SYNTHETICS

Synthetic stones are much used at the lower end of the market. They provide an inexpensive alternative to their real counterparts. Synthetics such as sapphire and ruby are actually man-made corundum, sharing the same hardness and refractive indices as the genuine article, whereas synthetic spinel is used as alternative to aquamarine and has totally different characteristics.

Because it is so inexpensive and is so hard wearing the most popular synthetic stone in use today is cubic zirconia. We keep in stock a full range of the following colours: white, pink, yellow, amethyst (purple), lavender, orange, blue, green, tanzanite, peridot, champagne, black and brown.See the Cubic Zirconia page.

We also keep a large range of synthetics in stock: synthetic corundum (ruby, sapphire, alexandrite), synthetic spinel (aquamarine and dark blue) and synthetic opal. We also hold a stock of European cut synthetics and Alpinites (green hard mass glass)