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cubic zirconia ( man made diamond )
| Imitation diamonds, such as
cubic zirconia, resemble diamonds in appearance but are much less costly.
Certain laboratory-created gemstones & man made diamonds, such as
lab-created moissanite, also resemble diamonds and may not be adequately
detected by the instruments originally used to identify cubic zirconia.
Imitation diamonds have grown into a savvy
alternative to genuine diamonds. To our naked eye, imitation diamonds made
of cubic zirconia are almost indistinguishable from genuine diamonds.
Imitation diamonds possesses more fire (called flashes of color) but have
slightly less sparkle in them. The overall effect is so similar that even
trained gemologists often require special equipment to distinguish them from
a flawless diamond. Ask
your jeweler if he has the current testing equipment to distinguish between
diamonds and other lab-created stones or man made diamonds.
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How to choose a diamond -The Four C's.
CARAT-WEIGHT: The weight/size of a diamond is measured in Carats. One carat
is divided into one hundred segments called "points". As in the decimal
system, one hundred and twenty five points equals one and a quarter carats.
CLARITY: This is the degree to which a diamond is free of inclusions. Where
the inclusions lie, their size, their type, all these factors determine the
value of the stone.
COLOR: This is another aspect where scarcity determines value. Colorless
diamonds are extremely scarce in nature and they are representative of the
peak of color grades.
CUT: Today the art of diamond cutting has been refined to precise
mathematical formulae. Most diamonds today are cut with 58 facets. A good
cut is determined by its light reflecting properties and its light
dispersion |
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