When shopping for engagement rings, the cost is one of the important factors that have a great role in picking a style, gemstone, and metal. The gemstone you choose can have a great impact on the amount you have to pay. The most expensive gemstone among them is diamond. It is the most brilliant and durable gemstone that is commonly used in engagement rings.
But there are some other stones that can have a look similar to diamonds but are less expensive. They include moissanite and cubic zirconia. Even though these colorless stones might somewhat look like diamonds, these stones greatly vary in terms of their properties. Therefore, we analyze the properties of these three gemstones so that you can choose the best option for you.
Diamonds
Diamonds are known for their natural brilliance and great durability. The value of diamonds on the Mohs scale, which is used to measure the hardness of minerals, is 10. Also, the brilliance and sparkle created by diamonds are unique and they cannot be recreated by any other alternative gemstones.
Diamonds Vs. Moissanites
Moissanites are made up of silicon carbide and are rarely found in nature. The moissanite stones that you find in jewelry are created inside laboratories because of their rare appearance in nature. Even though these stones are created to mimic diamonds, there is a lot of distinct differences between them.
The durability of moissanite is lower than diamonds. Its durability score is 9.25 on the Mohs scale. Even though the moissanite exhibits brilliance, it is greatly different from diamonds. The distinct faceted pattern of the moissanite produces a rainbow-like effect. While some buyers like this splash of color, some others say this stone resembles a disco ball than diamonds. This effect can increase with the increase in the size of these stones.
Moissanites are less expensive than both natural and lab grown diamonds. Hence, they are low-cost alternatives to diamonds.
Diamonds Vs. Cubic Zirconia
Cubic zirconia is also a lab-made stone and it is an inexpensive choice for engagement rings. The score of the cubic zirconia on the Mohs scale is 8.5. Cubic zirconia is inherently flawless because of its artificial origin. But its brilliance is less than that of diamonds.
So if you are looking for brilliant and shiny stones, diamonds are the best choice. But moissanite and cubic zirconia are low-cost alternatives to this costly stone.