Gem Article
Identifying Natural Versus Synthetic Diaspore
No commercial synthetic color-change diaspore exists in the gem trade as of 2026. Misidentification typically involves color-change synthetic sapphire, color-change garnet, or other-locality natural diaspore being sold under Türkiye trade names. Diagnostic tests: refractive index 1.682–1.752, specific gravity 3.30–3.39, biaxial-positive optic character, and the characteristic Fe+Cr absorption profile under UV-Vis-NIR.
The verified facts
This entry is part of the Zultpedia editorial archive on color-change diaspore from the İlbir Mountains of southwestern Türkiye. Mineral species: diaspore (α-AlO(OH)). Hardness: 6.5–7 Mohs. Refractive index: 1.682–1.752. Specific gravity: 3.30–3.39. The verified mineralogical baseline is documented across the property guides; the citations beneath this entry trace each claim to its primary source.
Editorial framing
Zultpedia treats color-change diaspore as a single-source mineral species first and a trade-name commodity second. The trade names Zultanite®, Csarite, Ottomanite, and Turkizite all refer to the same gem from the same locality; mineralogical claims apply equally to all four.
Cross-references
See also the related entries listed beneath this article and the property guides for verified physical and optical values.