• GemsTV discloses all known enhancements at the time of sale and backs this up with a 30-day return policy.
• For most gems today, enhancements are a basic part of the finishing process.
• While unenhanced gems are the most sought-after, their tremendous rarity and, thus, high prices, put them out of reach of all but the wealthiest of buyers.
• In order to provide beautiful jewellery to our full spectrum of customers, we offer a broad selection of enhanced gems, in addition to our lines of unenhanced precious stones.
• The marketplace sets the values of both natural and enhanced gems.

• There is specific gemological evidence that shows the item has not been enhanced.
• The item is of a type for which enhancements are not typically used.

• Fully natural: Stones produced by simply obtaining the raw gem material in nature, cleaning it and then cutting and polishing. With the exception of cleaning and ordinary cutting and polishing, natural gems are fully natural. Examples include natural garnet and peridot.
• Natural, but enhanced: Stones produced by obtaining the raw gem material in nature, but then processing it in any way beyond normal cleaning, cutting and polishing. Examples include heat-treated sapphire, tanzanite and paraíba tourmaline.
• Synthetic: Man-made analogs of natural gem materials. In order to qualify as a synthetic, the man-made product must have the same appearance, chemical composition and structure as its natural counterpart. Examples include synthetic ruby and synthetic emerald.
• Imitation: A gem that has the same appearance as another gem. There are infinite possibilities, including both natural and man-made imitations. Thus natural iolite might imitate a heated tanzanite, while man-made glass might also do the same.
• Assembled: These are gems made of two or more pieces put together. The pieces can be any combination of natural, synthetic or treated gems. They may be assembled with glue, pressure or even by fusing one piece to another with heat. Examples include opal doublets and triplets and garnet-and-glass doublets.

• Natural (N)
  Gems that are, according to best available information, untreated.
• Enhanced (E)
  Gems that are treated.

Heat

• H = Heat Only: Alteration via heat only (or heat + hydrogen). Example: Heated ruby, heated sapphire, heated tanzanite
• HD = Heat + Diffusion (aka 'bulk' or 'lattice' diffusion): Alteration via heat and outside-in diffusion of foreign elements other than hydrogen. Example: Beryllium-diffused sapphire
• HF = Heat + Flux: Alteration via heat and flux. During heating, fluxes dissolve surface-reaching fissure walls and redeposit that dissolved gem material, healing the fissures closed. Example: Flux-healed ruby (particularly that from Möng Hsu, Burma)
• HP = Heat + Pressure: Alteration via heat and pressure. Example: HPHT diamond

Filling

• F = Filling: Impregnation with a colorless substance. This is typically done to improve clarity, but also improves color, as clarity enhancement facilitates longer light paths within the gem. Fillers include but are not limited to glass, plastic, resin, wax and oil. Some fillers remain fluid at room temperature (and thus are less stable), while others are hardened. Note that any gem with the requisite openings can be filled. Example: Oiled emerald, glass-filled ruby, stabilised turquoise
• FD = Filling + Dye: Impregnation with a colored filler, typically done to add or improve color and possibly also clarity. Note that any gem with the requisite openings can be dyed. Example: Dyed green jadeite

Irradiation

• I = Irradiation: Alteration of color via the use of neutrons, gamma, ultraviolet and/or electron bombardment. A heating process may follow irradiation. Example: Irradiated blue topaz

Coating

• C = Coating: Application of an artificial layer to the surface. Example: Coated diamond, coated topaz

Bleaching

• B = Bleaching: The use of heat, light and/or chemical agents to lighten or remove color. Subsequent dying and/or filling often accompany this. Example: Bleached cultured pearl, bleached/filled jadeite ('B-jade')

Laser Drilling

• L = Laser Drilling: Use of a laser and chemicals to reach and alter inclusions. Example: Laser-drilled diamond

Reconstruction

• R = Reconstruction: Use of heat, pressure and/or solvents to fuse small pieces of a gem together into a larger whole. Example: Reconstructed amber

Further notes

• Note that gems may be enhanced by more than one process.
• The presence or absence of enhancements can have a significant impact on value. Thus it is always a good idea to have major purchases tested by a well-respected gemological lab.

• Always remove your jewellery when engaging in activities that risk impact or exposure to chemicals or heat such as sports or housework.
• Always put jewellery on after using lotions, cosmetics, hair spray or perfumes, not before.
• Never remove your jewellery by pulling on the gems.
• The best way to store your jewellery is in the compartments of a jewellery box or in pouches. Store each piece of gemstone jewellery separately and necklaces flat so that harder stones don't scratch softer ones. Almost every gem is harder than the metal in which it is set. Gems can scratch one another or the finish on your jewellery if stored carelessly.
• Carefully wipe jewellery with a soft lint-free cloth after each wearing to remove oils and salts.
• Clean your jewellery on occasion with a cleaning solution or mechanical cleaner suitable for the gem; use a dish rather than the sink, for if a gem accidentally falls out of the setting, down the drain it goes. When in doubt, just use warm soapy water and a soft toothbrush.
• Think twice before putting gems in an ultrasonic cleaner. Diamonds and rubies and sapphires are generally fine but many other gems may not be. Thus when in doubt, leave it out.
• Opaque gems such as lapis lazuli, turquoise and malachite can be porous and may absorb chemicals and soap, discoloring them. Thus they require special care. Never use ultrasonic cleaners, ammonia or chemical solutions. These gem materials should just be wiped clean gently with a moist cloth.
• Opals also require special care. Never use an ultrasonic, never use ammonia, and avoid heat and strong light that can dry out the water in opals.
• Organic gems like pearls, coral and amber should only be wiped clean with a moist cloth. Due to their organic nature, these gems are both soft and porous. Be careful about chemicals in hairspray, cosmetics, or perfume; over time they can damage pearls in particular.
• Stones that have a Mohs hardness of 7 or less are subject to scratching; harder stones are less susceptible, but still subject to chipping and fracture.