Nowadays, when jewelry with synthetic stones is increasingly found on the market, the question of their identification and difference from natural stones. We do not urge you not to buy synthetics at all; on the contrary, you can safely purchase them and enjoy wearing them.

The main thing is not to overpay, pay the real price and avoid becoming a victim of scammers. At the same time, there is no guarantee that you will not be deceived both in the market and in a fashionable jewelry salon. Deception can be either conscious (with forged documents, fake certificates or convincing oral assurances) or out of ignorance (the seller himself was misled).

Fraud is the sale of synthetics at a deliberately inflated price and passing it off as natural material. Even if you were allegedly sold chrysoberyl beads for $15, this is not a criminal offense or even a violation at all (rejoice at your successful purchase!!). But if you are charged $70 or more for counterfeiting and deception, this is already fraud and an administrative offense, and if there is an illegal markup and deception of more than $110, this is already a criminal offense (in Ukraine). Forgery of any certificate of conformity is a crime, regardless of the amount of the transaction. You should get help from the nearest police station and consumer protection society at the place where the overly expensive and falsified counterfeit was sold.

Most imitations today are made from glass of various qualities with various additives (Savrovski stones, glass rhinestones, black and golden aventurine, colored cat eye, milky moonstone, green chrysoberyl, opal glass, etc.). A number of other synthetic stones are more valuable; they have their own chemical formula (cubic zirconia, corundum, sapifre, ulexite, citrine, amethyst, ametrine, Viennese turquoise and neolith).

Why is it important to distinguish natural stones from synthetic ones? One of the attributes of a gemstone is its rarity. Pure, defect-free stones are rare in nature, so their cost sometimes reaches very high prices. high level, especially for large specimens. Synthetic jewelry stones almost always have higher quality characteristics compared to natural stones, but cost significantly less than the best natural stones. Free from defects good color a natural ruby ​​weighing 5-10 carats can cost several thousand dollars per carat. Synthetic ruby ​​(corundum) of the same size costs only a few dollars for a whole stone, and raw corundum is sold by the kilo.

The world has significant reserves of substandard or low-value varieties of topaz, agate, jade, turquoise, rock crystal, chalcedony, etc. This has necessitated the development of technological processes for refining gemstones.

Which of the characteristics of natural, refined and synthetic stones allow us to distinguish them from each other? In nature, the formation of a precious stone takes several tens, or even hundreds of thousands of years. In the laboratory, growth can take anywhere from a few hours to (at most) several months. Also, in the laboratory it is impossible to recreate a process that completely replicates the natural one, so it seems logical to assume that in any crystal of artificial origin one can detect signs determined by the conditions of its growth that will distinguish it from natural stone.

What signs do gemologists pay attention to when diagnosing the origin of a stone? First of all, these are the internal features of the stone, such as inclusions, zoning (color distribution), growth microstructures, for observation of which a magnifying glass or microscope is used. Previously, for the diagnosis of synthetic jewelry stones The experts only needed standard gemological equipment, including a magnifying glass, a polariscope, a dichroscope and an ultraviolet lamp. Nowadays, when synthesis technologies are constantly improving, it is becoming more and more difficult for experts to work; Often standard equipment is not enough for an unambiguous diagnosis, so you have to resort to more complex laboratory methods. The main requirement for stone identification methods is their non-destructive effect on the sample under study.

SYNTHETIC DIAMONDS. In the last decade, great strides have been made in the synthesis of jewelry diamonds. Modern technologies make it possible to obtain gem-quality diamond crystals weighing up to 10-15 carats. For example, inclusions of minerals indicate natural origin, while inclusions of metals (iron, nickel, manganese) indicate synthetic origin. Synthetic diamonds are also characterized by an uneven zonal-sectoral distribution of fluorescence in ultraviolet light (cross-shaped figures of UV fluorescence can often be observed), on the contrary, natural diamonds are characterized by a uniform or irregular distribution of UV glow. Read more about synthetic gem-quality diamonds.

SYNTHETIC RUBIES AND SAPPHIRES (CORUNDUMS). Today, the gemstone market offers many synthetic rubies and sapphires grown various methods synthesis, each of which has its own distinctive features. Almost all red stones in jewelry are synthetic corundums. Most natural rubies have internal defects. Thus, most synthetic rubies and sapphires found on the market are obtained by the Verneuil method, distinctive features These stones have curvilinear zoning (which is not observed in natural stones); sometimes they contain inclusions of gas bubbles. But visually synthetic corundums look flawless. Moreover, it is synthetic corundums that are quite cheap and almost eternal red and dark pink inserts in jewelry. This is a very beautiful synthetic gem. Unfortunately, today red corundums have become very rare in jewelry stores, and synthetic sapphires are almost impossible to find.
Rubies and sapphires grown by flux and hydrothermal synthesis methods are the most difficult objects to diagnose. Fluxed rubies and sapphires are characterized by inclusions of flux and growth chamber (crucible) materials - platinum, gold and copper, and distinctive feature hydrothermal corundums have irregular growth microstructures.

