Is Silverite "Madagascar Sapphire"? Any Sapphire? NO!!

Silverite - About $25 for an entire strand

I've written about a stone that is found almost exclusively on Etsy that is called "Silverite".  I did a lot of research on this stone, contacted the GIA (Gemological Institute of America---the only real and reliable source of gemstone information and certification) and their response was:  they know nothing of this so-called gemstone.  They never even HEARD of it!  If you'd like to read my original post, it's here. 

The main wholesale seller of this Silverite stone (in briolettes, rondelles, various colors, etc.) is from India and also has a store on Etsy.  I wrote to them and asked what this stone is exactly, and their response (which you can read in my post linked above) was basically that Silverite is a "new gemstone" and is not coated in any way, and they've sold it almost exclusively to Etsy sellers.

If Silverite is a "new" and uncoated gemstone, then why are Etsy sellers (who obviously bought it from this importer) marketing this as coated diamonds, diamond coated stones, sapphires, pearlescent coated gems, opalescent coated gems, and even mystic quartz?  As I said before, there is only one answer and that is, "creative marketing" -- to deceive the public into buying something from their shop.

Now I see it's being sold on Etsy as "Madagascar Sapphire."

This stone is NOT sapphire.  It's not from Madagascar.  It's not a coated sapphire.  It's not any form of corundum.  To call it "Madagascar Sapphire" is totally fraudulent, because NO wholesaler is selling it as sapphire, because it is not.  As I said, I personally contacted the GIA as well as the wholesale seller of these stones.  GIA hasn't heard of it.  The wholesaler in India SAYS it's just simply Silverite, a "new" and uncoated stone.  And IF these were sapphires, believe me---the wholesaler would be selling these as sapphires, not a "new stone" which costs maybe $25 a strand.

And simple logic would tell you that if someone is selling strands of Sapphires, they would tell you they are genuine sapphires!  They're not going to cloak these stones in mystery, and HIDE the fact that they are precious sapphire gemstones by giving them a different name!!  NO ONE is going to call a precious gemstone anything other than what it is!! (How simple a concept is that?!) 

Anyway, Sapphire mining in Madagascar is FAR from ethical, to say the least.  It's akin to the "blood diamond" industry.  Here's an excerpt from an article found on brilliantearth.com:

In Madagascar, where rich deposits of sapphires were discovered just a decade ago, a Wild West economic situation has led to dangerous working conditions and a highly unregulated industry. Allegations of child labor and abuse have also marred the gemstone trade in Madagascar. Children have been used for their small size and agility, often required to climb into small holes in extremely dangerous situations to see if gemstones are present.
Illegal mining activities are commonplace, often found in locations with poor safety standards. Little to no access to health care services exacerbates dangerous working conditions in sapphire mines. Injuries are common, caused by dangerous conditions including falling shards and rocks, collapsing pits, and underground fires, which can cause smoke inhalation."

So why would anyone want to claim their stones are from Madagascar, which would mean these have been unethically mined?  Not to mention that they aren't sapphires anyway!  My guess is they think that calling them "Madagascar" Sapphires makes the stones sound more exotic, more dazzling, more desirable.  They are preying on the ignorance of potential buyers.

If you google "silverite gem", you will find a link to mindat.org  (the third google result, which is directly below my original "What Is Silverite" post) and the interesting thing is, that link leads directly to "Vermiculite".   To me this is especially telling since Silverite really does look like Vermiculite, with its mica-like sheen and other attributes.  (If you simply google "Silverite", results are mostly regarding the Dragon Age video game.)

Whatever Silverite is chemically, it most definitely is NOT sapphire, no matter how many times sellers keep saying that.

Please, do your own research and know what you're buying!!
Knowledge is power, and ignorance just plays into the hands of these manipulative sellers.

What Is A "Synthetic" Gemstone?

On Etsy's forums today, someone posted a rant about "synthetic" stones being sold at places like Michael's and Hobby Lobby.  She meant "fake" when she said synthetic.  A lot of people think the word "synthetic" means fake.  But in the jewelry industry, a synthetic gemstone is NOT a fake!  It has a different meaning.

What Does Synthetic Mean In Jewelry?

