Color changing gems-can they be man-made?

[lambskin]

I am fascinated by color-changing gems and this forum has featured some real beauties. Sapphires, garnets, alexandrites etc. really suit my fancy. Are there man made gems/glass that mimic these properties? The reason I ask is I purchased a gem pendant set in gold over 20 years ago at a small-very humble jewelry store in Cairo, Egypt. It is a round cut that is purple in low light and blue in bright light. It is fairly large-(about the size of a 4 carat round diamond). The jeweler said it was not special (it was in a back case that had miscellaneous pieces of jewelry-almost looked like many were second hand). It was inexpensive-I think he charged me only for the price of the gold but I was fascinated by the ornate setting. I am purchasing a new camera with better zoom so I do not have a picture yet. But my inquiry at this time is whether there are man-made color changing 'gems' (glass) and was the technology present 20 plus years ago.

 

[LD]

Yes they can Synthetic corundum is often sold as Alexandrite and if you do a search on this forum for Alexandrite, you'll come across TONS of threads where people are asking if their huge "Alexandrites" are real - most aren't unfortunately.

 

[iluvshinythings]

I have a synthetic spinel from the 50's that shifts color. Even though it's not "real" I still enjoy the ring. It would be interesting to know what yours is made of. It sounds pretty.

 

[Lee Little]

I think LD hit this on the head. The most common color change synthetic is likely the vanadium doped corundum. It has been around much longer than we have been. Not sure why a lot of people call it Alexandrite since the colors do not resemble it much. Blue to purple is only a shift by some gemmo's opinions.
Other synthetic color changes are much more dramatic, several CZ mixtures are strong color change and are cheap. Synthetic Alex is gorgeous but is not cheap. I ran into a color change Sapphire that is most likely a synthetic that changes from pink to light green and it is just a little more baht than the blue to purple variety. Best regards, Lee

 

[gsellis]

Are there man made gems/glass that mimic these properties?

There are a ton of them. There is, as mentioned, simulant Alexandrite from corundum, but there is also synthetic Alexandrite. I know where I can get at least 12 different color change CZ materials (by the kilo only). And there are other CZ manufacturers that make different shifts. I even have a non-shift solid pink that goes to an orangey pink in sunlight but hot pink inside. And... there are some glass materials that also change that I can get from a popular lapidary supplier. One there even simulates Alexandrite.

Note - Simulant - material that displays properties of the gem in question. Synthetic - a lab created version of a gem that has the same/similar chemical makeup. So emerald green CZ would be an emerald simulant while Tauris lab created emerald is a synthetic as it is Beryllium Oxide with Chromium (at least I think they use Cr).

 

[Pretzel]

I think simulated alexandrite was "popular" in Egypt area around that time. So it may very well be that.

 

[minousbijoux]

It sounds like regardless of the material, you have a beautiful, ornate piece that you truly love and which, I'm sure, reminds you of Egypt when you wear it. If I had been in your shoes and had that story to tell, I would most certainly wear it proudly and love it muchly.