SYNTHETIC EMERALD. In the last decade, in addition to large quantity hydrothermal rubies and sapphires, most synthetic emeralds are also obtained by this method. Such emeralds are characterized by tubular inclusions, brownish inclusions of iron oxides. In ordinary jewelry stores, natural emeralds can be distinguished from synthetic ones based on the fact that most natural emeralds in our jewelry are imperfect, have cracks and internal defects visible to the eye, uneven coloring, and are opaque in places. A stone that is too pale in color may appear not as an emerald, but as an ordinary beryl. It is better to transfer perfect dark green and perfectly transparent emeralds to independent specialists for analysis, since the likelihood of acquiring very high-quality synthetics passed off as natural stones is too high (especially in imported gold jewelry). Synthetic emeralds have a very distinctive, rich bluish-green color that somewhat reveals their origin, although some Colombian emeralds have almost the same hue. Synthetic emeralds of hydrothermal origin usually contain small liquid or gaseous inclusions. Natural emeralds often have inclusions of mica platelets and microplates and pyrite crystals (even a natural emerald clogged with mica is much more expensive than its ideal synthetic counterpart). When choosing what to buy: green synthetic zircon or synthetic emerald, if possible, preference should be given to emerald, since it is much more beautiful and durable.
There is another variety of emerald, which is in an intermediate stage between synthetic and refined. They are non-jewelry beryls that do not have jewelry value in the original raw material, but covered with a layer of extended synthetic emerald thickness from 0.3 mm or more. The color of such stones is pale green. When using the hydrothermal method, which is popular today, a layer of emerald 0.8 mm thick grows within a day. The structure of the stones is imperfect; the cracks and structure of the stone seem to be emphasized. The stones are opaque or translucent and are characterized by crack-like lines in the surface layer, which appear as a thin, intense green rim when immersed in liquid. Silver items studded with such ennobled beryls appear in jewelry stores. In stores the most expensive giant domed silver ring, studded with these beryls, costs about $200, small rings cost up to $50.

SYNTHETIC QUARTZ. Synthetic rock crystal is transparent. The most important variety of synthetic quartz found on the market is hydrothermal amethyst. This jewelry material is widely used in trade mainly due to its strong similarity to its natural counterpart and the difficulty of distinguishing them. Synthetic amethyst is usually very transparent, clean, bright, without internal defects or irregularities, can reach large sizes while maintaining cleanliness. Some of its varieties may slightly change color in sunlight and artificial light (pictured with a coin). Another important variety of synthetic quartz is amitrine (there are zones of purple and yellow color), which is produced using the hydrothermal method.
Rose quartz after ionizing radiation becomes smoky (up to morion). When annealed at 450-500 o C, amethysts lose their color, which is restored under ionizing radiation. At a temperature of 700 o C the changes are irreversible.
Synthetic citrine can be obtained by firing (baking) for many hours at a temperature of about 500 o C amethyst (lilac and purple quartz, orange-yellow and yellow-brown citrine is obtained) or rauchtopaz (smoky quartz, soft yellow citrine is obtained). Natural citrine is often cloudy (opaque) with areas of white, opaque quartz. Large transparent citrine crystals or too dark high-quality crystals usually indicate the artificial origin of the stone.

SYNTHETIC ALEXANDRITE. The stones sold in jewelry before 1973 under the guise of alexandrite were varieties of synthetic spinel and synthetic corundum with vanadium additives. Many synthetic alexandrites are actually either synthetic corundums, colored with vanadium and having a purple color that turns redder under artificial light, or synthetic spinels, which have a denser green color. In 1973, products with synthetic alexandrites appeared on the market, which also have a spectacular color change, but from purple-blue to pink, rather than from green to red. The photo to the left shows synthetic corundum imitating alexandrite, the photo to the right shows synthetic spinel that changes color (a rare and expensive stone). Technologies for growing alexandrites (close to natural ones) are complex and expensive, so the price of synthetic alexandrites is such that they can be used as central stones in expensive products.

SYNTHETIC cubic zirconias and zircons. Even synthetic diamonds are still expensive. The beauty of a diamond is determined by its specific properties: high refractive index, high dispersion (the white color is divided into seven colors of the rainbow, which give the diamond play), hardness protects it from scratches and damage. The simulating material must have all these properties, but most importantly, it must be cheap. This problem was solved different people in different ways, and today the most popular diamond simulator is cubic zirconia. The name comes from the abbreviation FIAN (Physical Institute of the Academy of Sciences), where this mineral was created in the early seventies of the 20th century. “Zircon” or “zirconium” are imported from abroad, which are actually cubic zirconia, grown under Soviet license or simply Soviet technology, but disguised under these commercial names. It is not a diamond at all, not a natural mineral, and not the chemical element (metal) zirconium. Cubic zirconia, painted in any color, with its diamond play, creates a unique image completely different from any natural stone (the refractive index of zircon is much higher than that of any precious colored gemstone, except for colored diamonds). In the periodic table there is an element, the metal zirconium (Zr), the mineral zircon is found in nature - zirconium silicate (actually a salt), which has independent jewelry applications, cubic zircon is grown in the laboratory - zirconium oxide with additions of rare earth elements and crystallizing in diamond-like cubic system, in contrast to natural zircon, which crystallizes in the tetragonal system. That is, zirconium, zircon and cubic zirconia are different materials.

