Hydrothermal emerald - what is it really?

The idea that hydrothermal emeralds are some kind of hyped fake made from rhinestones or glass is completely wrong. Modern technologies have made nanocrystals almost perfect.

Hydrothermal stones, created by human hands, act as analogues of real precious gems. Scientists grow stones in special laboratories that do not differ in external characteristics from natural ones.

The advantages of nano-minerals are their similarity to natural stones and their affordable price.

In addition, it is possible to create hydrothermal rocks of any size.

Hydrothermal emerald: what does it mean?

Hydrothermal emerald
Hydrothermal emerald is an artificial mineral grown in laboratory conditions using hydrothermal synthesis. This is not a cheap imitation made of glass, but the closest possible copy of natural stone in terms of properties and beauty.

During the creation of hydrothermal emerald, all the components that are involved in the formation of the gem in natural conditions are used. The growth process of artificial stone takes place under the strict supervision of specialists.

Wide range of possibilities: shape, size, quality

Scientists are able to grow hydrothermal emerald with almost any characteristics.

For example, emeralds with absolute transparency are almost never found in nature. They almost always contain inclusions. The absence of inclusions in a crystal, especially a large one, is one of the main signs of a fake. That is, we are not even talking about a hydrothermal emerald, but about a piece of glass, plastic or other synthetic material that is not related to emerald. But laboratory-grown crystals have small inclusions, just like natural stones. This process is difficult to control; it happens by itself, because everything follows the same pattern as in natural deposits.

As for the form, the possibilities of scientists are quite wide. They can get almost any stone, which, when cut, will turn into a beautiful specimen. In addition, it is possible to grow quite large stones in the laboratory, but it is worth mentioning that this rarely happens. A large emerald is alarming and suggests a fake. Therefore, even hydrothermal gems are usually small.

Origin story

Ring with hydrothermal emerald
Hydrothermal emerald is the second precious mineral obtained artificially after ruby. Its first experimental samples were created at the end of the 19th century. Over the course of 50 years, the technology has been constantly improved, trying to reproduce as much as possible the beauty and quality characteristics of natural emerald. As a result, the first gem-quality hydrothermal emerald, called igmerald, was grown in 1930.

From the second half of the twentieth century to the present day, production of artificial emeralds has been opened in many countries around the world. The largest number of them is concentrated in Russia, Thailand, Germany and Italy.

History of artificial cultivation of emeralds

The first successfully synthesized sample of nano emerald was the result of the work of scientists Perret and Hautfel in 1988. In 1911, these developments began to be actively improved in Germany and were kept classified until 1960.

The first samples of stones grown under artificial conditions were quite different from their natural counterpart and inferior to it in external qualities.

In Russia, researchers led by Alexander Lebedev were engaged in improving this technology. Later the research was continued by Ilyin Alexey. Fursenko D. and Thomas V succeeded in obtaining the first beautiful Colombian gemstone.

What is the difference between emerald and hydrothermal emerald?

Since the process of origin of artificial and natural stones is almost identical, the differences between them are extremely difficult to find even for experienced jewelers. At the same time, minor distinctive features between gems can be noticed if you pay attention to the following characteristics:

Also, one of the main differences between natural and artificially created stones is their cost. The price of hydrothermal emerald is more affordable even compared to the lowest grade natural stones.

Benefits of nano-emeralds

Despite all the value and significance of natural nuggets, they are very difficult to mine; sometimes, before a group of researchers gets what they need, entire piles of rocks have to be processed. With hydrothermal minerals everything is much simpler. Also, in addition to the fact that it is much easier to obtain such a stone, it has the following advantages:

1. An artificially grown gem is not afraid of exposure to ultraviolet radiation, but a real stone loses its natural color under its influence.
2. Synthetic stone is more resistant to mechanical stress.
3. Affordable price. A natural mineral, even of the lowest quality and with visible defects, will cost much more than the ideal form of a rich green nanocrystal.

It is worth noting that in Germany, artificially created emeralds are called “cultured”, which is similar to cultured pearls, the origin of which also involves humans.

