Diamond Alternatives

While diamonds are beautiful and symbolic, they do carry a heavy price tag. Many couples struggle with justifying such a large expenditure on such a small object. And if the price tag isn't enough to scare you, the origin of the diamond can be shrouded in dubious mystery. If you have seen Blood Diamond or heard of conflict diamonds, you know what I mean. The African diamond trade has long been used to finance civil war, hence the term "blood diamond." At Elizabeta Jewelry, we offer alternatives that will ease your apprehension and save you some serious money. Our diamonds come from suppliers that are in compliance with the The Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) which imposes extensive requirements on its members to enable them to certify shipments of rough diamonds as ‘conflict-free’. And for every diamond we sell, we donate a portion of the sale to http://www.conflictneutral.com/, a registry for charitable donations to counter the negative effects of diamonds.

But if you still aren't convinced that diamonds are for you, we have some very attractive and practical options. Elizabeta Jewelry offers a vast selection of colored gemstones in every shape and size. Many couples are using colored gemstones today as they are rich in symbolism and color. And of course, most of them are a fraction of the cost of a diamond. There are certain considerations, such as hardness and toughness to consider if you are putting the stone in an every day ring. If you have any question as to what gemstone would be best for you, please post a comment to this blog.

Another increasingly popular option is moissanite. It is silicon carbide that was originally discovered at a meteor crash site. Now it has been manufactured in sizes large enough for jewelry. It's fire and luster surpass that of the diamond. However, moissanite isn't completely colorless; it is usually equivalent to an H or I colored diamond (which are some of the most common diamond colors in jewelry). It isn't quite as hard as a diamond; it rates 9.25 to diamond's 10 on the Moh's Hardness Scale. The cost is quite attractive and is usually about 1/5 to 1/10 the cost of a diamond.

Diamond hybrids, also known as amorphous diamonds are man-made and "composed of a multitude of tiny diamond crystals all aligned together*". They tend to be equivalent to an F or G colored diamond (colorless to near colorless - very good). They are also flawless in clarity. Hardness is rated a 9 on the Mohs Scale. This option too is far less expensive than a diamond.

So if you aren't comfortable with the price and reputation of the diamond, there are lots of great options to chose from that will offer all the beauty of a diamond.