Azotic® Designer Gemstone Enhancement Fact Sheet

Azotic LLC enhances the surface of the gemstone to improve the optical properties of natural or man-made gemstones. The properties of the individual gemstone (quality of substrate, faceting, cut and polish) will affect the finished product (color, brilliance and clarity).

The gemstones that have the Azotic® enhancement are produced by utilizing a thin-film optical treatment. This method is known within the technical industry as Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD). The PVD method is unique: utilizing various minerals, oxygen and high vacuum.

Azotic LLC provides the gemstone world a kaleidoscope of colors on select substrates for a price that is affordable. PVD is considered to be environmentally "green" since no radiation or harsh chemicals are utilized.

Jewelry manufacturers have been creating designer jewelry for years. Today, Azotic LLC can create a Surface Enhanced Designer Gemstone™ to make any design unique. The Azotic® Surface Enhanced Gemstones are protected by USA PATENT NUMBERs 5,853,826, 6,997,014 and 7,137,275. Azotic LLC WILL pursue ANY patent infringement activity afforded under USA PATENT LAWS on behalf of our products, protecting the investment of Azotic LLC as well as the customers.

Azotic LLC has the experience and high volume capacity to handle your gemstone requirements. Large volume orders are handled through authorized resellers, providing the customer with the best combination of availability, price, quality and experience

The thin film treatment applied to gemstones is durable and hard. The treated layer is only microns in thickness. It is not deposited in thick layers. If the wearer utilizes care, the enhancement will last the life of the jewelry setting.

When setting the Azotic® Surface Enhanced Designer Gemstones™ into jewelry, the jewelry manufacturer should take care in the training of the employees. The manufacturer should emphasize that the Azotic® Surface Enhanced Designer Gemstones™ are to be treated as you would an opal or pearl. Education is the key to success at this stage.

As with many gemstones and jewelry, care should be taken to avoid heat, chemicals, abrasives and harsh environments. Cleaning is important to maintain luster and shine. To clean, use a mild soap and water or a jewelry cleaner that is PH balanced. Check with your jeweler to determine which cleaners are PH balanced. Many cleaners for silver or gold jewelry are not PH balanced and actually work by dissolving the top layer of metals. These cleaners may also remove or damage the thin film enhancement since the enhancement is comprised of metals, oxides and nitrides like the jewelry piece itself.

Heat: The amount of heat that a certain enhancement can tolerate will vary depending on the type of processing that is used to apply the enhancement. Even within one of our processes, the heat limitations can vary from enhancement to enhancement. Most of our enhancements are rated for up to at least 500C but there are some where heat should be avoided. Contact your Azotic representative to get more information on specific enhancements. We do not recommend using lost wax casting / investment casting with our enhancements. The temperature that these reach is above the rated temperature for most of our enhancements and will likely effect the color and possibly the enhancement itself. If you are set on using this method, please try a test of the enhancements that you have ordered first to verify that you are satisfied with the results. Azotic LLC is not responsible for any issues that arises from doing this type of setting.

Ultrasonics: The thin film enhancement will hold up to ultrasonic cleaning as long as the solution used in the ultrasonic is PH balanced. Many solutions used in ultrasonics are not PH balanced and as with jewelry cleaners will dissolve the top layer of metal on the jewelry piece and affect the thin film enhancement. NOTE: Jewelry that has been plated or coated with gold, rhodium, platinum or other metals to improve the shine and desirability may also be affected by these solutions and should be avoided to preserve your jewelry in good condition.

Plating: It is the recommendation of Azotic that any plating that needs to be done to a jewelry piece be completed prior to setting the enhanced gemstone. The manufacturer can always do a test piece to see if it holds up to the specific plating bath that they utilize, but Azotic can't guarantee that it will work or continue to work in the future. Rhodium plating in particular tends to use harsh acids and possibly heat which can attack certain elements that may be a part of our enhancements. When considering the process flow of the jewelry manufacturing it should always be designed around what you might need to do if a pearl was to be set.

Steamers: High heat is required to produce steam. This steam can harm many gemstones as well as the thin film enhancement of the Azotic® Surface Enhanced Designer Gemstones™. The use of non-purified filtered water can cause a build-up on the surface of the gemstone or jewelry of various trace minerals found in the water. These minerals will form an additional thin layer of dull semi-transparent material that will be almost impossible to remove from the surface. This may make the gemstone appear dull and lacking brilliance. Soaking in a hot mixture of a PH balanced detergent and clean water should restore shine to your jewelry piece. However, it is possible that permanent damage will have occurred from the steaming.

Cleaners: Azotic only utilizes cleaners that are safe for pearls or opals. To clean the Surface Enhanced Designer Gemstones™, a mild soap and water rinse is recommended or a glass cleaner like "Windex". Any neutral PH cleaner can also be utilized.

Surface enhancements may be to the pavilion of the gemstone or to the table. The type of enhancement will determine where the gemstone is enhanced (table or pavilion). To avoid problems, maintain the rule to treat all enhanced gemstones as an opal or pearl. Avoid all abrasives, acids, scouring powders, jeweler's rouges, polishing cloths and mechanical polishing to the enhanced surface of the gemstone itself.