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Lab Created Beads are often made from the same minerals as genuine gemstones, but the conditions are controlled to produce high-quality and affordable beads and gemstone beads. Look no further for everything you need for your jewelry ideas or your next project. We have a massive inventory which allows us to maintain the lowest prices for online shopping all the time. Feel free to ask any of our friendly and knowledgeable representatives if you have any questions or need any assistance.
How Gemstones Are Created
There are two basic processes for synthesizing gemstones in a laboratory: melt growth and solution growth. Melt growthuses very high temperatures and tends to produce lower quality gems. Solution growth consists of two methods: flux and hydrothermal.
The flux method combines synthetic materials to create lab beads, particularly emeralds, rubies, and sapphires.
The hydrothermal method uses water at a very high temperature combined with pressure to create synthetic gems like emerald, aquamarine, beryl, and morganite. This process takes the longest and produces the highest quality synthetic gems.
Quality Beads
Only a gemologist can differentiate natural and synthetic stones because of the uncanny resemblance in composition, color, hardness, and sparkle. The telling difference between natural and synthetic gemstones is that they do not contain the flaws often found in natural stones. These flaws mostly come from inclusions, defined as gas bubbles or pieces of foreign material that were accidentally included in the gem’s formation.
Environmentally Friendly
Creating gems in a laboratory means there is no mining or environmental damage. Mines destroy natural areas and displace or kill wildlife. The process also uses large amounts of water and electricity. Lab created beads do not have this back story. They are made under controlled conditions in a space with a smaller ecological footprint.
New Colors
Although many lab created beads look just like their natural counterparts, the laboratory environment allows for experimental pigmentation. Colored diamonds exist in nature, but truly fine specimens are rare and expensive. An array of rich, dark colors are possible in labs and are affordable.
Unlimited Supply
Gemstone beads formed in nature are of limited quantity and variable quality, but there is no limit to the amount of lab created beads that can be made. It takes thousands of years for nature to form diamonds, rubies, or sapphires, but they’re rapidly developed in labs.
Great Value
The biggest advantage to buying lab beads is the savings. Natural gems must be mined, shipped, cut, and polished, and the price goes up with every step. Synthetic stones are created quickly in a controlled process and cost about one tenth of a natural stone of comparable size and color.