A Multi-Methodological Investigation of Natural and Synthetic Red Beryl Gemstones

In this study, we report the experimental findings of a multi-methodological and comparative
investigation of a natural (from the Wah Wah Mountains of Beaver County, Utah) and three
synthetic (hydrothermally grown) gem-quality red beryls by means of: gemmological standard
testing, laser ablation inductively coupled mass spectroscopy, infrared and Raman spectroscopy,
ultraviolet–visible–near infrared absorption spectroscopy, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Gemmological,
crystallo-chemical, and spectroscopic features of the natural and synthetic stones enabled
us to unveil the causes of their color (from red, to purplish-red, or orange-red) and how different
and complementary techniques can be efficiently used to discriminate between natural and synthetic
materials, based on non-destructive, micro-destructive, and destructive techniques.