sapphires

Dehydration of Diaspore and Goethite during Low-Temperature Heating as Criterion to Separate Unheated from Heated Rubies and Sapphires. Minerals 2023, 13, 1557.

Download PDF

Authors

  • G. Spiekermann
  • J. Braun
  • M.S. Krzemnicki
  • P. Lefevre
  • W. Zhou
Research Articles
RubySapphireTreatments
Effects of Gamma Irradiation on Ruby and Pink Sapphire and Potential Detection Methods in Gem Labs
2023

Effects of Gamma Irradiation on Ruby and Pink Sapphire and Potential Detection Methods in Gem Labs

Keywords: Ruby, Pink sapphire, Gamma irradiation, UV-VIS, Raman, R-Line

Download PDF

Authors

  • A. Mack
  • D. Weltz
  • H.A.O. Wang
  • M. Wälle
  • M.S. Krzemnicki
Research Articles
RubySapphireTreatments
2023

Irradiation Treatment in Rubies and other Corundum Varieties: Update about Ongoing Research at SSEF on this Issue

Irradiation of corundum varieties to change and enhance their colour is known since many decades but remains a difficult and challenging issue until today, as no gemmological method is currently known which would allow an unambiguous detection of this type of treatment.

News
Treatments
2023

At the frontier of research: irradiation experiments 
on corundum

As is known in the gem trade, the colour of certain gems may be caused or influenced by the presence of colour centres (a type of defect in the crystal structure that can absorb light and thus result in colour, that can be present both in stable or unstable form).

Research Blog
Treatments

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Age Dating Diamond DNA Emerald Gemmology Geochemistry Jade Methods Organics Origins Other Gemstones Pearl Ruby Sapphire Spinel Synthetics Tourmaline Traceability Treatments

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