The mysteries of platinum Platinum jewelry is trendy, but buying platinum is a mystery for many consumers. Jewelry with less than 85 percent platinum, mixed with other metals similar to platinum, must bear certain markings. That would leave 5 percent for other metals. The treatments could backfire and damage the jewelry in the future. In all cases, find out if the stones have been treated.
Treated stones are often worth much less than untreated stones.
Ask if the treatment is permanent, and if the treated stone requires special care. Irradiating can add more color to colored diamonds and certain other gemstones. Impregnating some gems with colorless oils or wax masks a variety of imperfections, hides cracks, and improves color. Fracture filling hides cracks or fractures in gems by injecting plastic resins into the cracks. Diffusion treatment adds color to the surface of colorless gems, and for some gems the center of the stone remains colorless.