Growing synthetic diamonds at home. Growing ruby ​​crystals at home. How to distinguish a gem

Artificial stones have long gained popularity in jewelry. Indeed, for a jeweler, the value of a stone is determined not only by its deficit in nature. Important role plays a number of other characteristics:

• Colour;
• light refraction;
• strength;
• carat weight;
• the size and shape of the edges, etc.

The most expensive artificial gemstone is Cubic Zirconia (synonyms: daimonsquay, jewalite, zirconium cube, shelby). Its price is low - less than $ 10 per 1 carat (that's 0.2 grams). But it's worth noting that the price rises exponentially with the increase in carats. For example, a 10 carat diamond is worth 100 times more expensive than a diamond 1 carat.

Artificial crystals of gemstones can be grown at home. Most of these experiments do not require special training, you do not need to equip chemical laboratory and even purchase special reagents.

To gain experience in growing crystals, start small. We will share the technique of growing beautiful crystals from everything that you can actually find on own kitchen... You don't need any additional inventory at all, because everything you need is definitely on the shelves. Let's also consider the technology of growing artificial rubies at home!

How to Grow Ruby Crystals Synthetically?

Growing ruby ​​crystals may even be an option home business... After all, beautiful synthetic stones already today they are in great demand among buyers, therefore, if the project is successfully implemented, they can bring you a good profit. Synthetically grown stones are used by jewelers and also have a wide range of uses in engineering.

Ruby crystals can be grown using the standard method by selecting the correct salts. But this will not be as effective as in the case of salt or sugar, and the growth process is much longer in duration. And the quality will be questionable. After all, natural ruby ​​on the Mohs scale of hardness is second only to Diamond, occupying the honorable 9th place. Naturally, when it comes to business, in most cases a different method is used, developed over 100 years ago in France.

You will need a special apparatus named after the inventor this method, i.e., the Verneuil apparatus. It can be used to grow ruby ​​crystals up to 20-30 carats in size in just a few hours.

Although the technology remains about the same. Salt of aluminum dioxide with an admixture of chromium oxide is placed in the storage of an oxygen-hydrogen burner. We melt the mixture, observing how the ruby ​​actually grows "before our eyes".

Depending on the composition of the salt you choose, you can adjust the color of the crystals to obtain artificial emeralds, topaz and absolutely transparent stones.

Working with the device will require your attention and some experience, but in the future you will be able to grow crystals that will fascinate with their beauty, transparency and play of color. In the future, such masterpieces are well served by cutting and grinding, respectively, they can be used for their intended purpose.

It is worth noting that cultured crystals are not gemstones, so even if you decide to start a business of growing them, it will not require additional licensing from you.

The design of the apparatus is simple, you can easily make it yourself. But on the Internet there are already enough craftsmen offering drawings of the original installation, as well as its improved versions.

Set for growing ruby ​​crystals at home

The principle of rubies production technology itself is quite simple and is schematically shown in the figure below:

Understanding the principle of operation, any device no longer seems so complicated. One of the sample drawings of the Verneuil apparatus:

This technology can also be used to grow other expensive artificial stones, such as "Blue Topaz", etc.

Growing salt crystals at home

The easiest and most affordable experiment that you can conduct is to create beautiful salt crystals... To do this, you will need several items:

1. Common rock salt.
2. Water. It is important that the water itself contains as little of its own salts as possible, and preferably distilled.
3. The container in which the experiment will be carried out (any can, glass, saucepan will do).

Pour into a container warm water(its temperature is about 50 ° C). Add to water kitchen salt and stir. After dissolving, add again. We repeat the procedure until the salt stops dissolving, settling to the bottom of the vessel. This indicates that the saline solution has become saturated, which is what we needed. It is important that during the preparation of the solution its temperature remains constant, does not cool down, so we can create a more saturated solution.

Pour the saturated solution into a clean jar, separating it from the sediment. We select a separate crystal of salt, and then we place it in a container (you can hang it on a thread). Experiment completed. After a few days, you will be able to see how your crystal has grown in size.

Growing sugar crystals at home

The technology for producing sugar crystals is similar to the previous method. You can dip a cotton swab into the solution, then sugar crystals will build up on it. If the crystal growth process has become slower, then the concentration of sugar in the solution has decreased. Add granulated sugar to it again, then the process will resume.

Note: if you add food coloring to the solution, then the crystals will become multi-colored.

You can grow sugar crystals on sticks. To do this, you will need:

• ready-made sugar syrup, prepared similarly to a saturated saline solution;
• wooden sticks;
• some granulated sugar;
• food coloring (if you want colorful candies).

Everything is very simple. Dip a wooden stick in syrup and roll in granulated sugar. The more grains stick, the more beautiful the result will be. Let the chopsticks dry thoroughly, and then proceed simply to the second phase.

Pour the saturated hot sugar syrup into a glass, place the prepared stick there. If you are preparing multi-colored crystals, add food coloring to the hot prepared syrup.

Make sure that the stick does not touch the walls and bottom, otherwise the result will be ugly. You can fix the stick with a piece of paper, putting it on top. The paper will also serve as a lid for the container, which will prevent any debris from entering your solution.

In about a week, you'll have some lovely sugar lollipops. They can decorate any tea party, delighting not only children, but also adults!

Growing crystals from copper sulfate at home

Crystals from copper sulfate are obtained in an interesting shape, while having a deep blue color. It is worth remembering that copper sulfate is a chemically active compound, therefore, crystals from it should not be tasted, and caution should be exercised when working with the material. For the same reason, in in this case only distilled water will do. It is important that it is chemically neutral. Be careful and careful when handling copper sulfate.

In this case, the growth of crystals from vitriol occurs in fact according to the same scheme as in the previous cases.

When placing the main crystal for growing in the solution, you need to make sure that it does not come into contact with the walls of the pot. And do not forget to monitor the saturation of the solution.

If you have placed your crystal at the bottom of the vessel, then it is worth watching so that it does not touch other crystals. In this case, they will grow together, and instead of one beautiful large sample, you will get a mass of indistinct shape.

Helpful advice! You can independently adjust the size of the facets of your crystal. If you want some of them to grow more slowly, you can grease them with petroleum jelly or grease. And to preserve the sky-blue handsome man, you can process the edges with transparent varnish.

There are 3 weight categories of diamonds:

1. Small. Weight 0.29 ct
2. Average. Weight from 0.3 to 0.99 carats
3. Large. Diamonds over 1 carat.

Stones weighing 6 carats or more are admitted to popular auctions. Stones weighing more than 25 carats are given their own names. For example: "Winston" diamond (62.05 carats) or "De Beers" (234.5 carats), etc.

