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The Heat Treatment of Ruby & Sapphire
by Ted Themelis

This is the highest technical volume for the layman on the subject of the heat treatment of ruby-sapphire and the only book that deals exclusively with the subject. This book is an account of the most commonly practiced heat treatment methods and apparatuses which alter the appearance of ruby- sapphire. This book explains how the chromophoric impurities may enhance or sometimes ruin rubies and sapphires after heating. Over 500 heat-treatment experiments performed on rubies-sapphires from worldwide localities are discussed in this book, as performed at the author's laboratory.
  • Limited Edition
  • Delivery: Look in eBay
  • Format: Hardcover, 6"x9"
  • 234 b/w pp.
  • ISBN: 0-940965-10-0
  • Publisher: Gemlab Inc.
  • Pub. Date: December 1992

SOLD OUT
few copies may be found in eBay (asking US$250+)

Selected Reviews:

"A unique, well balanced and readable text covering both the thermochemical theory and the practical details necessary for the heat treatment of corundum and its detection. Highly recommended." - Peter G. Read, C. Eng, MIEE, MIERE, FGA

"This book has a truly astonishing amount of unpublished experimental data on a subject of broad interest, in theory as well as in practice. This work is of particular interest for gemologists, geologists, and the mineralogists. It also, may be of invaluable use for those involved in the gem trade." - V. de Michele, Istituto Gemmologico Italiano

"This is the first book to deal with both the practical heat treatment of corundum and its technical/scientific aspects. The great number of empirical results presented makes it possible for the reader to fully appreciate the complexity of the subject. The author has carried out experiments on all available samples in order to record variations in the color mechanism response As Ted Themelis shows, heat treatment cannot work wonders; however, under controllable conditions the results in many cases may cause surprise.
The reader of this volume, who is looking for a sure-fire recipe for treating his particular specimens will be started by the detailed descriptions of the many different materials and their specific methods of treatment. Some gemologists and dealers in precious stones will also be surprised by both the extensive list of corundum deposits, some of them relatively unknown, and by the characterization of the respective gems.
This book by Ted Themelis is an important addition to the list of technical publication on gemstones. As a text, it is recommended to every gemologist who has an open mind to the current developments in the field of corundum heat treatment." - Dr. H A. Hanni, SSEF - Swiss Gemmological Institute.

 
Sapphires before (left) and after (right) heated by Ted


Traditional method for heat-treating ruby and sapphire practiced in Sri-Lanka
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