The invention provides a gemstone or a decorative object having at least one surface bearing a thin film coating. In some embodiments, there is provided a gemstone having an appearance characterized by at least two different color zones, where such two zones are of different colors. In other embodiments, two different areas of a single (e.g., integral, one-piece) gemstone carry coatings of different composition, and the resulting appearance of the gemstone is characterized by the stone exhibiting substantially a single uniform body color that is different than the body color the stone would exhibit if it were coated only with one or the other of the coatings. Also provided are new deposition techniques.