Tairus Synthetic Emerald

Synthetic gemstones are real gemstones.  Rather than found in nature, they are grown in a lab and become man-made genuine gemstones.  They have the same physical, chemical and optical properties as their natural counterparts.  For example, a natural emerald is very expensive and has lots of inclusions in it.  A lab-created Emerald IS an Emerald, but because it's grown in a controlled environment, there are no inclusions and the result is a flawless and perfect Emerald.  There is a new created Emerald on the market, Tairus Synthetic Emeralds, and they can be found at riogrande.com.  Here is their description of this synthetic Emerald:

"Created to exacting standards, using state-of-the-art gem-lab technology and minute attention to detail, this lab-created emerald has a chemical make-up identical to the finest Colombian emeralds. Its color is a more intense green than the natural stones can offer, and it performs at the bench just as a natural stone does."

 Are There Synthetic Diamonds?

Yes!  There are genuine Diamonds that are created in a lab, and possess the same physical, chemical and optical properties as natural Diamonds.  These are called "created diamonds" or "synthetic diamonds" and are ACTUAL diamonds, only lab-created rather than mined.  I like to compare synthetic gemstones to ice that you make in your freezer, versus natural ice that forms in a glacier:  they're both frozen water!

Synthetic Diamonds are made of pure Carbon and have a Mohs hardness of 10---the hardest mineral on Earth.

These synthetic Diamonds are less expensive than natural diamonds, but are still very expensive--almost the price of a natural diamond of that size.

Some terrible sellers on Etsy and Ebay (and elsewhere) sell Cubic Zirconia jewelry as "synthetic diamond" jewelry.  They are NOT!!  A CZ is not a synthetic diamond!  It's a simulated diamond.

Synthetic Diamonds have been manufactured in labs since the mid-1980s under such brand names as Gemesis.  The GIA (Gemological Institute of America) grades these synthetics (issuing an Identification Report) so there is no confusion in the marketplace between synthetics and natural Diamonds.

If you are buying a Synthetic Diamond, be SURE to get the GIA's Identification Report.  If the seller can't offer one, run away!!

What Are Gemstone and Diamond "Simulants"?

Dyed Sillimanite--NOT Gemstones

Simulated gemstones can be made out of anything----glass, crystal, lab-grown stones, natural stones etc.---and just look like a gemstone.  There are lots of simulated sapphires, emeralds, and rubies that are actually dyed Sillimanite, and they're hard to tell apart from the real gemstones to an untrained eye.  These dyed Sillimanite "emeralds", "rubies" and "sapphires" are VERY inexpensive and come mainly from India---and when you see very cheaply priced gemstones on Ebay and Etsy, this is what you're getting.  (Sad, but true.)

CZ Simulated Diamond

Cubic Zirconia (CZ) is the most popular Diamond simulant.  It's grown in a lab, and has "grades" of quality.  It's very affordable and looks the most like a flawless diamond.  And that's the problem---most natural diamonds are NOT colorless and flawless, so when you see a CZ and it's perfect, you can assume it's not a real diamond.



Moissanite (Silicon Carbide) is also a man-made stone and is a good diamond simulant.  Unlike a natural diamond which has a slightly yellowish color, Moissanite has a slightly green to greyish color.  It has a "double refraction" unlike Diamonds, making the stone much more fiery than a Diamond.

What Are Diamond Hybrids?

This is a term used by some manufacturers who coat a gemstone or simulant with a layer of synthetic diamond or  diamond-like carbon (DLC).  These coatings are durable but are not permanent, and can be scratched off or removed.

How Can I Be Sure Of What I'm Buying?

The FTC issues "Guides For The Jewelry Industry" and jewelers are required to disclose any treatments and synthetics.

Gem Silica - What Is It?

Gem Silica Cabochons

I saw a ring today and it was the most beautiful turquoise blue color, like a swimming pool or like Caribbean water.  It was a large oval cabochon, and it was VERY expensive.  It was described as "Gem Silica".  I think it's my new favorite gemstone!

At first I thought it was Aquamarine, or maybe even some sort of man-made glass.  In researching this mineral, I saw that it goes by various names: Gem Silica, Gem Chrysocolla, Chrysocolla Chalcedony, and other similar names.

It is the most expensive gemstone in the quartz family.




What Is Gem Silica?

Gem Silica Rough

Gem Silica is often referred to as "Gem Chrysocolla" but it really is a member of the Chalcedony (Quartz) family.  Technically, it is gem Chalcedony.  Gem Silica is a trade name for a very rare and very specific turquoise-blue color of Chalcedony.  Chalcedony is translucent crypto-crystalline quartz and is found in many colors, and has a hardness of 7 on the Mohs scale, making it a great gemstone for jewelry.   Gem Silica is a very rare mineral.  It's mined in New Mexico and Arizona, and has become extremely scarce in the last few years.