For a jewelry designer, cubic zirconia (zircons) are a palette, a material with which you can safely experiment (especially with small stones). But it cannot be said that zircons cost little - they are quite comparable in price to natural gems of low price groups or some stones purchased directly from the manufacturer. Moreover, large and well-cut cubic zirconias are quite expensive and rare in jewelry (the creator of this electronic encyclopedia managed to buy such a ring after 5 years of searching). Usually small and small cheap zircons are used in “sprinkling”, and there are a lot of such products on our shelves. There are features of the jewelry use of zircon. It requires care when setting (roughly speaking, it cannot be hammered in like corundum). It may burst when fastened. It crumbles easily, and the yield of finished stones during machine cutting often does not exceed 15-20%. When cutting, differences in the refractive indices of diamond and cubic zirconia are masked by changing the ratio of the angles between the faces (zircon with an incomplete brilliant cut, on the contrary, is low and squat). Zircon is very sensitive to surface contamination and immediately ceases to shine; it must be constantly wiped and cleaned. Zircon is almost twice as heavy as a diamond and heavier than other gemstones. In addition, the edges of faceted cubic zirconia are slightly rounded, which also qualitatively distinguishes it from a diamond cut.
Visually, new cut small zircons (cubic zirconia) and small diamonds with incomplete brilliant cut, already inserted into jewelry, are extremely difficult to distinguish from each other, but instrumental methods make it possible to accurately diagnose them. The easiest way for non-specialists to read the tag is in a reputable jewelry store (not a single normal store or factory will deceive you on new products under pain of criminal liability and the primitiveness of diagnosing deception), and it is best to show a dubious used stone not in a new product to a craftsman in the nearest jewelry workshop. You can scratch glass with a stone, but you need to know that glass can be scratched by diamonds, corundums, colorless topazes, beryls, rock crystals, etc.
It is almost impossible to find natural zircon in jewelry stores. The color of synthetic zircons due to impurities is very diverse: colorless, brown of various shades, red, green, yellow, black, blue, etc. It imitates diamond and almost all other evenly colored, non-chameleon-shaped transparent stones. Colorless zircons, although characterized by a diamond-like luster and strong play, are easily distinguished from diamond by their low hardness and low light refraction (which allows much of the light falling on the diamond-cut stone's surface to escape from the lower portion). Only synthetic zircons give good shine big size with a pavilion (the lower part of the stone) lower than that of a diamond. A good zircon should be open in the piece to light from all sides. Small zircons can quickly lose their original appearance and shine in products if they are not constantly looked after. It is better not to purchase red synthetic zircons that imitate ruby ​​and spinel, but to look for synthetic corundum (rubies); they have a more marketable appearance, are harder than zircons (almost eternal) and are easier to care for.

Fake glass

Rhinestone is an ancient name for glass used as an imitation of precious stones. Glasses are transparent materials of various compositions, made by heating and rapid cooling and having an amorphous structure, optically isotropic or with anomalous birefringence, the refractive index is usually in the range of 1.40-1.90. Used as imitation gemstones.

Glass, for example, is also transparent and is widely used to make inexpensive jewelry. Glasses differ from real crystals in that they do not have a regular arrangement of atoms and our “atomic microscope” would reveal a rather chaotic structure, without the consistent ordering characteristic of crystalline materials. The lack of an orderly structure inevitably results in glasses that lack the internal reflection inherent in crystalline gemstones and therefore cannot be compared to real natural or synthetic crystals.

Glass is an amorphous substance. In 1758, Australian chemist Joseph Strass developed a method for making a glass alloy that was clear and colorless with a relatively high refractive index. The alloy, consisting of silicon, iron and aluminum oxides, as well as lime and soda, was beautifully cut and polished and, after cutting, vaguely resembled diamonds. Its composition is as follows: 38.2% silica, 53% lead oxide and 8.8% potash (soda). In addition, borax, glycerin and arsenous acid were added to the mixture.

Rhinestone is characterized by high dispersion and lends itself well to cutting. To obtain a ruby ​​color, 0.1% cassium porphyry was added to the glass mass, sapphire - 2.5% cobalt oxide, emerald - 0.8% copper oxide and 0.02% chromium oxide. This artificial stone is called rhinestone.

Everything that is made of glass today is called imitation or fake. Imitation - this is the sale of a product in which the seller honestly warns you that you are not buying a natural stone. Fake - this is a deception, conscious or simply out of ignorance, as a result of which sellers mislead you.

Most imitations and fakes today are made from glass of various qualities with various coloring additives (Savrovsky stones, glass rhinestones, black and golden aventurine, colored cat's eye, milky moonstone, green chrysoberyl, opal glass, etc.). Even rauchtopases began to be counterfeited with glass ( smoky quartz), morions (black quartz) and agates, the reserves of which are sufficient in nature.

Fraud is the sale of imitation at a deliberately inflated price, passing it off as a natural material. A criminal offense in Ukraine begins with an illegal price of 20 tax-free minimums - 340 UAH for counterfeiting. Everything else from 17 UAH. - administrative offense. Up to 17 UAH counterfeits are not really punishable.

source http://www.webois.org.ua/jewellery/stones/sintetica.htm

In this article:

How to find out gem and distinguish it from a fake? This question is very relevant for those who love and appreciate precious jewelry. After all, few people will be happy with the prospect of buying glass in a store for the price of a diamond. In order not to overpay or make a mistake in your choice, it is worth knowing about some tricks that jewelers and jewelry manufacturers resort to.

Determining the authenticity of a stone

A little about stones and fakes

A real stone is always a profitable purchase: products inlaid with gems do not lose in price, and over the years the cost of such jewelry only increases. But under the concept “ real stone“Only those minerals that were found in the bowels of the earth are included.

Even if the crystal has been processed and gone through a refining procedure, its price will be lower. Treated stones are no different from their counterparts in terms of characteristics; they are processed for several reasons, the main one of which is considered to be insufficiently bright color. The procedure helps to give nondescript gems a unique shade that is rarely found in nature.

The properties of crystals processed in this way will not change and, despite the refining, the gemstone will not become worse. But minerals processed in this way are cheaper, since their amazing shade was given not by nature, but by the hand of man. It is difficult to call such pebbles a fake, since they are still of natural origin.

