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Synthetic gemstones in Finnish goldsmith’s handbooks and gemstone guidebooks 1900–1969

Authors

• Mia Haittoniemi University of Turku, Cultural History https://orcid.org/0009-0005-2424-8179

DOI: https://doi.org/10.33355/tw.136011

Keywords:

gemology, man-made gemstone, boratory-grown jewel, goldsmithing manuals

Abstract

Synthetic gemstones are man-made minerals that closely resemble their natural counterparts. Commercial production of synthetic gemstones for the jewellery industry began in the early 20th century. As the century progressed, synthetic gem materials formed an ever-evolving product category those working with precious stones had to stay informed about. Through a close reading of goldsmith’s handbooks and gemstone guidebooks, this article examines what gemstone experts wrote about synthetic gemstones in Finland during 1900–1969. How did they understand the synthetic nature of gemstones, their commercial importance, and the possibilities of distinguishing man-made gemstones from naturally occurring ones? How did attitudes change over time?

At the beginning of the 1900s, gemstone expertise concerning synthetics relied on visual observations and experience – the eyes of a connoisseur. However, towards the 1960s, gemmological equipment and the exact information they provided gained increasing importance. The article argues that the need to identify synthetics and distinguish them from their natural counterparts advanced the formation of a new group of experts in Finland – the gemmologists – and gemmology, in turn, developed into a specialized field no longer accessible to everyone working with jewellery and gemstones.