Here in this article, we are going to discuss one of the most important members of the precious gems quad, Emerald! The green-coloured gem has gained a lot of popularity through time and is amongst the most valuable natural gemstones human has ever found.
Many alternatives to emerald are available in the market, in a variety of sizes made of different materials and with different prices. But in this article, we will focus on a certain kind of synthetic emerald named “Gilson emerald” which you might have heard about. What is a Gilson emerald? What is the difference between Gilson emeralds and other synthetic emeralds? Why should we and why should we not buy a Gilson emerald? Do not miss this short article about the wonderful world of emeralds, where you will learn more about this green gem and love it more than ever!
History
The first successful synthetic alternative to emerald is attributed to Carroll Chatham, the American scientist who started growing emerald crystals in 1938. Back then the common method of growing synthetic emeralds was the Verneuil process which used to result in producing emeralds with curved strips and gas bubbles in them. As soon as Carroll Chatham invented the new method of growing emeralds, much more like natural ones, the Verneuil method was discarded.
Chatham’s method was the most popular on the market till 1964 when Pierre Gilson, French ceramist and engineer, invented a new process for synthetizing emeralds that resulted in producing flux-melt lab-grown emeralds. These new synthetic emeralds were very similar to perfect natural ones in cases of inclusions and transparency.
The rate of occurrence of Gilson’s emeralds was 1mm per month which means a 7mm thick crystal needed a full 7 months to grow. The popularity of Gilson emeralds was increasing day by day until the mid-1970s when 95% of the whole synthetic emeralds in the market over the world was commanded by Gilson.
Natural emeralds vs. Gilson emeralds
Since natural emeralds are grown beneath the earth, they always include inclusions that show up as tiny patterns or flaws inside the gem. Although, this does not affect the worth of these beautiful gems and is one of the major inner properties of emeralds. This property makes detecting a natural emerald from a synthetic one easier as synthetic emeralds, including Gilson emeralds, do not include any inclusions.
Not considering the originality of the gems, some customers prefer flawless synthetic emeralds over natural ones as they believe they look more beautiful to wear. Usually, synthetic emeralds are way cheaper than natural ones so if someone tried to sell you a piece of emerald at a lower cost than the other sellers, you should doubt it.
In opposite to diamonds, brightness and clarity are not considered important factors in valuing emeralds. Instead, the worth and quality of emeralds are determined by their colour and saturation.
Gilson emeralds are perfectly grown emeralds with the same chemical and visual properties as the natural ones. They are found in a variety of green shades that make choosing your desirable gem easier. Here in Hassanzadeh Jewellery, we have provided you with a variety of jewellery items and designs with both natural and Gilson emeralds. Check out our website and give the gift of shining to yourself!