Lab-Created Sapphire

With all the publicity lately about lab diamonds, you may be wondering what is a lab sapphire-and is it something you want to collect? Sometimes referred to as a lab-grown sapphire, this elegant stone is featured in many a sophisticated woman’s jewelry wardrobe.

Earth-mined sapphire is a rarity in the gem world. It’s a member of the corundum mineral family and acquires its luscious blue tint from the addition of iron and titanium in the crystal. Besides its regal hue, sapphire is adored for its hardness, ranking 9 on the Mohs scale.

When creating sapphire in the lab, scientists aim to replicate the same chemical makeup as sapphire found in the earth. So lab sapphire is just as hard as the natural variety. Depending on where a consumer purchases lab-created (or grown) sapphire, they may also hear it referred to as synthetic sapphire.

Whatever they call it, lab-created sapphire is a prized gemstone with many fans. While we think of it as something new, it was actually in high demand during the Victorian era when people marveled at new developments emerging during the industrial revolution.

Lab sapphire is both beautiful and highly sought after. The pricing will always be more attractive than earth-mined sapphire, but you lose none of its head-turning charm.