How to distinguish between genuine and fake sapphire
It can be clarified that how to distinguish between the original and imitation sapphire stone depends on several factors, the main factor of which is the hardness test, which is determined based on the use of tools specially designed to perform that test and are available and available. In addition to that, there is a light test and there are factors that depend on examining the appearance and composition of the elements that make up the sapphire stone, bubbles and inclusions.
The natural gemstones that are extracted are extracted It is used in the manufacture of exquisite jewelry from the ground, then washed, polished and cut into the appropriate shapes on demand. Then they are sold in the markets to preserve their safety from any human interference. These natural stones are never manufactured or processed. Likewise, imitation synthetic sapphires are gifts of technology wonders, and the process of making these stones shows how to create new shapes and patterns by means of natural factors and solutions. There is no doubt that making these imitation stones represents a great challenge for the makers, and this challenge can be found in the extent of their ingenuity in forming a stone that is very close to the shape of the original stone in addition to its texture and everything related to it, as it seems to the beholder that they are one and they do not differ from each other.
The synthetic sapphire stone that is created in specialized laboratories does not differ in composition from the natural and original sapphire stone except in the presence of a random distribution of the proportions of impurities and elements.
With the passage of time and the acceleration of the pace of life urges fashion and business men and scholars To carry out these operations to imitate the stones in order to have the possibility of obtaining the sapphire stone for a larger number of individuals and to benefit from this commercially. Thus, the outcome here becomes a win for both parties, as the person wishing to acquire the sapphire stone gets what he wants at an appropriate cost and at the same time the manufacturers get profits. It has become very common to see manufactured gemstones in jewelry and accessory stores around the world. It should be noted that these imitation stones have a precise symmetrical shape and may be an exact copy of the natural stones as they have the same physical and chemical properties as natural stones. In addition to the same optical qualities, they are even similar in the degree of luster and luster.
Look at: How is the sapphire stone formed
Since we are talking Here about the sapphire, it is the birthstone for the month of September. physically; It belongs to a diverse mineral group of aluminum oxide. As for the natural sciences, all types of aluminum oxide except the red ones are considered rubies. The word sapphire is derived from the Greek word “sappherious”. With regard to astrology, the sapphire stone appears to have a magical power to ease the feeling of misfortune and faltering in life in the long run, as well as to cleanse the messy thoughts that affect and perplex the person to generate a broader vision, and to generate purity and self-confidence. The sapphire stone may have been invented in the nineteenth century to make crystal watches, and nowadays this stone is a popular and famous phenomenon (whether original or imitation) for making high-value watches because of its bright and lustrous appearance and appearance.
There are a number of ways in which the original sapphire stone can be identified from the counterfeit
Now it is time to take a close and careful look at the artificial imitation sapphire stone:
2017 Carrying out hardness tests and checking the composition of the stone
Imitation sapphire is as hard as the original , reaching nearly nine on the Mohs scale of hardness . As for the process of creating imitation stone, it is made from the crystallization process of aluminum oxide at an extremely high temperature. The Verneuil technique is also used to make imitation sapphire. Researchers have tried using different concentrations of NI2 +, NI3 + and CR3 + to produce a wide range of colors for this stone. Examination for signs of crystallization in the sapphire stone
It is worth noting that distinguishing between genuine and imitation sapphire is a difficult process. But we can try to distinguish between them, for example: If we look closely at the original sapphire stone, we will see signs in the stone from the slow crystallization process . And sometimes some external elements in very small amounts are visible in the original stone like other gemstones. In addition to the above, the inclusions in the stone can be used to distinguish the stones as they are like a fingerprint and a unique combination of the stone’s composition. If you do not find any of these inclusions in the stone, use the magnification tools to be able to see them.
Checking lines and impuritiesReddish tints and polymorphous twinning processes are also very common in natural sapphires. And lines with hexagonal corners were found in this stone. In addition, “negative crystals”, gaps and gaps have been found in natural sapphires. The most common phenomenon in natural stones here is inclusions of any kind.
2017 Sapphire stone test with light
And if you compare the sapphire stone original with imitation; You will find bubbles like inclusions, there may even be inclusions like hairs in the natural original stone. And if it is placed under bright strong light, the brightness will be abnormal. But again, it’s very difficult for the normal eye to see and notice such things. Any different types of impurities can be tested by the fiber optic light test. in the case of imitation sapphires; The mortars give the stone different artificial colors, which are never found in natural stones. But there is something strange about imitation sapphire as it is desirable and preferred by some people unlike other imitation gemstones. People ask for it to make jewelry and watches.
Texture test
According to experts, rubbing the gemstones in your palm and squeezing them with your fingers would provide you with a remedy. To differentiate genuine sapphire from imitation sapphire, as counterfeit sapphire has a waxy feel. Testing laboratories utilise a variety of procedures and ways to detect counterfeit imitation stones, and professionals can only recognise these stones by looking at them and feeling them.
