Disclosing Enhancements: A Gemologist’s Guide

Minimizing the Sales Impact of Disclosing Enhancements

Gemologists in the business of selling gems need ways to declare gemstone enhancements without hurting sales. Try presenting the information as educational. (“Show off” your expertise). Or, you could make the disclosure after consummating the sale. (Weaker, but still satisfactory). For example, if you sold an emerald ring, tell your customer that the stone was oiled while explaining how to care for the ring.

In a sales situation, always present things in a positive light. You can say things like, “the oil is invisible and simply helps you see the emerald” or “I can’t tell if this aquamarine has been heat treated because the process is identical to what happens in nature.”

Disclosing Enhancements in Gem Appraisals and Other Written Forms

Of course, how you report gemstone treatments varies from situation to situation. We can’t cover all the varieties of written appraisals, certifications, grading forms, etc. However, the most important thing is to make the disclosure obvious and clear, not hidden in fine print or obscured by vague or misleading terminology. For example, stating that a glass-filled ruby is simply a “treated” ruby is totally unacceptable.

For International Gem Society…