Lab-Created Gemstones
The first lab-created gemstone was produced in 1902 in Paris, France by a chemist named Louis Verneuil. A gemstone that is grown in a laboratory is not imitation or artificial, and is carefully crystallized over time. It has essentially the same optical, physical and chemical properties as a natural gemstone. Only a trained gemologist can tell them apart.
Natural gemstones are crystals formed by heat and pressure within the earth. A similar heat and pressure environment is created in the laboratory using the same natural elements. This process takes 10 to 14 months to complete.
