Best Diamond Alternatives
Diamonds are an incredibly popular gemstone choice for many different kinds of jewelry including engagement rings, bridal jewelry, earrings, and more. They are known for their timeless class and bright, clear nature.
But diamonds, while beautiful, are not everyone’s favorite gemstone. Let’s look at six diamond alternatives you may want to consider when selecting your jewelry.
Lab-Grown Diamonds
If you want a gem option that provides you with more clarity and better color than natural diamonds, lab-grown diamonds may be a good option for you. They are colorless gems that are technically 100% real diamonds.
They’re also eco-friendly and conflict-free which is a very important factor for many jewelry shoppers. Their biggest downside is that they do not possess the same level of hardness that natural diamonds inherently have which makes the lab-grown alternatives more likely to scratch or chip.
Moissanite
Moissanite is a lab-made diamond alternative that pairs the beauty and durability of a real diamond with a budget-friendly price tag. Additionally, they’re virtually indistinguishable from real diamonds to the untrained eye, and they can come in a range of sizes and shapes to suit your preferences.
Cubic Zirconia
Another lab-grown option as a diamond alternative is cubic zirconia. This diamond lookalike is often more brilliant than natural diamonds with a stronger inner fire. However, like lab-grown diamonds, they are much less durable than natural diamonds, so they will often scratch, chip, or even break far more easily.
Artisanal Glass
Some jewelers offer glass options as a diamond alternative with Swarovski’s glass gems being among the most popular of them. These gems look gorgeous, but as you may expect, they break easily and even the smallest flecks of household dust have the capability of scratching the glass’s surface.
This means that the glass gems lose their beauty quite quickly–especially if they’re worn in daily use. If you choose to purchase a glass gem, make sure you select a protective ring setting to preserve its lifetime.
White Sapphire
While many people associate sapphires with being blue in color, there is actually a naturally occurring white sapphire stone that is a popular alternative to a natural diamond. These stones are much cheaper than real diamonds, and their durability is far superior to that of lab-grown stones.
However, keep in mind that a sapphire will never sparkle as brightly as a diamond, and the difference between the two stones will be quite noticeable.
White Topaz
Like many other gem types, topaz comes in a range of colors including a colorless white option that can be used as a diamond alternative. Unlike white sapphires, topaz stones have excellent sparkle and brilliance, but their dispersion is not equal to that of a real diamond.
Additionally, the durability of a topaz stone is not on par with a diamond by any means as the stone is likely to chip or scratch over time.
Key Takeaways
If you want to find a diamond alternative, there are several options on the market. From lab-grown options to colorless or white stones of other varieties, there are plenty of options available. Just make sure to consider important factors like sparkle, brilliance, and durability when choosing your alternative.
To learn more about alternative stones or to speak with one of our jewelry experts, contact us today!