CZ & 14kt Gold Ring from MIRA Jewelry

DIAMOND SIMULANTS

As a couple you have decided to marry and spend your life together. You are making plans for the future and while you have decided you want to commit to each other, you don't want to make the financial commitment necessary to purchase a diamond wedding ring at this time. It just might be that you want to save your money for a house, or on continuing education or to start a business. It may be that you just want a nice, big rock and it doesn't matter if it's real. Whatever your reasons, there are two diamond simulants that will sparkle with brilliance that are much less expensive than diamonds. If you want the sparkle of a diamond without the price of a diamond for your engagement or wedding ring, consider the two man-made diamond alternatives, Cubic Zirconia and Moissanite.

CUBIC ZIRCONIA

Cubic Zirconia (or CZ) is a man-made crystal created from zirconium oxide, an extremely rare mineral in nature that is widely used a diamond simulant. Cubic Zirconia and diamonds have a similar crystalline structure and are so optically close that even trained jewelers have a difficult time differentiating the two visually. Cubic Zirconia should not be confused with the gemstone zircon.

Soviet scientists were the first to manufacture Cubic Zirconia, and began commercial production of Cubic Zirconia in 1976. High quality stones are currently made in the United States, Europe, and Russia. Cubic Zirconia is considered the best imitation of a diamond due to it's low cost, durability, and close visual likeness to a diamond.

MOISSANITE

Moissanite (pronounced moy'-sa-nite) is the name given to silicon carbide when used in the gem business. Only synthetic Moissanite is available for use in jewelry. Moissanite was introduced into the jewelry market in 1998 as a lower-cost alternative to diamond. Like a diamond, Moissanite is transparent, extremely hard, and thermally conductive. Moissanite is mechanically superior to CZ, but it has not replaced CZ as a diamond simulant because of it's cost and noticeable visual differences from a diamond.

Naturally occurring Moissanite is very rare and was discovered in 1905 during the examination of a meteorite. While synthetic silicon carbide has been produced since 1892, the gem-quality material has only been available since 1998. Moissanite is manufactured by only one company, C3, Inc (Charles and Colvard), a subsidiary of Cree Research.

COMPARING DIAMONDS TO CUBIC ZIRCONIA AND MOISSANITE

COLOR: A perfect colorless diamond is grade "D". Most consumer quality diamonds are color grade H-I-J. Cubic Zirconia has a brilliant whiteness and is colorless like a perfect diamond and will not fade, cloud or discolor. Moissanite has a muddy grayish-green tinge and are usually in the I-K color range of a diamond.

CLARITY: A perfect flawless diamond is grade "IF". Most diamonds have inclusions and flaws. Cubic Zirconia is flawless, just like a perfect diamond. Moissanite has slight flaws (tiny, white, ribbon-like structures) that are a result of the growing process.

HARDNESS: Diamond is the hardest gemstone, measuring 10 on the Mohs hardness scale. Although Cubic Zirconia is considered a hard stone (8.5), Moissanite is a very hard stone (9.25). The higher on the hardness scale, the better the luster and the lower likelihood of surface scratches.

REFRACTIVE INDEX (BRILLIANCE): Diamonds and Cubic Zirconia are both singly refractive. Moissanite is highly doubly refractive, which results in a rather noticeable "doubling" of facets when viewed visually. While CZ is so visually close to a diamond as to be difficult to see a difference, this is the most important identifying characteristic for separating Moissanite from a diamond or Cubic Zirconia.

DISPERSION (FIRE): Moissanite has nearly 2-1/2 times the fire of a diamond - which is excessive to some but more beautiful to others. Cubic Zirconia has slightly more fire than a diamond, but the difference is almost visually indistinguishable.

COST: Diamonds are the most expensive and Cubic Zirconia is the least expensive. Moissanite costs much more than CZ, but much less than diamonds. As a general price range comparison of a solitaire stone set in a classic 14kt gold 6-prong setting, a diamond solitaire ring can be from $2000 to $15000 depending on the stone quality, a CZ solitaire $115, a Moissanite solitaire $750.

IMPORTANCE OF THE SETTING

Even with the use of a Cubic Zirconia or a Moissanite in your wedding ring or engagement ring, you will still want to choose a quality setting of gold (14kt or 18kt) or platinum. Not only will the genuine setting make your stones look all the more "real", but more importantly, you want a durable metal that will withstand the daily wear that is expected of a wedding ring or engagement ring.