There are a number of precious and semiprecious stones, similar to diamonds both in appearance and very similar in physical properties. Some of these stones are natural stones, but most of them are synthetic analogues of minerals that are rarely found in nature. Artificial crystals are nowadays grown in laboratory conditions. This industry is very widespread.
White sapphire
In mineralogy, sapphires are called only the blue variety of the mineral, all the rest, with the exception of ruby, are called corundums. White sapphire is a colorless, pure form of alumina and does not contain oxides of other metals that color corundums in various shades.
A white variety of sapphire is used as a diamond imitation, or rather, a reasonable alternative to an expensive diamond. This very diamond-like stone is inferior to diamond only in hardness - 9 on the Mohs scale. The stone is almost impossible to damage. Unless, of course, purposefully not scratching it with a technical diamond or corundum.
White topaz
White topaz, natural semiprecious stone, aluminum silicate, with a hardness of 8 on the Mohs scale is considered relatively fragile among jewelers. It has a strong glass luster with a slight pearly shimmer. A well-cut stone looks like a real diamond. In jewelry, only a specialist can distinguish between them.
Transparent sapphire and topaz are not imitations; rather, they should be called analogs of diamonds.
Moissanite
Moissanite is a crystalline form of silicon carbide. It is rare, usually found in meteor craters or near them. Almost all moissanite used in the jewelry industry is an artificially produced mineral.
Because of its hardness (9.5 on the Mohs scale), this imitation mineral is closest to a diamond in terms of durability. The stone looks like a diamond, but is very different from it in optical properties.
Moissanite outshines diamonds. It's not a joke. The stone perfectly reflects light. The dispersion coefficient of moissanite is significantly higher than the dispersion coefficient of diamond. A ray of white light decomposes into monochromatic rays of the entire spectrum of the rainbow. The stone shimmers like the lights of a neon sign, and this slightly vulgar sheen immediately gives off an imitator. However, many people often call moissanite an artificial diamond.
For lovers of glamor without an epic half-yearly salary, this is the perfect stone.
Cubic zirconium
For the first time synthesized in cubic syngony in 1970 for the needs of the optical industry, a zirconia crystal immediately attracted the attention of jewelers with its potential as a diamond simulator. In the Soviet Union, it was called cubic zirconia, the technology was developed by scientists of the Physical Institute of the Academy of Sciences. In the west, the stone is called zirconium, zirconite and is denoted by the abbreviation CZ.
The crystal artificially grown from a melt in laboratory conditions in unlimited quantities and affordable at once got an accurate definition of “diamond for the people”.
Today it is one of the most popular diamond substitutes. It can be found in the products of famous jewelry brands and mass manufacturers of luxury jewelry.
The stone has optical properties very close to the optical properties of diamonds. But not only these unique properties contributed to the widespread use of cubic zirconium in jewelry. The stone is fantastically cheap: cubic zirconia weighing about 20 dollars in the world market. The growing technology is such that the crystal growth rate ranges from 8 to 10 mm / hour.
The main thing that distinguishes cubic zirconia from a diamond is hardness, it is 8.5 on the Mohs scale. The stone is easily damaged and wears out quickly enough, it loses its luster. By specific gravity, cubic zirconium is much heavier than diamond.
Visually determine which stone in jewelry, zirconium or diamond, can only be an experienced connoisseur. Artificially grown crystals are always flawless, they do not have defects that are often found in natural gemstones. This, by the way, is the main rapid analysis used by jewelers. In comparing diamond and cubic zirconia, long and complex analyzes are not required. If the gem looks like a diamond, but has no flaws and is perfect, it is undoubtedly cubic zirconium.
The leader in the use of cutting-edge design for the manufacture of stylish jewelry is zirconium. A stone in jewelry can look elegant and brutal, depending on the size and color of the crystal.
The technology for growing zirconia crystals has been improved over the years so much that the color of the crystals varies from transparent to black.
Garnet
Among natural garnets, colorless crystals are not found. But synthetic varieties of minerals in laboratory conditions can be created with any given color characteristics.
All colorless crystals of pomegranate are of artificial origin and are used in jewelry as an analogue of a diamond. It is mainly used in earrings, necklaces, pendants and pendants, since garnet is much softer than diamond - the hardness of synthetic garnet ranges from 7.5 to 8.5 on the Mohs scale. Its advantage as a simulator of diamond is its luster: a colorless variety of the mineral has a diamond luster.
Spinel
A rare mineral, a mixture of aluminum and magnesium oxides. Transparent unpainted varieties of spinel are sometimes used as imitations of diamonds. A diamond-like stone has a bright glass luster and good optical properties.
Like all substitutes, spinel is softer (about 8.0 on the Mohs scale) of real diamond.
Rutile
Rutile is a natural mineral, pure titanium dioxide. Belongs to the category of semiprecious and ornamental stones. There is a developed industry for the production of a synthetic analogue of rutile. In nature, colorless variations of stone are not found, but in laboratory conditions it is elementary to grow a crystal without impurities. Sometimes used as a diamond simulator.
It is a fairly soft mineral with a Mohs hardness of 6.0-6.5. Such hardness is considered insufficient for jewelry inserts in expensive metals, since even dust particles with strong friction can scratch them. Rutile crystals are commonly used in the manufacture of jewelry for the mass consumer.
Choice: diamond or ...
Of course, diamonds can be some girls' best friends. But not all and not always.
Yes, they are beautiful, durable, amazingly sparkling. They are timeless and fashionless. Roads are too classic if you are one of those modern girls who want to wear something else on their ring finger.
For many centuries there was an unshakable rule of etiquette: ladies under thirty-five years old do not wear diamonds. The stone was a symbol of the achievement of its owner "Balzac age", and which lady is ready to admit herself old?
Also, they did not put on jewelry with diamonds until five in the evening. This is an evening decoration, a diamond best shows its charm in multidirectional artificial lighting, whether it is the flame of candles or the light of modern energy-saving lamps.
The custom of giving a bride an engagement ring with a diamond certainly arose as a result of the clever and focused marketing company De Beers in the thirties of the 20th century. This was the only concession that society made. A diamond engagement ring is worn constantly and this is not a bad manners.
Modern jewelry dress code is not so categorical. The main thing in choosing everyday jewelry: a sense of style and measure. A large diamond in the ring on the hand of a lady walking a shepherd dog in a vacant lot in a tracksuit looks as ridiculous as a swimsuit on a ski trip.