[Jewelry making - Article 00131] - Re: [Orchid] [4Sale] Chatham Emeralds

[Wayne Emery]

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>     If the FTC says there is no such thing as a synthetic imitation
>     then what is cubic zirconia? It is man made, therefore synthetic,
>     and and it mimics a diamond, therefore an imitation (more correctly
>     a simulant). 

    That's a good point, Jerry, it sounds as if it makes sense, if we
    look in the dictionary and use the ordinary meanings of the words we
    find there. But I think a clear reading of the FTC Guidelines would
    serve to clarify the answer. 

    Lots of folks believe that because something is "man-made", it is
    "synthetic", but the gem and jewelry trade have very strict meanings
    for these words, and the legal meanings used by "the trade" have
    been debated, argued and tested by the courts many times. Lately,
    they have not been found wanting. 

    The FTC Guidelines state, in part: 

          "(c) It is unfair or deceptive to use the word
          "laboratory-grown," "laboratory-created," "[manufacturer
          name]-created," or "synthetic" with the name of any natural
          stone to describe any industry product unless such industry
          product has essentially the same optical, physical, and
          chemical properties as the stone named." 

    Cubic zirconia as calcium-stabilized zirconium oxide has no
    counterpart in nature. It is not synthetic diamond, it is not
    synthetic anything. It can be used as an imitation of diamond, of
    course, because it's optical properties are fairly similar to that
    of diamond, at least as far as refractive index. Of course, its
    hardness does not approach that of diamond, it is quite brittle and
    the chemical composition is unrelated to the essentially pure Carbon
    of diamond. 

    It's an imitation, and a good one, of diamond, but it is NOT a
    synthetic in the legal sense used by the gem and jewelry trade. It
    also does not fit the gemological definition taught by the GIA and
    FGA. GIA states, from Liddicoat's classic "Handbook of Gem
    Identification": 

          "A synthetic gemstone is one that has the same chemical
          composition, crystal structure, and, consequently, the same
          physical and optical properties as those of the natural gem it
          represents." 

    It is true that zirconium oxide has been found in nature as the
    mineral baddelyite, but that occurs only in the monoclinic form, not
    the cubic form of the calcium-stabilized CZ we use (which forms in
    the cubic or isometric system). So, the CZ we use fails the
    "synthetic" test gemologically because of the wrong crystal
    structure, and it fails the FTC test because it does not meet the
    chemical and physical properties test. 

    Cubic zirconia is a man-made substance, not a synthetic, which, in
    its colorless or yellow form is often used as a simulant of diamond.
    In it's many other colors, including color-change forms it simply
    stands on its own. 

    Again, let's try to keep in mind that this site is frequented by
    many folks, of diverse backgrounds and education, all sharing an
    interest in jewelry and/or gems. Many are quite knowledgeable, even
    masters, in their chosen craft or profession. Many others are
    starting on or are only a few years down the path. Open discussion
    and questioning of posts should be encouraged, but the posting of
    facts which are incorrect only serve to confuse or mislead.
    Sometimes, as I have found (well, actually, many times) a little
    private exploration and research on the posts that I question reveal
    the facts of the matter, letting me avoid posting information based
    on my OPINION, which is, in fact, INCORRECT. And, of course, I have
    been guilty of asserting my thoughts only to find later that they
    were embarrassingly incorrect. But we should try to do better, there
    is a student audience.

Wayne Emery
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