There is a very common mentality here in the Philippines, that assumes all synthetic or imitation gemstones are eye-clean, with no inclusions or spots in their interiors. A lot of people mistakenly think that just because a gemstone is very clear inside, that means it's not natural or genuine. This statement is very dangerous for people to believe, since lots of natural gemstone species can appear eye-clean as well (i.e. aquamarine, amethyst, diamond among others). More importantly, lots of man-made gemstones can indeed have inclusions. So take careful note of this: just because a gemstone shows internal characteristics or inclusions does not necessarily mean that it's a natural gemstone. Again, if you see dark spots, fractures or other things inside a gem, please do not assume that it's natural, this assumption can lead to costly mistakes in jewelry or gemstone buying.



For emeralds this poses a particular problem. Emeralds are one of those gemstone species that tends to have a lot of inclusions. The thing is, while most imitations are eye-clean, many Filipinos are not aware of 'synthetic emerald' or 'man-made emerald'. These emeralds are grown artificially using either a hydrothermal-growth manufacturing process or a flux-growth process. Both of these procedures are well documented in the global industry and have multiple variations on technique, however the emeralds they produce are often very much filled with inclusions.



Man-made emeralds can range from heavily included to slightly included, with many possessing inclusions that can easily trick local buyers into believing that they are naturally mined gemstones. Gemologists are trained to recognise and detect the specific types of inclusions that are created by the hydrothermal and flux-growth processes, so that by use of microscope- they can properly separate natural emeralds from man-made ones. Do not mistakenly buy a green stone as natural emerald just because you see inclusions inside it when looking through a loupe- this does not automatically mean it's natural. Detection of artificially-created inclusions should be left to trained professionals, as some of them are very difficult to see (only visible in certain angles and directional lighting), and distinguishing the specific types of inclusions is not something most people in the Philippines are familiar with.

Stay alert, and remember that the price differences between natural emerald and man-made or synthetic emerald is very high. Both these items are essentially composed of the same elements ordered in the same crystal structure. Careful consideration should be made before every purchase, even for local jewellers buying from their own suppliers abroad.

The “Big Three” as they’re often called, constitute the vast majority of colored gemstone sales across most international markets. Rubies are traditionally the most expensive among them, given similar quality levels, however in the U.S. sapphire is more frequently purchased by end-consumers.

Depending on your familiarity with gemstones and gemology, you might find it surprising to know that rubies and sapphires are very similar to each other on an atomic level. Both are composed of crystalline aluminum oxide, but are colored by different trace elements. Chromium is responsible for ruby’s vibrant reds, while iron and titanium cause the violetish blue hues of sapphire.



Identification of a gemstone species involves taking note of different gemological traits. When checking rubies for example, our gemologists here at Gemcamp factor in tests that determine properties like optic character, growth structures, birefringence, refractive index and many others. Each gemstone species has its own unique and definable values that allow gemologists to separate it from another similar looking species. Red spinel for example can look identically similar to ruby by just the naked eye, however its crystal structure is actually more symmetrical on an atomic level compared to ruby’s. This can be observed using a polariscope, giving our gemologists information that they can use to scientifically pinpoint a gemstone’s proper identity.

Emeralds are composed of different elements altogether, they are beryllium cyclosilicates. Here at the laboratory, we also look for clues and indicators of identity under the microscope. Mineral inclusions such as pyrite can help us separate natural emerald from man-made emerald- which can be created today using a variety of proprietary methods. Chatham and Tairus are two companies abroad who have pioneered the development of artificial gem growth. They regularly produce man-made emeralds among many other gem species.



Be careful when you’re looking to authenticate a gemstone. Know that two gems can overlap in both clarity and color. Sometimes more in-depth knowledge is required before you can properly separate man-made gemstones from their natural counterparts. Awareness of the different types of inclusions and their significance also helps.

Our laboratory also makes use of advanced instruments for tasks that go beyond microscopy or standard gemological tests. We use spectrometry based instruments for the detection and separation of natural diamonds against lab-grown (man-made) diamonds, which are also composed of pure carbon, with identical properties like hardness, luster and brilliance.

You may have heard of the phenomenon known as color-change, which is an evident visual effect seen in some species and varieties of gemstones. Today, we'll introduce you to some of the natural world's spectral mood stones, that seemingly transform in the ambience of different environments.



Color-change is most popularly noted to be a defining trait of the gemstone known as alexandrite. This stone is a variety of the chrysoberyl species, and remains to be the most expensive variant per equal quality characteristics. Alexandrite in its finest forms, can change from ruby-red to emerald-green depending on whether you view it under incandescent light (candle-light) or normal daylight. Top qualities can command tens of thousands of dollars, although synthetic variants (man-made versions) also do exist.



Next up, we have a variety of diamond that not many people are familiar with. These color-changing rarities have been termed as "chameleon diamonds" and change their color due to a combination of light and heat. Many are a subtle green, but can change into a vibrant yellow or brownish yellow when subjected to the said conditions. These diamonds are quite rare, and not very much is documented about their nature. Still, it's an interesting quirk to have, especially for the world's most famous gemstone.



Thirdly, we have color-change sapphire. Sapphire as you might already know, does not only come in the vivid blue colors that we usually associate them with. They belong to the mineral species known as corundum (along with their cousin- the ruby). While blue sapphire is colored by a charge transfer between trace atoms of iron and titanium, the presence of other elements can also induce a wider variety of colors in the mineral species. The presence of certain elements like chromium and vanadium have been associated with the color-change phenomenon seen in natural sapphires. Synthetic or man-made corundum is usually doped with different amounts of vanadium to create artificially grown color-change sapphires that can shift from a reddish purple at best, to a violetish blue in opposite lightings.



Be aware that aside from synthetic counterparts, glass can also be manufactured with trace elements that allow for color-change. This makes it possible to create imitations of these phenomenal stones, so have your gemologist take a look at your gems, to give an better opinion on the validity of their identities.

Identifying gemstones purely by the untrained eye, with no instruments, tests or prior gemological knowledge- can cause your guesswork to be very expensive.



Here, we can see just a few of the natural and artificial materials often associated with blue sapphire. The values are only estimates, but you can see a stark difference between the amount buyers pay for an authenticated natural sapphire versus its many other lookalikes in the trade.

Some people say that you can identify sapphire by looking if a stone possesses inclusions of a certain "appearance". Man-made flux synthetic sapphires can fool these individuals with veil-like or wispy fingerprint inclusions, which are a common observations. Likewise, cheaper blue gemstones like kyanite and iolite can showcase a wide variety of natural-looking inclusions, because they themselves were dug up from the earth as well.



Gemological testing is necessary to determine what exactly your stone's identity is, so that you can properly value it. Eyesight alone can help you grade for color intensity, and maybe even overall quality- but it cannot authenticate a natural gemstone variety or species on its own. At best, eyesight based identification (without loupes or microscopes) are simply experienced-based guessing, which has proven to be very mistake-prone for many of our friends in the gemstone and jewelry trade.

Tests that check for refractive index, internal growth patterns, optic character, and absorption spectra are much more reliable and safe for you to gain assurance on the worth and indentity of your precious possessions.