Orange rim surrounding a pink core in a beryllium-treated orange sapphire from Madagascar. The color rim is visible when the gem is immersed in di-iodomethane and is evidence of a treatment. In stones where the beryllium penetrates all the way through the gem, detection is extremely difficult without sophisticated chemical analysis.
Just a few parts per million of beryllium can alter the color of a gem. LIBS promises to dramatically reduce the cost of unmasking this treatment. (Photo: Richard Hughes/Pala International