Gem identification involves conducting tests of a gem’s optical and physical properties to narrow a list of possibilities down to one. It also involves observation tempered by knowledge and experience.
Gem creation usually involves mineral crystallization and other geological processes.
Treatment refers to any process other than cutting and polishing that improves the appearance of the color or clarity, or that are used to alter the appearance (color, clarity or phenomena), durability, value, or supply of a gemstone.
Inclusions in a gemstone, viewed through a microscope or a 10x loupe, can give information about the geological environment in which the mineral was formed. Inclusions can sometimes identify gemstones and they can prove whether the stone is natural or synthetic.
