Gemstone treatment
Lead Glass Filling
Blue, purple, orange, or yellow flash effects in fractures; flattened gas bubbles; glassy areas crossing cavities; unusually clean appearance for heavily fractured material.
01
What to look for
Blue, purple, orange, or yellow flash effects in fractures; flattened gas bubbles; glassy areas crossing cavities; unusually clean appearance for heavily fractured material.
02
What it means
Lead glass filling turns very fractured ruby into a composite material. It is far less durable and far less valuable than untreated or simply heated ruby.
03
Expert move
Look for flash colors along fractures while rocking the stone. Bubbles trapped inside filled fractures are highly suspicious.