There is not doubt about the value of a diamond jewelry. Over the centuries, man are trying to create the perfect synthetic diamond, something that will look like a diamond jewelry on the naked eye.

As early as 1893, there are already attempts in creating substitutes to diamonds. The first attempt to make a man made diamond was done by Frederic Henri Moissan which involved heating charcoal and adding pressure that caused changes from the graphite into a diamond.   But it was 1979 when mass production of diamond imitations became possible.  

De Beers was the first to coin the term, “ A Diamond is Forever” during the 1940s.   With this kind of advertising, diamond became the usual stone for engagement rings.  Before, during 1930s, engagement rings would usually have opals, rubies and sapphires for their stone.  The value of diamonds started to increase, so was the attempts to create a perfect synthetic diamond.

By 1955, General Electric produced small artificial diamonds which where of the same quality as industrial diamonds.  Synthetic diamonds were created by exposing carbon dioxide to heat over a metal surface.  The heat was created or generated by several lasers. Today, they are mass produced with production reaching as much as 100 tons every year.

Here are some lists of diamond imitating stones:  

• Rock crystals or rhinestones are crystallized quartz which can look like a diamond, however, they could get easily scratched.  

• Zircon is another kind of stone which could pose as a diamond.  By exposing the stone to heat, it could turn colorless making it look like quartz and diamond.  Just like rhinestones they could get easily scratched.  
• Cubic zirconia is called the grandfather of artificial diamonds.  As a diamond copy, it is synonymous with low-cot jewelry and not as a decent fashion accessory.  

• Russian diamonds are also cubic zirconia stones.  The difference is that they are of high quality and can cause about $280 per carat.  These stones are usually mounted in metal settings that are worth real stones.

• Moissanite is another kind of stone which is created or made inside the laboratory.  Just like a diamond, it is a hard kind of stone.  Although they are relatively more affordable than diamonds, they are still expensive.  Moissanite tends to give a greenish shade in natural light and may sparkle too much because its light reflection characteristics. These characteristics make it easier for some expert to differentiate a moissanite from a real diamond.

• Another best imitation of the diamond would be from the Diamond Nexus.  The Nexus and the real diamond’s characteristics are so close together.  The Diamond Nexus could cut glass due to its hardness and sparkle and can be just as brilliant as the real diamond.  Because they are just being introduced in the market, they considerably cost lower.

• Gemisis cultured diamond is another diamond copy.  The difference with the real diamond is that they cannot be made into a clear and white color.  

• Other synthetic diamonds would be strontium titanate, artificial rutile and spinel.  

There’s quite a number of synthetic or man made diamonds available.  Buying them is not illegal, but if the jeweller is trying to sell of man-made diamonds as real diamonds, then there will be a problem.  Which is why when buying diamond jewelry always ask for certification. If you would like to buy a nice present for a loved one but would like to stay within budget, then buying man-made diamond jewelry is not a bad idea.

Get more complete tips on choosing diamond jewelry, visit: www.diamondjewelry.getmytips.com

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/jewelry-articles/new-best-friend-man-made-diamond-jewelry-1625939.html

Diamond jewelry, as some would put it, is the royalty among all gems. As such, assessing the value and quality of this gemstone had been refined to almost an exact science and a very fine art for hundreds of years now.

Today, dealing in diamonds either as an ardent admirer (wearing one) or as an astute trader of the same, one would need to be familiar with the four Cs – color, cut, clarity and carat.

Color

With the naked eye, most diamonds would appear colorless, but they do have subtle shades of colors. Experts use the letter D (colorless) moving through all the letters all the way to Z (light yellow) in identifying them.

A colorless diamond is chemically pure and structurally perfect. It lets through most of the light (perfectly transparent) and produces the most amount of brilliance.

Most natural diamonds, however, are imperfect, and colorless diamonds are very rare.

It is, therefore, the most expensive of all.

The diamond color is produced by chemical impurities or structural defects in the stone’s crystal pattern. It causes a yellowish to brownish tint. However, blue or pink diamonds are also considered more desirable and command some very high prices as well.

Gemologists label diamonds with unusual or intense colors as “fancy” and they have their own rating systems, although it is not commonly used because of the relative rarity of such stones.

Cut

This is the most important of all the four Cs in assessing the stone’s beauty. Cut refers to the precise proportion and dimensions of a finished diamond. This is not to be confused with the stone’s shape (round, princess, marquise, pear, baguette, etc).

A diamond that had been cut properly allows light to enter and refract it, creating what is called brilliance. Cut too shallow or too deep, a stone will not properly refract the light and will look dull and lifeless.

