Muscat: After coming across people, who were cheated into buying cheap gems for a higher price, Fahad Mahmood Al Balushi decided to open a gem testing lab, which would help people differentiate between authentic and
synthetic gems and create awareness about the issue.
According to the report, the Popigai crater above the Arctic Circle has lain untapped because the old Soviet Union put all its efforts into making
synthetic gems.
Knowing what not to buy--keeping up on the latest treatments and enhancements--is a key part of building the gem collection, although the ROM does purposely pick up examples of enhanced and
synthetic gems for its teaching collection, most recently glass-filled rubies, which regularly turn up on the market.
Recent deals include May leases by jeweler Finlay at 529 Fifth Avenue and Hong Kong-based store Carat, which sets upscale
synthetic gems in precious metals, at 509 Madison.
"Some
synthetic gems can fool even the most practiced eye.
