• Latest
  • Trending
  • All
  • News
  • Business
  • Lifestyle
Researcher Cultivates Ruby In A Ring, Pioneering Sustainable Gemstone Growth‌
‌

Researcher Cultivates Ruby In A Ring, Pioneering Sustainable Gemstone Growth‌ ‌

September 30, 2024
LARRY ELDER: Ex-Dem Rep: The N-Word Causes Cancer

LARRY ELDER: Ex-Dem Rep: The N-Word Causes Cancer

July 13, 2025
DAVID BLACKMON: CNN’s Shock Climate Polling Data Reinforces Trump’s Energy Agenda

DAVID BLACKMON: CNN’s Shock Climate Polling Data Reinforces Trump’s Energy Agenda

July 13, 2025
DANIEL MCCARTHY: A Big Beautiful Test Of GOP Principles And Discipline

DANIEL MCCARTHY: A Big Beautiful Test Of GOP Principles And Discipline

July 12, 2025
DAVID BOSSIE: 4 Years After Being Canceled, MLB All-Star Game Back In Atlanta

DAVID BOSSIE: 4 Years After Being Canceled, MLB All-Star Game Back In Atlanta

July 12, 2025
JOSH HAMMER: Log Off Social Media And Return To The Real Things

JOSH HAMMER: Log Off Social Media And Return To The Real Things

July 12, 2025
Judge Continues Block On Defunding Planned Parenthood

Judge Continues Block On Defunding Planned Parenthood

July 11, 2025
President Of ICE-Raided Pot Farm Doled Out Thousands In Donations To Newsom, Dems

President Of ICE-Raided Pot Farm Doled Out Thousands In Donations To Newsom, Dems

July 11, 2025
Tariffs Help US Government Post Unexpected June Surplus

Tariffs Help US Government Post Unexpected June Surplus

July 11, 2025
STEVE MILLOY: Climate Activists Wipe Out While Surfing The Tragic Texas Flooding

STEVE MILLOY: Climate Activists Wipe Out While Surfing The Tragic Texas Flooding

July 11, 2025
Iranian Group Reportedly Offers $40 Million Bounty On Trump For ‘Cause Of Allah’

Iranian Group Reportedly Offers $40 Million Bounty On Trump For ‘Cause Of Allah’

July 11, 2025
Organizers Cancel Event After Threats Pile On Against Award-Winning Cartoonist For Offensive Texas Flood Post

Organizers Cancel Event After Threats Pile On Against Award-Winning Cartoonist For Offensive Texas Flood Post

July 11, 2025
California US Attorney Eviscerates ‘Unserious’ Gavin Newsom For Railing Against ICE’s Raid On Marijuana Farm

California US Attorney Eviscerates ‘Unserious’ Gavin Newsom For Railing Against ICE’s Raid On Marijuana Farm

July 11, 2025
  • Donald Trump
  • State of the Union
  • Elon Musk
  • Tariffs
  • Congress
  • Faith
  • Immigration
Sunday, July 13, 2025
  • Login
IJR
  • Politics
  • US News
  • Commentary
  • World News
  • Faith
  • Latest Polls
No Result
View All Result
IJR
No Result
View All Result
Home FaithTap

Researcher Cultivates Ruby In A Ring, Pioneering Sustainable Gemstone Growth‌ ‌

by Zenger
September 30, 2024 at 4:39 am
in FaithTap, News, Wire
247 5
0
Researcher Cultivates Ruby In A Ring, Pioneering Sustainable Gemstone Growth‌
‌
491
SHARES
1.4k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter



<p>Sofie Boons grew the gemstone from a ruby seed in situ – in a platinum ring. SOFIE BOONS VIA SWNS</p>
<p>“></p>
<p>A researcher looks set to transform the jewelry industry after becoming the first to grow – a ruby in a ring.</p>
<p>Sofie Boons grew the gemstone from a “ruby seed” in situ – in a platinum ring.</p>
<p>Sofie is a Senior Lecturer in Design Crafts at the University of the West of England Bristol (UWE Bristol).</p>
<p>She grew the gemstone from a ‘ruby seed’ – which can be produced from discarded gemstones or waste gemstone materials readily available in the industry.</p>
<p>The jeweller-turned-scientist has spent the last four years developing the process to grow this waste material in situ in metal structures.</p>
<figure class=

Sofie Boons grew the gemstone from a “ruby seed” in situ – in a platinum ring. SOFIE BOONS VIA SWNS

She hopes to use her groundbreaking research to change negative attitudes towards lab-grown gemstones and make way for a new era of using urban mined gemstones.

