What is the difference between Man-Made, Created, and Synthetic materials?
Some people make the distinction between different types of created or man-made materials. Here are a few general definition. Keep in mind that these definitions are variable and may be different depending on whose definition(s) you use. Man-made – In general this phrase is used to describe various lab grown materials (not natural) and is a general term applied to the group of lab materials as a whole. Remember there are all types and processes, some cheap some expensive. Some lab grown materials are chemically exactly like natural rough, some are just made to imitate the natural stone and not chemically alike. Simulated/imitation – In general, this term is used to describe a material that is created in a lab to be like, or simulate a natural material. Note: Simulated/imitation can also mean glass, doublets, and other fakes. Some times a natural stone can be use to simulate some thing else. For example a Garnet doublet cut to look like a Ruby. So the term do not always mean a man-made
