In the last years, the supply of treated rubies in the lower price range increased strongly. In their natural state, these stones are opaque to slightly translucent. During the treatment process, their fissures are filled with high-refractive glasses to improve the transparency distinctly. The weight of cut stones is usually between 2.5 to 20 carats, but also smaller and much bigger stones, with a weight of more than 100 carats, are offered.
Furthermore, coloured filler substances are used to produce red, blue, yellow, orange or green stones.
The identification of glass-filled corundum is an important part of week 5 of the DGemG-Gemmology Diploma Course, which starts on August 13, 2018. The following DGemG-information presents first information on technical details and identification of such material.
The full article can be downloaded here: DGemG-Information: Glass-filled-corundum.pdf
Picture above: Coloured glass fillings visible in the fissures in a corundum