What is Chrysocolla?

Chrysocolla

Chrysocolla is a gemstone that is one of the few gemstones that contains copper.  It's often found mixed with turquoise, azurite, malachite or quartz.  It's a very soft mineral, with a Mohs hardness of only 2-4. 

What is "Gem Chrysocolla"?
When the very rare green-blue turquoise color of Chalcedony is found, it's called "Gem Chrysocolla" because the color is the same as Chrysocolla.  Transparent Chalcedony is stained by the same copper salts that color Chrysocolla, resulting in the unique natural turquoise color of quartz.  Gem Chrysocolla, or Gem Silica, has the incredible color of Chrysocolla but has the hardness of quartz.

Jade-Like Gem Silica Rough

Gem Silica, or Gem Chrysocolla, is extremely rare and is VERY expensive---over $100 a carat and UP, which is about ten to twenty times the cost of chalcedony.

It's popular in Asia for it's similar look to jade.

As a very expensive and rare stone, you would most likely find this gemstone set into 14k or 18k gold.

"Rotayti"??? Not A Gemstone!!! And Sterling Silver PLATED?

"Rotayti" Ring---See the glass bubbles?

Wow!  I'm so sad to see people getting fooled and taken advantage of.  If you see a piece of jewelry and you like it and buy it, that's great!  Costume jewelry is FUN.  But if you buy something and THINK you're getting a gemstone set in precious metals, and it turns out it's not....that's not great.

Sadly, there are SO many Ebay sellers who offer fake gemstones set in "925 Sterling Silver plated" metal, and SO many eager buyers who must have no idea what they're buying. 

TERRIBLE Fake Rutile Quartz -- Glass!

And even worse---there are people on Etsy who buy this same jewelry (probably from Ebay) and turn around and sell it as "handmade" jewelry, genuine gemstones set in "925 sterling silver"---and clearly it's neither.  I feel awful for unsuspecting Etsy buyers, but what can I do?

I can write about it and HOPEFULLY enlighten people about this.

Close up showing glass bubbles and...confetti??

"Rotayti" On Etsy...??

I saw on my "feed" a bracelet with a gemstone called "Rotayti".  I clicked on it and could immediately tell it was some sort of glass or plastic---a terrible looking thing, like brown stripes in clear glass.  I googled "Rotayti" just to see what on earth it was.  The results were (1) the item on Etsy; and (2) several Rotayti items on Ebay.  I clicked on those. 

"Rotayti" Pendant on Ebay

(OBVIOUSLY there is no such gemstone called "Rotayti" and my guess is it's some sort of mangled English for "Rutilated" or "Rutile" which is actually a gemstone.)  So the reseller on Etsy didn't even bother to find out what "Rotayti" was (or wasn't!) and just turned around and relisted it on Etsy! 

And I looked at Ebay and there it was----an Ebay seller from India offering many of the same items as the Etsy seller.  The India seller has "Rotayti", plus  "emerald" necklaces, "sapphire" pendants, "ruby" rings, etc., all set in "925 sterling silver plated" metal.  Yet the Etsy seller claims her items are "925 sterling silver" -- no mention of anything being plated!!

Supposed Lapis Lazuli

Close-up of supposed "Lapis" - NOT!

Upon close examination of these rings, for example a "lapis" ring that is obviously plastic or resin that's been painted, you can see that this metal is NOT sterling silver.  It looks like nickel or lead or possibly pewter, but certainly not solid sterling silver.  Scary mystery metal!





Fake Emeralds, Rubies, and Sapphires

Dyed Sillimanite, NOT Emerald

I've written about this before.  India is flooding the market with FAKE precious gemstones that are nothing more than dyed sillimanite.   Sillimanite is a mineral that's actually a polymorph of Kyanite and Andalusite.  It takes dye well, and can slightly mimic poor-quality gemstones.  If you look closely at dyed sillimanite, you can see clouds and fibrous layers within the stone.  Sillimanite also can be found exhibiting a cat's eye effect, mimicking star sapphire!  HERE is a great source of pictures of this mineral.

Dyed Sillimanite, NOT Emeralds, NOT Sterling--$5.99 on Ebay!!!!

