Are Man-Made Gemstones Real?

What are Man-Made Gemstones?

Gemstones are popular Worldwide as they make beautiful jewelry. Mostly the buyer desires to buy natural Gemstone jewelry. However, the Gemstone market is flooded with man-made Gemstones, from which jewelry is made. Some shops or dealers of Gemstones divulge that the stones are man-made and some may not, depending on the intention.

Natural Gemstones are formed in the Earth’s crust, over thousands of years, without human beings making any contribution or interference in the process of its formation. Nurtured by Mother Earth, the natural Gemstones form by themselves. 

As is evident from the term, ‘man-made’, these Gemstones are completely created in labs by humans through various processes. The man-made Gemstones look almost identical to the original or natural Gemstones of a particular kind. There are different terminologies used for the man-made Gemstones, like, lab-created, synthetic, artificial, and lab-grown, which all mean the same. Whatever it may be called, it means that these Gemstones are not natural, they are artificially created in the lab. The chemical or mineral composition is the same as natural Gemstones and there are many processes through which the lab-grown Gemstones are made, some expensive and some not so. However, man-made Gemstones are apt for the fashion industry or costume jewelry, if it is being worn just for the show, the glitter.

Usually, the man-made Gemstones are much more clearer, without visible inclusions or natural flaws of the natural Gemstones. But the man-made or synthetic Gemstone also may come with inclusions or flaws like the natural, depending on which process is used to make it. This factor can make it more difficult for a common person to differentiate between the two. For example, Emerald gemstone, a precious gemstone, or Clear Quartz gemstone can come with natural flaws even in the man-made versions of them.

Only an expert or a gemologist can tell the difference.

Are Man-Made Gemstones Real?

As per the Gemstone industry, human-made or lab-created Gemstones are ‘real,’ as they have the same chemical composition as natural Gemstones. It may be confusing for the customer, as mostly when we talk about real Gemstones, we assume it is ‘natural’ or mined gemstone, without realizing the catch that it is man-made, synthetic gemstone. So, man-made Gemstones cannot be termed fake, but again, it is not natural. 

Fake Gemstones are imitations of the natural Gemstones,  generally made of glass or plastic, and look so solid and identical, that only proper tests in a licensed Gemological lab might be the only way out to get the correct identity. 

Also, Read Some Interesting Facts That You Have to Know About Gemstones

Differences between Man-Made and Natural Gemstones

It can be said that to detect between natural Gemstones and man-made Gemstones, requires trained Eyes. Gemologists and experienced gemstone dealers can detect between the two easily. For a normal person, in the case of some Gemstones, using a magnifying glass or a Jeweller’s Loupe can help to see inclusions, which are thin thread-like formations in the Gemstones. However, as some man-made Gemstones have inclusions or flaws in them, it can be confusing for a buyer. In the case of Gemstones like Diamonds, it is almost impossible to detect differences because of cut, shine, etc. There are other ways of testing for each gemstone but you cannot be completely sure.

Some differences between man-made and natural Gemstones are:

• Visibly the man-made or synthetic Gemstones are much clearer than the natural Gemstones, without inclusions. It is a misconception that many people have that a natural gemstone that is clear, i.e. without inclusions is good quality natural Gemstones. Man-made Gemstones can be ideal for the person who likes clear Gemstones.
• Cost-wise, lab-grown or human-made Gemstones are much cheaper than natural Gemstones as they are made in controlled lab conditions, the quality is the same as the pieces, and it can be produced in any quantity at any point of time. The natural Gemstones are mined, it is available only in a certain quantity, the cost incurred in mining is high, followed by the other steps till it reaches the consumer. Not to mention the fact that there are only limited resources available on Earth.
• The color of man-made, lab-created Gemstones is much deeper or darker than the authentic, natural Gemstone.
• Natural Gemstones are usually opaque, they have a dull shine, whereas the man-made Gemstones sparkle and shine.
• In Vedic Astrology, Gemstones play a very significant role as gemstones are worn to be protected or get relief from ill-effects of Planets, which are not favorable in the native’s Birth- Chart and also to strengthen the power of favorable Planets. Only wearing genuine Natural Gemstones give the exact outcome which is desired, as natural Gemstones have innate healing powers. The man-made or synthetic gemstones will not be able to give the benefits. Natural Gemstones are also used to heal other aspects, they exude positive vibrations when kept in a place. Different natural Gemstones have different attributes. The synthetic, man-made gemstones cannot boast of healing properties.

Though it is easy to get tempted by the lower cost of the man-made gemstones, it is recommended to buy Gemstones from a trusted, reputed shop or Gemstone dealer if you wear them for healing purposes.

The natural Gemstones collection of Rudra Centre is recommendable, especially if you are interested in buying genuine natural Gemstones.