0.15mm per day, so it takes many
weeks to form a large crystal.”
Pozdeeva told me that RusGems
also creates fl aws in their synthetic
emeralds to make them look more real,
including fog, cracks, and small gas
bubbles. She was up front about this.
The small slab of the standard
dark emerald that I bought was $75
cash, and cheap considering the
brains and technology that were
poured into its development. The
company’s manmade “Colombian” is
even more appealing, but also more
expensive — about $275 for
a smaller piece.
Controversy
Synthetics spark arguments. In
industry Facebook posts, jewelers
say they fear consumers will get
confused between manmade gems
and “real,” especially when chemical
properties are the same. And frankly,
like many of us, these profession-
als would rather sell you a $25,000
mined emerald ring in their store
than have you buy a $1,500 man-
made version online.
Even more worrying is the oppor-
tunity for fraud. According to one
report, manmade gems can be easily
mixed into parcels of natural gems
and sold as such, even in the places
where they are mined.
Nathan Renfro is willing to tackle
the plus side. He’s manager of col-
ored stones identifi cation at the
Gemological Institute of America.
“A lot of synthetics have the
look of a natural stone for a much
cheaper cost,” he says. “It fi lls a
niche in the market for people who
can’t aff ord a real emerald.” Renfro
has seen lots of emeralds during
his career and has researched them
down to their smallest detail.
“With synthetics, the features are
pretty straightforward. Most natu-
ral emeralds are treated for clarity
enhancement,” he says. He is refer-
ring to oils and resins used to fi ll
cracks in natural emeralds. If you can
spot them, or test for them, you are
probably looking at a natural stone.
In contrast, “synthetics don’t require
clarity enhancement,” he says. So
that marker is absent.
When in doubt, or when in the
market for an expensive natural em-
erald, you can always ask to have a
GIA report made pending your pur-
chase, he says. In addition to training
experts in gem identifi cation, the in-
stitute exists as an independent third
party, has done extensive research in
the industry, and has no stake in the
outcome.Manmade Advantages
- Natural emeralds are often treated
with oil to improve their appear-
ance and can dry out over time.
Not so with manmade. - You can cut manmade emeralds
yourself without having to worry
about destroying a valuable stone. - Manmade gems can be grown
larger in the lab than is possible
in nature.
Resources
- RusGems has posted its book-
let on synthetic processes at
https://rusgems.com/site/assets/
fi les/1091/rusgems_booklet.pdf. - RusGems occasionally sells rough
at: https://www.ebay.com/str/
RusGems. - For more information on synthet-
ics, see An Introduction to Syn-
thetic Gem Materials, by Robert
Weldon at https://www.gia.edu/
gem-synthetic. - Nathan Renfro talks about inclu-
sions in natural and manmade
gems at https://podcasts.apple.
com/us/podcast/gemstone-inclu-
sions-with-nathan-renfro/id1435
972886?i=1000437472611&utm_
source=education_facebook&utm_
medium=social&utm_
campaign=gemstone-inclusions-
nathan-renfro&fbclid=IwAR0bzJtL
x8tPAEaCiKrHbXVUtiIMzLJ71fxQi
1f7-sg3Aull30vPZbcCvxY.- To learn more about nanosistal
gems, go to http://www.interweave.com/
article/jewelry/nano-gemstones-
lis-el-crowley-metal-clay-jewelry.
BETSY LEHNDORFF has been free-lancing
for Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist since 2010.
She posts Studio Notes every other week at
http://www.interweave.com/category/article/jewelry
and sells her work in Michigan art galleries.
Got questions? Betsy can be reached at
betsylehndorff @gmail.com.materialsmateri
Emerald
Neckpiece
MANMADE / HANDMADE,
PAGE 88Faceted manmade
standard emeraldSEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019 87