What is the difference between natural sapphire and artificial sapphire?

Among the large abundance of precious stones of amazing beauty, a noble sapphire occupies a special place. It attracts the attention of jewelry admirers with its deep blue color and the expressive brilliance of every facet. Like many valuable and expensive things, sapphires are often faked. For a precious natural stone, cheaper analogs or artificial substitutes are often given out. The article will discuss how to determine a natural stone at home.

Stones in a classic blue color are especially appreciated. Saturation and hue can be varied. From bright blue to mysterious purple. Despite the fact that sapphire is a stone of the color of the sea and sky, in nature this type of crystal can have a different color. The following options are found:

• yellow;
• transparent;
• light green;
• brown with a touch of orange.

It is difficult to verify the authenticity of the crystal on your own, but perhaps knowing certain tricks.

Kashmir stone differs from other samples with a velvety, cornflower blue color. Real crystals have the ability to split the sun's rays. This characteristic adorns the stone with a play of light and expressive brilliance.

It is worth noting that there are no exact external data and other indicators, due to which one can completely distinguish artificial sapphire from stone created by nature.Due to which the number of fakes is growing rapidly, which is in the hands of scammers. Despite this, some characteristics of natural gems can be checked independently.

Flat edges and sharp corners are considered indicators of natural origin. As for strength, the gem for this indicator can be second only to diamond. You can damage the surface of sapphire with the same strong stone. In turn, a crystal surface can easily scratch a surface of a solid material. If you are sure that you are holding a natural gem in your hands, you can safely hold it by drawing a groove. This will only harm synthetic stone.

To create a gem in natural conditions, several millennia are needed. Despite the fact that laboratories for the artificial cultivation of stones create similar conditions, they differ from the natural ones. This affects the quality of the product and its appearance. Natural stone is characterized by a heterogeneous structure. Inclusion is also required. They can be viewed with a magnifier and bright lighting.

However, modern technology allows you to create fakes without these shortcomings. Small blotches can be seen even with the naked eye. They indicate naturalness, but low quality of the stone.

Another way to find out the origin of the gem is to put sapphire in a container with monobromonaphthalene. The container must be placed on a white sheet of paper, and a light source should be installed nearby. Inclusions in the form of stripes are a sign of a high-quality and natural product. Curved lines indicate fake.

Of particular value are stones that are adorned with an inclusion in the shape of a six-fingered star. This difference is called asterism. Even if scammers managed to fake this effect, it’s easy to determine. Turn the stone in the light. In a natural gem, an asterisk will begin to move. If it stays in place - you have an artificial crystal in your hands.

One of the most common and practical methods to determine the quality of a stone is to evaluate its color. The difference between a natural gem is the preservation of color in different lighting conditions. That is why the product is evaluated in daylight and under artificial lighting. If you notice a difference in tones and saturation - this is a signal of a fake.

Many buyers who decide to please themselves or their loved ones with natural stone jewelry often forget about the most reliable way of checking the quality and authenticity of the goods offered. It's about checking documents. Jewelry stores are in constant competition. This is an expensive business that not everyone can afford. Sellers must provide a certificate confirming the authenticity of stones and precious metals, at the first request of the client. The document contains information on the nature of origin.

Outlets offering customers the highest quality products are certified for every gem. Also, the seller must talk about the additional processing of products. The procedure is carried out for a brighter color and color alignment.

Everyone knows that jewelry is expensive, especially when it comes to valuable items. Natural premium gems cannot be cheap. Of course, some synthetic samples can have a high price, especially when they are given out as natural stones. In this case, the main thing is not to spend a large amount on a fake.

If you want to accurately determine the quality of the crystal, use the services of a professional expert. The specialist will quickly and accurately determine the origin of the stone, and you will have no doubt.The work of a qualified craftsman costs money, but, these costs can not be compared with the cost of natural sapphire. In the event that you bought a fake in the store, you can return it and get the money spent back in full.

On sale you can find various imitations of natural stone. Buyers are offered the following options.

1. Fakes. Ordinary glass is issued as goods from this group. The material is processed and then put on the storefront. Identifying a low quality product is easy. Such stones quickly heat up in the hands, and inside it is easy to see the bubbles.
2. Duplets. This class of crystals consists of several layers called doublets or triplets. The top layer of the gem is a natural sapphire, a cheap analogue is hidden under it. Both synthetic options and gems that are more attractive at a price are used. If you carefully consider the product under a magnifying glass, you can find a gluing.
3. Crystals grown in artificial conditions. Due to the high cost of natural crystals, rarity and the complex process of extraction of sapphires, artificially grown stones began to be in great demand. This method is considered an official and common way to get stones. Quality samples are very difficult to distinguish from natural gems.

See how to distinguish real sapphire from fake.