2011 CIBJO 2011 CIBJO CongressCongress Emerald DayEmerald DayPortoPorto PortugalPortugal MarchMarch 1313PortoPorto, , PortugalPortugal, , MarchMarch 1313

SyntheticSynthetic emeraldsemeraldsSynthetic Synthetic emeraldsemeralds

By Yuri By Yuri ShelementievShelementiev Ph.D. and Roman Serov,Ph.D. and Roman Serov,GemmologicalGemmological Center of Moscow University Center of Moscow University

© 2011 MSU Gemmological Center

S f t tiS f t tiScope of presentationScope of presentation•• S th ti ld p dS th ti ld p d•• Synthetic emeralds producersSynthetic emeralds producers

•• Methods of emerald synthesisMethods of emerald synthesisMethods of emerald synthesisMethods of emerald synthesis

•• Main features of synthetic emeraldsMain features of synthetic emeralds

•• MicroworldMicroworld and inclusionsand inclusions

Vi ibl b iVi ibl b i•• Visible absorption spectraVisible absorption spectra

•• Infrared spectraInfrared spectraInfrared spectraInfrared spectra

•• Trace element chemistryTrace element chemistry

•• Market of synthetic emeraldsMarket of synthetic emeralds© 2011 MSU Gemmological Center

Synthetic emeralds producersSynthetic emeralds producersSynthetic emeralds producersSynthetic emeralds producers•• First efforts made in France in XIX centuryFirst efforts made in France in XIX centuryyy

•• C. Chatham (US) about 1940C. Chatham (US) about 1940

•• P Gilson (France) about 1960P Gilson (France) about 1960•• P. Gilson (France) about 1960P. Gilson (France) about 1960

•• LindeLinde, about 1970, about 1970

•• Kyocera (Japan), before 1980Kyocera (Japan), before 1980

•• BironBiron (Australia) about 1980(Australia) about 1980( )( )

•• USSR (Russia) about 1985USSR (Russia) about 1985

•• TairusTairus (Thailand/Russia) about 1990(Thailand/Russia) about 1990•• TairusTairus (Thailand/Russia) about 1990(Thailand/Russia) about 1990

•• MalossiMalossi (Italy/(Italy/ChechChech) 2004) 2004

All use one of two growth methods: “flux” or All use one of two growth methods: “flux” or “hydrothermal”“hydrothermal”

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Flux methodFlux methodFlux methodFlux method

Flux grown emeralds do not contain waterFlux grown emeralds do not contain water© 2011 MSU Gemmological Center

H d th l th dH d th l th dHydrothermal methodHydrothermal method

An autoclave for hydrothermal synthesis and resulting An autoclave for hydrothermal synthesis and resulting emerald crystal emerald crystal

© 2011 MSU Gemmological Center

Inclusions in flux emeraldInclusions in flux emeraldInclusions in flux emeraldInclusions in flux emerald

Metal (Metal (PtPt) inclusions are result of container) inclusions are result of containerMetal (Metal (PtPt) inclusions are result of container ) inclusions are result of container (chamber) partial dissolution(chamber) partial dissolution

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“V il ” i th ti fl ld“V il ” i th ti fl ld“Veils” in synthetic flux emerald“Veils” in synthetic flux emerald

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Undulating growth structure inUndulating growth structure inUndulating growth structure in Undulating growth structure in synthetic hydrothermal emeraldsynthetic hydrothermal emerald

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A hydrothermal synthetic A hydrothermal synthetic emeraldemeraldy yy y

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A flux grown synthetic A flux grown synthetic emeraldemeraldg yg y

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Synthetic emeralds with cracksSynthetic emeralds with cracksyy

Visible range spectroscopyVisible range spectroscopyVisible range spectroscopy Visible range spectroscopy (transmission)(transmission)

FeFeVV

CrCrVV

CrCr

CuCuVV

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CrCr

I f d tI f d tInfrared spectroscopyInfrared spectroscopy

No waterNo waterNo water No water peakspeaks

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R tR tRaman spectroscopyRaman spectroscopy

2 types of water2 types of water 1 type of water1 type of water2 types of water 2 types of water 1 type of water 1 type of water

No water peaksNo water peaks1 type of water 1 type of water

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Trace element chemistryTrace element chemistryTrace element chemistryTrace element chemistry

bdlbdl –– below detection limitbelow detection limit

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Trace element chemistryTrace element chemistryTrace element chemistryTrace element chemistry

© 2011 MSU Gemmological Center

Di iDi iDiscussionDiscussion

•• Synthetic emeralds are generally more Synthetic emeralds are generally more internally clean but can contain inclusions,internally clean but can contain inclusions,internally clean but can contain inclusions, internally clean but can contain inclusions, cracks, and growth structurescracks, and growth structures

•• Flux emeralds do not contain waterFlux emeralds do not contain water•• Flux emeralds do not contain waterFlux emeralds do not contain water•• Natural emeralds contain two types of Natural emeralds contain two types of ypyp

waterwater•• Synthetic emeralds can be distinguishedSynthetic emeralds can be distinguished•• Synthetic emeralds can be distinguished Synthetic emeralds can be distinguished

from natural ones by trace element from natural ones by trace element llanalysesanalyses

