Diamonds, Cubic Zirconia and Moissanite: How They Differ

Diamonds are known for their sparkle and brilliance making them popular in jewelry as their shine is unmatched by any other gemstone. Symbolizing eternal love, diamonds are popular in engagement rings and wedding jewelry. Because of their hardness, diamonds are also used to cut and wear away other substances and are used for industrial purposes in drills, saws and engraving tools.

The jewelry and industrial uses for diamonds created a demand for the stones and also prompted the creation of imitations which mimic the qualities of a diamond with some differences. Cubic zirconia and moissanite are two of these that are popular in jewelry.

Both are diamond simulants meaning non-diamond materials are used to create them and simulate the properties of a real diamond. Both are less expensive than a diamond and have their advantages and drawbacks.

Cubic Zirconia vs. Diamonds

Cubic zirconia (or CZ) has been used in jewelry since the 1970s. Cubic zirconias are more reflective than glass or crystal so they sparkle like diamonds. A CZ is not as hard as a diamond but weighs more, a fact that does not lessen cubic zirconias appeal since traditional carat sizes are small enough that their weight isnt perceived as greater. The majority of diamonds have inclusions, or flaws (these are measured by the Clarity component of the four Cs of diamond buying.) CZs are optically flawless and they are colorless, another characteristics that is found in few diamonds as most diamonds have some yellow shading to them.

Moissanite vs. Diamonds

Moissanite is the jewelry name for silicon carbide and was introduced as a gemstone in the late 1990s. Moissanites are more refractive than diamonds meaning they shine more brilliantly making this one of the easiest ways to tell it is not a diamond.

A moissanite is not as hard as a diamond but is harder than a cubic zirconia and it weighs less than a CZ. Moissanites do have inclusions like diamonds and may have green shading to them.

Both cubic zirconia and moissanite have a close visual resemblance to diamonds they offer the luster and fire of diamonds while being mostly colorless and can be cut in the same shapes as diamonds. In jewelry making cubic zirconia and moissanite are not as popular so they are harder to find in specific cuts and are not regularly found in jewelry stores or traditional online jewelry sellers.

Choosing A Diamond With 4 Cs

Diamonds girls best friend! Why do girls love diamonds? Why are they so precious? Is it because of their beauty and exquisiteness? Talk about buying. Purchasing a diamond can test the nerves of even the most astute buyer – what do you look for? What do the terms mean? What makes one diamond worth more than another?

When you get in the diamond shop and attempt to buy one, but do not know what the different between this one and that one. Even though those two have the same size and carat, the price can be completely different. Why? Here is a simple guide to the essentials of diamond grading.

Understanding these terms will help you discuss with the dealer the features most important to you, ensuring you get the very best diamond for your money. Diamond appraisers look for four qualities in a diamond when discerning its value. Commonly called the ‘4 Cs’ they are: Cut, Clarity, Carat and Color.

CUT

There are 2 big aspects of CUT.

1. Quality of cut – affecting the brilliance of the diamond – the other refers to the actual shape of the diamond.

2. Shape – Diamonds are available in many shapes. Some of the more common are; round, oval, pear (teardrop shaped), heart, princess (square shaped), Emerald (rectangular shaped), marquise (football shaped) and round. Of all the shapes available, round diamonds are the shape most capable of being cut to exude the greatest brilliance. The brilliance is determined by the ability of the diamond to reflect light. A quality cut diamond will have facets angled to reflect the greatest amount of light. Beware of diamonds cut to maintain a higher carat weight while sacrificing the cutting of a good angle as this will dramatically reduce the brilliance.

CLARITY

Diamonds from natural sources are subject to individual flaws including trace minerals and scratches. A diamond without such characteristics is called flawless and is the rarest kind. While these flaws are often not visible to the naked eye, they affect the light reflecting qualities of the diamond which affects the overall brilliance.

Diamond clarity is classified as follows: Flawless, IF, VVS1, VVS2, VS1, VS2, SI1, SI2, SI3, I1, I2 and I3.

CARAT

Carat is the measurement of the weight of a diamond. One carat may also be referred to as ‘100 points’. This means that a half carat would be listed as ‘50 points’ and so on.

The larger a diamond is the more costly it becomes. Since the larger diamonds are much rarer the cost will go up significantly with each increase in size. A one carat diamond will be more than just double the cost of a half carat, however, a ring with multiple diamonds that have a combined weight of one carat will be cheaper than a single stone of that weight.

COLOR

There are many diamond colors which called fancy diamonds. But the mostly found diamonds will be rated on an alphabetical scale from D to Z. A typical ‘white’ diamond should be as colorless as possible – a rating of ‘D’ being the rarest and most desirable. When choosing a colorless diamond it is best to stay within the D-J range or the diamond will have a yellow cast which lessens the value. The less natural color the diamond has the more colors will appear in the flashes reflected in the prism.

‘Fancy’ diamonds (diamonds with a rating over Z) come in a variety of shades and include some famous diamonds such as the Blue Hope diamond.

When decide to buy a diamond, please keep in mind of these 4 Cs as a factor of buying consideration. It takes years to gain a specialty in this area. Therefore, at least you should point out whether which features are of greatest importance to you and with a little knowledge select the diamond that will hold the greatest value and sentiment for your budget.

All About Jewelry

Be it any moment of your life you always aspire to look the best and posses the best possible appearance. And if its your marriage you want to look, as beautiful as never before. Sparkling array of designs for every mood and personality from wild sensuality to serene gracefulness, from divine beauty to alluring exotica and much more for every woman is available all over the world. A lot of people know the fact that buying and specially importing bulk jewelry in wholesale price can save a lot of money for them and they do follow this tip while spending on jewelry.

The glamour of trinkets and Jewelry has eluded minds since its evolution and will never fade out. There are a number of ornaments that fascinate everybody like necklaces, bracelets, watches, scarves, rings, handbags, brooches, belts and clips. In fact the power of its dazzle has kept men and women spellbound till today. The glitter, its sheer worth and the aura it radiates has gripped us all. Society owes importance to women and women owe it to Jewelry. When it is Diamond, it is not only the investment of your money but also like rewarding your emotions. Exceptional and mesmerizing, mysteries and magical, the diamond has brought up flames in romantic passion throughout history. The one, signifying wealth and status, the diamond remains one of the most luxurious and sought-after gifts for any romantic and triumphant occasion, a gem whose purity and brilliance symbolizes long lasting love. As it is an old saying that Gold is an investment, but Diamonds are forever. You can get a wide range of classic and modern Jewelry at incompatibly lowest prices. And their designs take your breath away.

Jewelry with all its glitter is a subject of lasting interest. Silver, gold, diamond and other gem stones are most commonly found ingredients of good jewelry. Jewelry rich in ethic beauty and craftsman can transform a girl into glamour queen. Styles and dress code change from time to time but jewelry has held ground through centuries. Loyalty of woman to this fashion accessory remains unraveled, the constancy may have got something to do with the value of gold which can be cashed in time of need but women basically want to adorn themselves with jewelry which upgrades their feminity. There are many BIS approved jewelry stores all over the world and also the distributors for the big brands like Ddmas and Nakshatra diamonds. Jewelry comes in various designs like polka stone studded Swarovski Austrian crystal and gemstone bridal jewelry styles in both sterling silver and traditional styles. Unique and classical designs consist of precious and semi-precious gemstones with Swarovski crystal because it glistens like no other. Now a days kundan and polki Jewelry is in great demand. We should not deny the fact that glittering gold and sparkling diamonds are surely going to make any occasion a lot more different for years to come.

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