By Gary A.
Edited by Brian M.
Published Mar 26, 2022
Edited on Dec 8, 2024
For those seeking an affordable yet stunning option, diamond alternatives like lab-grown diamonds, moissanite, and cubic zirconia offer brilliance without the hefty price tag.
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A diamond and an engagement go together like coffee and cream and, in many parts of the world – the US included – there’s really no question over their ability to signify the ultimate commitment or, of course, their ability to look incredible.
Still, diamonds are expensive. And, if you want to impress with a particularly large diamond, you’re going to have to come to terms with the fact that big diamonds require big money. The average engagement ring budget famously circles around the $6,000 mark, and the fact that the average engagement ring features a center stone of 1 carat gives all the indication you need of the high price of ‘going big’.
That’s why, each year, a number of shoppers consider breaking from tradition and taking an alternative route. While some go for a totally different option, like ruby or sapphire, others are eager to look into options that resemble diamond as closely as possible – ideally, in every sense except for the price tag.
It’s this exact journey that brings them to two options: moissanite and cubic zirconia. Of all the gemstones available, these two share the most visual similarities with diamond – but how do they stack up? Here’s what you need to know.
Before we dive deeper into the specifics, here are some practical tips to help guide your decision-making process:
When selecting a diamond engagement ring, especially when comparing moissanite, diamonds, and cubic zirconia, it’s crucial to consider several practical aspects. Here’s a guide to help you make an informed decision:
Now that you’ve got these practical tips, use Jeweler AI below to find the perfect engagement ring that suits your style and budget:
Diamond, moissanite, and cubic zirconia are three totally different gemstones.
Diamond is a naturally-occurring gemstone, created deep within the earth’s mantle over more than a billion years, as a result of intense pressure and heat. It is the crystalized form of carbon, with incredible strength, and a high refractive index.
Moissanite is naturally-occurring, but the moissanite you’ll find in jewelry is exclusively man-made. It is silicon carbide, not carbon, and features a slightly higher refractive index than diamond (creating a tangible difference in light performance), and a slightly lower rating for hardness.
Yes. A jeweler or gemologist will find it easy to identify the differences between diamond and moissanite, and, after learning about the differences in light performance between the two, even someone with no prior experience will find it a relatively straightforward process.
The biggest difference lies in the fact that moissanite produces significantly more fire than brilliance, whereas diamond is capable of producing that distinctive (and highly coveted) combination of bright white flashes, and sparks of multicolored light.
Cubic zirconia can also occur naturally but, as with moissanite, the gemstones used in jewelry have all been created in a lab setting. It is zirconium dioxide in crystalline form, a lower refractive index than diamond (making it less sparkly), and a much lower rating for hardness. It is also generally colorless (unless a specific color like red, pink, or blue has been intentionally added), while most diamonds fall below the D color grade.
Yes. Cubic zirconia doesn’t produce anywhere near the level of brilliance as diamond, as a result of its low refractive index. Provided the cubic zirconia isn’t fresh-out-the-box new, you’ll also be able to identify it by the various signs of wear and tear these gemstones take on. Discoloration, scratches, chips, and other marks are par for the course with a gemstone lacking the strength and durability of diamond.
Cubic zirconia is also considerably heavier than diamond. They are often advertised using their measurements, rather than their weight, and presented by ‘carat equivalent’. If a jeweler were to place a cubic zirconia in one of your hands and a diamond in the other, you would be able to identify the real diamond without even looking.
Some people prefer the look of a gemstone in an engagement ring, rather than a diamond. It’s understandable; A lot of us love the vibrant colors of ruby or sapphire, the richness of emerald, all the romance of garnet…
There are tons of beautiful gemstones out there, from the obvious to the rare, like tourmaline and alexandrite. They look beautiful in ring designs, and it’s no mystery why so many of us get heart-eyes for them…
The trouble is, on most cases, gemstones other than diamond tend to be a risk for an engagement ring. For regular jewelry that is worn sporadically, rather than every day, non-diamond gemstones are fine. For a ring that’s going to be worn more or less every day for years and years, it’s a big risk.
Rubies and sapphires are the hardest (after diamond), followed by topaz, which is comparable to a masonry drill bit.
Emerald is an 8 on the Mohs scale, which makes them just about hard enough – but much riskier than diamond. Aquamarine and moissanite are both at a 7.5-8 on the scale.
Whatever gemstone you’re interested, make sure you check the Mohs scale carefully.
When we talk about synthetic gemstones, we’re talking about any gemstones that have been created in a lab setting. Some of the methods used are similar to the ways lab diamonds are made – in particular, chemical vapor distillation (CVD).
But there are other ways to make gemstones without the help of nature. The Czochralski method (pulled-grown), which is used to create synthetic gemstones like ruby, sapphire, spinel, and garnet, and hydrothermal synthesis, which is typically used for emerald and amethyst.
Synthetic gemstones are cheaper and are generally available at bigger sizes since it’s much easier to grow a gemstone to an impressive size than it is to find one in nature. One of the big downsides to gemstones is that they do not possess the same ‘healing properties’ that many people believe natural gemstones hold. While natural garnet, for instance, is worn as a talisman to ignite passion and creativity, synthetic garnet is lacking that same essence.
Less common diamond simulants, such as white sapphire and white topaz, offer unique alternatives to traditional diamond substitutes like moissanite and cubic zirconia. White sapphire, a variety of corundum, is valued for its hardness (9 on the Mohs scale) and durability, though it has less brilliance compared to diamonds.
White topaz is a silicate mineral, and it’s more affordable and widely available, with a hardness of 8, but it lacks the sparkle and fire of a diamond.