Unlike gems grown from scratch in a lab, which can be energy-intensive, or gems mined unsustainably from the ground, these gems require a flux solution to grow in a furnace from pieces of waste gem material or grit – a process that takes just days.

The lab-grown gems are identical to mined ones, with the same structure and quality – the only difference is where they have been grown.

Sofie says: “This is a completely innovative and more sustainable process that could transform how jewelers incorporate gemstones in jewelry, a process that is literally outgrowing traditional practices.

”Usually with chipped gems, jewelers have to cut them even smaller before using them, which therefore lowers the value, but this process enables them to use waste gemstone material to grow gems as big as they need, in situ in metal structures.

”I hope this innovation will put an end to the long-shared narrative that lab-grown gems are ‘synthetic’ or less valuable than mined ones.

”After all, these neo-gemstones grow following the patterns set by nature, resulting in stunning natural facets, which each time a seed is grown will be different.

Sofie boons inspecting the ring. UWE BRISTOL VIA SWNS

“In theory, we have enough material on the planet today to stop mining. By sharing this research, I hope to put power into the hands of jewelers, as the technique is simple enough for them to adopt – it’s not just for scientists.

”I’m looking forward to expanding the research, looking at other gemstone colors and growing in different metal structures.”

Professor Elena Marco, UWE Bristol’s Pro Vice-chancellor and Head of the College of Arts, Technology and Environment, said: “Mining for gemstones has many environmental consequences, including soil erosion, deforestation and ecosystem destruction.

”The technique that Sofie has developed challenges the view of the mining industry that mined gems are superior and introduces a credible and more sustainable way of producing innovative jewelry pieces without the negative impact to the planet.

“As a university, we want to empower our students and staff to face and tackle climate and sustainability challenges, and support real-world research that can help to address climate change, biodiversity enhancement and the environment.”

Sofie’s work will be published next month as she concludes her PhD. She now plans to expand the research, supported by funding from a UWE Bristol Vice-Chancellor Early Career Researcher Development Award, testing the growth of multiple seeds simultaneously and growing in other metal structures, as well as test the growth of sapphire seeds with different colors in collaboration with the University of Bristol.

Last year, working in collaboration with Swiss company BREVALOR Sarl, she created jewelry pieces with the world’s first lab-grown glow-in-the-dark single crystal material.

Sofie’s research was undertaken as a Crafts Council Research Fellow at the university’s Centre for Print Research (CFPR) and was funded through the Expanding Excellence in England (E3) fund by Research England.

Fluxes are usually flowing agents – in this case, it is a chemical used to lower the melting temperature of aluminum oxide (which is what ruby is made of).

     

                Produced in association with SWNS Talker

                Tags: U.S. NewsZenger
                Share196Tweet123
                Zenger

                Zenger

                Advertisements

                Top Stories June 10th
                Top Stories June 7th
                Top Stories June 6th
                Top Stories June 3rd
                Top Stories May 30th
                Top Stories May 29th
                Top Stories May 24th
                Top Stories May 23rd
                Top Stories May 21st
                Top Stories May 17th

                Join Over 6M Subscribers

                We’re organizing an online community to elevate trusted voices on all sides so that you can be fully informed.





                IJR

                    Copyright © 2024 IJR

                Trusted Voices On All Sides

                • About Us
                • GDPR Privacy Policy
                • Terms of Service
                • Editorial Standards & Corrections Policy
                • Subscribe to IJR

                Follow Us

                Welcome Back!

                Login to your account below

                Forgotten Password?

                Retrieve your password

                Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

                Log In
                No Result
                View All Result
                • Politics
                • US News
                • Commentary
                • World News
                • Faith
                • Latest Polls

                    Copyright © 2024 IJR

                Top Stories June 10th Top Stories June 7th Top Stories June 6th Top Stories June 3rd Top Stories May 30th Top Stories May 29th Top Stories May 24th Top Stories May 23rd Top Stories May 21st Top Stories May 17th