This gemstone changes forever under UV light!
The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) has made a stunning discovery — a synthetic blue sapphire that permanently changes color when exposed to ultraviolet light 🌈.
A 1.70-carat light blue stone, originally mistaken for alexandrite, was brought to the GIA lab in New York. Standard gemological testing quickly revealed it was actually a synthetic sapphire. But what happened next shocked the experts 😱.
Under shortwave UV light, the sapphire shifted from light blue to yellow in just seconds. Lab tests indicated that high nickel content may be behind the dramatic transformation.
📸 The gemstone stayed yellow — even after exposure to white light, X-rays, and high-intensity incandescent and LED lights. Unlike typical photochromism, which is reversible, this sapphire's color shift was irreversible.
GIA concluded: “This is the first documented case of corundum with irreversible photochromism encountered in a gemological lab.” Experts now advise avoiding UV exposure for pale-blue lab-grown sapphires until more is known.
🧪 A beautiful gem — with a mysterious twist.