Other simulants include synthetic spinel and zircon (not to be confused with cubic zirconia), both of which exhibit varying degrees of brilliance and durability. As with the other simulants in this list, what may seem initially like a good alternative will easily ‘betray itself’ in a side-by-side comparison. These simulants look a lot less diamond than first impressions would have you believe.
Some people like to go way off-piste with their engagement rings, and we’ve seen some really beautiful examples of unique gemstones in fine jewelry. These options include things like:
Lab grown diamonds aren’t exactly simulants, since they are now classed as real diamonds. They’re not identical in every single sense to natural diamond but, visually and chemically, they are the same.
There are pros and cons to going for a lab grown diamond. Natural diamonds remain the obvious choice for the majority of US shoppers, despite the fact that they come at a higher price tag – what you decide will depend on what you value most in a diamond, and in your engagement ring.
Read more about the lab grown diamond debate here.
Again, enhanced diamonds aren’t simulants in the same sense as topaz or emerald. Enhanced diamonds are real diamonds that have undergone treatments designed to enhance aspects like color and clarity.
Enhancements are very controversial. They enable buyers to get technically ‘better’ diamonds for lower costs, but at the cost of the diamond’s natural, unique beauty.
Here are some common enhancement techniques:
You can read an in-depth guide about diamond enhancements here.
These tables provides a detailed comparison of various diamond alternatives, including their hardness, density, dispersion, refractive index, flawless nature, cost, color, and crystal structure, and will help you understand the unique characteristics and value of each option.
Table Part 1 of 2:
Property | Diamond | Cubic Zirconia | White Zircon | Swarovski Crystal | Moissanite |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Hardness | 10 | 8.5 | 7.5 | 6-7 | 9.25 |
Density | 3.5-3.53 | 5.5-5.9 | 4.6-4.7 | unknown | 3.21 |
Dispersion | 0.004 | 0.058-0.066 | unknown | unknown | 0.1 |
Refractive Index | 2.42 | 2.088-2.176 | 1.92-2.01 | 1.5-1.7 | 2.65-2.69 |
Flawless | Rare | Always | Rare | Always | Natural-rare / Synthetic-always |
Cost | Highest | Low | Middle-High | Low | Middle-Low |
Color | Various | Colorless | Colorless | Colorless | Colorless |
Crystal Structure | Lattice | Cube | Tetragonal | unknown | Hexagonal |
Table 2 of 2:
Property | White Sapphire | White Topaz | Zircon (not cubic zirconia) | Lab-Grown Diamond | Enhanced Diamond |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Hardness | 9 | 8 | 6-7 | 10 | 10 |
Density | 4 | 3.5 | 4.6-4.7 | 3.5-3.53 | 3.5-3.53 (variable) |
Dispersion | 0.018 | 0.014 | 0.039 | 0.004 | 0.004 (before treatment) |
Refractive Index | 1.76-1.77 | 1.62-1.63 | 1.92-2.01 | 2.42 | 2.42 (variable) |
Flawless | Rare | Rare | Rare | Rare | Rare (variable) |
Cost | Middle-High | Middle | Middle-High | Middle-Low | Much Lower than untreated |
Color | Colorless | Colorless | Colorless | Various | Various (improved) |
Crystal Structure | Hexagonal | Orthorhombic | Tetragonal | Lattice | Lattice |
Cubic zirconia’s key traits make it a poor choice in comparison with diamond. It won’t sparkle anywhere near as brightly, and will very easily reveal itself to be inferior to diamond.
Not only does cubic zirconia look inferior to diamond when it’s brand new, but it is also incapable of looking good after regular wear. For most people, it will need to be replaced within a year of regular wear, meaning that it’s not even a good choice for a temporary engagement ring.
Neither are ideal. For fashion jewelry, moissanite is a better choice as a result of its higher refractive index, which makes it a more impressive gemstone, and its superior strength.
Moissanite doesn’t enjoy the same high status or lofty reputation of diamond, so it’s not for everyone.
Another factor to consider when you’re thinking about diamonds vs diamond simulants is that many, many jewelers continue to work solely using diamond and other precious gemstones. Moissanite remains more of a niche interest in the jewelry world, so shoppers often struggle to find excellent jewelers in their area working with moissanite as well as diamond.
It’s certainly not impossible, but it’s nowhere near as easy.
Moissanite is more expensive than cubic zirconia. A one carat moissanite will cost between $500 – $600, while a cubic zirconia of the same weight will cost less than $20.
Even jewelry intended to be worn once in a while, and not intended to hold any strong sentimental value, is better off if it is created from durable materials. So, if you’re looking for a piece of quality costume jewelry, we’d recommend moissanite over cubic zirconia.
For any special pieces, however – whether an engagement ring, eternity ring, or sentimental gift – neither moissanite nor cubic zirconia is worth the price. They might be capable of resembling diamond from a distance but, up close – and when worn day-in, day-out by your partner – the differences will be clear to see, even to a diamond novice.
Unless you’ve got a budget way above average, it’s only natural that you find yourself wondering about ‘diamond alternatives’, that will give you a lot more bang for your buck. Larger diamonds come at a much higher price, and plenty of shoppers start off with some grandiose dreams only to realize that the market saw them coming.
Cubic zirconia and moissanite are all over the internet – partly because of interest from shoppers, but also because the internet is the ideal place to sell something that, in a picture, looks just like diamond.
Don’t do yourself, your partner, or your wallet a disservice. Understand why diamond is the superior choice not just in terms of looks, but durability and sentimentality, too. Find a beautiful stone in your price range, and accept that there is a lot more to buying an incredible engagement ring than getting the biggest rock money can buy.
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