Many Ebay sellers from India are offering "emerald" necklaces set in plated metal.  Some Etsy sellers are obviously buying these and reselling them as "emeralds" set in "sterling Silver".  They are NEITHER emeralds nor sterling silver.

Etsy "Emerald" Necklace---Terrible Metalwork (Not Sterling)

There are SO many Ebay sellers offering the same jewelry.  To name a few, there is divine_sutra, jewel-city (operating out of the UK), guneestore09 and victorianjewels_us. 
There are MANY more Ebay sellers with this same faux gemstone jewelry, but that's just a sampling.  All are set in silver plated mystery metals, with dyed stones as well as glass and other faux gems.  Is it possible that SOME of their gemstones are real?  Well, it's hard to say but if I KNOW that some are fake, who could trust that seller with anything else they sell?!
Their jewelry is very inexpensive!  Most is somewhere under $5, with "emerald necklaces" going for about $6!!  Great prices, but know that you're NOT getting emeralds or sapphires or rubies despite what they say!

What Is "Sterling Silver Plated"?
There is NO SUCH THING.  By LAW, if an item is marked "925" or described using the term "Sterling Silver", it must be SOLID Sterling Silver.  The "925" indicates that it's 92.5% silver, and 7.5% alloy (usually copper).

If a metal is silver PLATED, it is dipped in silver, or "flashed" with silver.  It is NOT "sterling silver" plated EVER.

Why Call Something "Sterling Silver Plated" Then?
One word: fraud.  Sellers will try to fool buyers who see the term "sterling silver" and assume it's just that---sterling.  They think by adding "plated" it makes it legal---it does NOT.

Again, only SOLID .925 Sterling Silver can be called "sterling Silver" at all.

**********
In conclusion:  if you see a piece of jewelry that you think is pretty and affordable, buy it!  Wear it!  Enjoy it!  But if you see an "emerald" necklace for under $15, or a "ruby" ring that is HUGE and only $18 or so, you can be sure that those are NOT genuine gemstones.  Price isn't the only factor though---it's up to YOU to research the item (and the seller) to understand what it is you're buying.  KNOWLEDGE IS POWER, and I hope you've learned something here.

And remember, Buyer Beware!!!

"18k White Gold Filled" Rings?

I'm not here to "call out" any fraudulent sellers.  I'm only writing my blog to give information to anyone who might be searching for info on a gemstone or how to care for jewelry...things like that.  However, every now and then, I'll see something on Etsy that is TERRIBLE, and since these sellers are deceiving a LOT of buyers (and reporting to Etsy does absolutely nothing), I want to possibly help future buyers with information.  Knowledge is power!

I've talked about the glass stone called Opalite being sold as "moonstone" or "opal";  Moissanite being sold as a "natural" stone instead of a lab-created stone, just like cubic zirconia is a diamond simulant; hydro quartz stones being sold as gemstones and not glass; and CZs being sold as "created diamonds" rather than simulated diamonds.  There are also incredible claims that gold filled is "100 times more gold" than plated, or "100% more gold" which will "never tarnish" which is NOT TRUE (and I've written about this in another post).  All of those are examples of fraud, or "creative marketing", and I hope I've helped some people at least look further into the jewelry they are buying.

There is a UK seller on Etsy who has sold thousands of rings and things.  He claims his CZ rings are "created diamonds" set in plated mystery metals.  He claims his rings are "18k White Gold Filled" with a variety of "gemstones" set in them.  And not just this one UK seller---a simple Etsy search for "white gold filled ring" will show many sellers who offer gold PLATED rings, or even Sterling Silver rings,  as "white gold filled". 

The problem with this is that:

(1) 14/20 White Gold Filled wire used to be sold on riogrande.com but isn't sold any more (just read the Material Safety Data Sheet and you can see why!) and I haven't seen it offered anywhere else lately;
(2) You can have gold filled wire or gold filled sheet (very thin) but you cannot cast a ring with "gold filled" metal.

Why?  Because gold filled wire, tubes and sheet is made by adhering a VERY thin layer of karat gold (like 10 or 14k) onto brass.   So, it's a brass core with a thin layer of 10k or 14k gold that has been rolled onto it, and by heat and pressure, the gold becomes basically permanent.  It's a VERY thin karat-gold layer on top of brass. 

You cannot melt this material and pour it into a mold! 

