What Gemstones Can Not be Lab Grown?

Gemstones captivate with their beauty and rarity. They come in natural and lab-grown varieties. While many gemstones can be created in a lab, some cannot. Understanding which gemstones cannot be lab-grown is important. This helps you appreciate the uniqueness and value of natural gemstones. Knowing this can guide your choices when purchasing or investing in gemstones.

What Are Natural Gemstones?

Natural gemstones are formed in nature. They develop over millions of years through natural processes. These processes include heat, pressure, and mineral composition. Each natural gemstone is unique. They are valued for their rarity and natural beauty. These gems are mined from the earth, adding to their allure and value. The time and conditions required to form natural gemstones make them precious.

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What Are Lab-Created Gemstones?

Lab-created gemstones are made in laboratories. They replicate the conditions that form natural gemstones. Lab-created gems have the same chemical composition as natural ones. They are often more affordable and environmentally friendly. These gemstones are also called synthetic or man-made gems. Lab-grown gemstones provide an accessible alternative to natural stones, offering similar beauty and properties.

How Are Lab-Grown Gemstones Formed?

Lab-grown gemstones are formed using high pressure and high temperature. This mimics natural conditions. Seed crystals are placed in a controlled environment. Over time, they grow into gemstones. Techniques like the Czochralski process and hydrothermal growth are used. These methods produce high-quality gemstones. Lab environments allow precise control over the formation process, ensuring consistency and purity.

What Are the Differences Between Lab-Grown and Natural Gemstones?

Lab-grown and natural gemstones differ in several ways. Understanding these differences helps you make an informed choice.

Origin: 

Natural gemstones are mined from the earth. Lab-grown gemstones are created in controlled environments. Natural stones have a unique formation history, while lab-grown stones are designed to mimic natural processes.

Rarity:

Natural gemstones are rare. They form over millions of years. Lab-grown gemstones can be produced relatively quickly. The rarity of natural stones adds to their value and mystique.

Cost: 

Natural gemstones are generally more expensive. Their rarity and the cost of mining contribute to this. Lab-grown gemstones are more affordable. They are easier and less costly to produce. The affordability of lab-grown stones makes them accessible to a broader audience.

Environmental Impact: 

Mining natural gemstones can have a significant environmental impact. It involves disrupting the earth and using resources. Lab-grown gemstones are more sustainable. They have a smaller environmental footprint. Choosing lab-grown stones can be a more eco-friendly option.

Inclusions and Flaws: 

Natural gemstones often have inclusions and flaws. These are part of their natural formation. Lab-grown gemstones are usually more flawless. They are created in controlled conditions. The perfection of lab-grown stones contrasts with the unique imperfections of natural ones.

Value:

Natural gemstones often hold higher value. Their rarity and natural origin contribute to this. Lab-grown gemstones, while beautiful, may not hold the same value over time. Collectors and investors often prefer natural stones for their potential to appreciate in value.

Certification: 

Both natural and lab-grown gemstones can be certified. Certification helps verify their authenticity. It also provides information about their quality. Certified stones offer assurance of their origins and properties.

Understanding these differences helps you choose the right gemstone for your needs. Both natural and lab-grown gemstones have their own unique benefits. Your choice depends on your preferences, budget, and values.

What Gemstones Cannot Be Lab Grown?

While many gemstones can be lab-grown, some cannot. Here are some gemstones that cannot be created in a lab:

#1. Tanzanite

Tanzanite is a rare gemstone. It is found only in Tanzania. Its unique blue-violet color is hard to replicate. The geological conditions that create Tanzanite are specific to its location. This makes lab-grown Tanzanite impossible to produce. Natural Tanzanite remains a prized possession. Its rarity and unique color make it highly sought after.

#2. Alexandrite

Alexandrite is known for its color-changing properties. It shifts from green in daylight to red under incandescent light. This phenomenon is difficult to replicate in a lab. Natural Alexandrite is rare and valuable. Its unique properties make it impossible to create synthetically. The natural formation process of Alexandrite involves complex conditions that are hard to reproduce.

#3. Jadeite

Jadeite is a type of jade. It is known for its rich green color and translucency. The geological conditions that form Jadeite are complex. This makes it challenging to produce in a lab. Natural Jadeite is highly prized, especially in Asian cultures. Its cultural significance and rarity add to its value.

#4. Red Beryl

Red Beryl, also known as Bixbite, is extremely rare. It is found in a few locations in the United States. The specific conditions needed to form Red Beryl are difficult to replicate. This makes lab-grown Red Beryl impossible. Natural Red Beryl is one of the rarest gemstones. Its rarity and intense color make it a collector's favorite.

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#5. Paraiba Tourmaline

Paraiba Tourmaline is known for its vibrant blue-green color. It contains traces of copper, which gives it its unique hue. The conditions needed to form the Paraiba Tourmaline are rare. Lab-grown versions do not capture the same vivid color. Natural Paraiba Tourmaline remains unique. Its striking color and rarity make it highly desirable.

#6. Amber

Amber is fossilized tree resin. It often contains ancient inclusions like insects or plant material. This organic formation process cannot be replicated in a lab. Each piece of natural amber is unique. Lab-grown amber does not exist in the same form. The natural history encapsulated in amber adds to its allure.

#7. Opal

While some types of opal can be lab-grown, precious opal with its play-of-color is challenging to replicate. The internal structure that creates this effect is complex. Natural precious opal displays a unique array of colors. Lab-grown opals often lack the same vibrancy. The natural play-of-color in opals is due to their unique internal structure.

Natural vs. Lab-Grown Gemstones: What Is the Best Choice?