Ruby is one of the most famous and beautiful gemstones that has been highly valued by people for thousands of years. His bright red associated with the color of fire or blood and symbolizes vitality and energy. Natural rubies are rarely large and transparent, therefore especially outstanding stones become national treasures in different countries, decorate things of royal families and aristocrats.

Description of natural and synthetic rubies

Natural ruby ​​is a very hard mineral, a type of corundum. Its chemical composition is very simple - it is aluminum oxide Al 2 O 3 with a microscopic admixture of chromium, which provides the red color.

Colorless corundum has no gem value, but due to its hardness, it is used in technology as an abrasive material. Other gem varieties of corundum are sapphire, the blue color of which is provided by an admixture of titanium and iron, and a pale green artificial amaryll.

Rubies vary in color from pink to fiery red and brown, and the most expensive shade is considered "pigeon blood": bright red with an admixture of purple. Products made from this stone have a characteristic glass luster.

except beautiful color Ruby is characterized by an interesting optical phenomenon - the appearance of a six-pointed star on a smooth curved surface of a stone (asterism). This is due to the superposition of light refraction inside the crystal. Star rubies are not cut but left as cabochons.

Natural stones are rarely perfect quality, therefore, before going on sale, they are subjected to different types processing. The most popular techniques are heating, enriching with beryllium to enhance the red color and filling cracks in low-quality stones with glass.

Currently, most of the "natural" rubies on sale are composite, as they went through the procedure of filling with glass, the mass of which can eventually reach up to 50 percent of the mass of the stone. Natural ruby ​​is the most expensive gemstone after diamond. The record-breaking 25-carat stone was purchased in 1995 by the Sheikh of Brunei for $ 12 million.

Synthetic rubies are stones that are identical to a natural mineral in their chemical composition, but obtained artificially. The first small crystals of ruby ​​were obtained by Mark Gooden from molten corundum back in 1837. Later, scientists learned how to melt the wreckage. natural stones into the so-called "Siamese rubies".

Using this method, the French obtained gemstones weighing up to 10 carats. However, the first really artificial ruby from aluminum oxide was obtained only at the end of the 19th century by Auguste Vernel. His method allowed for the rapid growth of large crystals on an industrial scale and initiated the widespread production of synthetic rubies around the world.

Basic modern methods of growing rubies

Currently, a number of industrial methods are used to synthesize gem crystals, for example:

Synthetic rubies are used industrially for the production of solid-state ruby ​​lasers.

Due to quantum transitions in a ruby ​​crystal when irradiated, such a laser generates a directed beam of red light with a wavelength of 694.3 nm. Since 1960, this device has been used in the medical industry (tattoo removal) and for solving various technical problems (pulse holography).

Fake rubies: how to distinguish synthetic from natural?

Most reliable way to distinguish whether your stone is synthetic or natural, consult with professional jeweler... Since the chemical composition of artificial ruby ​​is identical to a natural mineral, it is not always possible to reliably verify the origin of the stone at home.

There are some helpful tips on how to determine the authenticity of a ruby ​​yourself. First of all, you need to carefully examine the stone with a strong magnifying glass or under a microscope. A 10x magnification with good lighting should be sufficient. Synthetic rubies are usually flawless, while natural ones have small surface defects or cracks. Bubbles and inclusions inside the stone also indicate its artificial origin.

Due to the high price and popularity, other minerals are often sold under the guise of rubies, which are much cheaper. Among them, the most common are:

• garnets (Karelian rubies). Dark red or crimson stones that are rather dull in color. They are softer than rubies;
• tourmaline. The mineral is red-pink in color, also inferior in hardness to ruby;
• red glass;
• composite rubies. These are low-quality natural rubies, cracks in which are filled with colored glass.

There are several rules on how to distinguish a ruby ​​from a fake, especially if it is not made of very high quality. First of all, pay attention to the cut: a genuine stone must have precise and sharpened edges, and its imitations can be rounded and smoothed. Another test method is hardness testing.

Ruby is a very hard stone and it leaves colorless scratches on glass or ceramic surfaces, and a coin does not leave marks on it. If your stone leaves a red streak on the glass, it means it has been painted artificially. Ruby differs from glass in density (it is one and a half times heavier) and hardness (it easily scratches glass).

Unfortunately, without special equipment distinguish quality fake natural ruby ​​may not work. Until the 19th century, such methods did not exist at all, therefore, in many historical relics, crowns and jewelry, instead of rubies, other red gems are inserted.

The magical and healing properties of rubies

Have different nations rubies are traditionally endowed magical properties... Buddhists believed that this stone awakens a person's ability to art. Indian magicians believed that with the help of this stone one could gain power over other people. Rubies are often considered a symbol of passion, love and energy, sometimes the noble thoughts of its owner are associated with it. This gem gives strength and protects against black magic.

Medieval physicians used rubies to treat epilepsy, paralysis, and even depression. Large stones infused in water, and this infusion was used to treat intestines and impotence. Modern folk medicine believes that wearing rubies normalizes the circulatory system and has a beneficial effect on the heart.

However, for the stone to work, it must be natural, since artificial rubies are devoid of magical and medicinal properties.

Due to the high value of natural rubies, since ancient times, the market has been massively supplied various imitations and fakes. At the end of the 19th century, the cultivation of rubies, chemically identical to natural ones, was invented.

By now, there are many ways to grow large and transparent crystals, which are used both in the jewelry and technical fields - for example, for the production of ruby ​​lasers. However, a natural ruby ​​is much higher than an artificial one and remains preferable for making elite jewelry or magic talismans.

Growing ruby ​​crystals at home is available to everyone. The work does not require an equipped laboratory, obtaining theoretical and practical knowledge in the field of mineralogy, or purchasing special chemical reagents. Everything you need can be found in the kitchen.

Home experimentation

It is advised to start growing rubies with small volumes. First, experience is gained, the whole process is understood, and then direct systematic work begins. Synthetic creation of your own hands will not be inferior in beauty and attractiveness to natural minerals. Gemstones are in demand among jewelers, so a successful experience can bring additional income if you find a market.

There are several ways of growing. They advise you to try all the options, then stop at the one you like.

Artificial precious rocks, created by man, do not differ from natural ones in chemical content and physical properties. The advantage of home technology is that it allows you to create perfectly clean breeds. In nature, this happens extremely rarely. The gem quality of laboratory samples is quite good. Another plus of the mineral is cost. The stones are cheaper than their originals, originating in deep mines.

Organic salts

It is easy to grow a ruby ​​crystal from various salts:

• copper sulfate;
• potassium alum;
• common salt.