Growing technology

Hydrothermal emerald
Hydrothermal emerald is a complete synthetic analogue of a natural mineral with the same exact physical and chemical properties. The process of growing it takes one or more months, depending on the parameters and dimensions of the stone. Under natural conditions, this may take from a thousand to a million years.

Gems are created in laboratory conditions using the following technology:

1. A real emerald chip obtained during the cutting process is placed in an autoclave consisting of two parts. There, in the lower part, chemical elements that are part of the natural gem are added in a certain proportion - silica, chromium, beryllium and aluminum oxides.
2. A sealed vessel with components is exposed to high temperatures (up to 600°C) and pressure (up to 1500 atm), resulting in a chemical reaction between them.
3. Saturated vapors generated under the influence of heat treatment rise to the upper part of the autoclave, settle on the grid plate and crystallize during the cooling process.

This is how stones grow. In 30 days you can grow several crystals with a total weight of up to 100-150 g.

Assembled or composite stones

When manufacturers glue or fuse two or more separate pieces of a mineral together and give them the appearance of a faceted gemstone, the result is called an assembled or composite stone. Individual parts may be natural or artificial.

Flat surfaces are glued parallel to the large facet of the gem to give uniform, beautiful color to the clear emerald. Doublets, which is what stones made from two connected segments are called, are very common. In this case, the layers of stone are held together with colorless glue.

The triplet consists of three segments or two segments separated by a layer of colored cement. This is also a very common way to enhance the appearance of emerald crystals.

Doublets and triplets are widely used to imitate natural stones. Even if the stone is assembled from emerald plates, the crystal is still a creation of human hands, not nature.

To distinguish such an artificial emerald from a real one, as always, you need a magnifying glass. If you carefully examine the profile of the crystal, you can see the layers of its constituent parts. That is, of course, if they are not completely covered by the frame of the stone.

Types of hydrothermal emeralds

A synthetic analogue of emerald may have differences in chemical composition and characteristics. Depending on this, its most common types are distinguished.

Emerald "Biron"

Emerald “Biron”
Since gems are grown in aggressive chloride substances, containers made of gold are used for these purposes. Containers made of precious metal make it possible to obtain crystals of a high level of purity, and the admixture of chromium and vanadium gives a bright green color, close to the color of naturally occurring Colombian emeralds. In small pebbles, inclusions in the form of threads or stripes are practically invisible. On large samples you can notice a slight roughness.

Emerald "Chinese"

To produce this type of artificial stone, a technological process similar to the Biron emerald is used. The fundamental difference is the fact that beryl contains only an admixture of chromium, due to which the grown crystal appears red through filters. Today this type of emerald is not produced.

Emerald "Malossi"

A stone with a high degree of transparency, grown by Tairus. Due to the low concentration of strands, even large crystals do not lose their transparency and purity of color after cutting. The growth of emeralds of this type is carried out in platinum containers to prevent autoclaved steel components from entering their structure.

"Colombian color emerald"

A complete copy of Colombian emeralds, the creation of which was based on the color of Biron crystals and the transparency of Malossi. This type of hydrothermal emerald was developed at the beginning of the 21st century and today is the most sought after on the stone market.

"Russian emerald"

Emerald, close to natural stones, was first grown in Novosibirsk. Over time, crystals began to be grown using this technology at Tairus enterprises.

How to recognize a synthetic emerald

Finding the differences between a hydrothermal emerald and a natural one is not always possible even for experienced jewelry craftsmen. In terms of their physical and chemical characteristics, artificially grown and natural minerals are very similar, since the process of their origin is still identical.

Nano emeralds have the following distinctive features:

• Tubular inclusions can be seen in them;
• The gem contains brownish impurities.

Real nuggets are rarely of ideal shape, without cracks and all kinds of inclusions, and absolutely transparent. Artificial gems are distinguished by a rich, deep shade of green, they are absolutely transparent, and there are air bubbles in their structure.

We should also not forget that today scammers know how to counterfeit not only real minerals, but also artificially grown ones. For example, they often try to pass off ordinary glass as nanocrystals, skillfully disguised as a synthetic emerald. It is quite easy to recognize a fake, since, for example, glass passed off as a hydrothermal emerald can be easily damaged by a sharp object, while a stone of any origin is much stronger.

