What are beryllium-diffused sapphires?
Diffusion is a treatment process that uses heat and chemicals to add an element from an external source into a gemstone to change its color. Even the most perfect crystal has places in its lattice where atoms are missing. These gaps are termed “vacancies.” In the case of corundum, which is made up of aluminum and oxygen atoms, the higher the temperature, the more vacancies there will be. The color change depends on the type of element that is diffused into the corundum, the stone’s inherent chemical composition, and the conditions under which the diffusion process takes place.