Longest salt-based process, longest beautiful samples obtained from vitriol. The production of ruby ​​crystals is based on the following stages:

1. Preparing the container. It should hold salt and a saturated saline solution. Take hot water... The process is gradual. Dilute two tablespoons with water, mix thoroughly. Then add salt and mix. you need to sprinkle until the salt stops dissolving. To comply with the proportions, they take a hint: a table of the solubility of different salts in 100 ml of water, their relationship with the temperature of the liquid.
2. Filtration of the solution. The solution must be clean. Dirt impurities will spoil the structure of the stone. Defects will be visible in it. The solution remains for 24 hours. During this period, crystals form at the bottom of the tank. They will form the basis of the ruby.
3. Artificial mineral growth. A fishing line is tied to the stone formed at the bottom of the glass. It is wrapped around a pencil or wooden stick. The device is installed on the container. The crystal is suspended in solution. Water tends to evaporate, a saturated saline solution releases excess, which is fixed on the resulting sample.
4. Adding salt solution. Water is always needed a certain amount of if there is not enough of it, the crystal will stop growing. At normal room temperature, water is added every 2 weeks.

To get rubies at home, you will have to wait about 3 months. Then the stone is freed from the saline solution, dried with a soft napkin. The sample is covered with colorless nail varnish in several layers.

Advice from experienced crystal makers. The salt solution must be at the same temperature as the water in the container. The crystal grows even at a slightly lower temperature, but high rises in solutions spoil and stop growth.

Apparatus for work at home

To create rubies at home, you need an apparatus named after its creator, Verneuil. The inventor's technique allows to grow a ruby ​​weighing 30 carats in 3 hours. The technology has made it possible to create the precious material in the right amount. Industrial facilities began to actively implement the development of Verneuil. Time has made its own adjustments, and today such a device is easily assembled at home. Components of the device:

• cathetometer;
• shaking mechanism;
• bunker;
• burner;
• muffle;
• growing crystal;
• crystal holder;
• crystal lowering mechanism.

The device is used for growing not only rubies. Often, blue topaz, emeralds and stones with a translucent transparent structure are created in the device.

Home production process:

1. Powder is poured into the hopper through a funnel. The composition of the powder is Al2O3, the additional component is Cr2O3.
2. The burner supplies the flame to the bottom of the hopper.
3. The powder starts to melt.
4. The layers of molten powder are a growing ruby ​​crystal.

Through the lowering mechanism, the artificial mineral moves downward. Various shades can be obtained in the device. The crystal formation rate is higher than in the container. It only takes 3 hours to admire the ruby. One sample requires the following component volumes:

• 6 g Al2O3;
• 0.2 g Cr2O.

Untreated crystalline formations are extraordinary in shape. They are originally similar to natural ones, but at the same time they are always unique.

At first glance, working with the device is difficult and painstaking. In fact, a device invented by a French inventor over 100 years ago will not create special problems... It is assembled from parts that practical people have on the farm. Making an apparatus and purchasing powder are the main stages of preparation.

Economic calculations

Home technology is always cheaper. You can calculate the cost of all components, costs, and determine the approximate cost of the samples obtained. What is ruby ​​taken into account:

• the cost of parts of the device;
• electricity costs;
• the price for the purchase of powders for the base of the crystal.

Even approximate calculations will show the benefits. The cost of all components will not be even 500 rubles. It's hard to buy ruby ​​jewelry for that kind of money. nice looking and excellent quality... The process should not intimidate domestic experimenters with legitimacy. Regulated by the state natural minerals, synthetic documents do not fall under the action of documents. If a decision is made to open a small production, it should be registered in accordance with the established procedure. The soul will be in place, the work will only bring satisfaction.

A gem that you create yourself will become pride. The craftsman will gradually learn to change the shades of rubies. The next step would be creative work over the resulting samples, transforming them into interior design items and original decorations.

In terms of their physical properties and chemical composition, synthetic precious stones practically do not differ from natural ones. Not all products sold in jewelry stores contain natural stones. And this is quite normal. Consider how to open your own ruby ​​crystal growing business at home.

• Auguste Verneuil method
• Determining the competition in this area
• We register home production
• Promotional activities
• A detailed method for growing crystals at home!

The main problem is that most natural stones do not have all the necessary characteristics to show off in jewelry. Stones obtained in the factory or laboratory conditions, have almost the same characteristics. Besides, synthetic production jewelry is cheaper than natural extraction in deep and life-threatening mines.

Growing with limited salts

Potassium alum is suitable for this method. It is best to grow copper sulfate crystals at home. They grow poorly from common salt... But copper sulfate is easy to buy, and very beautiful blue artificial gems grow from it.

1. Preparing the container. We will make a saturated salt solution in it. Pour in a few tablespoons of salt, fill it with water and stir. Add salt until it stops dissolving. Use hot water to ensure correct proportions. There are solubility curves for different salts. They show how many grams can dissolve in 100 ml of water at a certain temperature.

Solubility curves

2. We filter the solution. This step is very important, especially if you are buying copper sulfate from a garden store. If the solution is dirty, the crystal will grow with defects. We leave the solution for a day so that excess crystals fall out of it. They settle at the bottom of the glass and serve as a seed for us (the main elements on which new ones will grow).

3. We tie the crystal to the fishing line. We wrap the fishing line on a pencil and hang this device on a glass with a saturated solution. Over time, the water evaporates, the saturation of the solution increases. Excess substance that cannot be dissolved is deposited on our product.

4. Once every two weeks, add a saturated solution to the glass. Why do this? Over time, water evaporates and at some point in growth it will not be enough and growth will stop.

Important! The added solution should be the same temperature as the solution where the crystal grows. If it is the highest, we can spoil everything.

5. After three months we take out the crystal and dry it with a napkin.

6. Cover the product with 1-2 coats of colorless nail polish. This is necessary so that it does not dry out and does not lose its shine. After drying, the product can be taken by hand.

Here are some wonderful rubies you can grow at home!

Auguste Verneuil method

To obtain ruby ​​in laboratory conditions, an apparatus is used, invented by the French scientist Auguste Verneuil more than 100 years ago. On the Internet you can find information on the method of growing ruby ​​and more simplified equipment of the French scientist, which can be used at home. According to the Auguste Verneuil method, a ruby ​​crystal weighing 20-30 carats can be grown in 2-3 hours. It should be noted that this method also applies to the production of topaz in various shades (yellow, blue, white and transparent).

Drawing of the Verneuil apparatus

To obtain a product weighing 30 carats, you will need 3 kW * hours of electricity and 3 hours of time. In monetary terms, this will be less than $ 1. For the production of one crystal, 0.2 g of chromium oxide and 6 g of aluminum oxide powder are required, the cost of which will not exceed $ 0.50.

You don't need to be an economist to understand that even a raw crystal is sold to a jeweler and the profit will be quite solid. Having pleased your wife with home-grown topaz and rubies, you will receive incomparable psychological "dividends".

