Archive for December, 2011

Diamonds may be a woman's best friend, but modern man made diamonds are so good as to be indistinguishable from real diamonds. And when you look at the huge savings on price, man made diamonds may be a woman's best decision.

Increasingly, engaged couples are considering the cost of some wedding jewelry. In today's high pressure high cost lifestyle couples are really wondering whether or not it is appropriate to spend big on, say, a diamond engagement ring.

The more spent on wedding jewelry the less available later for the important things in  the marriage, like a house. Or the kids when they arrive. Is it responsible to spend so much to buy a diamond engagement ring when these more important things may need to be compromised later?

Especially when you consider that good quality man made diamonds cannot be distinguished from real diamonds, even by jewellers.

Faux diamonds are big business. The pearl jewelry industry was revolutionised by the advent of cultured pearls. Synthetic diamonds are doing the same thing to the wedding jewelry business.

There are a range of ways to produce synthetic diamonds. Modern technology is very adept at making any product which will sell well and faux diamonds are no exception. And the quality is so good that many of the alternatives to diamonds perform exceedingly well when compared to diamond using the common diamond quality tests.

In such tests as hardness, refractive index, fire, brilliance, luster and others the man made diamonds perform admirably. Sometimes even better.

Brilliance is a test of the amount of light which enters the stone and gets reflected back. It is affected by the quality of the cut of the stone.

Fire is the ability of the stone to break light down into it's component colors and is also affected by the cut. "Fire" can be seen as color coming out of the stone.

Luster is the amount of light reflected back from the surface of the stone.

Moissanite, for example, outperforms diamond in brilliance, fire and luster and is only very slightly lower on the hardness scale. In fact a special piece of testing equipment had to be designed so that jewellers could tell moissanite from diamond as so many were unable to.

And, of course, moissanite is much cheaper than diamonds. And if most jewellers cannot tell it apart from diamonds, could you?

There are a range of different processes used to produce a stone which is a good diamond alternative. Most produce fine quality stones which produce stunning quality jewelry which any woman would be proud to wear.

Moissanite is not strictly a man made diamond though, as it is, in fact, naturally occurring. Unfortunately it doesn't occur in sufficient quantities to be commercially viable for mining. But technology has come to the rescue by devising a method of producing high quality crystals.

Our preference for the best alternative to diamonds? Moissanite. A fine jewelry stone which will make a stunning engagement ring, or other jewelry piece. And you can buy moissanite wedding jewelry at a fraction of the price of diamond wedding jewelry.

And when the kids come along, buy them something extra from us from the money you've saved.

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The Benefits of Man-Made Diamonds

I am looking into buying a moissanite ring and I have no experience with them. Do you have any? Do you like it. Does it sparkle a lot. I want one because I hear they sparkle more than diamonds because their refractive index.

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do you have moissanite engagement ring

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Do You Have Any Moissanite Jewelry?


Buy Now: www.hsn.com Claim your moment in the spotlight with this Moissanite 14K princess channel ring. Princess-cut stones (approx. 2.5mm) nestle intoa channel setting, blazing a row of sparkling light across the... Prices shown on the previously recorded video may not represent the current price. View hsn.com to view the current selling price. HSN Item #196365

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1ct Moissanite 14K Princess Channel-Set Anniversary Band...
%Stunning! Womens 18k White gold 5.00mm (1/2 CT) Moissanite

This beautiful Moissanite engagement ring by Vicky K Designs combines superb quality and unmatched brilliance with an economical price point that anyone can afford. This beautiful 1/2 (0.50) carat stone is set in a high polished 18K white gold 6-prong ring that will truly bring out the ultimate shine in this Moissanite stone. This ring is a great gift for all occasions. Moissanite is a naturally occurring mineral found in limited quantities or as small particles in the earth. Millions of years ago, a meteor hit the Arizona desert creating a big crater. This meteor left small particles, which are now known to be Moissanite. Charles & Colvard had created these unique and near colorless jewels by producing large, gem-quality crystals. These crystals, also known as Moissanite are a truly unique and beautiful blend of art and science. Every Charles and Colvard created Moissanite jewel is precisely hand-cut by a master gem cutter to create maximum brilliance and to spark the ultimate fire. There is only one jewel that is known to be stronger than a Moissanite, which is the diamond. The diamond has a hardness rating of 10, while Moissanite is a close second at 9.5. The internal properties of these Moissanite jewels are so similar to a diamond that a standard diamond tester will test this stone as a true diamond. Each and every Charles & Colvard created Moissanite comes with a limited lifetime warranty that your Moissanite jewel will maintain its brilliance and fire, without fading or changing color.

