Although the 1980s did not experience the emergence of several totally new synthetics that characterized the preceding decade, it was during this period that synthetics matured, with many new manufacturers and greater manufacturing capacity. The highlights of this decade included the introduction of a number of new synthetic sapphires, rubies, and emeralds, as well as the appearance of the first commercially available cuttable synthetic diamond. The 1980s also saw the influx into the market of literally tons of synthetic amethyst and thousands of tons of synthetic cubic zirconia. As new synthetic products emerged, so did the need for new detection techniques. Developments during this decade will provide major challenges in the years to come.
