SYNTHETIC GEMS

Dominion, Volume 20, Issue 26, 26 October 1926, Page 6

SYNTHETIC GEMS

Synthetic stones wear like _ real stoiies, having the lustre, brilliancy, and hardness of a real sapphire. It will be difficult even for an expert to say if a stone is real or synthetic without examining it by means of the microscope. The only fault these stones have is, paradoxically, that they are of “perfect water,” while the real stone has “flaws,” or little faults caused through the natural crystallisation Experiments have been and are still being made in cutting with the object of imitating the “flaws” of the real stone. They have been sufficiently successful to mislead the eye, but the microscope once more detects the imitation (states a writer in the “Manchester Guardian”). So far synthetic production of the emerald, at present one of the most fashionable stones, has failed. The stones on the market are either real stones or ordinary coloured glass. The diamond is as refractory as the emerald in this respect; fortunes have been spent in trying to produce artificial diamonds, but the biggest ever created was less than one-hundredth part of one carat. The diamond has, however, a rival which is its equal in brilliancy and lustre, the synthetic white sapphire. The hardness of this stone is, of course, less than that of the diamond; that is why it falls into the sapphire class. The two stones are so alike if mixed together and placed on a tray or table that not even a connoisseur could pick out the real diamonds without applying hardness tests. . There has been much misuse lately of the term “synthetic,” common glass (paste) stones being sold all over the country as synthetic stones. At least one London firm has been selling glass stones to manufacturing jewellers believing them to be synthetic stones. A manufacturer of the latter was told by one of this firm’s directors that his prices were too high: “We buy for soand so,” the manufacturer replied, without seeing the stones, that they were glass. ’ The director brought them for inspection, and the proof was there and then convincingly given. It is easilv enough done. Sharpen the end of 'a match and dip the point in cold water; a drop of the_ water will remain hanging on the point. Now take a watch glass, or any piece of glass, put it flat on the table, and transfer the drop from the match to the glass. It will immediately fall flat. But do the same with a precious stone, and the drop of water will remain in a bulbous shape, like a dewdrop on a leaf. . Why are synthetic stones in demand? The answer is simple. The price is not much higher than for paste The gems will not break or wear off or lose their brilliance, and the owner has the satisfaction of wearing something genuine.