市场上“重结晶”(合成)刚玉的宝石学特征

Gemmological Characteristic of "Recrystallized" (Synthetic) Corundum in Market

  • 摘要: 自二十世纪末起, 珠宝市场上开始出现“再造”或“重结晶”宝石, 商家声称原材料为天然宝石碎片或粉末, 其生产成本高于使用化学合成原料的合成宝石, 为了厘清“重结晶”宝石的本质, 采用常规宝石学仪器、拉曼光谱仪、傅里叶变换红外光谱仪、紫外-可见吸收光谱仪和激光剥蚀电感耦合等离子体质谱仪对日本Anupam Gems公司销售的21颗“重结晶”刚玉样品进行测试分析。结果表明, 这批“重结晶”刚玉实际上是以化学合成材料为原料, 助熔剂法和焰熔法合成宝石, 被称为“重结晶”宝石来销售只是商家的一种营销手段。“重结晶”刚玉为单晶宝石, 黄色蓝宝石样品中均含有圆形气泡, 其中一颗样品颜色不均匀且含有半透明至不透明的无色或橙红色树枝状、网状包裹体, 除少量致色元素Ni外基本不含有其他微量元素, 而天然黄色蓝宝石通常含有大量的Fe且普遍存在微量元素如Mg、Ti、Ga和V等; 蓝色蓝宝石样品内部干净, Fe和Ga元素含量明显低于天然蓝色蓝宝石, 部分样品中还含有较多Be元素; 红宝石样品含有大量气泡和弯曲生长纹, 可见未结晶的熔融物质, 微量元素种类较少, 含量较低, 未测出Fe元素; “重结晶”变色刚玉内部干净。除此之外, 蓝色蓝宝石、红宝石及变色刚玉的红外光谱中都出现了3 309、3 231、3 186 cm-1焰熔法合成刚玉宝石的特征峰。

     

    Abstract: "Reconstructed" and "recrystallized" gemstones have begun to appear in the jewelry market since the late 20th century. Unlike synthetic gemstones made from chemosynthetic materials, the merchants claim that the raw materials of "recrystallized" gemstones are natural gem fragments or powder. In order to figure out the nature of "recrystallized" gemstones, 21 samples of "recrystallized" corundum sold by Anupam Gems Japan Ltd. are analyzed by conventional gemmological instruments, Raman spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) absorption spectroscopy, and laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS). The results show that these "recrystallized" corundum samples are actually flux-grown and flame-fusion synthetic gemstones. Synthetic gemstones made by chemosynthetic materials that marketed as "recrystallized" gemstones turn out to be a marketing ploy of merchants. "Recrystallized" corundum is monocrystal. The yellow sapphires all contain round bubbles. One of the samples is in uneven colour and has colourless or orange-red dendritic and mesh-like inclusions which range from translucent to opaque. And they contain few trace elements except for a small amount of chromophore Ni. However, natural yellow sapphires usually contain a large amount of Fe and other trace elements such as Mg, Ti, Ga and V. The blue sapphires are internally flawless without natural inclusions. The content of Fe and Ga elements is significantly lower than that of the natural blue sapphires, and that some samples contain the element Be. The rubies contain a large number of bubbles and curved growth striations, and some samples also contain uncrystallized molten materials. There is no Fe element detected and the content of trace elements is low. The colour-change corundum has a clean interior. In addition, the blue sapphires, rubies and colour-change corundum all have absorption peaks at around 3 309, 3 231 cm-1 and 3 186 cm-1 in infrared spectrum which are the characteristic peaks of flame-fusion synthetic corundum.

     

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