© 2011 MSU Gemmological Center

C l iC l iConclusionsConclusions•• Long history of synthetic emeralds allow Long history of synthetic emeralds allow

studying their propertiesstudying their properties•• Properties depends on growth method, Properties depends on growth method,

producer, and color controlling elementsproducer, and color controlling elements•• Latest synthetic emeralds are closer to natural Latest synthetic emeralds are closer to natural

ones by color and microscopic featuresones by color and microscopic featuresones by color and microscopic featuresones by color and microscopic features•• Difficult stones require advanced identification Difficult stones require advanced identification

techniquestechniquestechniquestechniques•• At the moment 100% of synthetic emeralds can At the moment 100% of synthetic emeralds can

be reliably identifiedbe reliably identifiedbe reliably identifiedbe reliably identified

© 2011 MSU Gemmological Center

AboutAbout PolartecPolartec ®®AboutAbout PolartecPolartec ®®MaldenMalden MillsMills IndustriesIndustries, , IncInc. . waswas foundedfounded inin 1906 1906 inin thethe towntown ofof MaldenMalden, , MassachusettsMassachusetts. . TheThe companycompany originallyoriginally producedproduced woolwool sweaterssweaters andand bathingbathingsuitssuits andand laterlater expandedexpanded toto includeinclude uniformsuniforms toto fulfillfulfill U.S. U.S. militarymilitary contractscontractsthroughthrough WorldWorld WarWar II.II. AfterAfter thethe warwar,, inin additionaddition toto woolwool,, thethe companycompanythroughthrough WorldWorld WarWar II. II. AfterAfter thethe warwar, , inin additionaddition toto woolwool, , thethe companycompanybeganbegan toto developdevelop manman--mademade fiberfiber capabilitiescapabilities toto respondrespond toto shiftingshifting postpost--warwar marketsmarkets. . InIn 1979 1979 MaldenMalden MillsMills introducedintroduced itsits firstfirst brandedbranded syntheticsynthetic

ll f b if b i CC titi ff P l flP l fl ®® l ti i dl ti i d thth thth ldldapparelapparel fabricfabric.. CCreationreation ofof PolarfleecePolarfleece® ® revolutionizedrevolutionized thethe wayway thethe worldworlddressesdresses forfor coldcold weatherweather.. TTodayoday mostmost consumersconsumers ownown multiplemultiple garmentsgarments ininthisthis categorycategory andand dependdepend onon themthem onon a a dailydaily basisbasis. . PolarfleecePolarfleece® ® waswas a a g yg y pp yymajormajor textiletextile innovationinnovation recognizedrecognized byby TimeTime MagazineMagazine asas oneone ofof thethe 100 100 mostmost importantimportant inventionsinventions inin thethe 20th 20th centurycentury. . InIn 1991, 1991, buildingbuilding onon thetheincredibleincredible successsuccess ofof PolarfleecePolarfleece®® MaldenMalden MillsMills introducedintroduced thethe PolartecPolartec®®incredibleincredible successsuccess ofof PolarfleecePolarfleece®, ®, MaldenMalden MillsMills introducedintroduced thethe PolartecPolartec® ® collectioncollection ofof performanceperformance textilestextiles. . TodayToday, , therethere areare overover 400 400 differentdifferent stylesstylesofof PolartecPolartec®, ®, andand inin 2007 2007 thethe company'scompany's namednamed changedchanged fromfrom MaldenMalden MillsMillstoto PolartecPolartec LLC.LLC.

Source:Source: www.polartec.comwww.polartec.com© 2011 MSU Gemmological Center

LiteratureLiterature

11 HoungHoung L Hager T Hofmeister W 2010L Hager T Hofmeister W 2010 ConfocalConfocal1. 1. HoungHoung L., Hager T., Hofmeister W. 2010. L., Hager T., Hofmeister W. 2010. ConfocalConfocalMicroMicro--Raman Raman spectroscopyspectroscopy: A powerful : A powerful tooltool toto identifyidentifynaturalnatural andand syntheticsynthetic emeraldsemeralds. . Gems&GemologyGems&Gemology, Spring , Spring yy gygy p gp g2010, pp. 362010, pp. 36--4141

2. 2. KopchikovKopchikov M., M., ShelementievShelementiev Y. 2003. Synthetic Y. 2003. Synthetic hydrothermal beryl of red, green and blue color: the hydrothermal beryl of red, green and blue color: the identificationalidentificational propertispropertis. . GemmologcalGemmologcal Bulletin, No 10 ( in Bulletin, No 10 ( in R ssian)R ssian)Russian)Russian)

3. 3. SchmetzerSchmetzer K., Schwarz D., et al. 2006. K., Schwarz D., et al. 2006. A new type of A new type of TairusTairus hydrothermallyhydrothermally--grown synthetic emeraldgrown synthetic emerald colouredcolouredTairusTairus hydrothermallyhydrothermally--grown synthetic emerald, grown synthetic emerald, colouredcolouredby vanadium and copper. by vanadium and copper. J. J. GemmGemm., 2006, 30, 9., 2006, 30, 9

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