You CAN however use wire to make a ring!  There are lots of very tiny stacking rings made with 14k gold filled WIRE.    But that is not what this particular UK seller is offering.  He has traditionally styled rings with prong settings (which are cast) and is selling these as "engagement rings."  The option for these rings is either "Titanium" or this "18k Gold Filled" metal.   And by "18k White Gold Filled" I think he means "gold plated brass"----costume jewelry---because that is what it is.

WORSE, the stones are not genuine gemstones.  They are CRYSTALS.  Sometimes they might be CZ, but none are gemstones.  One big giveaway that an eternity ring is made with crystals is that the inside of the band is solid.  Gemstones are always set with little openings in the back, to allow light to come through. Pink CZ being sold as sapphire.  Purple CZ sold as amethysts or tanzanite.  Kelly green CZ sold as emeralds!  It's really bad.

I found one of his so-called amethyst half-eternity rings on aliexpress because he used THEIR picture as one of his.  (Normally he retakes his own photos, but this one somehow got in is listing---a stock photo from aliexpress.)  It is described by the wholesaler as a purple crystal ring set in sterling silver and it is $5.69, not including any discounts or coupons which are offered.  He's selling this SAME ring as a gemstone (amethyst) ring set in "18k white gold filled" or sterling silver for $59.  Here's a picture of the ring on alibaba:

NOT Amethysts

Another example, here is a titanium ring set with a purple crystal that he sells as "tanzanite"---same band, same 6-prong setting, SAME RING:

NOT Tanzanite

This also is offered with a CZ but sold as "white topaz".  It's so sad to see glowing comments on his feedback, such as "my fiance loves this tanzanite ring" when I know it's just a CZ ring that is worth nowhere near the $100 he paid for the ring.  Is it pretty?  YES, but is it as advertised?  NO.  Is it worth $100?  Absolutely NOT.

Anyone can sell whatever they want and make a profit.  That's how businesses operate!  But selling something as a gemstone when it's just a simulated stone, set in plated brass but claiming it's "gold filled", in order to make a huge profit, is just wrong!  

BUYER BEWARE!!!!  

What is "SILVERITE"?

Silverite - $25/Strand

UPDATE July, 2016--I had 3 samples of "silverite" examined by a certified gemologist.  She examined them using various tests, including microscopic examination and other tests. She found no indication that any of these were minerals, but were all GLASS with a coating, some sort of pearlescent paint or coating.  She is a professional jeweler, a certified gemologist with one of the world's largest and most well-known and well-respected gemstone suppliers----and she never even heard of "silverite" and consulted with others in her field--and they never heard of "silverite" either. She examined three separate pieces from 3 different sellers, and determined that ALL WERE COATED GLASS.  These are NOT "corundum" or "sapphire" or "quartz" or any sort of gemstone or mineral AT ALL.  PERIOD.  Silverite is a FRAUD. Beware.
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UPDATE August 19, 2016 -- I got an email from someone who insists that she had two strands of "pink silverite" tested and they are "confirmed to be genuine corundum."  (Corundum is sapphire---a precious gemstone.)

So of course, the burning question is this:  WHY on earth would anyone sell strands of genuine sapphires as anything OTHER than genuine, precious sapphires?  The answer is:  they wouldn't!    Simple logic would tell you that NO ONE would sell strands of genuine sapphires as "silverite", which is a supposed gem  that is nonexistent in the gemstone world!

That is as silly as someone selling genuine Muzo emeralds as "Muzite" or strands of genuine diamonds as "Glitzite" or something, rather than saying they are emeralds and diamonds.  NO ONE would do that!!

If they are genuine sapphires, they would be SOLD AS genuine sapphires---precious gemstones---not sold under some mysterious "pseudonym."

Again, more than one gemstone wholesaler in India (one of whom told me they mined the stones) have told me that "silverite" is "a new gemstone" and is "NOT corundum or any other gemstone already known" and is "uncoated and untreated".  However, I have yet to have any "silverite" examined and tested that has been anything other than coated glass.
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Almost exclusively offered on Etsy, there are jewelry items made with a stone called "Silverite".  It's a very pretty stone that looks a little like rough diamonds, or with some sort of mica-like sheen.  I tried to find out more information about this supposed gemstone, so I googled it.  There isn't much info on this stone, other than it's being offered for sale.

What I discovered, though,  is very strange.

