Discover BIRON® Gems
Lab-Grown Gemstones for Jewellery Making & Production
Also known as synthetic gemstones — supplied loose and cut to order for jewellery businesses.
BIRON® supplies seven lab grown gemstones — emerald, ruby, blue sapphire, padparadscha, alexandrite, lab-grown diamond and opal — in a wide range of colours, shapes and sizes for jewellery brands, designers and manufacturers worldwide, including the UK and Australia.
Sourcing and cutting gemstones since 1984, BIRON® runs its own stone-cutting factory in China and carries out 100% quality inspection before every shipment.
Lab grown gemstone are formed in a controlled environment through various man-made processes depending on the gemstone. The chemical composition, optical and physical characteristics of a naturally mined gemstone are maintained.
Explore BIRON® Cut Stone, BIRON® Jewellery, BIRON® Rough Stone, Rough for Lapidary, Education Specimens, Lifestyle Accessories, and Rare Collectibles handpicked by the BIRON® experts.
Looking for lab grown gemstone material to cut in your own workshop? Explore our BIRON® Rough Stone and Rough for Lapidary collections.
Our Loose Lab-Grown Gemstone Range
BIRON® offers lab grown gemstones for jewellery making in seven varieties, ten popular cut shapes and a range of sizes to suit jewellery brands, designers and manufacturers.
| Gemstone | Grown / Sourced | Method | Colour(s) | Size Range | Clarity | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emerald | Grown by BIRON® | Hydrothermal | Colombian green | 1-35mm | Eye clean/Jardin Included | Learn More >> |
| Ruby | Sourced by BIRON® | Czochraski | Vivid red | 1-30mm | Eye clean | Learn More >> |
| Blue Sapphire | Sourced by BIRON® | Czochraski | Royal blue | 1-30mm | Eye clean | Learn More >> |
| Padparadscha | Sourced by BIRON® | Czochraski | Pink-orange | 1-30mm | Eye clean | Learn More >> |
| Alexandrite | Sourced by BIRON® | Czochraski | Colour-change green/red | 1-30mm | Eye clean | Learn More >> |
| Lab-Grown Diamond | Sourced by BIRON® | CVD/HPHT | Colourless/Fancy colour | 1-30mm | Eye clean | Learn More >> |
| Opal | Sourced by GILSON® | Sedimentation | Play of colour | 1-60mm | Nil | Learn More >> |
Available in ten popular cut shapes: trillion, oval, emerald, anti-cushion, square, marquise, cabochon, heart, pear and round.
Consistent Quality for Production Runs
BIRON® lab grown emeralds are grown with minimal colour variance, helping each batch stay close to the intense Colombian green our clients expect.
In 1985, a report by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) confirmed that a lab-grown emerald produced with the hydrothermal process was exceptionally clean and large.
Every gemstone — emerald and sourced varieties alike — goes through 100% quality inspection before it leaves our factory.
There are currently no independent rating or grading reports for coloured lab-grown gemstones — only lab-grown diamonds have established grading reports industry-wide. BIRON® addresses this with 100% pre-shipment inspection.
Read more about our quality standards on our About page.
Custom Sizes & Cuts
Every BIRON® gemstone is cut and polished in our own stone-cutting factory, so we can cut loose lab grown gemstones to your required shape and calibrated size, rather than a fixed range only.
Custom orders typically take 7–20 working days depending on quantity and specification; stocked items ship within 3 working days, with partial shipments available for larger production runs.
We also welcome OEM development — from concept through to bulk production — for jewellery brands and manufacturers who need a dedicated cutting partner. Learn more about our cutting & polishing and bespoke services.
Buying for Your Business?
Sourcing wholesale lab grown gemstones for your next collection? Here’s what jewellery businesses need to know before requesting a trade quote:
- MOQ: no minimum piece count — minimum order value of US$500 per invoice. See FAQs >>
- Lead time: 3 working days from stock; 7–20 working days for made-to-order.
- Trade quote process:
- Receive customer’s enquiry.
- Send image and quotation to customer.
- Customer confirms and provide their post address and contact number to us for document.
