An imitation diamond engagement ring with a 1.50-carat centre stone and 1.40-carats of accent stones, all set in platinum. Diamond simulants or simulated diamonds may look like real diamonds, but they don’t have the same chemical, physical, or optical properties. In order to make an informed decision while shopping for a diamond alternative, it is crucial that you understand what sets this kind of stone apart from the real thing.
To what extent do real diamonds resemble their imitation counterparts, and what sorts of elements are used in their creation?
It is possible to imitate a gem’s appearance using either a laboratory-created stone, also known as a “synthetic,” or a naturally occurring stone with similar chemical or physical properties. Fakes are called “simulants” in the field of gemology. Colorless quartz, topaz, sapphire, beryl, and zircon, among others, have been used as diamond alternatives since antiquity. Zircon, in particular, has been used for this function. The fake diamond rings that look real are perfect.
Synthetic stones made in a lab mimic the appearance of natural diamonds and are in hot demand right now. Examples include moissanite and cubic zirconia. To make cubic zirconia, for instance, the powdered ingredients are first heated to their melting points, and then the resulting mixture is cooled to solidify it.
Diamond simulants are not the same as lab-grown diamonds, sometimes known as lab-created diamonds. Diamonds created in a laboratory have the same chemical composition, physical properties, and aesthetic appearance as natural diamonds, but synthetic diamonds do not. Explore the topic of lab-grown diamonds further.
This ring is composed of 14k rose gold, and it has a round brilliant cut synthetic moissanite that is practically colourless.
This ring is composed of 14k rose gold and has a round brilliant synthetic moissanite. With its introduction in the late 1990s, moissanite quickly became a preferred alternative to diamond. A huge debt of gratitude is due to Brilliant Earth.
When compared to natural diamonds, how well do synthetic ones perform?
It is difficult to compare simulants to diamonds due to the fact that each simulant has its own unique features. To put it simply, diamond is unrivalled in terms of durability. The hardness of stones and minerals may be measured using the Mohs Scale. Diamond, with a hardness of 10 on the Mohs scale, is the hardest naturally occurring substance on Earth. This means that most diamonds can resist the wear and tear of daily use, but many imitations may quickly show noticeable scratches and abrasions, especially at the facet joints. Because of their extreme hardness, diamonds take polish better than any other natural or synthetic gemstone or imitation stone. This shows that the sparkle of genuine diamonds is far brighter than that of most imitations.
One further thing to think about is that the density of the simulants might be different (weight to volume ratio). This means that stones with a lower density than diamonds (as GGG) may seem bigger than diamonds of the same carat weight, while stones with a greater density than diamonds can look smaller.
Conclusion
Thus, although diamond may have more fire than most simulants, some, such as synthetic moissanite and synthetic rutile, actually have more fire than diamond. Some people find the strong fire of these fake diamonds appealing, while others think it draws attention to the fact that the stone is “weird” and is not a diamond.
