Hydrothermal synthetic red beryl has been produced for jewelry applications by the Institute of Crystallography and an affiliated company, Emcom Ltd., both in Moscow. Diagnostic identification features include: a tabular crystal morphology, chevron-like and subparallel or slightly wavy internal growth zoning, sharp absorption bands at approximately 530, 545, 560, 570, and 590 nm due to Co²⁺, water-related absorption bands between 4200 and 3200 cm^-1 in the infrared spectrum, and the presence of Co and Ni peaks in EDXRF spectra.

About the Authors: James Shigley is director, Taijin Lu is research scientist, and Shane Elen is supervisor of analytical equipment at GIA Research in Carlsbad, California. Shane McClure is director of identification services, and John Koivula is chief research gemologist at the GIA Gem Trade Laboratory in Carlsbad. Jo Ellen Cole is collection curator at GIA in Carlsbad. Ludmila Demianets is head of the Department of Crystal Growth from Solutions at the Institute of Crystallography, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow. She supervised the production of the synthetic red beryl described in this article.