Beryllium-diffused blue sapphires: there are a lot out there, says GIA

If you have a blue sapphire that appears to have been heated at high temperatures, an analysis to discover whether it is beryllium (Be)-treated or not is essential. This is what the director of GIA Research (Thailand), Ken Scarratt, told the audience at the GIA Gemfest Asia held during the September Hong Kong Fair. He also said that an "experiment" conducted by GIA Research revealed "a huge amount of such material out there."