It is actually not difficult to distinguish natural stone from artificial stone. To understand the authenticity of a gem, just ask a jewelry retailer for a certificate.

A certificate is a document that is issued for each mineral; it contains information about the stone itself, its characteristics: size, color, purity, presence of defects, cutting method and even place of extraction. If the seller of jewelry refuses to provide a certificate to the buyer, this means that the jewelry does not have any documents. And it is impossible to confirm the authenticity of the minerals with which the products are inlaid.

It is worth noting that all stones, precious and semi-precious, pass through the hands of an appraiser. Craftsmen determine the cost of gems by assessing their characteristics. After evaluating the stones, there is a direct path to the jewelers who manufacture the products. They select the frame and create this or that item.

It is for this reason that an appraiser can determine the authenticity of a mineral; if you put the gem in the hands of a master, he will determine its real value. Such an examination costs money; the appraiser’s work must be paid.

There are several more ways to help recognize a fake.

For identification you need:

1. Minimum information about the stone being purchased.
2. The ability to examine a mineral through a magnifying glass.
3. Simple examination at home.
4. Frame identification.

Minimal information about the gem you plan to purchase will help you recognize an imitation or fake. It is worth collecting information about what shades the mineral has, in what places it is mined and how it is cut. All this will be enough to avoid purchasing glass instead of a precious stone. To distinguish a crude fake from a gem of natural origin, this information is quite enough.

Rough natural diamonds

A microscope, magnifying glass, or any other instrument can be used in authentication. A mineral created in a laboratory is pure; there are no inclusions in its structure, which jewelers call defects. But the stone that was found in the bowels of the earth probably has defects, some of which can be seen using a magnifying glass. The presence of such defects is a sign that the crystal was created by nature and not by human hands.

A simple check will help determine the authenticity of the crystal. If we are talking about a diamond, it is enough to simply slide it across the mirror. The stone will scratch the glass, but such a check will not harm it at all. The density of precious stones is high, for this reason they are difficult to scare with alkalis and acids; even hitting a diamond with a hammer will not harm it. But the fake crumbles to pieces.

The frame is another element that can give away a fake. Precious and semi-precious stones are not set in base metal settings. Gold and platinum are the main metals used as settings for gems. Silver products can also be found on the market, but rare and expensive crystals are not framed with silver, since the metal is not of high value.

Certain gems are produced in laboratories and synthesized on an industrial scale. Such stones are often used to make electrical appliances and even car windows. A certain amount of crystals synthesized in laboratories ends up in the hands of jewelers. Such pebbles differ from those found in the bowels of the earth, but the comparison is not always in favor of minerals that are of natural origin.

According to its characteristics and appearance, gems synthesized in the laboratory can be on par with their natural counterparts. But what man does is not always as beautiful as what nature creates.

Naturally, crystals made in a laboratory are not very expensive; they cannot be called rare or valuable. Humanity does not experience a shortage of such minerals, so jewelry inlaid with such stones does not increase significantly in price. There is no point in investing money in such products.

An experienced appraiser can easily distinguish a gem made in a laboratory from one that is of natural origin. But it will be difficult to deal with those minerals that have gone through the refining procedure. Sometimes it is impossible to determine that a stone has been processed, since it has all the necessary characteristics and can “fool” even an experienced specialist.

Self-authentication

There are several ways to help you doubt the authenticity of a gem and refuse to purchase jewelry. They are different for each stone.

Artificial stones are perfect and have no defects

Here are some ways to determine the authenticity of gemstones:

• If you need to check a diamond, then remember that this stone is not only hard, but also shiny. A diamond of natural origin shimmers in all shades of gray, but if the mineral plays with all the colors of the rainbow, this indicates either its low quality or that it is not a diamond at all, but a fake. And a diamond cannot be framed in silver or other base metal; it can only be framed in gold or platinum, with a quality mark. Jewelers always leave the lower part of the diamond free, believing that this will make it shine even brighter.
• But the diamond shines with colors from all sides. It is easy to determine the authenticity of this mineral. If you look at it from the side, in this projection the diamond will shine no less brightly than from any other side. But a fake will look impressive only in frontal projection. If you look at a fake from the side, it will not shine. You can also put the diamond on a sheet of paper on which letters are already printed: if you look at the inscriptions through the diamond, the letters will not be visible.
• To check the authenticity of an emerald, you will have to arm yourself with a magnifying glass or microscope. You need to examine the structure of the stone under a magnifying glass; real emerald does not have tubular or spiral patterns. In addition, true emerald does not conduct heat well and is always cold to the touch.
• If we talk about ruby, then assessing its color will help determine its origin. Blood-red rubies are rare in nature. If the crystal also gives off a purple color and is inexpensive, then it is not a real ruby, but an imitation of it. The fact is that rubies of the “pigeon’s blood” color, a rich red hue with an admixture of purple, are very expensive and are valued by collectors more than some diamonds.
• Large sapphires are rarely found in nature; naturally, such gems exist, but they are not cheap at all. It is almost impossible to find large sapphires in stores; such stones are sold on special exchanges. A sapphire emanates cold air; when picking it up, a person will not be able to quickly warm the crystal with its warmth. You can also check the mineral for authenticity using a magnifying glass or microscope; there should be no gas bubbles or veins of gold in its structure.
• It is known for certain that the mining of alexandrites has been stopped, but despite this, products inlaid with this mineral regularly appear on the market. An objective assessment will help you recognize a fake when buying jewelry: alexandrite is expensive, and besides, these stones are small in size. Alexandrite also changes color when the lighting changes.
• Pearls also require authentication. Natural pearls it is expensive, to establish its authenticity, it is enough to check it “by the teeth”. When trying to bite a pearl, a person will feel that it creaks on the teeth like sand, artificial pearls does not have such properties.