- We prepare proforma invoice to customer for payment settle (T/T, credit card or PayPal).
- Customer settles the payment in advance before gem cutting.
- After receive payment, we cut and prepare gemstones around 2-4 weeks ( or confirm the lead time based on order quantity).
- Cut and polish with QC by operation department.
- QC in hong kong office again and provide invoice to customer.
- Send image of products to customer for double confirm.
- After final confirm by customer, ship products by FedEx to customer.
- All goods have been inspected and passed by our QC prior to shipment but please still have the goods inspected upon arrival. Yet, In case there is any issue to feedback on quality, quantity and specification of the invoice, please send it to us within 2 weeks of invoice date.
- Shipping to the UK: Estimated 5-7 work days to London for reference by FedEx.
- Shipping to the AU: Estimated 3-5 work days to Sydney for reference by FedEx.
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What the Expert Says
To My Great Satisfaction
The stone were over my expectations. Clear, transparent, with minimal to no inclusion nice bluish green color emeralds.
Brilliant Colour and Fantastic Cutting
I love the BIRON® alexandrite very much. The colour change effect, clarity and cutting are fantastic.
Lab Grown Gemstones: A Deep Dive
What are lab grown gemstones?
Lab grown gemstones are real gemstones that are unmined and synthetically made in a laboratory.
Crystals are formed in a controlled environment through various man-made processes depending on the gemstone. The chemical composition, optical and physical characteristics of a naturally mined gemstone are maintained.
Natural gemstones are formed in nature and are earth-mined. They are considered costlier and rarer than lab grown gemstones because their natural colouration and crystal growth occur without human interference.
Flux growth ruby (left), and flame fusion grown ruby (right). Photo Credit: GIA
What are the benefits of lab grown gemstones?
Lab grown gemstones deliver the same precision and high-quality finish as natural gemstones at a lower cost. They can be cut in a variety of shapes, colours and sizes to suit the needs of designers, dealers, retailers, manufacturers and jewellery brands.Lab grown gemstones also offer flexibility in cut, clarity and colour. High-quality synthetic gemstones can be consistent in symmetry and may have few inclusions.
How are lab grown gemstones made?
Artificial gemstones are mainly made with two types of methods — the melt process and the solution process. The difference lies in the resulting chemical composition, but in both cases, crystals form on a starting “seed” crystal and grow predictably to create the facets of an artificial gemstone. Both have the ability to create high-quality, man-made gem materials.
Which Methods Does BIRON® Use?
BIRON® grows its own lab grown gemstones — emerald — using the hydrothermal process (the BIRON® Process), which typically takes about 4 weeks. Our other gemstones — ruby, blue sapphire, padparadscha, alexandrite, lab-grown diamond and opal — are grown or sourced using a range of methods depending on the gemstone. Lab grown opal using the sedimentation method(the GILSON® Process), which typically takes about 365 days. The heat resistance is over 800C degree without resins and polymers. Suitable for more jewelry designation and mountings.
Related reading: Lab Created Gemstones vs. Natural Gemstones: What Are The Differences?
Melt Process
Lab grown gemstones are mainly produced using two types of methods — the melt process and the solution process. The difference lies in the resulting chemical composition, but in both cases crystals form on a starting “seed” crystal and grow in a controlled process. Both methods can create high-quality man-made gem materials.
Flame Fusion or Verneuil*
One of the most common and least expensive methods to make gemstones. A high-temperature flame is applied to powdered chemicals that drop and melt onto a rotating platform, producing the synthetic crystal.
*BIRON® gemstones are not produced using this method because with each drop a ripple effect will be created with the resulting rough having lighter colour in the middle and darker colour at the outer rim, stones cut from such rough will reflect this uneven distribution of colour.
Crystal Pulling or Czochralski
This early 1990s process involves melting nutrients in a heated container. A seed is dipped into the melt and synthetic crystals slowly grow from it as it is gradually pulled away from the melt.
Solution Process
In the solution process, the resulting chemical composition differs from that of the start.
Flux Melt
A relatively slow process involving expensive equipment but reaps results. It can take up to one year to form crystal growth. A dissolved chemical solution forms synthetic crystals slowly on a seed plane. The solution itself is made up of a material called flux, that dissolves the nutrients when melted. The process does not involve pressure.