Download detailed description Verneuil method

Growing ruby ​​crystals at home is available to everyone. The work does not require an equipped laboratory, obtaining theoretical and practical knowledge in the field of mineralogy, or purchasing special chemical reagents. Everything you need can be found in the kitchen.

It is advised to start growing rubies with small volumes. First, experience is gained, the whole process is understood, and then direct systematic work begins. Synthetic creation of your own hands will not be inferior in beauty and attractiveness to natural minerals. Gemstones are in demand among jewelers, so a successful experience can bring additional income if you find a market.

There are several ways of growing. They advise you to try all the options, then stop at the one you like.

Artificial precious rocks, created by man, are not natural in chemical content and physical properties. The advantage of home technology is that it allows you to create perfectly clean breeds. In nature, this happens extremely rarely. The gem quality of laboratory samples is quite good. Another plus of the mineral is cost. The stones are cheaper than their originals, originating in deep mines.

Organic salts

It is easy to grow a ruby ​​crystal from various salts:

• copper sulfate;
• potassium alum;
• common salt.

The longest salt-based process, the most beautiful specimens are obtained from vitriol. The production of ruby ​​crystals is based on the following stages:

1. Preparing the container. It should hold salt and a saturated saline solution. Take hot water. The process is gradual. Dilute two tablespoons with water, mix thoroughly. Then add salt and mix. you need to sprinkle until the salt stops dissolving. To comply with the proportions, they take a hint: a table of the solubility of different salts in 100 ml of water, their relationship with the temperature of the liquid.
2. Filtration of the solution. The solution must be clean. Dirt impurities will spoil the structure of the stone. Defects will be visible in it. The solution remains for 24 hours. During this period, crystals form at the bottom of the tank. They will form the basis of the ruby.
3. Artificial mineral growth. A fishing line is tied to the stone formed at the bottom of the glass. It is wrapped around a pencil or wooden stick. The device is installed on the container. The crystal is suspended in solution. Water tends to evaporate, a saturated saline solution releases excess, which is fixed on the resulting sample.
4. Adding salt solution. Water always needs a certain amount, if it becomes too little, the crystal will stop growing. At normal room temperature, water is added every 2 weeks.

Values ​​7

There are many myths around jewelry with synthesized, that is, artificially grown stones and jewelry with imitation inserts. It's time to part with these delusions!

Subtleties of classification

Gemstones, created not by nature, but by man, can be divided into synthetic (synthesized) and imitations. The first ones have a natural, real-life analogue and completely coincide with it in color, composition, hardness and others. physical and chemical properties... For example, rubies, emeralds, diamonds, sapphires are natural and synthetic. Laboratory grown stones gain commercially attractive weight in a matter of months, whereas in nature this process lasts for centuries.

The term "synthetic" in relation to precious stones "from a test tube" is considered unsuccessful in the jewelry environment, since consumers associate it with imitation and even fake. Jewelry with such stones, of course, have a more affordable price than with nuggets obtained in mines and mines, but they cannot be called glass. By law, the manufacturer is obliged to indicate on the product label information that the stone is artificially grown. It is possible to distinguish synthesized stones from natural ones with the help of an examination in a gemological center, but not by eye.

Imitations are made from glass, minerals, metals, ceramics, and plastic. They have no natural analogue, since they were “invented” in laboratory conditions. So, neither have Swarovski crystals, neither cubic zirconia has a similarity in nature, although they are similar in appearance to rhinestone and even diamonds. Imitating jewelry inserts are used in the manufacture of jewelry and accessories (watches), less often in jewelry.

Synthesized stones: a bit of history

The first synthetic stone - a 10-carat ruby ​​- was obtained in 1891 by the French mineralogist Auguste Verneuil. Using the Verneuil method, it became possible to grow crystals suitable for jewelry use, and in 1910 a synthetic sapphire was obtained in a similar way. An artificial emerald, identical to the natural one, was first grown in 1935.

But with the best friends of girls - diamonds - it's not so simple. In 1954, in the laboratory of the American company General Electric, the first artificial diamond "matured", whose growth cycle could be repeated on an industrial scale. But it was a mineral of technical value, not jewelry. Nowadays, millions of carats of diamonds and diamond chips are annually produced in the world for the needs of manufacturers of various devices, devices, tools.

Artificial diamonds gem quality were obtained by Herbert Strong and Robert Wentorf (both from General Electric) in 1970, but analogues have not been able to flood the jewelry market today. The process of growing a king of stones is long, complex and costly compared to other laboratory-grade gems. A diamond cut from a synthetic crystal can cost from 50% to 90% of the price of a natural nugget similar in weight and processing, or even exceed it in cost. According to scientists, this direction is the future, but for now there is no need to fear that real diamonds are in jewelry will be supplanted by the grown ones.

Simulation inserts: a bit of history

The most popular imitations of precious and semi-precious stones in jewelry are cubic zirconia and Swarovski crystals (rhinestones). Remember, cubic zirconia is not artificial diamond! It does not contain the main element for diamonds - carbon, but zirconium oxide is present. Cubic zirconia was obtained in the mid-1960s by scientists from the P.I. Lebedev Physical Institute of the USSR Academy of Sciences (FIAN), after which it is named.

In the 18th century, Georg Strass, a glass-maker and jeweler with German roots, who lived in Alsace, France, invented diamonds with cut lead glass to imitate diamonds. The surname of the master became the name of his invention: spectacular inserts were named "rhinestones". A century later, the ideas of Strasse were developed by Daniel Swarovski, a hereditary cutter of Bohemian crystal. He improved the composition of the rhinestones, the quality of grinding and the durability of the spraying, so that the beauty of the cut, transparency, play of light and brilliance were not inferior to diamonds. In 1895, in Austria, Daniel founded the Swarovski company to sell his products to the whole world and primarily to the fashion designers of Paris. The work of the talented cutter, inventor of the first electric cutting machine (1892), thanks to the works of descendants, is flourishing even now. Crystals (rhinestones) Swarovski have 12 facets, are made of high quality crystal (glass with 32% lead oxide) with the addition of a powder of synthetic and natural stones of gem value.

Why are synthetic stones and imitations needed?

First of all, “substitutes” for precious stones are good because they make jewelry more affordable. To buy a ring with an artificially grown emerald without spending too much for your own budget or to save money for several months for the beauty created by nature - personal choice everyone. And those who do not need to save up for the purchase of jewelry masterpieces prefer to wear inexpensive copies of jewelry outside the red carpet and gala dinners. An example is provided by Beyoncé, whose engagement ring with an 18-carat diamond is estimated at $ 5 million: for every day the singer has a copy of this ring, which costs 1,000 times less - $ 5,000.

Also, the "alternative to luxury" fits into the global ecotrend - concern for the preservation environment, because the deposits of some precious stones these days are close to depletion.