Price of products

Ring with hydrothermal emerald
The cost of hydrothermal emerald is affordable for everyone. So, a fairly large crystal costs between 5-10 dollars.

The price of jewelry with artificial stone is determined taking into account two main factors – the metal of the frame and the quality of the jeweler’s work. This gem is often framed in gold or platinum, and then its cost can reach several hundred dollars.

The cheapest are earrings, bracelets, rings and pendants made of jewelry alloy or silver.

Are there any similarities?

Hydrothermal emerald is quite similar to natural stone. So much so that sometimes even a professional jeweler finds it difficult to determine the origin of a gem.

But despite all the obvious similar qualities, there are still differences. This is something that cannot be explained or described using formulas, as if we are talking about a force absorbed over millions of years of formation. Natural emerald plays with its facets, shimmering in the sun's rays; hydrothermal crystals cannot compete with them in this.

The healing properties and magic of synthetic gems

Faceted hydrothermal emerald
Hydrothermal emerald, just like a natural gem, is endowed with beneficial properties.

For medicinal purposes, it can be used to normalize blood pressure and treat cardiovascular diseases. Its rich green color helps with disorders of the nervous system: it calms, normalizes sleep, eliminates anxiety and depressive mood. It is also useful to wear jewelry with hydrothermal stones for people suffering from:

• asthma;
• diseases of the endocrine system;
• pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract;
• urolithiasis.

In magic, the properties of a green gem are used to eliminate slander and evil eyes. It is rightly called the talisman of impeccability and success. In the house where the emerald is located, harmony and comfort reign. It cleanses not only the room, but also the aura of its owner from negativity and lies. With the help of hydrothermal emerald, he can get rid of negative character traits such as hypocrisy, duplicity and betrayal.

External signs of an artificial gem: are there any differences?

The chemical composition and physical properties of the original and the imitation are identical in almost all respects. It is almost impossible to visually distinguish a synthesized emerald from a natural one. Only an experienced jeweler can handle this task and only carry out analysis in a laboratory if possible.

Hydrothermal gems revolutionized the jewelry world with their appearance and here’s why. Now everyone can afford to buy a magnificent stone that is no different from a real stone at an affordable price.

Artificially grown minerals have several features.

1. Firstly, they differ in the presence of tubular inclusions.
2. Secondly, the composition includes brown iron impurities.

It is impossible to identify a synthetic mineral by eye. They have an identical shape to the original, with minor defects indicating naturalness, including unevenness and barely noticeable cracks. Almost all synthesized gems are green with a hint of blue or dark. They are impeccably transparent and often have visible air bubbles inside them.

Properties of nanoemeralds

Hydrothermal emerald - what is it and what does it represent chemically? The same as a stone created by nature: the chemical formulas of both representatives are absolutely identical. Besides:

• the artificial analogue is highly durable, so only highly qualified jewelers should process it;
• it is more transparent than natural, but always has inclusions - mainly tubular;
• impurities may be in the form of air bubbles or have a brownish tint;
• the brightest examples can be the distinctive blue-green color that many jewelry lovers enjoy.

All this means that a synthetic emerald is well worth wearing. The main thing is the honesty of the sellers and the appropriate price. And if you don’t forget that the crystal lattice in these stones is ideal, you can be proud of such decoration. It is durable, resistant to environmental influences and more unpretentious than expensive natural emerald.

Probably, many lovers of this stone who understand physics and chemistry will have a desire to grow emerald at home, but this requires skills, experience and the presence of certain chemicals. In addition, it will not be easy to purchase equipment of appropriate quality. Therefore, it is better to be content with those products that are manufactured in large quantities by professionals. After all, it is thanks to modern technologies that emerald jewelry becomes available to almost everyone.

Read also about hydrothermal sapphires →

Application in jewelry

Because hydrothermal stone is similar to natural stone, it is highly valued and widely used in jewelry. It is cheaper than a mineral that appears in the natural environment, but is not inferior in external beauty and performance parameters.

Since the stone is hard and resistant, it is in demand in industry: space, electrical engineering, nuclear. Emerald is used in the production of microcircuits and complex mechanisms.

