Written by Johnny Dunn in Jewelry
Viewed by 157 readers since 03-10-2009

Diamonds are normally made by nature in volcanos; the high temperatures and pressure converts the rock to the shiny, expensive material we know as the diamond. However, artificial diamonds, it seems, is becoming prominent in the diamond industry due to various problems with naturally mined diamonds.

Long have humans been trying to create the perfect diamond, but modern technology is finally allowing this to happen.

First of all, there are many reasons to purchase a synthetic diamond than a natural, mined diamond. The natural diamond prices and market are controlled by diamond cartels who jack the prices straight up in order to make the most money. With artificial diamonds, you won’t have this problem. But the controversies doesn’t end there. “Blood diamonds” are a major issue nowadays, especially in areas like Africa. Many people do not want to further support or exacerbate the forced child labor caused by these blood diamonds. In fact, many celebrities now endorse synthetic diamonds because of the blood diamond controversy.

A well-made synthetic diamond is virtually indistinguishable from the natural, mined variety and cost almost thousands of dollars less. But what type of manmade diamond should you buy? I have listed several types of manmade diamonds below along with their descriptions.

1. Cubic Zirconia

These are among the very first artificial diamonds and are widely available. Though because they are so cheap and common, they cannot substitute the quality of natural diamonds and more expensive artificial diamonds and thus are considered cheap jewelry.

2. Russian Diamonds

Russian diamonds are just cubic zirconias but at an exceptionally high quality, though this will not be mentioned by sellers. It is still a lower quality than natural diamonds but they are at a much higher price than the cubic zirconias.

3. Moissanite

Moissanite is one of the best manmade diamonds on the market. It is an lab-created mineral that has been the choice fine jewelry since the early 90s. It is a very hard material, just like natural diamonds, and has the ability to cut glass. It is very expensive compared to other artificial diamonds, usually priced about 500 dollars per carat. Though moissanite is a good substitute, experts can still spot fakes with the naked eye. It is very difficult to make a pure white moissanite and they have a slightly greenish color in natural light.

3. Diamond Nexus

Diamond Nexus stones have came about recently due to new scientific advancements and are only available in the United States. They are among the best diamond substitutes with many of the properties of natural diamonds. They can cut glass, are virtually identical to diamonds on the Mohs (hardness) scale, and have radiance and brilliance readings close to the natural diamond. They are very cheap and affordable as well.

4. White Sapphire

Sapphire is the second hardest natural mineral on the Mohs scale. Unlike the others listed above, the sapphire is a natural mineral, though their radiance and brilliance aren’t anything like the diamonds. Even so, good white sapphires are still a good diamond alternative.