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Buyer beware: Realistic looking lab emerald

T L

T L

Super_Ideal_Rock
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Joined
Sep 20, 2008
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I was on Instagram recently and happened upon this lab emerald with very natural looking inclusions. There were included lab emeralds that I was aware of, but I was familiar with how they looked.

As always, if you’re in the market for an important emerald purchase, please make sure it comes with a reputable lab report. Fortunately, this seller is disclosing this as a synthetic.


B5B03A8B-3339-449F-8846-B52E643AC354.jpeg
 
Fascinating. I noticed that on Precision Gem there is an option for lightly included synthetic emerald as well. There isn’t a picture of a finished stone in that material but I did strike me as interesting.

what are the prices like for the vendor you posted? They all state DM for details.
 
SapphireLover said:
Fascinating. I noticed that on Precision Gem there is an option for lightly included synthetic emerald as well. There isn’t a picture of a finished stone in that material but I did strike me as interesting.

what are the prices like for the vendor you posted? They all state DM for details.
Click to expand...

I don’t know the prices, sorry.
 
Interesting. I wonder if they are hydrothermal emeralds grown in an autoclave? These conditions are a close match for how emeralds form naturally and produce beautiful crystals that look very similar to their natural counterparts.
 
Nick_G said:
Interesting. I wonder if they are hydrothermal emeralds grown in an autoclave? These conditions are a close match for how emeralds form naturally and produce beautiful crystals that look very similar to their natural counterparts.
Click to expand...

That's cool! I always wondered where they would grow these types of things exactly.
 
Do they mark the synthetics to show that they are in fact synthetic and not a natural one?
 
MamaBee said:
Do they mark the synthetics to show that they are in fact synthetic and not a natural one?
Click to expand...

I’m not sure, but even if they did, like with synthetic diamonds, the mark can be polished off.
 
An excellent example of how important it is to have a reputable lab report for any colored gems and diamonds. Otherwise not only don’t you know what you’re getting you also don’t know if what you’re paying is fair. Especially with labs diamonds and colored gems. It can be difficult to differentiate for the lay person.
 
T L said:
I’m not sure, but even if they did, like with synthetic diamonds, the mark can be polished off.
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Wow! That’s pretty scary!
 
There is a company in Japan that is taking low grade natural emerald, and I think then grinding them up, remelting into nice crystals. I have seen them at the GJX show in past years in Tucson. This is much different than the hydrothermal lab grown crystals. These remelted stones did all look clean to the quick look I gave them.
 
I found this website just before Christmas and it advertises lab created sapphires, emeralds, rubies etc with or without inclusions. So I think this will become much more common in the future - which is heartbreaking.

Buy Lab Created Blue Sapphire Inclusion Online | Blue Sapphire Inclusion Gemstone For Sale - Gems N Gems

Premium quality lab created blue sapphire inclusion for sale, We offer lab created blue sapphire inclusion on sale at very best prices. Check prices and all shapes here!
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:kiss2: Wow, those lab grown emeralds look fantastic, a very realistic looking alternative to natural stones. I wonder why there aren't lab grown rubies that look as realistic - there are people like me who could never afford a 5 carat natural ruby looking for some you know =)2
 
My recollection is that this isn't new, when I was a college student buying synthetics 20 years ago, it was possible to buy hydrothermally grown emeralds that had them? (Unless I am super misremembering? =)2) I think there are a number of companies grinding up bits of low quality emerald and regrowing them via the hydrothermal process, it's easy to find both rough and finished stones on ebay, from Russia, India, and other places. I have also definitely seen vintage (mid 20th century or earlier) synthetic rubies with realistic inclusions. With amber, reconstitution of created stones from ground up bits of natural amber became common in the 19th century.
 
LD said:
I found this website just before Christmas and it advertises lab created sapphires, emeralds, rubies etc with or without inclusions. So I think this will become much more common in the future - which is heartbreaking.

Buy Lab Created Blue Sapphire Inclusion Online | Blue Sapphire Inclusion Gemstone For Sale - Gems N Gems

Premium quality lab created blue sapphire inclusion for sale, We offer lab created blue sapphire inclusion on sale at very best prices. Check prices and all shapes here!
www.gemsngems.com www.gemsngems.com
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Why is it heartbreaking?
 
Polyhex said:
My recollection is that this isn't new, when I was a college student buying synthetics 20 years ago, it was possible to buy hydrothermally grown emeralds that had them? (Unless I am super misremembering? =)2) I think there are a number of companies grinding up bits of low quality emerald and regrowing them via the hydrothermal process, it's easy to find both rough and finished stones on ebay, from Russia, India, and other places. I have also definitely seen vintage (mid 20th century or earlier) synthetic rubies with realistic inclusions. With amber, reconstitution of created stones from ground up bits of natural amber became common in the 19th century.
Click to expand...

