| Laboratory-created stones, or synthetic | | | | chemical composition, colors, and other |
| gemstones, as the name implies, are made in a | | | | characteristics. Since the same gemological tests |
| laboratory. synthetic gemstones do not have the | | | | are used for stone identification on both natural |
| rarity of naturally colored stones and they are | | | | and synthetic gems, it is sometimes even possible |
| less expensive than naturally mined stones. | | | | for a gemologist to be puzzled as to whether or |
| Because of the way they are made, synthetic | | | | not a stone is natural or synthetic. Such stones |
| gems may show subtle differences in shape and | | | | can be made colourless, or, by the use of metallic |
| colour that help lo distinguish them from their | | | | oxides, in many colours, and thus can be made to |
| natural counterparts. A synthetic gemstone is | | | | resemble many natural stones, including the |
| identical to a natural gemstone in almost every | | | | Amethyst, diamond, spinel, emerald, Opal and |
| way. This includes the same basic crystal | | | | corundum (ruby and sapphire). Alexandrite. |
| structure, refractive index, specific gravity, | | | | |