The list of precious stones ends here. But there are other gems that need checking.

How to distinguish a natural semi-precious stone from a fake or imitation?

• Amethyst is a type of quartz. It is not difficult to understand the origin of this gem; just hold it in your palms. Natural amethyst reluctantly “absorbs” human warmth. A magnifying glass will also help you distinguish a stone from a colored cubic zirconia. Insertion in the form of dots and other defects are the main signs of amethyst.
• Aquamarine is a type of topaz; it, like a diamond, sparkles equally when changing position. If you look at aquamarine from different angles, it will change color scheme, fakes do not have this effect.
• Pomegranate and all its varieties can be purchased with peace of mind. If you believe the statistics, this gem is counterfeited less often than others. But to be on the safe side, it is worth remembering that pomegranates are rarely large and exceed the size of the grain of the fruit of the same name.
• Amber is not particularly expensive; it belongs to ornamental stones, unless, of course, we are talking about amber with inclusions. A beetle or lizard frozen in resin equates the value of amber to precious stones. To avoid buying a fake in a store, you should rub the surface of the amber with wool, it will definitely give you an electric shock. Amber also attracts small objects; it is also rubbed with wool and held on top of finely chopped paper. In addition, a stone with inclusions does not sink in salt water. You can prepare the solution yourself by pouring 10 tablespoons of salt into a glass.
• Topaz is the most mysterious stone; its color affects the cost of the mineral. Blue topaz is not cheap at all. To check the authenticity of this gem, you need to examine it under a magnifying glass. The structure of natural topaz will contain defects: small dots, inclusions. A pure mineral without defects or inclusions will most likely turn out to be a fake. Topaz, like amber, is well electrified and attracts small objects, napkins, and pieces of paper. It is enough to simply rub the surface of the topaz with wool to verify its authenticity.

Today you can stumble upon a fake both in an online store and in an expensive boutique. There are scammers everywhere. For this reason, you should remain vigilant, take a responsible approach to choosing jewelry, and avoid “bargain” offers and maximum discounts. And also evaluate the color of the stone: too bright a shade should scare away the buyer, since minerals of this color are rare in nature and are expensive.

The natural desire to own beautiful jewelry makes many buyers easy prey for all sorts of scammers. And in this case, the coveted diamonds in earrings bought in a jewelry store turn out to be nothing more than cheap cubic zirconia, and the amber necklace turns into a plastic fake. Be a vigilant buyer and do not be deceived. To buy jewelry with a natural stone, it is not at all necessary to invite a venerable specialist. Our tips will help you make a successful purchase.

Amethyst

Synthetic amethyst is one of the imitations of natural amethyst, and it is very difficult to recognize a fake, since the physical and chemical properties of the artificial and natural mineral are very similar. Such synthetic analogues are now produced on an industrial scale and in jewelry are used very often. Even more often you can find painted cubic zirconia, which can be revealed very simple method. Place the stone on your cheek: natural amethysts do not conduct heat well, which means long time will remain cool. Large stones are best checked in a gemological laboratory.

Aquamarine

Aquamarines are very easy to confuse with natural topaz, since both minerals have the same shade and structural inclusions and defects present in all natural stones. One of the methods for diagnosing aquamarines can be the so-called “chrysanthemums” in the structure of the stone (noticeable white inclusions), which topazes cannot have. Imitations of aquamarine can be artificial spinel, ordinary glass and synthetic quartz, which have individual physical and chemical properties. For example, these fakes do not produce the changeable color that aquamarine is famous for. If you turn it at different angles, you can observe a change in at least two, or even three shades: bluish, blue, green and their variations.

Turquoise

Turquoise is one of the leaders in the number of types of fakes. They can be either ordinary plastic or glass, which are quite easy to recognize upon careful examination, since they do not have a special porous turquoise surface. In addition, a glass fake reveals itself by the presence of microscopic air bubbles, which are not present in natural turquoise. As for more skillful fakes, it is necessary to mention low-quality samples of turquoise, which are refined by laboratory methods and passed off as first-class minerals. This involves heat treatment, application of special strengthening compounds, gluing turquoise chips and many other methods. When gluing defective pieces of turquoise, there is a possibility that the stone will soon fall apart and you will have to stock up on Moment glue.

Heliodor

The most valuable specimens of this mineral are lemon-colored heliodoras with a high degree of transparency, so immediately refuse to purchase if they offer you stones that are not very clean or even cloudy. When purchasing, it would be a good idea to have glass with you so you can run heliodor over it. The stone should scratch the glass surface, because its hardness is quite high - 7.5 on the Moss scale. Another distinctive feature of natural heliodor is its glow yellow in the short wave range.

Rhinestone

It should be understood that rock crystal is not at all the same as the substance from which “crystal” glasses costing two hundred rubles are made. In fact, it is just a mixture of quartz, soda and lime, but it makes quite good fakes of rock crystal. Sometimes, under the guise of this beautiful mineral, ordinary glass is even sold, but it is not at all difficult to recognize a natural stone. Take a closer look at the structure of the mineral - even without a magnifying glass you can see a slight haze in it, which resembles frozen ice. Glass is transparent and not as cool as rock crystal, which remains cold even in the most intense heat.

