Lab Created

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Emerald is the familiar "Emerald Green" member of the beryl family of gemstones. The colors of beryl are caused by dopant atoms present in small amounts -- in the case of emerald these dopants are chromium and/or vanadium. Some lab-created emerald crystals are grown by the hydrothermal method, and have higher perfection than is usually seen in natural emeralds or flux-grown lab crystals. Russian-Created Emerald sold under such secondary names as Emsprit, Vassar, and Gemini are hydrothermal growth, the color range is all over the spectrum, from fine Zambian green to yellowish-brown (where very often an unusual oiling effect is found). Biron-Created Emerald: Australia Hydrothermal process; This stone is usually devoid of all inclusions. The green is good blue-green on stones over 0.40 carat, but it tends to wash out on small stones. Hydrothermal stones can be grown in a matter of hours or days and may retail for as little as $10-50 per carat.

Still other Lab emeralds are grown by the flux method. What is flux, as in flux-grown emeralds or rubies? The dictionary offers "a substance used to promote bonding, especially of metals or minerals." The key word here is promote. In the flux process, the substance (flux) does not enter into the final crystal, but rather promotes its formation. For crystals to form, they must be in an environment (condition) that allows them to interact, e.g., a liquid. The ingredients of emerald or ruby must be in liquid form to crystallize.

To create this liquid state of emerald or ruby, a temperature over 1800 degree centigrade is required, but that is much too hot for a long growth process. However, emerald and ruby will dissolve in a molten solution of elements such as lead fluoride at only 800 degree centigrade. This solution is the flux through which the ruby or emerald molecules are able to travel freely, even far below their melting point. (Think about sugar dissolving in hot coffee.) If all goes as planned, the molecules rejoin, along with a few atoms of chromium, as a single crystal. (Chromium gives both emerald and ruby their color.)

At the end of the growth period (8 to 12 months), the furnace is allowed to cool and the liquid flux returns to its solid state. It is then broken up, and if all went well, the emerald or ruby crystals are inside. The flux is melted in a new and very expensive platinum crucible and then reused in the next growth cycle. Chatham -created gemstones are the result of flux growing gemstone crystals. Chatham-created gemstones are not simulants or imitations. Other major flux producers are: Inamori-Created Emerald, Gilson-Created Emerald; Ramaura-Created Ruby: U.S.A. Flux process; the only other commercial producer of flux ruby, Flux stones may retail for $300-500 per carat.

The hydro-thermal or pulled material may retail for as little as $50-75 per carat. However, the industry has not been able to create a good Alexandrite, Pink Sapphire or Emerald without using the flux method. So often the consumer is confused that a Lab Sapphire Ring may be only 30% of the retail for a Lab Emerald ring.

Add to that to confusion over use of Lab, Lab grown, Synthetic, Imitation and simulants, and you quickly understand why jewelers have a hard time selling and explaining Lab Grown stones. A synthetic can be lab grown but not all lab grown stones are synthetics. For example, for a number of years Lab Grown Alexandrite Corundum has been used for color-change Alexandrite. But the chemical properties of this material are not equal to that of natural Alexandrite so the stone is not a synthetic - it is a simulant! As for cost, the Alexandrite-like Sapphire (aka Corundum) would retail for $30-50 each for 6 mm round but a flux grown, synthetic, lab Alexandrite would retail for over $350 for the stone. Big difference.

And why we have this problem now -- is directly related to the fall of the Soviet Union. But that is for another story.    Neal