QuestionQUESTION: I would like to melt real stones in order to create my own design for rings. The resulting custom stone would be mounted in a ring. Is this possible for a manufactor to achieve? or would I need to use glass?
Thanks
Mary
p.s. I already read about someone wanting to create one big stone...this is not actually, what my goal is.
ANSWER: Hi Mary, theoretically you can, if you can have access to a machine similar to a diamond anvil http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diamond_anvil, but gems aren't usually melted since this would drastically alter the crystalline structure of the molecules, so the finished product won't look the same or have the same aesthetic qualities of the original gem. Also, the cost of the whole process is almost the same as creating a synthetic gem from scratch, not to mention significantly depreciating the original value of the gem.
Regards,
Jonathon
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: thanks Jonathan for answering my question. You mention lab created Stone.... is it possible to have lab gem or solid color stones be created to my own design? i.e., half onox with half jade as a one piece heart? would a manufacturer be able to do this for me?
i am inspired by contemporary subjects and would like to express this in my own creative or lab created stone
What do you think?
AnswerHi Mary, it is certainly possible to achieve something similar to what you are thinking with glass, silica or with other materials, but not possible for onyx and jade to be fused, as far as I know. Both will have to be melted in order to be truly "fused" together and the amount of heat and pressure in the process would destroy the stone before it can melt properly at the right places.