A well-cut stone looks like it has greater carat weight, has more clarity and color. All in all, it appears to be of better grade than it actually is.

Clarity

Diamonds have natural imperfections called inclusions. These are minerals or crystals trapped inside the stone, and they determine the clarity of the stone.

Nearly all stones have characteristic inclusions (“birthmarks”) which make them unique and identifiable. These imperfections are graded accordingly and these also determine their value.

These are noted in the stone’s certificate from IF (internally flawless), VVS (very, very slight inclusions) all the way down to “visible inclusions”(I).

Carat

This is the measurement of a diamond’s weight. One carat is 200 milligrams. The point unit (0.01 carat or 2 milligrams) is used on stones lesser than one carat.

Normally, the price per carat increases with carat weight because larger diamonds are rarer and desired. However, carat weights are not the final arbiter of value.

A smaller stone with better color and clarity commands a better price than a bigger one with poor color and clarity. Total carat weight (TCW) is used when referring to the total mass of stones in a piece of jewelry (bracelets, necklaces, earrings, multiple-stoned rings, etc.)

Your choice

Choosing the diamond jewelry of your dreams actually boils down on your attraction to a particular stone, maybe because of its color, brilliance or its shape. Knowing the four Cs is important, whether you are a layman or want to be an expert.

Get more complete tips on choosing diamond jewelry, visit: www.diamondjewelry.getmytips.com

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/jewelry-articles/diamond-jewelry-and-the-4cs-1604857.html

Some of the real and original diamonds have a history that is not as well-known and clear, and they only add to the romance and mystique surrounding them. But this is not the case in synthetic diamonds. There is something so exciting about the synthetic diamonds. They have well-documented histories and we know where they came from, and who produced them and when.

The motivation to create man-made synthetic diamonds resulted from the desire of scientists and researchers to improve technology at a much lower cost than the expensive mined real diamonds. The synthetic diamonds are a cheaper and more readily available solution when compared to the real diamonds. They are a boon to both the world of gemstones and the world of technology.

Synthetic diamonds look like real diamonds but do not have all the same properties as real diamonds. It is extremely difficult to differentiate the characteristics such as chemical composition, hardness, weight, brilliance, luster and some of the light handling characteristics of real and synthetic diamonds with the naked eye. Synthetic diamonds have some properties such as durability similar to the real or mined diamonds.

In the past cut glass was probably the first material used to simulate a diamond. It is readily available, easy to cut and polish. The synthetic diamond made of cut glass looks good when seen from a distance, and is extremely low cost.

The use of cut glass has widely been replaced by the most popular diamond alternative, cubic zirconium. Cubic zirconium has been the most widely used material for synthetic diamonds since 1976. Its low cost, durability and light handling characteristics have made it extremely attractive in producing low cost jewelry. The light handling characteristics of synthetic diamond made of cubic zirconium is so close to that of a real diamond. The annual global production of cubic zirconium diamond reached 50 million carats by 1980. Cubic zirconium diamonds weigh about 1.7 times more that of real diamonds, and have the hardness rating of 8.5 to 9 which is bit less than the real diamond.

Henri Moissan is the first one to create a man-made diamond using moissanite or silicon carbide in a laboratory in 1892. Moissanite is a naturally occurring mineral that is a little softer than real diamonds but has almost all of the other properties of a mined real diamond. Charles and Colvard introduced gem-quality moissanite jewelry in 1998. Moissanite has almost the same thermal conductivity as a diamond. You need a highly specialized equipment to differentiate a moissanite diamond and a real diamond. JamesAllen.com states that synthetic moissanite diamonds made from silicon carbide gained widespread use beginning in 1999. These fakes are so good that standard thermal conduction testers used by jewelers cannot detect them. They also sell for nearly as much as the real thing. There is a key to identify a moissanite synthetic diamond – You can see double facets or a doubled table reflection, when you look this synthetic diamond through a 10x loupe. The synthetic moissanite diamonds have a greater density, weighing more than a comparable diamond.

The only way you can be sure to differentiate between a genuine diamond and a high quality synthetic diamond on the market is based on the citification and some simple and more conclusive tests.

Nisha is a Copywriter of precious stone. She written many articles in various topics.For more information visit:koh-i-noor diamond. contact she at <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="mailto: malar.article@gmail.com“>malar.article@gmail.com

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/jewelry-articles/history-about-synthetic-diamonds-1446545.html

When couples announce their engagement, often there are other financial outlays to be considered, including wedding arrangements, a honeymoon, and for many, saving for a home as well. Little wonder that many newly engaged couples are hoping to spend a little less on an engagement ring and later on for the wedding rings. How can you save a few dollars with an inexpensive engagement ring that still ticks all the right boxes?