Emerald is a durable material

Magical properties of synthesized imitation

Do you doubt whether a laboratory-grown mineral that imitates emerald has any value? It is enough to analyze the properties attributed to it by astrologers to understand that the stone really has powerful energy. Magicians and astrologers believe that artificially created gems, just like natural ones, have certain properties.

They remind us that it is not so important who was involved in the appearance of the mineral in this world - nature or man. The main thing is that a living being with its own energy and traversed paths of development participated in the creation process.

Astrologers recommend paying attention to synthesized emeralds to anyone interested in contact with a true stone. The green gem is truly capable of many things, including purifying water from negative energy. To achieve the desired effect, it is enough to immerse the mineral in a container of water for a day.

Note the capriciousness of the hydrothermal emerald. The stone reacts poorly to contact with careless and irresponsible people and will not survive neglectful treatment.

Emerald, whether synthesized or real, has always been considered a symbol of purity, success and crystal truth, therefore it is recommended to be worn by people with nervous disorders and problems with self-control. Such individuals should definitely keep jewelry with emerald at home to protect them from damage, the evil eye, slander and their own inner peace.

Women especially believe in the power of the stone. Many of them use the power of the stone to resolve conflicts at home. Even synthetic emeralds can eradicate quarrels in the family, prevent infidelity and harmonize relations between spouses. The main thing is to take the mineral out into an open area of ​​the room and leave it for at least 10 hours. Dark green hydrothermal emeralds are considered the most energetically powerful.

Compatibility with Zodiac signs

The effect of synthesized emerald on individual zodiac signs is as powerful as that of natural emerald. In addition to the fact that the stone is recommended for wearing by people who are hot-tempered and unbalanced, Aries should pay special attention to it. The green gem will help representatives of this sign achieve success in their professional activities. Even one-time contact with the stone during an important business meeting will be enough to obtain the expected result.

Taurus is also recommended to wear jewelry with hydrothermal emerald. As people born under the sign of strength, with the help of the mineral they will feel a surge of energy and strength to realize their plans.

Astrologers advise Gemini to wear green gems as amulets against the evil eye and damage. In addition, the tandem will be the beginning in the development of this sign as an individual with extraordinary creative abilities. The optimal decoration for Gemini is pendants or pendants with a stone for protection.

Shy and restless Cancers should also take a closer look at the transparent splendor of the stone. The stone will help you find peace of mind, solve the problem of migraines and pressure surges. Representatives of the sign suffering from asthma will be able to improve their condition if they wear elegant jewelry:

• earrings;
• pendants;
• bracelets;
• brooches, etc.

It is important that the products are as close to the respiratory tract as possible.

Life-giving Leos should also not deny themselves the pleasure of wearing products with hydrothermal emerald. The mineral will help enhance the natural energy of this sign, especially if you wear it as a bracelet on your right hand.

Virgos and Libras will also appreciate the positive effects of the mineral, especially those who have problems with the thyroid gland. It is believed that the stone helps stabilize the thyroid gland. In this case, it is most appropriate to wear pendants and necklaces so that the gem is in contact with the problem area.

As the most domineering and vain sign, Scorpios may choose lab-grown gems to maintain balance. Wearing a stone will help them calm down their fiery temper and find a common language with others. Astrologers advise choosing bracelets and earrings inlaid with emeralds.

As for Sagittarius and Capricorn, there are some exceptions for them in the case of gems. Astrologers insist that these signs give the stones the opportunity to rest at least three times a week.

For Aquarius and Pisces, stones will help improve overall health and become the best talismans for good luck. Astrologers are confident that the mineral is ideal for these signs, both as a talisman and a lucky talisman, regardless of in what form and on what part of the body it is worn.

Compatibility with zodiac signs and names

Hydrothermal emerald patronizes the zodiac signs:

• Cancer;
• A lion;
• Sagittarius;
• Scales.

The crystal helps Pisces and Taurus.

Names patronized by the stone:

• Alyona;
• Lena;
• Zina;
• Julia;
• Hermann;
• Vania;
• Peter;
• Timur;
• Yura.

Hydrothermal emerald is the patron of Pisces