Stunning! Women's 18k White-gold 5.00mm (1/2 CT) Moissanite Solitaire Engagement Ring by Vicky K Designs

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1 mm engagement ring, 1/2 carat 6 prong engagement rings, high set engagement rings

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Stunning! Women's 18k White-Gold 5.00mm (1/2 CT) Moissanite

They say diamonds are a girl's best friend and that it is the true symbol of love. Their sparkle makes them absolutely attractive to the ladies. A diamond takes time to form; and skill to shape and perfect - just as relationships are. They say nothing compares to a diamond. They are rare and precious gems.

But are you sure that what you gave your fiancé is really a diamond? It may look like a diamond, shine like a diamond, yet be anything but this costly gem. It may not even cost half of what you paid for it.

There are now many imitation diamonds out in the market. It is difficult to tell with the naked eye that the stone one is holding is the real thing or not. They are usually very well made. The best known imitation diamonds are moissanite and cubic zirconia.

Moissanite is a synthetic gem. It is not a fake diamond at all. It is a mineral that appears very similar to a diamond.

Moissanite is made in a laboratory using silicon carbide crystals. They have a more brilliant shine than diamonds. They are also less expensive, usually costing a mere 10th of the cost of the real thing.

Moissanite was discovered in the late 1800's in Arizona, at the bottom of a meteor crater. It wasn't until 1995 that it was discovered that there was a way to make these stones into jewelry. The process was perfected and cutting styles that would allow the moissanite to truly sparkle were crafted.

Moissanite stones are popular with couples who are working on a tight budget and want a ring with a bigger stone. That it sparkles so beautifully is a plus in their book. It is also pretty strong stone and is quite close to a diamond in hardness. Buyers should know though that moissanite tends to have greenish or grayish tint instead of being colorless.

Cubic Zirconia on the other hand was discovered in 1937 by two German scientists. It is created by heating and combining yttrium oxide and zirconium oxide in a complicated process perfected in 1970. To the naked and untrained eye, it would be difficult to distinguish a real diamond from a cubic zirconia stone if the imitation piece is well cut.

The most famous name in the retail of cubic zirconia is Swarovski and Co. Being less costly than the real gem; cubic zirconia has been used by the wealthy, the elite and the celebrities to decorate almost any fashion piece from jewelry to bags to clothes. There's even a motorcycle encrusted with it owned by socialite turned actress, Paris Hilton.

If you want to get a diamond and want to avoid purchasing an imitation piece, you need to find yourself an honest jeweler. You also need to learn the basics of buying a diamond (namely the four C's - cut, clarity, color and carat). Best of all, make sure that you get a certificate issued by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) identifying the uniqueness of your diamond.

Will your fiancée mind if you gave her an imitation gem? Only if you told her it was the real thing, would be our guess. After all, everybody hates to learn that they have been deceived. Better to let her make the choice and work within your budget.

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moissanite jewellery paris

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Is It a Real Diamond?

I've seen it listed as a semi-precious stone but I believe it's man-made.

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mesonite semi precious stone

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Is Moissanite a Semi-Precious Stone?
%14K Yellow/White Gold 3 1/8 ct. Created Moissanite

Express your love and your appreciation for her individuality with this unique, beautifully designed engagement ring. This sparkling created moissanite is masterfully prong set in a well crafted gold ring. Perfect anywhere, any time.

14K Yellow/White Gold 3 1/8 ct. ''Created Moissanite" Anniversary Ring

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14K Yellow/White Gold 3 1/8 Ct. ''Created Moissanite"


For More Info or to Buy Now: www.hsn.com Make good on your reputation for no-holds-barred elegance with the bold sophistication of this Moissanite Tulip Gallery Ring. Our offering's princess-cut, created moissanite (approx. 5.5mm) holds... Prices shown on the previously recorded video may not represent the current price. View hsn.com to view the current selling price. HSN Item #198933

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2ct Moissanite 14K Princess-Cut Four-Prong Tulip Gallery...


For More Info or to Buy Now: www.hsn.com It doesn't take much for emotions to run high when you adorn your hand with this round moissanite solitairering in your choice of yellow or white 14K gold. Unapologetically beautiful, this... Prices shown on the previously recorded video may not represent the current price. View hsn.com to view the current selling price. HSN Item #717312

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3ct Moissanite 14K Round Four-Prong Solitaire Ring
%Created Moissanite Two Tone 3 Stone Engagement Ring

This fine "Created Moissanite Two Tone 3 Stone Engagement Ring" comes in 14K Yellow/White. One of our attractive RedBoxJewels items from our wide array of jewelry, this one will surely capture yours or your loved ones style. Because if it's in a RedBox , its got to be good .&#153 (This item is custom manufactured for you and will ship in 4 business days)

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Created Moissanite Two Tone 3 Stone Engagement Ring