Pomegranate

Pomegranates are not counterfeited very often. Firstly, the price of this beautiful mineral is quite affordable, and secondly, garnets have a number of specific features unique to them. These stones have slight magnetism, so when purchasing, you should arm yourself with a magnet and a stopper, which is needed to neutralize the magnetic field of the metal scales where you place the garnet. So, the pomegranate is placed on the cork, and the cork is placed on the scales. Then a magnet is carefully brought to the stone and at a distance of ten millimeters the garnet will begin to manifest its magnetic nature through the oscillation of the arrows of the scales.

Moon rock

One can easily mistake frosted glass or plastic for moonstone, which is painted using a special technology to obtain a non-uniform color. Outwardly, such a glass fake is very similar to a moonstone, but there is no play of light and a myriad of multi-colored reflections when the mineral is brought to a light source. Moreover, these reflections are reflected in a new way each time, and in the glass the sparkles seem to have frozen in a vacuum. The same goes for white chalcedony and synthetic spinel, which are heat-treated to give them the specific shine of moonstone. Only X-ray irradiation of the mineral will help here, which will reveal the white-violet glow characteristic of moonstone. You can also try to see the moonstone through a tenfold magnifying glass, through which you can see the multi-stage structure and layering characteristic of feldspar.

Topaz

There are quite a few methods for recognizing natural topazes. One of them is a simple tactile analysis: if, when you touch a stone, you feel a slippery and cold surface, it is most likely topaz. You can also use wool fabric to verify the authenticity of the mineral: if you rub topaz thoroughly with it, it will accumulate electricity and attract smallest objects, for example, hairs, a piece of napkin and other light debris. If possible, dip the stone in methylene iodide - real topaz will sink in this liquid, and fakes, such as quartz, will remain floating on the surface. Not only the stone itself, but also its quality parameters can be counterfeited. Many jewelry topazes are characterized by color enhancement through heat treatment. Traces of refining can only be detected in a gemological laboratory. Golden topazes or Madeira topazes are also born, which are something other than amethysts heated to the required temperature.

Chrysolite

This bright green stone is often counterfeited with colored glass, making it quite difficult for the inexperienced buyer to distinguish the fake from the original. But this is very simple - in most cases, fake glass is painted unevenly and you can observe thickening and gaps in different areas of the glass. In the case of natural chrysolite, you will not see such metamorphoses: the stone has the same color and intensity throughout its structure. It happens that they try to pass off olive-green plastic beads as peridot (they can be easily scratched and even damaged with an ordinary knife), as well as green tourmaline or chrysoberyl, which are difficult to distinguish outwardly even for an experienced jeweler. It is possible to recognize a fake only in laboratory conditions using special equipment.

Lapis lazuli

Anyone who has ever seen the natural lapis lazuli mineral is unlikely to ever confuse this stone with something similar (lazulite, azurite, sodalite, dumortierite). The fact is that the shade of this amazing stone is unusually blue; one might say it “hurts the eye” with its blue. Counterfeits cannot recreate such a rich blue hue; they are paler and duller than the original. If you have never dealt with lapis lazuli, check the stone in the following way: put it in a glass of water and shake. Counterfeits, for example, jasper dyed with Prussian blue or synthetic spinel dyed with cobalt oxide, will immediately color the water blue or dark blue, while natural lapis lazuli will leave behind clear water. There is another way to recognize lapis lazuli - dissolving the natural mineral in hydrochloric acid - but it can hardly be considered as a diagnostic sign.

Citrine

Natural citrine is a beautiful bright yellow stone often used in jewelry. However, when purchasing a ring or earrings with citrines, make sure that they are not selling you burnt amethyst or refined quartz, the cost of which is much lower, but rather natural citrine. It can be distinguished by its less saturated yellow color, which in refined amethyst or quartz is hauntingly yellow and even with an orange-red tint. Natural citrine can have several colors (amber, pale yellow, etc.), but they are all kept in a calm tone. A diagnostic sign can be the effect of dichroism of natural citrines: at different viewing angles, the color of the mineral changes from pale yellow to deep lemon. Counterfeits do not have this effect and have the same and uniform color regardless of the viewing angle.

As the song says: “Diamonds are a girl’s best friend!” To be precise, then best friends girls also have topazes, rubies, sapphires, malachites, emeralds, garnets, etc. Among such a variety of valuable stones, today you can often find artificially grown, and sometimes simply counterfeit, minerals. How to distinguish natural stone from fake? Of course, you can take the gemstones aversvrn.ru to a pawnshop for an appraisal or contact an experienced jeweler with a request to identify them. However, specialist services are often quite expensive. This article will present all known methods for determining the authenticity of expensive stones by eye.

How to distinguish a real stone from a fake

First of all, it is worth saying that the modern jewelry industry divides fake stones into three categories:

1. Synthetically grown stones - these stones are real minerals, but grown in a laboratory.
2. High-quality fakes are inexpensive natural stones that look similar to valuable minerals.
3. Glass or plastic imitations.

As is clear from the gradation of the listed fakes, synthetic stones are quite valuable, fake ones are not valued so highly, and imitations are even used only in costume jewelry.

Regarding the question of how to identify natural stone, professionals give several tips on what you need to pay attention to first of all:

• Zoning – uniform color distribution
• Inclusions
• Microstructures of growth

Naturally, it is impossible to examine and identify a mineral according to these criteria without special equipment, experience and a certain amount of knowledge. Then how to distinguish real gemstones from fakes without all this?

