Sometime around the New Year I was asked by a group of teens what I know about the beautiful crystal ball that drops in Times Square on New Years Eve each year. Well, I knew that it was made of Swarovkski crystal, which is the finest manmade crystal in the world, and that it comes from Austria, but I realized that I didn’t really know more about it than that. So, out of sheer curiosity, I’ve spent a tremendous amount of time going down several rabbit holes of information about the development of Swarovski crystals, the use of crystals and gemstones in science, and the difference between natural versus man-made. You want to know about it too, don’t you? I knew you did.
First of all, are gemstones and crystals the same thing? Well, yes and no. A gemstone can be a crystal, but a crystal can not be a gemstone. Diamonds and amethysts, for example, are both crystals and gemstones, but sugar, salt, and ice are only crystals because of their molecular structures; they are not gemstones. What about Swarovski crystals? Believe it or not, they are not crystals or gemstones, but their incredible beauty has led many people to believe they are.
Left: crystalline structure is very organized with flat faces that “grow” naturally as the crystal develops. Right: Ice crystals forming, also in a very structured format.
Swarovski “crystals” were developed in 1892 by Daniel Swarovski and are made of a patented blend of quartz, sand, and other minerals. The combination of these natural items results in the development of a man-made glass product that is highly refractive with exceptional clarity and brilliance. To put it simply, it is glass, and glass is not organized in a crystalline structure, but it can be cut into shapes with dozens of facets that are designed to maximize light refraction across the material leading to a dazzling sparkle that is rarely seen in other man-made products. As a result, these spectacular “crystals” are considered a luxury item, with their largest competitors being Tiffany and Cartier. And to make the competition just a bit tighter, Swarovski is now offering lab-grown diamonds as well.
I was curious if Swarovski products are used for scientific research. As it turns out, Swarovski does have an optical division that produces high-quality optical instruments like binoculars and telescopes from their precision glass material, but Swarovski “crystals” aren’t typically used for scientific research because of the need for specific optical, physical, or chemical properties that can only come from natural stones – quartz, sapphire, diamond, emerald, etc. Glass just won’t cut it. I have not found any information that Swarovski’s lab-grown diamonds are being used for research, but perhaps that is to come?
In 1935 Carroll Chatham, an American chemist who developed his experimental skills as a teen in his San Francisco garage, created and perfected a method known as the “flux method” for synthesizing emeralds. This was a big deal. He was the first to be able to make the synthetic beryl crystals/gemstones commercially available, which was particularly important for science and technology research because natural emeralds are notorious for having many inclusions and fractures that could impede research purposes. Since 1797 scientists have been trying to create diamonds in the lab. The task seemed impossible, but in 1954 two scientists at GE were finally successful in the endeavor, although the stones were small and highly included. It has taken until recent years to perfect the process, as lab-grown diamonds on the market today are nearly perfect and are identical in optical, physical, and chemical properties to natural diamonds. They are indistinguishable from natural diamonds without special equipment and training. It hasn’t taken science long to make the conversion to lab-grown crystals and gemstones, because they are much less costly and more readily available, but the public has not embraced the idea as easily.
For many there are issues. The concept of lab-grown diamonds is often shunned because they aren’t naturally “grown” within our planet. However, there are those, particularly of the younger generations that find appeal in a less expensive diamond that is not wracked with human rights abuses. That has serious value. On the other hand, the development of a lab-grown diamond requires a tremendous amount of energy, so it’s value for the environmentally conscious is less than desirable.
I will add one more notable tidbit to this exposé on natural and man-made gems and crystals: it is now possible to take the carbon-based remains of a loved one and have them made into a keepsake diamond in a lab to wear in memoriam.
You can decide how you feel about that personally, but in my opinion that opens a very interesting conversation on new beginnings.
If you’re interested in visiting a fantastic collection of gemstones, the Asheville Museum of Science (AMOS) has the Colburn Hall of Minerals waiting for you to explore! Use the AMOS link to find information on location, directions, entrance fees, and other relevant information.