Choosing between natural and lab-grown gemstones depends on your priorities. Natural gemstones are rare and valuable. They carry a unique history. Lab-grown gemstones are affordable and environmentally friendly. They offer the same beauty and quality. Consider your budget, values, and preferences. This helps you make the best choice for your needs. Both options have their own advantages and appeal.

Conclusion

Understanding which gemstones cannot be lab-grown highlights their rarity and value. Natural gemstones have unique properties that lab conditions cannot replicate. Whether you choose natural or lab-grown gemstones, both have their own beauty and benefits. Informed choices ensure you enjoy the best of both worlds. Preserve the uniqueness of natural gems while appreciating the accessibility of lab-grown options. This knowledge helps you make better decisions in your gemstone purchases.

Gem Certification: The 10 Gemstone Laboratories Everyone Should Know 

The certification process of gemstones has by now evolved into an essential factor within the current trade of gemstone since it provides access to information as well as guarantee on the quality and genuineness of the stone. As we know, gemstones are valuable – they can be valuable commercially, and they carry sentimental value as well, which is why authoritative and genuine gemstone grading services are more important now than they have ever been.

Gemological institutes and laboratories all over the world offer to devote their efforts in the accurate appraisal of gems that make use of modern day technology and traditional experience. Among its extensive reports, there is no superior standard that a stone’s identity, quality, and origin cannot be determined – remarkable. 

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Significance of Gemstone Certification

Gemstone certification is similar to guaranteeing the agreed qualities of the gemstone and can be seen as a form of insurance.

Assurance of Authenticity

This is coupled by a certificate from a reputed gemological laboratory to prove that the stone is natural and not a replica or cole. This is of particular importance regarding the recent developments in growth of synthetic gemstones. 

Accurate Grading

It is a formal statement that records an identification description of a gemstone using a laid down procedure. These include cut, color, clarity and weight and all these and affect the value of the stone. 

Informed Buying Decisions

With this information you will be able to evaluate the gemstones and then know how much you are willing to offer for it per its quality. 

Insurance and Resale 

Getting insurance on the gemstone jewelry will, for instance, call for a certificate. It can also help in case of resale since by some legal documents, the stone quality can be testified. 

Trust and Credibility

Thus certification also creates the trust of potential buyers for sellers. 

Best Gemstone Certifications

#1. GIA Certification 

First opened in 1931 and located in Carlsbad, California, the Gemological Institute of America or GIA is quite possibly the most respected and recognized gemstone certification laboratory in the entire globe. Founded as a non-profit, the GIA has positioned itself uniquely through a veritable slate of services, which include gemstone grading, identification, research and dissemination of information along with the latest in the field of gemstones. 

#2. GRS Certification 

GRS or GemResearch SwissLab is one of the few independent gemological laboratories which is widely known around the world located in Switzerland and involved in providing certification of gemstones. For decades, GRS had been celebrated as an international company dealing in colored gemstones, especially Burmese rubies and blue sapphires. 

#3. IGI Certification

The International Gemological Institute (IGI) for gemstone certification was set up in 1975 and provides elaborate diamond grading reports on the stone’s color, clarity, cut, and origin. 

#4. AGS Certification

Originally established in the area of gemstone certification, the American Gem Society or AGS has solidified its position in the industry, characterized by great traditions and only high requirements. Interestingly enough, the AGS can be credited with being the very first institution concerned with diamond grading, the body having been formed as far back as 1934 and it currently has its base in Las Vegas, in the state of Nevada. This prestigious body provides a wide range of services that include grading as well as identification of gemstones as well as educational services. 

#5. Gubelin Certification

Since its inception in 1920, Gübelin Gem Lab of Switzerland has up until date been unrivaled as the premier laboratory offering gemstone assessment services. Their standalone reports are much cherished as the most precise and comprehensive, revealing a gemstone’s identity, origin, color, clarity, cut, as well as its proportion in carats. Unlike other laboratories, Gübelin extends it further to certification accompanied by attractive watches and jewelry set. 

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#6. AGL Certification

One of the pioneers of the gemstone certification service is the American Gemological Laboratories (AGL) that was established in 1977 and operates from New York. AGL is recognized for their detailed gemstone quality grading reports covering a broad range of services with grading, identifying, jewel report grading, and research services. 

#7. EGL Certification

EGL – European gemological laboratory was founded in 1974; the laboratory is international and has offices all over the world. Among the services it provides are identification services, diamond grading, lab grown diamond evaluation, laser inscription, light performance analysis and advice. 

#8. Gemological Institute of India or GII

The Gemological Institute of India (GII) is one of the recognized gemological institutes in India providing gemstone identification, its grading and certification. The reports that GII develops are resonant and embraced by the gemstone industries all over the world. They offer identification reports, grading reports and origin reports, and are backed by instruments and a team of gemologists who use modern techniques in the determination of gemstone quality, genuineness and source. 

#9. Indian Gemological Institute (IGI)

The International Gemological Institute or IGI being a leader in gem grading services in India is well known for not compromising the quality of gems that it deals with. Certifications are provided both for diamonds based on the 4Cs and colored stones, and the reports are popular for their reliability and coherence. 

#10. Gem Testing Laboratory (GTL)

GTL is an IOS certified gemological Laboratory in India established in 1972 for gem identification and certification. These reports are officially approved by the Bureau of Indian Standards and GTL has made these reports reputed in the gems and jewelry sector for their accurate and comprehensive details.

Conclusion

Every time you want to get a gemstone certified, you will come across that each lab has a different price. At one time it could be in the realm of millions of dollars for the same product. The basis for arriving at this difference lies in the kinds of gear, science and technology applied in the classification steps. That also depends on the number of attributes a particular gemological laboratory would be listing in its certificate.