How are emeralds created in a lab?
In the 20th century two processes were developed for lab-created emeralds. Early versions were too “clean” to look real, but modern creations have “inclusions” so realistic even gemologists have difficulty distinguishing them from natural emeralds.Real ThingEmeralds are in the beryl mineral family and get their green color from trace amounts of chromium or vanadium. The Gemological Institute of America considers emeralds Type III gemstones, meaning they are usually included.Created Emerald BeginningsAs a boy in the 1920s, Carroll Chatham set up a lab in his family’s garage to try to create a diamond. After an explosion he turned his focus to growing emerald crystals. Many unsuccessful years later he left for college and his father cut the power supply. The emerald crystals started growing and within three years Carroll understood the process.Flux MethodFlux-grown emeralds, unlike natural stones, contain no water. They are created by dissolving gem nutrients in a molten flux (bonding ag