And, finally, it is much easier for a grown stone to obtain ideal characteristics in terms of carat weight, color, light refraction, the absence of any defects - inclusions, microcracks, and so on. There are laboratory centers for the production of synthetic stones in Russia, China, India, USA, Sweden and other countries of the world.

Since then, as people understood the nature of precious stones, learned their composition and discovered the conditions of formation, they strive to become like nature and reproduce stones. with my own hands with the help of more and more new knowledge and technologies, and today they successfully succeed. Now people are able to make very many types of jewelry and jewelry and ornamental stones, which could not but affect the attitude towards minerals and prices, although the reason for the production of most stones is primarily the requirements of the industry, and only secondly - requests jewelry market... However, the passions around natural minerals and their artificially grown analogues do not subside: there are lovers of natural stones who consider the grown stones to be something fake, a kind of surrogate, and there are those who like any mineral, whether it is grown by man or nature.

In order not to get confused, you should immediately decide: there are imitations, and there are synthetic analogs of natural stones. Imitation- This is a material similar to natural stones in appearance and in some properties; imitations can be both artificially created minerals and natural, natural, as well as materials that have nothing to do with minerals (glass, plastics, etc.) or are combinations of all these materials. For example, natural colorless zircon, artificially created cubic zirconia (which is often called zirconium in the trade), and simple glass, which does not even have a crystalline structure, can serve as imitations of a colorless diamond. If the seller passes off these materials as a diamond, they can be considered fakes. Synthetic analog- a mineral created by man, that is, artificially grown (for example, a synthetic diamond). Its characteristics correspond to the chemical composition, physical and optical properties of a diamond, and sometimes even surpass them, and its origin can be established only in a gemological laboratory, and with some stones it is difficult - they are so close to natural ones. In the catalog of the "Gems Gallery" you can see jewelry, in the descriptions of which the definitions "synthesized ruby", "synthesized opal", etc. are used. - these are the grown stones.

Perhaps, it cannot be attributed to one or the other category. refined materials- natural minerals, which have improved (in fact, changed) texture and / or color. This can be done by heating, X-ray irradiation, impregnation with resins, polymers, dyes, etc. For example, fortified turquoise is natural, but very loose and soft turquoise, unsuitable in this form for inserts into jewelry, which is strengthened by impregnation with special resins and sometimes dyes. It is clear that in this form, turquoise can no longer be considered completely natural, natural.

This article will only focus on human-grown stones - we will look at some artificially created stones used for inserts into jewelry. Diamond

“I knew it would take ten or even twenty years, which could take away from a person all his strength, all his energy, but even then the game was worth the candle,” said the hero of HG Wells's story “The Man Who Made Diamonds ". Usually, the synthesis of crystals of minerals is associated with their demand in industry, in their application in high-tech technologies, but the stone itself attracts people, and the ability to repeat nature is even more so. diamond was one of the first such minerals. The first attempts to obtain diamonds were registered back in late XIX century, but they were not crowned with success. For the first time artificial diamonds were synthesized in Sweden and the USA in 1954 (General Electric), and officially six years later - in the USSR. However, back in 1939, professor-physicist Ovsey Ilyich Leipunsky from the Institute of Chemical Physics described a method for producing diamonds, which involved the use of high pressures and temperatures of 1500-3000 degrees. Under these conditions, the loose crystal lattice of graphite can transform into a dense packing of the diamond structure. Such conditions were technically impossible at that time, but Leipunsky's work was studied by many specialists, including the Swedes; they later used the method described by O. I. Leypunsky: pressure, temperature, as well as the addition of iron and some other materials to graphite. This facilitates the synthesis process, carbon becomes mobile and forms the diamond lattice faster. The sizes of crystals obtained at that time did not exceed only 0.8 mm, therefore they were used as abrasives. Large diamond crystals learned to synthesize later, this procedure is much more complicated and expensive. It is especially costly to synthesize large, more than one carat, and precisely colorless diamond crystals, therefore their mass production is impossible, and the market contains mainly stones weighing one carat or less.

One of the world's largest producers of synthetic diamonds and polished diamonds, the Belarusian enterprise "Adamas BSU", uses the BARS method (pressless apparatus "Razreznaya Sphera") here. The basic technology based on this method was developed back in the USSR at the very beginning of the nineties; the technology stands for "a method of crystallization of diamond from a carbon solution under conditions of a temperature gradient in a metal melt based on iron and nickel using high pressures." It will take about a hundred hours to synthesize a diamond weighing one carat in the BARS apparatus, which will amount to six cycles per month, that is, six carats. Unfortunately, only mass production of bright yellow crystals is possible. Russia also has similar installations, but they do not work for the jewelry market. "Adamas BGU" produces both technical raw materials and materials for the jewelry industry, and the share of the latter is steadily growing. This is due to a combination of reasons: a decrease in production volumes natural diamonds, the constant growth in demand for diamonds, by the decision of leading gemological laboratories, for example, the GIA (Gemological Institute Of America) to accept synthetic diamonds for certification, the development of technology that allows you to receive crystals of all bigger size and more and more fancy colors with a decrease in the amount of "blank" synthesis. The market is gradually getting used to synthetic diamonds, and Belarus even adopted a special national program for the development of synthetic diamond production. However, there is no need to talk about cheap diamond jewelry yet. Corundum (sapphire, ruby)

Some of the most outstanding achievements of science and technology, as a rule, are marked by the use of crystals of minerals, their unique properties: optical, piezoelectric, semiconductor and others. The very first corundums in Russia were also initially synthesized with the aim of using them in science: in precision instrument making, watch industry, etc. In 1936, the first installation in Russia for growing corundum was put into operation, and soon a permanent production was established. The first industrial method for obtaining corundum (as well as spinel) and still the most widespread is the Verneuil method.

French chemist Auguste Verneuil began his experiments on growing minerals at the end of the 19th century, but official year the birth of the first synthetic Corundum is considered to be 1905. The method, in short, is as follows: alumina powder is fed together with oxygen into a burner fire, which, in turn, is fed with hydrogen. A hydrogen-oxygen flame of about 2050 degrees melts the powder, and the melt flows down onto the prepared crystal carrier. When solidified, the melt does not form a mineral crystal in the usual sense, but the so-called mineral bule - a rod round shape... Today it is possible to grow boules up to 5-8 cm in length and 2 cm in circumference (40-45 grams = 200-250 carats) in just a few hours. To obtain red corundum (ruby), add chromium oxide to the alumina powder; of blue color(sapphire) - add iron and titanium oxide. Nickel will color Corundum into yellow... Star Rubies and Sapphires can also be grown. Produced in a similar manner since the 1920s. spinel; for this, magnesium oxide and aluminum oxide are used. Spinels usually give a sapphire blue, beautiful aquamarine or green coloration. "Gallery of Gems" can offer jewelry lovers with high quality synthetic ruby ​​and sapphire to the attention of gem lovers.

