While still searching for information or clues on my mystery gemstones (still no solid leads, no one has seen them before and it appears my best option is to find a lab to run a chemical analysis on them to ID them - easier said than done), I have traveled many gem testing websites and read many articles. This new article on Tanzanite caught my eye.
I didn't book mark the article at the time, but from what I recall, they are now fissure filling Tanzanites to make them more "clean" and more "blue". Similar to low grade sapphires, they are injecting them with either blue oil, resin or wax to take a no quality stone look like a top grade stone. Easy way to test your tanzanite is a black UV light. Both longwave and shortwave lights will NOT react with real tanzanite. It stays midnight black. Cobalt will glow pink/red however. Waxes and oils possibly yellow.
You can buy decent long wave flashlights online (the big store sells lots, check reviews). Also invest in a pocket microscope. Carson brand makes some great ones for less than $20, both the 20x-60x version and the 60x-120X version. They use above lighting, so an easy trick to turn it into an underlit scope it to take a glass cup or mason jar and a flashlight about the same length. Flip the cup over with flashlight inside. if it's too bright, add one layer of white coffee filter over the top to diffuse it. Put gemstone on the top and hold the scope right up to it.
I don't recommend the UV light AND the scope as the UV light can burn your eyeballs, lol.
And as always, any stone under 4CT that seems to show "quad A color" (as they like to say), I'll use Tony's words "Run! Run my friends!" Run FAR away. Investment grade is usually anything 4ct and above BECAUSE the color is better. Very few smaller stones are dark, and since SHOPLC sells LOTS of tanzanite, having a HUGE supply of these great colored SMALL stones is a clue that SOMETHING is not right.
Would they KNOW if it was treated? likely SOMEONE does, but chances are good most do not. Just like the genuine gemstone necklaces I bought. I know for certain SOMEONE knew they were fake, but the others don't WANT to know because they might feel bad selling something they knew to be fake. At least I'd like to think so . . .
Moral of the story, before buying ANY expensive gemstone, or a gemstone that's normally expensive and selling cheap, do your research.
Also black lights are great for diamonds . . .
Stay safe, and happy hunting!
