FAUX DIAMOND CRYSTAL PAPERWEIGTHS
These glass (silica) paperweights are popular in “curio shops” because of their vivid colors and multi-faceted surfaces. One side is flat, and the opposite side is pointed. Most are 5 cm in width (as for the examples shown below), but larger sizes (8 cm width) are available. They have great “eye appeal,” to the consumer. I know this because many years ago I purchased several (normal size) in order to obtain a full range of their colors. I also know that some mineralogists frown on anyone who buys these items.
The paperweighs are artificial but look like real crystals. The are made out of melted glass (silica). Some are colorless (these can be referred to as “rock crystal,” but most are solid-colored (e.g, pink, red, yellow, green, blue, purple). I searched online in order to find out how they are manufactured, but I could not find out any details. I also tried to find out where they are made, but this information is very scarce. So my searches were largely futile. I surmised that they are made from melted glass with elements (in powdered form--as oxides) added to create certain colors. I did detect one manufacturer (Pujiana Hongdingwang Houseware Company in Pujiana Country, Zheijiang Province of China), but no information was provided by them in terms of how they make these “crystal diamond” paperweights.
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| blue paperweight |
Chemical elements (mostly as oxides) produce which color when added to the melted silica. These elements are summarized below:
Red–add iron, cadmium, or lead.
Yellow Color/Amber–add sulfur or cadium.
Green–add chromium
Blue–add cobalt, iron, or manganese.
Light blue–copper
Purple–manganese, or nickel-cobalt
White–add tin
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