Two hundred tons of synthetic corundum and spinel are produced annually all over the world for various needs. Faceted, they are indistinguishable without special equipment from natural gemstones and are gaining more and more space under the sun. But can they finally replace natural rubies and sapphires? Alexandrite

Alexandrite is a type of chryso beryl. This rare and very expensive stone is classified as precious and has a unique effect: in daylight it is green, and in artificial light it turns red. The closest imitation of Alexandrite in properties and at the same time the most inexpensive is the same Corundum, only with the addition of vanadium and titanium in the synthesis process, which gives the stone an Alexandrite effect with an intense reverse from a weak bluish-greenish-gray to a deep red-violet, amethyst color. Synthetic alexandrite itself is also grown; it is the most expensive synthetic analogue after diamond. Information about the successful synthesis of an analogue of chryso beryl, alexandrite, dates back to the second half of the 19th century.

In the USA in 1964 it was tested industrial method obtaining alexandrite, and since 1972 the company "Creative Crystals" (Saint-Ramon, Danville, California) grows alexandrite crystals by the method of flux from a solution. A solution of beryllium and aluminum oxides, when cooled, serves as a "nutrient medium" for Alexandrite crystals, which grow from seven to nine weeks. In this way, the most beautiful Alexandrite crystals are obtained, which are difficult to distinguish from the famous Ural gems, which once made the glory of Russian gems. The Japanese, on the other hand, produce Alexandrite by the Czochralski method (pulling the crystal out of the melt) and call their product "inamori" and "kresent-vert": it also has the effect of a cat's eye, and its color changes from greenish-yellow in daylight to red-violet with artificial ...

In Russia, alexandrite has been grown since 1980 in Novosibirsk, at the Design and Technology Institute of Single Crystals. He goes to both technical and jewelry purposes; some crystals weigh half a kilogram. Although the synthetic analogue corresponds to natural Alexandrite and according to chemical formula, and for most of the properties, however, the beauty of natural Alexandrite remains unsurpassed. It looks great in gold, such as the turquoise earrings from the Gems Gallery collection.

Natural Alexandrite (like any other natural stone) has invisible to the eye inclusions, cracks and other defects that do not reduce the aesthetic effect, but very much interfere with the use of crystals in precision instrument making, in particular, in Alexandrite lasers in medical cosmetology and eye microsurgery, therefore, synthetic stones that do not have defects and have all the desired properties are ideal are suitable for these purposes. Emerald

Modern technologies make it possible to grow defect-free and large enough Emerald crystals, which is very rare for natural ones. By and large, grown Emeralds are no different from natural ones, except that they are too perfect. Synthetic Emeralds were obtained even before World War II, after which research in this area resumed with renewed vigor. Americans from the Chatham company were among the first to establish industrial synthesis of synthetic emeralds from solutions in a melt. Of course, in the USSR, it was decided to create Emeralds, only by "our" method, according to new technology... Now this technology, created in the 1970s by Novosibirsk scientists, is known all over the world, and the Emeralds created with its help are called Russian Emeralds. We are still ahead of the rest: the Tyrus company, which was founded in 1989 on the basis of the Joint Institute of Geology, Geophysics and Mineralogy of the Siberian Branch of the USSR Academy of Sciences, by the same Siberian creators of Emeralds, is the market leader in artificial precious stones. Only in "Tyrus" and nowhere else in the world is another variety of beryl grown besides Emerald - aquamarine. For the synthesis of stones, a method is used that is closest to the natural one - hydrothermal, in an autoclave, using high pressures and temperatures. The process, by and large, is no different, and instead of thousands of years, it takes only two or three months.

However, autoclaves, melts and high temperatures, talent, intuition, and much more are needed, which can be called a gift to do just this business. After all, if you select the optimal composition of the charge (a mixture that will serve as a material for the growth of crystals) simply by experience, your whole life will go away, and even knowledge will not always help, rather, a set of qualities that make a person a Creator. Garnet

Garnets are crystals with ideal properties for use in lasers; they began to grow in order to obtain defect-free samples of the desired properties. Almost by accident, they came to be used in the jewelry industry. In the 1960s, the first samples were obtained in the United States, and by the end of the sixties, synthetic Garnets entered the jewelry market. Unlike natural ones, synthetic Garnets can be colorless. This is another illustration to the question of grown and natural stones, the perfection of the former and the imperfection of the latter: an ideal pyrope in nature should have been colorless, but due to the "extra" impurities of iron, it is as we know it - fiery red, and not is different.

Synthetic garnets (Garnets) are yttrium-aluminum (YAG), gadolinium-gallium (GGG) and yttrium-ferruginous (IIG). Colorless and dyed yttrium-aluminum garnets with high hardness (8.5 on the Mohs scale) and a good refractive index, which gives them shine and strong play, turned out to be the most suitable for inserts into jewelry, both in terms of physical and optical properties and economically. YAG is grown in various ways, mainly by the Czochralski method, which produces large crystals that lend themselves well to polishing.

Colorless Garnets are sometimes substituted for diamonds. Even in London, which is famous for its conservatism with regard to jewelry, synthetic Garnets began to be sold in the early seventies as adequate substitutes for diamonds. This, in particular, was facilitated by the famous actress Elizabeth Taylor and the sensational story with her pear-shaped diamond. In 1969, Richard Burton (who starred with Taylor in "Cleopatra" and married her twice) gave her a pear-shaped diamond weighing 69.42 carats. The actress usually wore this beautiful natural stone as a pendant, but insurance for one evening cost a thousand dollars. Then Taylor ordered a copy of a synthetic Garnet diamond, close to diamond in properties, for three and a half thousand dollars. It was not difficult to distinguish the copy when it was lying next to the diamond, but individually it could only be done by an expert. And so it turned out that fear of robbers, and perhaps of insurers, contributed to the popularity of synthetic Garnets in general. The catalog "Gems Gallery" contains silver ring with fiery red synthetic Garnets that can outshine even the smallest natural rubies. Quartz (rock crystal, amethyst, citrine, ametrine)

