Post subject: Re: Need a history lesson from the guru!
Posted: Sun Apr 26, 2020 4:11 pm
Valued Contributor
Joined: Tue Jan 02, 2018 11:12 pm Posts: 206
Lunacur wrote:
Hello! When did the different types of synthetic sapphire (pink) become commersialy available?
Hope to learn!
Hi, you don't need A guru, a simple wikipedia search will do The Verneuil method (or Verneuil process or Verneuil technique), also called flame fusion,developed in the late 1800s, was the first commercially successful method of manufacturing synthetic gemstones, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Verneuil_method
Post subject: Re: Need a history lesson from the guru!
Posted: Thu May 07, 2020 9:56 pm
Site Admin
Joined: Sun Oct 16, 2005 12:22 pm Posts: 21602 Location: San Francisco
Rubies were first synthesized in the late 1800s. The chromophore, chromium, was rather easily determined. It took a bit longer (about 1913) for chemists to determine the chromophores in blue sapphire.
I suspect the pink sapphire you are referring to is this one you posted on another thread.
Just because blue synthetic sapphires were developed in the early 20th century, it certainly doesn't infer that the jewelry market was flooded with a rainbow of synthetic sapphire colors. It wasn't.
If I remember correctly, oranges, yellows, lavenders etc. didn't show up in jewelry until much later....perhaps late 20th century. Color change, vanadium doped sapphires started popping up in jewelry in the mid 40's, although their hay day lasted for the next 2-3 decades. These stones were very large show stoppers.
Lunacur's sapphire is relatively small. Again, not confirmative.
On an interesting side note, the first synthetic rubies in the U.S. were made in a small town near me called Hoquiam. A partnership between, I think, a local butcher and a banker, hired Veneurel's lab assistant to come and set up the equipment and guide them through the process. They had to import the acetylene and oxygen in by rail. Then sent the stones to be cut and back to Hoquiam and then back to I believe Tiffany's. The cost of all the rail shipments finally sunk the project. I could have some of the details a bit off as I am taking this purely from memory.
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Post subject: Re: Need a history lesson from the guru!
Posted: Fri May 22, 2020 2:04 am
Active Member
Joined: Sat Feb 08, 2020 9:09 am Posts: 73
Thank you! This was exactly the information I wanted to know, but could'nt find. I did find out that flux grown corundum was'nt available until the 1960s (please correct me if Ivm wrong). And you are absolutely correct, this sapphire is the reason for my question.
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