In order to purchase an original in a store and not stumble upon a hack, you need to know a few nuances:

• There are practically no ideal stones in nature.
• Natural stones are rarely large, but growing a large mineral in a laboratory is a piece of cake.
• Almost all natural minerals are cold to the touch. The only exception is amber. Glass and plastic imitations will feel a little warmer to the touch. You can find out by placing a stone on your cheek or tasting it with your tongue.
• Natural stones, unlike imitations, are more durable.
• Grown in artificial conditions minerals often have a brighter color than those created by nature.
• The price of a natural stone will be many times higher than the price of a fake.
• Any jewelry store that values ​​its reputation is obliged to issue a certificate for the stone confirming its authenticity.

Since it is quite simple to distinguish a gemstone from glass by checking their heat, the question remains open of how to distinguish a natural stone from an artificial one. To do this, it is necessary to consider each type of jewelry separately. If you want to learn how to clean gold jewelry with stones, we advise you to follow the link

Diamond or diamond

• If you look through a cut diamond into the sun, you will only find a white dot inside it.
• Diamond is one of the hardest minerals, so it can leave scratches both on glass and on other (fake) stones. Moreover, if you rub the stone sandpaper, then she will not leave a trace on him. Other stones may cause scratches.
• It is impossible to see through the skin of a diamond ring worn on a finger.
• If you treat a diamond with hydrochloric acid, the stone will remain unchanged. At the same time, zircon similar to it will acquire a cloudy tint.
• If you immerse a diamond in an aqueous solution of glycerin, monophthlene monobromide or methylene iodide, it will continue to play beautifully with rays of light. If a similar manipulation is performed with other stones, they will simply become invisible in this composition of the liquid.

Turquoise

• Over time, dark spots form on the fake.
• If you bring a hot needle to the stone, the original will remain unchanged. At the same time, the plastic imitation will begin to melt. True, sometimes synthetic minerals are also able to withstand heat.
• In a low-quality plastic fake, the color is erased even when exposed to alcohol.
• If you drag across turquoise sharp knife, then there will be no trace left on it. If you have hack work on hand, then white furrows form on its surface and it begins to crumble.
• In general, natural turquoise is quite difficult to distinguish from fake one.

Pomegranate

• Due to the cheapness of the stone, it is rarely counterfeited.
• If you put on jewelry scales crusts, and put a pomegranate on them and bring a magnet to it, then the arrow of the scales will begin to dance.
• The size of a pomegranate often does not exceed the size of a grain of a fruit similar to it.

Emerald

• Since it is quite difficult to determine a natural stone from a fake on your own, it is better to entrust this matter to professionals. Upon closer examination, the master may notice twisted veils in the mineral. This sign indicates the synthetic origin of the stone.
• An inexperienced person will be able to identify a fake only if the stone was made using the “sandwich” technique. This technique involves placing a thin layer of real mineral between two pieces of artificial material. The joints between the materials are glued together epoxy resin Green colour. You can notice such hackwork if you closely examine the stone from the end.

Amber

• If you hold the mineral over a lit match, it will begin to smell like resin, a pressed stone will become slightly sticky, an unripe stone will become stained, and a plastic fake will emit a characteristic odor.
• A stone without a frame can be placed in a salt solution - the original will float, and the fake will sink to the bottom.
• If you run a knife over the mineral, it will give crumbs, while the fake will give spiral ribbons.
• If you rub a stone on wool and bring it to pieces of paper, they will stick to it. There will be no such effect with glass.

Pearl

Emerald is one of the most recognizable and expensive stones. Of course, criminals pay special attention to him. Many types of fakes have been invented, differing in materials, manufacturing technologies, and quality. Before buying, you need to find out how to distinguish an emerald from a fake, so as not to spend a considerable amount on imitation.

The natural mineral is a type of beryl with impurities: chromium, vanadium, iron. The color is usually green, sometimes with bluish or yellowish tints. Under the guise of an emerald, unscrupulous sellers offer:

• imitation;
• doublets and triplets;
• synthetic stones;
• glass.

Sometimes people are misled by the names of minerals and products. “Emerald” in them is only part of the trade name, for example:

• “eastern” - green sapphire;
• “evening” - yellow peridot of intense color, giving off a light green color in the light;
• "Pakistani" - pomegranate suitable shade;
• "Vilyuisky" - Vesuvian.

Some of the imitations are not minerals. It is not necessary to establish the authenticity of the emerald. It is enough to know the features. For example, if “emerald” is called emerald, then it is glass.

Imitations

Fraudsters often pass off one stone after another. Under the guise of an emerald, it is proposed to buy cheaper gems. The list of minerals that are similar in shades and other characteristics is large. For example, for simulations they take:

1. Demantoid. Some stones are more expensive than emeralds, so copies of poor quality are used for fakes.
2. Fluorite. The composition is similar to Colombian emeralds. It cannot be recognized even by checking under ultraviolet light.
3. Green garnet (tsavorite).
4. Tourmaline. This stone, counterfeited as an emerald, does not shine as brightly as the real thing. Contains fewer reflective particles.

Any type of gems, even those classified as first grade, are of different quality. In some cases, a real, but not the best, emerald costs less than a good fake, for example, from demantoid.

Doublets and triplets

Sometimes several records are taken to make a fake. Faceted beryl is often used. It is cut into two parts. To make the fake look believable and attractive, a spacer of a suitable color is placed between them and secured with brightly colored glue or paste.

Instead of beryl, real low-quality emerald is sometimes used. In other cases, combinations of plates from different stones, materials:

• natural emerald and beryl, quartz, spinel (low-grade or artificial);
• one plate is made of glass.

In doublets there are two parts, in triplets there are three. Such fakes have been known since the times of Ancient Greece and Rome.

Synthetic stones

It is believed that emerald became the second mineral (the first was ruby) that scientists managed to grow. The interest of researchers was fueled by the high price of jewelry.

