heated sapphire
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FTIR in Gem Testing | A Pink Sapphire Lesson
A discussion of DRIFTS vs the Beam Condenser FTIR attachment in the testing of pink sapphire. The DRIFTS accessory is generally much better at unmasking heat treatment in ruby and sapphire.
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FTIR in Gem Testing | FTIR Intrigue
The use of Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) in gem identification, with examples of sapphire & jadeite.
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Madagascar Sapphire | Low-Temperature Heat Treatment Experiments
Madagascar has become one of the world’s top sources of fine blue sapphire in recent times. In addition to beautiful untreated material, increasing numbers of treated stones have appeared in the market. Some have been heated to relatively low temperatures, below 1350°C, to lighten their color. To help separate unheated and heated Madagascar sapphire, the authors performed experiments to document the changes they undergo with low-temperature heat treatment in air, which is an oxidizing atmosphere.
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Testing Yellow Sapphire | Passport to Obscurity
The examination of a yellow sapphire provides a lesson in the power of gemological microscopy.