Lab-created Alexandrite engagement rings are becoming increasingly popular these days. It’s only because of people like you that the market of synthesized gems has become more considerate now. With the initiated ones turning toward lab-grown gems, we are constantly moving one step closer to making this world a better place for not only ourselves but also other living beings who get deprived of their natural habitat due to the mining of natural gems.
So, we can say that an Alexandrite engagement ring is a win-win situation for all of us – you’re getting a stunning piece of jewelry, the animals are better off in their natural environment, and as far as I’m concerned, I’m just happy to serve you, my friend. Without further singing praises of the both of us, let’s get done with the guide.
What Are Lab-Created Alexandrite Gemstones?
Lab-created alexandrites are grown in laboratories under controlled environments from the exact chemical ingredients as natural alexandrites. While people in the trade refer to these gems as lab-created, the folks usually call them ‘artificial’, ‘man-made’ and ‘lab-grown’ as per their ease. There are many methods of manufacturing these man-made stones, like flame fusion, crystal pulling and flux growth, to name a few. The exceptional clarity of lab-created alexandrites makes them an excellent option for alexandrite engagement rings. Let’s talk about it in the next section.
Are They Different From Natural Alexandrites?
Technically yes, otherwise no. Lab-created alexandrites endow the same optical and physical properties and look exactly like their natural counterparts. However, because they are manufactured in a laboratory and not found in the earth’s crust, lab-created alexandrites are technically different from natural ones. Having said that, I want to emphasize strongly the fact that lab-created alexandrite engagement rings are not at all inferior to engagement rings fashioned with natural alexandrites in terms of appearance; in fact, some lab-grown stones look even more pleasing compared to natural gems.
Lab-created gems are synonymous with very fine clarity. Creating alexandrites in laboratories gives one the leverage to manipulate the formation and presence of inclusions in the gems. So, it’s not a big deal if your made-to-order alexandrite engagement ring has no to minimal clarity characteristics. Another big difference between a natural and lab-created alexandrite is the price. Natural alexandrites are much more expensive than lab-created gems because these are rare. Well, cheers to that!
What’s The Need For These Stones?
To sum up in one sentence, natural alexandrites are exceptionally rare and there aren’t enough of these stones to meet the demand. This creates the need for lab-created loose alexandrite stones. Unlike natural stones that take years to form, lab-grown ones are created at an accelerated rate. This is also one of the prime reasons for the abundance of lab-created alexandrite engagement rings in the market. As a further matter, the circumstances necessary for the formation of natural alexandrites are unaccustomed – an alexandrite requires both beryllium and chromium to form.
The intricacy of the formation of natural alexandrites is that beryllium, which is already one of the rarest elements, and chromium can rarely be found together in the same rocks. So, it won’t be wrong to put it this way – the need for lab-created alexandrite gemstones is an upshot of the rarity of natural alexandrites. Also, since extracting natural stones from the earth’s surface requires digging large holes – destroying the natural habitat of animals – the whole act becomes unethical. We’ve already brought massive negative changes to this planet due to our selfish reasons, so we should start investing in lab-grown treasures and do every bit possible to keep this planet habitable for everybody in the future.
Are Lab-Created Alexandrite Engagement Rings Durable?
Yes, they are. As I said, lab-created alexandrites endow the same optical and physical properties and look exactly like their natural counterparts. Therefore, a lab-created alexandrite is as hard and durable as natural alexandrite. Just like a natural alexandrite, your lab-created thing of beauty will score an 8.5 on the Mohs scale of hardness. So, there remains no doubt as regards its durability.
Can Lab-Created Alexandrites Be Termed As Imitation Gems?
Of course not. Lab-created alexandrite gemstones are not imitation gemstones at all. While lab-created gems duplicate the chemical, physical and optical properties of the natural gems, imitation gems are merely lookalikes of other gems and share no properties with them. Imitation gems can be made even with glass.
From Where Should You Get Your Lab-Created Alexandrite Engagement Ring?
This is a rather crucial point of discussion and not something that can be disparaged. Let me explain it to you. There are so many jewelry brands, both online and offline, offering considerable discounts on real Alexandrite engagement rings. However, most of these jewelers break off the deal the moment you ask them about the relevant certificates of their bling. These certificates are tactile proofs of the authenticity of jewelry that ought to be obtained by jewelers from acclaimed laboratories like the GIA.
You’ll find many jewelers trying to persuade you to get your lab-created alexandrite engagement ring without its certificates. However, you need to refrain from getting your jewelry from such jewelers. Instead, what you really need to do is get your piece from a reliable and trusted jeweler like us, GemsNY. Being in the business of creating the most prized possessions of our customers, we understand their emotions and concerns. Every jewelry piece from GemsNY comes with appropriate certificates from independent gemstone laboratories, bridging the gap between our transparency and customers. So, you should definitely take a look at our collection of alexandrite engagement rings.
Conclusion
Lab-created engagement rings are no different from those created with natural gemstones in terms of appearance. The centerstone of your lab-created alexandrite ring will change its color from green in sunlight or fluorescent light to red in moonlight or incandescent light, just like a natural stone. Hence, choosing a lab-created alexandrite engagement ring is an intelligent decision because you’re getting the magic of a natural alexandrite centerstone at a fraction of its price.