The production of Quartz in comparison with the same diamonds or Emeralds does not cause much difficulty. It is grown hydrothermally in steel autoclaves; the growth rate of crystals is up to 0.5 mm per day. Synthetic Quartz can be given any shade, both imitating natural and fantasy, not found in nature. For example, bright blue Quartz is made by adding cobalt; iron provides citrine color; the more it is, the brighter the color, to orange-red. Black morion can be grown by increasing the concentration of aluminum, and rauch topaz - smoky quartz - is also obtained. One of the most popular varieties of Quartz - amethyst - is obtained after ionizing radiation of synthetic Smoky Quartz... It is extremely difficult to distinguish it from natural, which is why it is very popular. Synthetic amethyst is most often very bright and clean, without defects and irregularities, uniform deep color; The stones can be very large, but sometimes their color changes under sunlight and artificial light, demonstrating a kind of Alexandrite effect. amethyst brushes are grown in our suburbs, but while there are inexpensive African raw materials, there is a need for mass production no amethyst or amethyst brushes. ametrine (amethyst-citrine), a polychrome mineral with two zones of color - purple and yellow - was first found in Bolivia, so its second name is bolivianite. But you can grow ametrine artificially; it will cost an order of magnitude lower, and the owner will enjoy no less than natural, which, by the way, in faceted form can be found in the collection of precious stones and crystals of the "Gallery of Gems". Opal

Synthetic opal, albeit with a stretch, can be called an actual opal: it also has a layered structure, different colors and a play of colors, for example, white opals with multi-colored flashes, cut in the form of pearls and adorned the ring from the catalog of the "Gallery of Gems". Like natural opal, synthesized opal also consists of silicon layers. For a very long time it was believed that opal could not be obtained artificially; the study of the structure of this amazing mineral nevertheless made it possible to understand that synthesis is possible. The first patent for the manufacture of noble opal was received by Australian mineralogists A. Gaskin and P. Darre, and in 1973 the Swiss jewelry firm Pierre Gilson began selling a wide variety of noble synthetic opals, which were in no way inferior in color and opalescence strength to natural stones.

High-quality synthetic opals are also made in Russia. Even when comparing natural and artificial opal, it is difficult to understand which of them appeared in the laboratory. In addition, natural noble opal is very expensive, especially black, and incredibly capricious in storage and wearing, and grown stones allow you not to be afraid of any accidents. Turquoise

The aforementioned company of Pierre Gilson in the aforementioned 1972 also received an artificial turquoise, the closest to the natural one of all previously obtained, and therefore suitable for inserts into jewelry. Such turquoise is very uniform, has a wonderful turquoise color, and cabochons made of such a material are difficult to distinguish from natural ones, even in a professional laboratory. All indicators (density, hardness, etc.) coincide, and even the best Iranian turquoise in the world is indistinguishable from artificial. In Russia, both homogeneous blue and spiderweb turquoise, with a pattern of dark veins, are obtained. You can try to compare beads made of natural turquoise and gold ring with synthesized turquoise from the Gems Gallery collection to see how similar the materials are. Pearl

Pearls have a special position among minerals: firstly, it is a mineral of organic origin, and secondly, artificial, or cultured, pearls, in fact, differ from natural ones only in that they grow in the shell of a mollusk under human supervision. Back in the 19th century, the Chinese and Japanese began to cultivate pearls, therefore it was in the East that special attitude to such Pearls and have developed their own pearl traditions. The molluscs that are able to grow a pearl in their mantle are Pinctada Martensi, Pinctada Maxima, and Pinctada Margaritifera, which grow up to thirty centimeters in diameter. This latter gives Black, Gray, Bluish, Green and Bronze Pearls.

The method of obtaining pearls is quite simple: the pearl shell is first grown in more fresh than sea water, in special fenced off areas in order to avoid attacks by predators; then, three years later, a ball of natural mother-of-pearl (or a piece of mantle) is placed inside the shells; further pearl mussels grow from one and a half to eight years (on average, two to three years) in more salty water further from the coast. They are protected and looked after. Japanese is famous all over the world cultured pearls Akoya with excellent luster and different shades... This is a classic of cultured Pearls. Akoya pearls are produced not only in Japan, but also in Korea, China and Sri Lanka and can be white, yellow, pink, silver, champagne, green, cream.

Cultured Pearls can be diagnosed using ultraviolet rays: It will emit greenish light, while natural light will emit blue. "Gallery of Gems" offers several shades of Pearls: white ( classic threads beads in 45 cm, ideal for a round and high neck clothing line), cream (earrings), gray (rings), collections are constantly replenished with new models in various colors.

It is interesting that in Russia there were attempts to grow pearls: the Stroganov merchants, back in the 17th century, set up experiments in Solvychegodsk, where a pond called Pearl was preserved. Cheslav Khmelevsky grew up in the East of Russia in early XIX eyelid pearls up to 5 mm in diameter. And the victory is awarded ...

As it turns out, there are not so many synthetic analogs of jewelry stones; hardly two dozen, but this is quite enough for the jewelry market, especially since there are much more imitations of stones, and they are also successfully sold, however, the buyer is not always aware of this. And it is much more pleasant to buy a ruby, albeit synthetic, than a "sandwich" made of glass, Quartz and colored glue, and even more expensive. Natural stones will, of course, never lose their buyer; they are valuable because each of them is unique and has grown for hundreds, millions of years. All impurities, defects, inclusions and heterogeneities only add individuality to them, which explains, in the end, their attractiveness and desire to admire them. But many of them, as a rule, are the most beautiful, difficult to obtain, and even more difficult to buy: the price for the love of beauty is too high. In this respect, we can be grateful to the grown stones: flawless, they invariably follow one goal - to be even better, even more beautiful.

In the modern jewelry industry, various methods of synthesizing precious stones and growing jewelry crystals have been successfully developed. All of them are tied to the phase state and composition of the medium. In a very general way, it can be said that crystals are grown from:

• melts (pure substance)
• solutions
• gas environment

The synthesis process can proceed both as a result of the transformation of the initial solid phase, and by the formation of a solid phase from liquid and gaseous. The most known methods crystal synthesis -

• melt (methods of Verneuil, Czochralski, zone and skull melting)
• solution-melt (methods of flux, hydrothermal synthesis and synthesis of gem-quality diamonds at high pressures)

Gemological Center Faculty of Geology, Moscow State University, on its website, provides a detailed description of the process and technologies for the synthesis of jewelry stones.

In general, we can say that the basis for obtaining synthetic jewelry crystals is the processes crystallization, which, to one degree or another, we all studied at school in chemistry lessons. In fact, these are heterogeneous chemical reactions in which single crystals or their polycrystalline aggregates are formed.

The crystallization process consists of two key stages: first, the "center of the crystal" is formed, then further growth occurs.

How does a gemstone crystal grow?

The crystal has a spatial lattice, which "overgrows" layer by layer with the atoms of a supersaturated solution. The growth rate of the crystal is regulated by the temperature of the medium, pressure, and the rate of solution supply. If the growth rate is low, so-called “growth zoning” (similar to straight or curved lines) can form inside the crystal. In crystals with a rich color, zoning can be color (that is, some faces will take on more impurities than others).

In addition, liquid and solid inclusions can "settle" on the crystal faces. The quality of a grown crystal often depends on the speed of its growth. Slow growth is more in line with the natural pace. With a fast stimulated growth, more inclusions remain on the faces, and the crystal can lose transparency.

