Margaret, Most, if not all, emerald is treated in oil to make
inclusions less visible. (See “emeralds being treated” on my web site
below.) It looks like the emerald got too hot and the oil burned. If
the emerald is considered ruined, and if no-one comes up with any
solutions ( I’ll cc Robert and Mark), I’d love to give it a try to
clean it. I think soaking it in Acetone might remove some of the
discoloration. It might take numerous cycles of vacuum and pressure
to infuse new oil to replace the old, using a lye solution to dissolve
the old oil and then try to replace it. These would be just a few
suggestions off the top of my head. Love and God Bless -randy
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Since emerald is beryllium silicate I would not advise using lye
(Sodium Hydroxide) to dissolve the remaining oil in the stone. Lye
(Sodium and or Potassium hydroxide) pellets and solutions are stored
in plastic containers because they will dissolve silicates readily.
This is a procedure not for amateurs or those who are
unknowledgeable…Ed Katz, G.G. (former chemist Baylor College of
Medicine)
This is 100% correct - don’t use Lye or other caustic. The best
solvent to try would probably be Methylene Chloride. It will break
down epoxy with time and remove other organics. It would still be
best to let a Real expert try to work on the stone. And Pray.
Jesse