It is now impossible to establish exactly who was the first to receive a synthetic stone. The work was carried out by many scientists. The results of unknown scientists were used by large firms to continue research and obtain patents. It is conventionally believed that the first emerald was made in the 30s in Germany. Then the USSR and the USA achieved great success, which further developed technology.

The production of crystals is based on hydrothermal synthesis processes. The following types of products are known:

1. Chinese The growing technology is similar to the previous type. Chrome is used here only to obtain color.
2. Malossi. Invented at the beginning of this century by employees of the Russian-Thai company TAIRUS. The structure is more similar to a natural mineral than other artificial analogues. Another plus is that Malossi better preserves the play of shades, regardless of the size of the crystal. There is no vanadium in the composition, only chromium. These synthetic stones were produced in small batches. They entered the market mainly through Italians.
3. Colombian color emerald. TAIRUS was also received. For a long time Biron was considered the standard for color, until we got Colombian color emerald. The color is formed due to the vanadium content. The crystal is extremely transparent. It is not easy to detect a forgery: there is no luminescence, and under the Chelsea filter the stone behaves like a natural one. A high-quality real emerald originally from Colombia is in most respects no different from this fake.
4. Russian emerald- leader in the world market among small and medium-sized artificial stones. From expensive options With a large cut, Colombian color emerald takes first place by a huge margin.
5. Biron. The color is intense, almost like Colombian natural minerals. A similar color of the stone is obtained thanks to chromium and vanadium. Small pebbles look great, but large ones have a noticeably worse color play. It is expensive to grow such crystals, so they are rare.

Glass

Many fakes are simple and inexpensive to make, although they are inferior in quality. They are made of glass. Best quality- emerald valleys.

They tried to replace natural emerald with glass back in the Middle Ages in Europe. The quality of the fakes was unimportant. Venetian craftsmen managed to change the situation somewhat. They took advantage of the knowledge of ancient Syrian artisans. Although such fakes have not become widespread.

Today for the fake precious mineral beryl glass is made. It is given color using chrome. It is sometimes difficult for a non-professional to distinguish products from natural stones, but an experienced jeweler can recognize a fake by eye.

Simple fakes are even made from bottle glass. Pick up suitable color, give a cut.

Sample analysis

It is sometimes difficult or even impossible to distinguish a real emerald from an artificial one without going to an expert. One way is to check in ultraviolet light, although this does not always help.

This method screens out glass and various imitations. However, synthetic stones and some natural ones have almost the same colors when shined through. For example, fluorite will be red, like natural emerald, but a slightly different shade (softer). It is also difficult to distinguish Colombian color emerald.

There are other testing methods that are not available at home. A common one is the Chelsea filter. It helps to recognize synthetic Chinese, but is powerless against Colombian color emerald.

In laboratories, hardness, refraction, structure, the presence of impurities in the channels and other parameters are determined. Even in the Middle Ages, fakes and originals were distinguished by weighing. This method is still suitable today. Although hardly anyone has special scales at home.

One magnifying glass is not always enough. Analysis requires knowledge and experience, for example:

1. Natural inclusions are sometimes confused with air bubbles. An expert, by the number and type of cloudiness, will not only determine the authenticity, but will even tell where the emerald was mined or what stone was taken for counterfeiting. For example, in chrysoprase the inclusions will be in the form of “feathers”. These are special traces of growth.
2. If the mineral is framed, it needs to be viewed from about two meters. The natural gem shimmers faintly from such a distance.

Natural high-quality emeralds, as a rule, have certificates from gemological laboratories. But due to the high cost of natural stone, the authenticity of the documents will also have to be checked.

How to distinguish from a fake

There are ways that everyone can use. To distinguish a natural emerald from an artificial one, it is enough to know a few things:

1. It is advisable to study trade brands, so as not to get caught by the word “emerald” in the title. You need to read the accompanying documents. You can't skip the fine print. The price of the “evening” or “Pakistan” mineral is lower than that of the natural one.
2. A common way to check is to immerse a stone in a glass of water. The fake one often has a red tint.
3. Emeralds in nature are not layered. If there is any doubt during the examination, it is better to play it safe. You need to examine the specimen in the light. It is more difficult to identify doublets and triplets made from low-quality natural emerald. You need to find a place for gluing. If one of the layers is glass, bubble inclusions give it away.
4. Synthetic fakes have parallel edges and regular growth lines. There is no such clear geometry in nature.
5. Glass “emeralds” are suspiciously shiny and large. The edges are fuzzy. They heat up quickly in your hands.
6. Artificial (synthetic) and glass fakes are too clean and transparent. There are bubbles and liquid inclusions inside. Natural minerals, as a rule, have cloudiness, defects and inclusions: abrasions, cracks, scratches. Jewelers call this imperfection Jardin, from French - “garden”. It is as unique as fingerprints.
7. A fake crystal is sometimes distinguished by an overly smooth surface and ideal coloring. Natural emerald often has shades of other colors: bluish (Colombian), brownish, yellowish. The unprocessed core is darker, the edges are lighter.
8. Natural minerals have different shades green. The more saturated the color, the more expensive the copy, so you need to focus on the price. If there is a lot of yellow in the color, it may be garnet or peridot.
9. Natural crystals “sparkle” slightly (dispersion). For example, zirconium gives a strong play.

Emerald is an expensive gem. In order not to throw money away, you need to take your choice seriously. Some counterfeits are easy to spot, others are not. If in doubt, it is better to contact an expert jeweler or gemologist.