(1) First, I found "silverite" stones for sale on a website based in India.  They seem reputable and have a large selection of gemstones.  They also sell this silverite in their Etsy shop as well.   Etsy seems to be their major market (or only market) for selling this stone.  They offer white silverite, black silverite, natural uncut silverite, red, brown, "tanzanite" silverite, and grey silverite.  These stones are smooth cut, faceted, briolettes, raw beads, smooth ovals, and all are simply described as "natural".  There is no further description about this stone---just "natural silverite".

Blue-white Silverite

I contacted this seller via Etsy and asked what the stone is.  The reply was, "Its actually a new gemstone and only we've sold to all the sellers so far. We have in white and black and little blue / yellowish. Its not coated in any form or treated."

So according to the IMPORTER of this stone, it's a natural stone that is untreated and uncoated. 

Prices for this silverite runs about $25 a strand.  

(2) Another importer on Etsy in India offers Silverite and only describes it as "Natural Silverite".

Silverite Briolettes

(3)  So if these are the importers of this stone, then the Etsy sellers who use this stone probably purchased it from one of these importers, right?  Then why is it that sellers are marketing this stone as:

• Mystic coated sapphire
• Opalescent coated sapphire
• Mystic corundum 
• White sapphire
• Mystic silverite
• Mystic Pearl Finish Silverite
• Silverite Sapphire
• Mystic QUARTZ
• Diamond coated white corundum
• Madagascar Sapphire

So where do these terms, like "diamond coated white corundum" or "pearlescent coated" or "mystic sapphire" or even "Madagascar Sapphire" come from?  

I contacted the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), the leading source for gemstone information, and asked if they ever heard of this "new gemstone" called Silverite.  I heard back, and their answer was: no, never heard of that gemstone, and they could only find the term "Silverite" which is an abandoned trademark, never used.  It was filed in 2001 to describe gemstones that are coated with silver, gold, or platinum.  (Example:  gold plated pyrite.)  This seems like it could apply, but since this is a "dead" trademark, and it describes SO MANY "mystic" coated gemstones and even plated gemstones (like pyrite), this doesn't apply---remember, I was told this was "natural" and "uncoated" by the wholesaler.

Searching mindat.org for "silverite", I was re-directed to an entry for vermiculite!

So....I still have no answer as to what this gemstone is, or if it is even a gemstone at all!  Is it natural and uncoated?  Sapphire? Quartz? Vermiculite?

Vermiculite

What is Vermiculite?

Blue-black Vermiculite

Vermiculite is a mineral that you've probably heard of.  It's used in gardening products, and home insulation, and many other construction industry products.  It looks like mica, with shiny "layers" that flake, and a translucent appearance.  It's mined in Brazil and China and the U.S. and all over the world, and comes in many colors including brown, gold, reddish, blue, white, black.

Silverite Briolettes---look a LOT like Vermiculite

                                                                                                           

     I've included some pictures of Vermiculite and you can see the resemblance it has to "silverite".  Is it possible that silverite is some sort of treated Vermiculite?  Treated to harden it?  Perhaps untreated and natural Vermiculite?  Many importers of gemstones give proprietary names to stones, some of which aren't gems at all----Opalite, for example (which is glass).  Could silverite be just a trade name for some form of Vermiculite?  It seems possible to me.

Brown-Yellow Vermiculite

It would seem that sellers on Etsy are buying this stone from India and are using "creative marketing" to sell jewelry made with silverite.  By calling it a "coated sapphire" or even a "diamond coated" sapphire, they're promoting this stone as something it is not.  If the seller from India that I contacted says it's NOT coated and is its own "new gemstone", then I'm quite sure it isn't any sort of sapphire or other precious gem---especially at such cheap prices.  It certainly is NOT diamond coated!  It does resemble vermiculite to me, but Vermiculite is a soft mineral and is not a gemstone. It also somewhat resembles Kyanite perhaps---hard to say just by looking at online pictures though.

I'm not going to buy any of this silverite, basically because I can't even get a straight answer from the gem wholesalers as to what it actually is.  I would never want to misrepresent something that may or may not be a gemstone and claim it's "diamond coated" or "sapphire" when the importers do NOT say that.  I'm just waiting and hoping for someone to send this Silverite to a lab for testing to determine what it really is!

If the Gemological Institute of America doesn't know anything about silverite, it's a pretty safe bet that it's not really a gemstone at all, certainly not a recognized "new" gemstone, and quite possibly could just be a new trade name for some other mineral or material.

