Nanosital: A Detailed Profile of a Modern Synthetic Gemstone

Citrine Nanosital

Nanosital is a highly regarded synthetic gemstone known for its durability, consistency, and its ability to convincingly simulate a wide array of natural gems. The "#124" designation specifically refers to its popular "Tanzanite color," a vibrant violet-blue. How Is Nanosital Made?

Nanosital is created through a specialized high-temperature process. It is fundamentally a glass-ceramic, not a traditional single-crystal gemstone. The patented production involves two key stages:

Melting: A precise, multi-component mixture of chemical powders, primarily composed of silicon dioxide (SiO2) and aluminum oxide (Al2O3), is melted at temperatures around 1700°C (over 3000°F). These core ingredients are also the building blocks of many natural gems, like topaz and sapphire.

Crystallization: The molten glass is then subjected to a secondary heating process. This carefully controlled step causes nano-sized crystals to form and grow within the glass matrix.

This process results in a hybrid material that is optically transparent and possesses superior physical properties compared to simple glass.

Country of Origin

The technology for creating Nanosital was originally developed and patented in Russia. While Russia remains a primary producer, the material is now also manufactured and processed in other countries, including Thailand and China, which are major hubs for the gemstone trade.

Is it a Pulled or a Melted Synthetic?

Nanosital is a melted synthetic. The term "pulled" typically refers to methods like the Czochralski process, where a single large crystal is slowly pulled from a molten substance (like with lab-grown sapphires or silicon for computer chips). Nanosital's process, which involves melting a charge of materials and inducing crystallization within that melt, places it firmly in the melted category.

Hardness and Polishing

Nanosital has a consistent hardness of 7 on the Mohs scale. This makes it a very practical and durable material for jewelry. For comparison:

Glass: ~5.5

Nanosital: 7

Topaz: 8

Sapphire/Corundum: 9

Diamond: 10

For polishing, a good rule of thumb is to use mediums suitable for natural gemstones of similar hardness. Diamond-based polishing compounds are an excellent and commonly used medium for achieving a high-quality, brilliant finish on Nanosital. The techniques and tools used for polishing natural topaz are directly applicable.

Crystalline Structure

This is a key feature that distinguishes Nanosital. It does not have a single, continuous crystalline structure like a natural mineral. Instead, it is polycrystalline. This means it is composed of countless nano-sized crystals that are densely embedded and suspended within a glass-like matrix. It is this unique hybrid structure that gives the material its name ("Nano"-sital) and its desirable combination of clarity, color consistency, and durability.

Available Colors and Coloring Agents Nanosital is available in an extensive palette of over 100 different colors, mimicking almost any natural gemstone imaginable. Besides the Tanzanite №124, other popular colors include simulations of:

Emerald (various shades)

Sapphire (blue, pink, peach)

Ruby

Morganite (pink and peach tones)

Aquamarine

Tourmaline (green, blue, pink)

Opal (with milky or translucent properties)

Alexandrite (with color-change effects)

The different colors are achieved by adding specific metal oxides or elements as "dopants" to the initial chemical mixture before melting. While the exact formulas for each color are proprietary trade secrets, the coloring agents are based on the same principles used for other synthetic gems and colored glass:

Cobalt is often used for blues.

Chromium can produce greens (like emerald) and reds (like ruby).

Neodymium or Erbium can be used for pinks and purples, and sometimes to create color-change properties.

Iron in different oxidation states can produce greens and yellows. Combinations of these and other rare-earth elements allow for the fine-tuning of the vast color range that makes Nanosital so versatile.