Industrial methods of growing gemstones

The era of industrial synthesis of precious and other jewelry stones was discovered in 1896 by a French scientist Auguste Verneuil... It was he who designed the first furnace with a burner based on oxygen and hydrogen, in which he received the first artificial ruby. Below in the table you can see a list of the most famous and used methods of growing stones. Stones of the same type, obtained by different methods, may have some differences.

It is important to note that in addition to growing single crystals, there are methods for synthesizing polycrystalline structures that make up such stones as turquoise and malachite. Their own rather complicated methods are also used to obtain a noble opal, which has a unique color effect (iridescence). Most of these methods are trade secrets of the developers.

SYNTHESIS OF CRYSTALS FROM MELT
Verneuil's method	Ruby, sapphire, star corundum, spinel, rutile
Czochralski method	Alexandrite, ruby, sapphire, spinel, YAG (yttrium aluminum granite) GGG (gadolinium gallium garnet)
Stepanov's method	Corundum (multi-colored), leucosapphire, YAG
Bagdasarov's method (zone melting)	Rubies, leucosapphire, YAG
Garnissage method (cold crucible)	Sapphire, cubic zirkonia
SYNTHESIS OF CRYSTALS FROM SOLUTIONS
Flux method	Emerald, ruby, sapphire, spinel, alexandrite, YAG, YGG
Hydrothermal method	Quartz and all its varieties, emerald, ruby
Synthesis from low-temperature aqueous solutions	Malachite, opal
SYNTHESIS OF CRYSTALS FROM A GAS PHASE
Method of gas transport reactions	Chrysoberyl, phenakite

ALL STONES: CATALOG

JEWELRY STONES: REFERENCE

SYNTHETIC JEWELRY

Types of stones by origin (natural, imitation, synthesized, refined)

What determines the value of gemstones?

How to tell - synthetic jewelry stone or natural?

Imitation of natural stones and its methods

Refining of precious stones

Cubic zirconias, rhinestones, Swarovski crystals

Jewelry has always been loved and revered by both women and men. At all times, the presence of jewelry, their originality and value determined the position of a person in society, emphasized his status and wealth. This is explained high price on precious stones and jewelry, which only increases over the years. A grandson can sell great-grandmother's diamonds for fabulous money, provided that they are real, i.e. are of natural origin.

Most people in our country sincerely believe that precious (semi-precious) stones are set in all jewelry made of gold. This is the difference between real values ​​and jewelry, the lot of which is to shine with faceted glass. However, everything is not so simple. Already two centuries ago, scientists outwitted Mother Nature and learned how to create imitation of precious stones - their synthetic counterparts.

"Glass" or "stone"?

The process of growing stones in laboratory and production conditions is rather complicated and laborious, therefore, such stones cannot be called glass, but, alas, they also have no right to bear the name “precious stones”.

The history of the creation of artificial gemstones

The desire to receive gold and precious stones from scrap materials has been inherent in humanity for a long time. Dreams of free wealth are reflected in fairy tales and legends, in which a person suddenly got the opportunity to turn any objects around him into gold. And despite the fact that such stories never ended with anything good, the thirst to match nature in opportunities and get alchemical stones in the laboratory did not leave the mind and heart of scientists.

Not always successful attempts are honest: the history of artificial stones began in the eighteenth century, when the Austrian Georg Friedrich Strass found a way to sell glass under the guise of noble diamonds. On the banks of the Rhine River, Strass discovered pieces of minerals that, under certain lighting conditions, looked like diamonds. By processing, cutting and introducing lead salts into the glass, artificial stones were obtained, very similar to real ones, which were sold by a skilled businessman as precious. To make the "jewels" shine more strongly, the finest metal spraying was applied to their surface. The great strategist was not only not punished for the sale of counterfeit stones, but, on the contrary, he was granted the title of jeweler in the palace of the king, and glass jewelry named after him - rhinestones.

Today the most famous rhinestones in the world are called "Swarovski Crystals". It is very symbolic that they are made in the homeland of Strass - in Austria. The main materials for the manufacture of Swarovski Crystals are crystal, synthetic and precious stones of natural origin, so they have a fairly high cost.

As for the stones, the first stone, grown by man, like an exotic flower, was revealed to the public back in 1891. Before that, repeated attempts were made to grow stones. However, the results were of such microscopic dimensions that it was not necessary to speak of their use in industry (for example, in jewelry). The "Siamese" stones, which were obtained by alloying fragments of stones of natural origin, were not successful either.

The artificial ruby, obtained in the laboratory, reached ten carats, and was created by the Frenchman Auguste Verneuil. All the equipment for obtaining stones was invented by him and made it possible to obtain pure synthetic rubies two to three times larger than the sample obtained in a few hours. Moreover, unlike natural stones, they had no inclusions or defects, were clean and transparent. A year later, the same scientist obtained the first corundum of synthetic origin. The raw material for it was purified aluminum oxide.

Ten years after the first success, the research was completed, and the equipment for growing synthetic stones was successfully introduced into production. Verneuil's method turned out to be simple and reliable, it made it possible to grow rubies of the required size and pushed scientists to create other synthetic stones.

The twentieth century picked up the baton, were opened additional methods on growing stones "in test tubes". Their assortment expanded, and such stones became very popular with jewelers, because at a lower cost it was possible to get a larger stone and purity unprecedented for natural precious stones.

In the Soviet Union in the middle of the last century, synthetic stones were in great demand, they can be found in many jewelry of that era: bright red, glowing rubies and blue transparent sapphires, grown using the method proposed by a French scientist. Besides them, other synthetic stones are known: alexandrite, emerald, quartz and diamond. And the cubic zirconia, which is often found beloved by ladies, imitating a diamond, has no analogues in nature at all - it is 100% the merit of scientists.

How to distinguish a gem

An ordinary man in the street, neither at first glance, nor at the second, nor even at the third, will not be able to recognize for himself which stone is set in a frame - synthetic or precious (precious stones, after all, are called purely natural stones). In the EU countries and in the USA, the rights of buyers are very strictly observed, and the product tag in mandatory contains information about the origin of the stone. If the stone is inherited and there is no data about it, except for family legends, then it is worth contacting a serious jewelry workshop or laboratory for a comprehensive analysis. With the help of special equipment, specialists will be able to answer your question. But even if the stone is not natural, but synthetic - do not rush to get upset, it still cannot be considered glass, suitable only for cheap jewelry. Synthetic stones make it possible to make the cost of products cheaper, they allow more economical use of minerals - diamonds, deposits of precious stones and, who knows, maybe after some fifty or a hundred years, our descendants will seriously attend to the preservation of nature, ecology, and the earth's interior, and synthetic stones will be at a huge price and trending.