We offer you lab created sapphires from Chatham, a renowned leader in lab-grown gemstones. Founded by Cal Tech chemist Carrol Chatham (who tried to recreate diamond in his home lab at age 12!), the company has been producing gemstones in a laboratory setting, from ruby and sapphire, to emerald and alexandrite since the 1930s.
A Chatham sapphire is not an imitation, rather it is an actual sapphire grown in a human-controlled environment. This is not dissimilar from the way pearls are cultured. Once the required combination of chemical and environmental factors is duplicated from nature, the crystals grow over the course of a year, the length of time depending on the gemstone.
Why Purchase a Lab Grown Sapphire?
Identical Physical, Optical and Chemical Properties
Sapphires grown in a lab pretty much have the same atomic and optical properties of a sapphire mined from the earth. Unless you're a certified gemologist with a powerful microscope, you won't be able to tell the difference between created and mined gemstones. Lab grown sapphires may even look better than their earth mined counterparts! Under laboratory conditions, computers control temperatures, while foreign materials found in the earth are eliminated from starting chemicals.
Affordability
The new Peach Sapphire
A lab-created sapphire is less rare than a mined sapphire. As a result, they may be more suitable for conservative budgets. Price differences between Chatham created and mined gemstones of like quality are notable, sometimes as much as $100,000 per carat as in the case of colored diamonds. Lab grown sapphire is an excellent choice for those seeking an affordable precious gemstone without compromising the quality or sacrificing the aesthetic of their jewelry.
Environmentally Friendly
Because the crystal formation occurs in a lab instead of Mother Earth, there is less of an environmental impact. Go green by choosing a lab grown sapphire.
Color Choices
Lab-grown sapphires are available in a shades of blue, pink, and yellow. Red (ruby) is also an option, as well as peach!
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medium pink lab created Chatham sapphire with rose and green gold
Dark Yellow Chatham Sapphires with 14k yellow gold