So---buyer beware!

-----> UPDATE:  Apparently I was being GENEROUS by comparing "silverite" with vermiculite!  It's NOT even vermiculite!  It's not any sort of mineral at all.  This is a GLASS product that is coated with some sort of pearlescent paint or glaze, and is sold as "silverite".  It's NOT a mineral.  It's NOT a gemstone.  It's a fraud!

"Lab Made Diamond", "Lab Created Diamond"... What Is It Really?

"There's a sucker born every minute."  That's a quote attributed to P.T. Barnum (although he never said it---it was banker David Hannum, talking about one of Barnum's circus displays!).

Sadly, that is a very true statement, especially in the world of online shopping.  Etsy, like Ebay, has SO many items for sale, and SO many unscrupulous sellers.  Someone is always ready to make a buck saying anything to make that sale.  And all I can say is, "Buyer beware!!!" 

Just a CZ Ring---Pretty! But Not a Diamond!

Case in point:  on my Etsy feed (their suggestions for me to follow...) I saw some typical CZ rings that I've seen in person at Kohl's and Walmart, and at countless online wholesale vendors.  They are the usual engagement-type rings----halo styles, micropave bands, and so forth.  But the titles of their rings caught my attention.  "Lab Made Diamond..."  And I clicked on it and read the first line, "This patented cushion cut lab made diamond..." and at first I had to laugh, but then I felt angry.

How many people fall for this?  Apparently a LOT.

What Is This Stone?

This seller, along with other Etsy and Ebay sellers, who offer "lab created diamonds" or "lab made diamonds", are knowingly selling nothing but CZs.  Cubic Zirconia stones.  These are lab created stones that are an actual stone called Cubic Zirconia!  NOT diamonds.  These are simulated diamonds----stones that are made to LOOK LIKE diamonds.  But they are NOT diamonds and will fail the diamond test at any jeweler in any mall.  

Of course, I personally LOVE CZ rings.  I'm not a "genuine diamond" person at all.  These CZ are beautiful and sparkling stones and are a fabulous and affordable alternative to a diamond.  But it should be disclosed that it is a Cubic Zirconia, and nothing more than that.  


Why Do They Say "Lab Created/Lab Made Diamond"?

Simple answer:  to fool you into buying it.  This is usually referred to as fraud.

Why Does Etsy Allow This?

Etsy positions itself as a "venue", a marketplace, for sellers.  Each seller has their own "storefront" and Etsy leaves it up to other sellers or defrauded buyers to let them know about it.  Many items are reported, but for whatever reason, Etsy still allows them to sell.  SAD.

Is There Really A Man-Made Diamond?

YES.  There are a few companies (such as Gemesis) that do manufacture a genuine diamond, made entirely of carbon like a real diamond---because it is a real diamond.  It's just grown in a lab.  These are called "synthetic diamonds" or "man-made diamonds" or "created diamonds" or "cultured diamonds" and are ACTUAL diamonds, not CZ or any other stone.  These companies have every right to call these "diamonds" because the stones ARE diamonds.  But they are VERY expensive, almost as expensive as a genuine diamond.  DeBeers controls the entire diamond industry and was upset (to say the least) when these cultured diamonds were introduced, knowing these created diamonds would undercut the expensive diamond industry.  DeBeers still maintains that mined diamonds are "superior" to the flawless created diamonds.  Creative marketing!

A created diamond can cost as much or more than a natural mined diamond.  For example, a created diamond that is 2.11 carats, round brilliant cut, is about $10,000.  A 1-carat is about $6200.  It is however sustainable and "green" with no fear of  "blood diamonds".

How Much Is a Good Quality CZ Worth?

Not much.  There are "grades" of CZ, and the very top-of-the-line clear and beautifully cut cubic zirconias would cost only a few hundred dollars a carat.  But 99% of the CZ rings you will find on Etsy and elsewhere are worth nowhere near that much---more like $1-$5 per package of 10.  At riogrande.com, which is the jewelry supplier to jewelers world-wide, they have an 8mm cushion-cut CZ for $7.46.  So that so-called "patented" cushion cut CZ ring on Etsy, selling for about $100, isn't outrageously overpriced, but it is definitely nothing more than a CZ ring that you could find anywhere.

So please do your own research!  Buyer BEWARE!!