Diamond Substitutes To Save You Money

Diamond's are, of course, in the words of Marilyn Monroe, 'A girl's best friend', but what if you or your loved one do not have the budget for diamond jewellery? Alternatively, maybe you do have the budget but prefer to wear cheaper options to diamonds when on holiday. Here is a guide to diamond substitutes that can save you money whilst still looking like the real thing to the man on the street.  

 When comparing cheaper substitutes to diamond I have compared the hardness of the stone, the colour, the cut and the cost. It's useful in this comparison to know that diamonds are a very hard stone, scoring 10 on the Mohs hardness scale, the best diamonds are often colourless (with a few exceptions such as rare coloured diamonds) and have no inclusions or flaws, a well-cut diamond is cut best to reflect light and the most perfect examples cost thousands of pounds.

Moissanite
Moissanite is the name given to naturally occurring silicon carbide. Although found in nature it can also be made in a laboratory. It's a crystal that occurs naturally in meteorites and is nearly as hard as diamond, measuring 9.5 on the Mohs hardness scale. It is also virtually colourless. The price is good too, typically being at lease six times cheaper than a well-cut diamond.

 The hardness and lack of colour, combined with the affordability of this stone make it a perfect diamond substitute. 

 Swarovski Gemstones


Swarovski has been creating beautiful jewellery for years and Swarovski genuine gemstones, in particularly Swarovski zirconia make an excellent diamond substitute. 

A created stone Swarovski zirconia is widely used as a diamond substitute has a respectable 8.5 on the Mohs hardness scale, is flawless and usually colourless. It is very affordable as well so it is often used for fashion jewellery. Swarovski's Pure Brilliance Cut for Zirconia has 57 facets and has been recognised to offer the same brilliance as a Tolkowsky ideal cut diamond.

 Zirconia also has colour flashes called fire that can look similar to diamond. When you want a piece of fashion jewellery that looks like diamond then zirconia is the stone for you.

 White Topaz


Topaz is a naturally occurring stone that comes in a range of colours. Due to its natural state pure white topaz may not be totally white due to impurities in the stone. Some stones have obvious inclusions whilst others may look flawless to the naked eye. It has a hardness of 8 on the Mohs hardness scale but has less sparkle than a diamond with a lower refractive index.

 White topaz is a good choice when you want a naturally occurring stone to substitute diamond, however, zirconia and moissanite are both better substitutes than white topaz due to the way they imitate diamonds and the hardness of the stones.

 Whatever diamond substitute you choose, be it moissanite, Swarovski zirconia or white topaz, you can find the right one for you saving considerable money compared to diamond jewellery. As with any jewellery always buy from a reputable company such as Maison Gems.

 Tell me, do you have any jewellery that imitates diamond? Would you wear a diamond substitute?

 *PR collaboration 
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17 comments

  1. Hannah Latoya Bond6 February 2017 at 10:48

    There are some great choices here. I think they all look great. Thanks for sharing x

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  2. Unknown6 February 2017 at 11:21

    This is so interesting! I'm always fascinated as to why everyone wants diamonds when there are other beautiful alternatives!

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    1. Mellissa Williams8 February 2017 at 09:08

      A diamond is such a precious thing but if you don't have the budget for a diamond there are lots of other alternatives.

      Delete
  3. rhian westbury6 February 2017 at 11:37

    I would wear a diamond substitute in some jewellery, and would probably go for a white topaz and cubic zirconia's are too sparkly and obviously not a diamond x

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    1. Mellissa Williams9 February 2017 at 15:28

      That's interesting as diamonds are very sparkly if they are cut correctly.

      Delete
  4. Melanie Edjourian6 February 2017 at 12:12

    What an interesting post I wasn't aware of some of those stones until I read this. I's great that there are alternatives to diamonds that are more affordable.

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    1. Mellissa Williams8 February 2017 at 11:36

      If you want the look of diamonds then there are great alternatives out there.

      Delete
  5. Teresa6 February 2017 at 16:13

    I have to admit, at first glance I probably couldn't tell a real diamond from a substitute. But then I don't wear a lot of jewellery.

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  6. Anosa7 February 2017 at 05:14

    Thanks for this alternatives, perfect for our everyday use. Its elegant too!

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    1. Mellissa Williams10 February 2017 at 08:51

      Yes if you don't want to wear expensive jewellery on an every day basis these substitutes are perfect.

      Delete
  7. Anonymous7 February 2017 at 22:41

    I couldn't tell the difference if they were put in front of me, so in my eyes thats all that matters! Great post!

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  8. Jenny8 February 2017 at 21:22

    I didn't realise there were so many lovely alternatives to diamonds.

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    1. Mellissa Williams9 February 2017 at 15:28

      There are quite a few and all can save you money if you are on a tight budget.

      Delete
  9. fashion-mommy10 February 2017 at 10:11

    I love the Swarovski gemstones, they always sparkle so beautifully and look expensive.

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