You probably think of a stunning blue gemstone that is sparkling in the light, resting on top of its ring or hanging from its chain when you hear sapphire. But what if I told you the sapphire in your head may not have even come from Earth, but a lab? Yes, you heard right, a lab created blue sapphire has entered the ring with its lab-created sister and is shaking up the jewelry industry by providing the same beautiful essence of a blue sapphire combined with a few more advantages.
Lab Created Blue Sapphire: The Science Behind It
Before we move forward, let’s debunk a popularly held myth: lab created blue sapphire is a “fake” stash. They are chemically, physically, and optically the same as those that they found in the ground. Others are cultured in a lab and not mined. The word synthetic in sapphires is a precise scientific term used to distinguish the production of man-made or lab-created stones with all the physical and optical properties of natural sapphires created through complicated technological processes duplicating nature.
In essence, lab created blue sapphire is genuine articles just created under more managed and sustainable delivery.
How Lab Created Blue Sapphires Manufactured?
So how exactly is a sapphire cultivated in this lab? It’s a fascinating process. The technique that has been used for over 100 years is called the Verneuil process or flame fusion [] by scientists. The approach is based on the melting of aluminum oxide powder at high temperatures, and then allowing it to solidify layer by layer as sapphire.
Including the hydrothermal process, which takes its cue from the extreme heat and pressure deep within the earth. What you get is sapphires that a professional gemologist would have trouble telling wasn’t natural.
The result? A no-area blue sapphire, and on the top none of nature potholes we can see normal in the earth made stones like — visible twin or color zoning. Since the process is controlled lab sapphires are often very clear and typical of color because if made in quality conditions, natural stones usually have dark spots on them.
Is a Lab-Grown Sapphire the Right Choice for You?
Did you know that lab-created blue sapphires are trending? 5. They are engineered to mimic the beauty and quality of natural sapphires, but at a fraction of the cost as well as lesser environmental/ethical concerns. But is a lab sapphire the right choice for you?
If tradition is important to you plus the fact that sapphires have been forming over millions of years you may opt for a mined sapphire. There is something completely magical about handcrafting a gem that has been shaped by the earth. However, if you value sustainability and affordability with the ability to find perfect gems; lab-created sapphire might be a great option.
In the jewelry world, lab-created blue sapphire.
Similarly, jewelry industries are shaken after the inception of lab-generated sapphires as natural gemstones so now many jewelers provide competitors with artificial options made in laboratories. And higher-profile designers are getting into the game—utilizing ethically to some extent, is a way for certain high-end labels to offer fine jewelry at lower price points while ostensibly not creating another mined hole.
Everywhere you look, lab-created blue sapphires will fill engagement rings from earrings to necklaces and even bracelets. These also have the same rich appearance and comfortable style as natural sapphires, but they are more affordable most of the time because you can buy a wider stone or fancier setting.
In Conclusion
These laboratory-grown lab created blue sapphire is not a trend, they symbolize the evolution of high jewelry. Their beauty, durability, and appeal are the same as natural sapphire but they add other benefits including cost-effective, sustainable & responsible sourcing. In the future, lab-grown sapphire is bound to become even more widespread as technology advances and makes it easier for people all around the world to own a magnificent stone.