Stones. As a rule, diamonds are going to cost you more. However, once you start researching you will realize that there is plenty of leeway in diamond pricings. Selecting a smaller diamond, or one with slightly more color will dramatically drop the price. Does your diamond need to be perfect under a jeweler’s loupe or just to the naked eye?

Another alternative is to select precious or semi-precious gems instead of diamonds. Those can be ideal for those who have a favorite color, or are seeking an engagement ring that is a little more unique. Almost any gem can be used as a stone for an engagement ring, although pearls and opals are a little more frail and do require special care.

Settings. Complicated and ornate settings will significantly increase the price of the engagement ring.

Metals. OK, first up, platinum is the very most expensive metal that you can use for an engagement ring. However, all is not lost if you admire that look. White gold plated with rhodium will give a very similar appearance but at a lesser cost. Better still, the white metal palladium is hypo allergenic, looks very similar to platinum, and is less expensive than white gold.

Where to Buy an Inexpensive Engagement Ring. Trying on a few engagement rings in the flesh can be a great place to get an idea of what looks good on your hand. Once you have a basic idea of stones, sizes and settings, you will be able to start looking at jewelry websites.

The Internet is a fantastic place to start researching what your engagement ring budget will buy. Most sites have their engagement rings displayed in specific budgets, allowing you to head to the appropriate price page straight up.

Even better are the sites that allow you to build your own engagement ring. This can be an excellent exercise in determining which factors you may be happy to compromise on or not, such as size, color, cut, or clarity of the diamond or gems.

Do you really need to purchase your engagement ring from a prestigious jeweler? Once the engagement ring is on your finger nobody will be able to see that stamp which may have impacted heavily on the final cost. Jewelers working from the Internet have much lower overheads than those working out of a storefront with extra business costs. As a general rule, the jewelers with the lower overheads will convert their lower business outgoings into a lower priced item.

Andy Moquin has spent 20 years in the jewelry industry with much of his experience in polished diamonds, engagement rings , wedding rings , rings and custom jewelry design. He is an accomplished business consultant and is available for advice on topics such as marketing, advertising, merchandising and business turnarounds

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/jewelry-articles/inexpensive-engagement-rings-more-bling-for-less-bucks-1345889.html

So, you understand about the 4Cs of diamonds.  This stands for Cut, Carat, Colour and Clarity.

You know how much you have got to spend.

You’ve decided upon the shape of the diamond and the size of the diamond you want – you now just need to get the best combination of colour and clarity you can for your money.  This is where colour and clarity come into play.

Firstly, let’s look at the two components.

Colour – this relates to the whiteness of the diamond.  Colour starts at D and goes all the way down to Z, with diamonds starting to display a slight yellow tint around the I/J mark.  D-F are classed as rare white diamonds.  G & H are white diamonds and I downwards are classed as slightly tinted diamonds.

Clarity – this relates to the amount of inclusions in the diamond.  All diamonds – except internally flawless diamonds – have inclusions, often referred to as nature’s birthmark of the diamond.  Inclusions can be tiny black pinpoints in the diamond, a white feather or even a crystal effect.  The more inclusions in the diamond, the more barriers there are to interal light refraction and dispersion, and the less brilliant the diamond.  Therefore, the trick is to minimise the amount of inclusions in your diamond.  Clarity starts at IF (internally flawless) and goes to VVS1 / VVS2 (very, very small inclusions 1 and 2), VS1 / VS2 (very small inclusions 1 and 2), and SI1 / SI2 (small inclusions 1 and 2).  Around the SI grades, you might start to see some inclusions in the diamond with the naked eye, although this might depend upon the shape of diamond you are considering, so speak to your diamond specialists about this.  There are more clarity grades below SI2 as well, just so you know.

So, what colour / clarity combination to choose.

Put it this way, there is little point choosing a colour D with clarity SI2, as you would have a beautiful white diamond which doens’t have as much brilliance.  Likewise, you wouldn’t necessarily choose a colour J diamond with IF clarity, as although the diamond would be internally free from blemishes, it would have a slight yellow tint.  As a result, it is often advisable to choose diamonds which have a good BALANCE of both diamond colour and clarity, such as G/VS2, F/VS1, E/VVS2, D/IF for example, moving up and down the diamond grading charts in tandem with each other.

Of course, there are always exceptions to the rules, but if you use this as a rule of thumb, then you can’t got far wrong.

The author is the Managing Director of DeJoria Diamonds, the online diamond engagement rings specialists. For more information, visit www.dejoria.co.uk

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/jewelry-articles/balanced-grades-of-diamonds-this-is-important-1320217.html