The synthetic emeralds I remember all those years ago had inclusions that looked web like, as in the photo, 30BFAFB5-2972-4E5C-B6AE-513C85FBC92D.jpegbut I don’t recall them ever looking very realistic. I could be wrong.
 
To be honest, if I wanted a synthetic Emerald, I would want it eye clean. I mean what is the point other than maybe trying to fool people into buying a synthetic calling it natural or fooling friends, who I would suspect would not know there was such a thing as synthetic Emerald 9 times out of 10.
 
fredflintstone said:
To be honest, if I wanted a synthetic Emerald, I would want it eye clean. I mean what is the point other than maybe trying to fool people into buying a synthetic calling it natural or fooling friends, who I would suspect would not know there was such a thing as synthetic Emerald 9 times out of 10.
Click to expand...

I'm actually a bit reversed. I find that I dislike the massive eye clean gems because they just look *too* perfect. Like glass or obvious costume jewelry. It's like uncanny valley for gems :P
 
JackTrick said:
I'm actually a bit reversed. I find that I dislike the massive eye clean gems because they just look *too* perfect. Like glass or obvious costume jewelry. It's like uncanny valley for gems :razz:
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Each to their own. :)

There are plenty of eye clean stones out there excluding Emerald that are eye clean & don't look like glass.

But yes, Beryl's optical properties are undistinguished, as is most glass, though Beryl has more luster from taking a better polish because of its hardness.. But it is all about the color with Beryls.

Call me a snob, but I have never cared for gemstones less than eye clean with very few exceptions, and those have to be nearly eye clean and top color for their species.
 
Ha, and I like an inclusion or two for adding character (and making it less expensive). Which might explain my tastes :P

but enough room for all god’s creatures in the world of gem buying :)
 
JackTrick said:
Ha, and I like an inclusion or two for adding character (and making it less expensive). Which might explain my tastes :razz:

but enough room for all god’s creatures in the world of gem buying :)
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I hear ya…But they are going to charge you as much for a man-made Emerald with visible inclusions as not. Probably more as the claim will be more natural looking.


There was a synthetic Ruby made maybe ten years or more ago that even experts had problems identifying natural or synthetic. But the lady who created or owned the company sold them as synthetic. She then decided to stop making them. It has been so long ago I cannot remember the details, but her synthetic Ruby was the most expensive on the market. Cannot speak for Ruby synthetics now, as I just do not pay much attention to them.
 
fredflintstone said:
I hear ya…But they are going to charge you as much for a man-made Emerald with visible inclusions as not. Probably more as the claim will be more natural looking.


There was a synthetic Ruby made maybe ten years or more ago that even experts had problems identifying natural or synthetic. But the lady who created or owned the company sold them as synthetic. She then decided to stop making them. It has been so long ago I cannot remember the details, but her synthetic Ruby was the most expensive on the market. Cannot speak for Ruby synthetics now, as I just do not pay much attention to them.
Click to expand...

Has to be Judith Osmer/Ramaura Ruby:



The uncut crystals look gorgeous!
 
Now I just bought one, though from a different seller. It is the OP's fault!

Colored gem beauties (lab-created)

I'm suuuuper excited. I've never been a crazy coloured stone person, but have been hankering for a rich blue sapphire for a while now. I was planning on a small pair as studs to get me started, but a large natural sapphire is well out of reach. I've been umming and ahhing about a lab cut stone...
www.pricescope.com
 
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JackTrick said:
The lab emeralds with inclusions are super interesting looking to me.

I recently had one cut. You can see the rough here: (click to see video)
https://imgur.com/8vl78SY

And the cut one here: (click to see video)
https://imgur.com/DNzF1Q5
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@JackTrick do you mind telling me which vendor you got your lab emerald from? I have been looking for a lab with inclusions. I have been in contact with the insta seller that T L mentioned above, but haven't pulled the trigger mainly bc it's from overseas.
 
Mreader said:
@JackTrick do you mind telling me which vendor you got your lab emerald from? I have been looking for a lab with inclusions. I have been in contact with the insta seller that T L mentioned above, but haven't pulled the trigger mainly bc it's from overseas.
Click to expand...

Rough was purchased from (hydrothermal Colombian) https://www.tairus.com/

And the gem was cut by Jim Buday / @shinypreciousgems
 
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