Hydrothermal Growth
A costly but timely and successful method for growing synthetic quartz. The process mimics the conditions found deep in the earth with heat and pressure to dissolve nutrients in a solution that forms artificial crystals.
Chemical Vapour Deposition (CVD)
CVD is a process that specifically grows diamonds, harnessing the power of lower temperatures to form diamonds via vapour deposits on a “seed” plane.
High Pressure, High Temperature
Both high and low temperatures are used in a vacuum chamber that releases carbon atoms through a chemical process. Synthetic diamonds share the same carbon composition as their natural counterparts. With combined high pressure, carbon is dissolved and diamond growth is promoted.
Photo Credit: Shutterstock
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FAQs About Lab Grown Gemstones
Are lab grown gemstones real gemstones?
Yes. Lab grown gemstones are real gemstones because they have the same chemical composition, optical properties and physical characteristics as their naturally mined counterparts.
Are lab grown gemstones valuable?
Yes. Lab grown gemstones are valued for their quality and finish. They have the same chemical composition as their natural counterparts and can offer high-quality colour and clarity with few inclusions. High-quality synthetic gemstones can also provide strong consistency for jewellery production.
Are lab grown gemstones as durable as mined gemstones?
Yes. Lab grown gemstones hold the same consistency and chemical composition as that of naturally-mined gemstones, so the durability properties are identical.
How to identify synthetic gemstones?
Lab grown gemstones usually cannot be identified by the naked eye alone. Their origin should be clearly disclosed, while microscopic examination and other gemmological instruments can help distinguish synthetic gemstones from natural gemstones through growth features and inclusions.
Do lab grown gemstones contain inclusions?
Lab grown gemstones are produced in a controlled environment and can have few or no inclusions. Inclusions can still occur, but they are generally less common than in natural gemstones.
What is the cost of created gemstones compared to natural ones?
Gemstone made in laboratories cost a fraction of the price of a naturally-mined stone because there is a greater capacity for production. It can cost up to 5-10% of the cost of a natural gemstone and can be priced more easily by the carat. The price of a natural gem is determined by its unique characteristics, including cut, colour, size and clarity.
Inter-Pacific’s BIRON® cut stones can cost a fraction of the price of natural gemstones.
What is the difference between simulated gemstones and lab grown gemstones?
Simulated gemstones are different from lab grown gemstones. Simulated stones may look like natural or lab-grown gems, but they have different chemical and physical properties. Lab grown gemstones, by contrast, have the same chemical, optical and physical properties as their mined counterparts.
What sizes and cuts of loose lab grown gemstones are available?
BIRON® gemstones are available in ten popular cut shapes — trillion, oval, emerald, anti-cushion, square, marquise, cabochon, heart, pear and round — and calibrated to your required size. Custom shapes and sizes can also be cut to order — see Custom Sizes & Cuts above.
Can I order calibrated, colour-matched parcels for repeat production?
For production runs, we can match colour and size across a parcel to help maintain consistency between orders.
As you may know, lab grown gemstone is growthing up in autoclave for certain period. Each one is unique one of a kind and cannot be replicated. As lab grown gemstone manufacturer over 30 years, we offer consistent quality and reliable supply to jewelers with varying needs.
BIRON® provides top grade hand cut and polish to customer with excellent symmetry. The size tolerance is around +/- 0.05-0.2mm.
Do lab grown coloured gemstones come with certificates?
Independent rating/grading reports are not yet standard for coloured lab-grown gemstones (only lab-grown diamonds currently have established grading reports). Every BIRON® gemstone is 100% quality-inspected before shipment.
All goods have been inspected and passed by our QC prior to shipment but please still have the goods inspected upon arrival. Yet, In case there is any issue to feedback on quality, quantity and specification of the invoice, please send it to us within 2 weeks of invoice date.
How do I get trade or wholesale pricing for lab grown gemstones?
Wholesale lab grown gemstones are available from a minimum order value of US$500 per invoice, with no minimum piece count. Book a free consultation or contact us for a trade quote.
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