Natural vs synthetic — lab-grown, simulants, and practical checks
Track: Gemology · Duration: 32 min
Video lesson
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Course reader
Natural vs synthetic — lab-grown, simulants, and practical checks
Gemology workbook — ID, cutting, evaluation, setting, and birthstones next to the video.
Terms
- Synthetic = same chemistry/crystal structure as natural, grown in a lab (disclosure required in trade).
- Simulant = looks similar but is a different material (CZ vs diamond, glass vs many gems).
- Treated natural = real stone, altered (heat, oil, resin, diffusion) — affects value and care.
Practical approach
- Combine optic character, RI, UV reaction, magnification — no single “flash” test is enough.
- When stakes are high (fine emerald, ruby, jade), use reputable lab report (GIA, SSEF, Gübelin, etc.).
More tutorials: Open video search on YouTube
Lesson quiz
Each attempt uses a random set of questions with shuffled answer choices. Pass at 70% or higher to mark the lesson complete.