We actually receive many questions pertaining to the differences between the various colorless gemstones, specifically, how they compare to diamonds. We will attempt to explain the sometimes subtle differences between diamonds and other colorless gems, both natural and man made.
When it comes to colorless gemstones, the beauty is determined by several key factors: The clarity of the gem, the color of the gem (is it really colorless or is it lightly tinted), the faceting of the stone, and the mineral's ability to reflect and refract light.
The finest diamond started life as a rough pebble that appeared translucent until someone cut away the frosted exterior to reveal the beauty captured within. In colorless or near colorless stones, we are looking for a crystal clear quality, without fogging or spots. There will always be microscopic particles, invisible to the unaided eye, what we are concerned about is the stone being clean to the naked eye.
When light encounters any object, part of the light is reflected (sent back away from the surface), part is refracted (enters into the object, is bounced around, then exits), and part is absorbed. Depending on the object, one or more of these traits will be more visible. For instance, when light hits a "shiny" metal, part of the light is absorbed, none is refracted but much is reflected, making it appear shiny.
With a diamond that is well faceted, a lot of light is reflected off of the top facets and returns to our eyes as "shine" while a lot of light is refracted (enters into the diamond) and is then bounced back out throught the top of the diamond by the bottom and side facets creating the "fire" or scintillation. A diamond is both highly reflective and refractive.
Sapphires
White or clear sapphires can occur naturally in colorless or near colorless form (white sapphires have often been heated to enhance clarity and color which is perfectly acceptable in the gemstone industry as long as it is not falsely labeled as "untreated"). Although the refractive index of a sapphire is less than that of diamonds, when properly faceted and polished sapphires provide significant amounts of both reflected and refracted light. However, the refracted light lacks the prism effect we see in the refracted light of diamonds so the shimmer is more of a white and silver sparkle rather than the prismatic fire of a fine quality diamond. While diamonds are harder than sapphires when it comes to their cutting ability, sapphires are actually more durable in that they are less brittle when subjected to physical impact. The added bonus being that sapphires are precious gemstones in their own right and, while they can be costly, they are significantly more affordable than diamonds.
We have just recently found a reliable source for fine quality, lab created clear sapphire. Finally, an affordable, durable and eco friendly alternative to mined white sapphires. Having the same visual, chemical and physical properties as natural sapphires, these precision faceted beauties are crystal clear with magnificent faceting. While they lack the color play of diamonds, they really do sparkle and shine brilliantly provided they are kept clean, and they stand up well to ultrasonic and steam cleaning. Our at home preference is one of the commercial cleaning solutions available at most department and jewelry stores provided it is labeled as safe for gemstones, sterling, and gold.
Zircon
Natural clear zircon is truly spectacular in terms of both reflected and refracted light. They have a higher level of refraction than sapphires and display more "fire". The downside being that they are extremely brittle and are not suitable for day-to-day wear, being more sutable for "light" wear. They are very pretty when properly faceted and much more cost effective than both diamonds and sapphires. In general, we do not offer these gems because they are so brittle. Occassionally, an outstanding specimen catches our eye and we "have to have it".
Topaz
White topaz can be truly clean and clear. In fact, most semi-precious topaz on the gem market began life in this crystal clear form and man put his hand into the equation to add dramatic color by heating or by applying radiation or special coatings. A naturally mined topaz of color is quite unique and quite pricey. The typical sky, swiss and london blues that we see are all enhanced by man. There are some very colorful, coated specimens out there but their beauty is truly only skin deep. As for the natural, clear variety, they are less refractive than all of the above mentioned gems and really need to be kept clean to look their finest. The upside being that they are really quite affordable and, when well faceted, have a beauty of their own. While they are an 8 on the hardness scale, they tend toward being a bit brittle so don't wear your topaz when gardening or doing heavy work where physical impact is likely.
Colorless Quartz, aka Rock Crystal
The quartz family of gemstones offers affordability, durability, and much diversity! We are most familiar with the amethyst (purple) and citrine (yellow/orange) varieties of quartz but there are many other great quartz gems on the market: chalcedony, tiger's eye, smoky quartz, praisiolite, and aventurine to name just a few. Many of us remember grandma's crystal beads, usually clear quartz gemstones. Actually, the older the ornamental stone, the greater value it often carries!
Since quartz minerals are extremely widespread and occur in rather large deposits, it is relatively easy to find and produce very clean rough which translates to crystal clear gems. Most colorless varieties appear truly colorless. They have a lower refractive index than the above mentioned gems but they do have a durability that both zircon and topaz lack and we are finally seeing some very clean, clear quartz gems of very nice faceting entering the jewelry supply industry. They are not good at imitating diamonds but they do offer truly clean and clear gems with great wearability at really great price points.
THE IMPOSTERS.....
Cubic Zirconium, Cubic Zirconia, CZs
These should be crystal clear and reasonably priced as they are readily available in larger sizes in a variety of shapes. The key to their popularity is the fact that they are highly refractive although they usually display more color play than a diamond would. We have had many requests for CZs as they are the most affordable of the diamond look-alikes. It has taken quite a while for us to locate a good source for consistently fine quality CZs as many of those available in the supply chain are of inferior cutting and have a tendency to cloud. We opted to source from a high end diamond and gemstone seller as they offer Swarovski brand, precision faceted cubic zirconium at reasonable prices. These are magnificently eye clean and truly diamond faceted, offering a dazzling diamond simulant at a reasonable price. We are currently sourcing these manmade beauties in both clear and pink versions in limited shapes and sizes. Additional shapes and sizes are available upon request. Please email us for pricing and availability.
Moissanite
Much more refractive than diamonds, not entirely colorless in larger gems and more costly than most other alternative clear stones. They do sparkle nicely and I have to admit that my 1ctw stud earrings really catch the light! And, they are durable...I'd rather smash my hand against a hard surface with the Moissanite than with a diamond. We have started to incorporate these man made gemstones into our offerings realizing that many people are looking for not only a sparkling diamond substitute but also an earth friendly gem. Many enjoy the fact that their special gem came from a plant that is far more environmentally sound than a mining operation. Couple that with the fact that very many U.S. sources are offering precious metals from reclaimed/recycled metal and you have a win/win situation.
In the end, it boils down to buying what you are most comfortable with. For many of us, the down payment on a house is more important than a large diamond. There are many choices out there, don't limit yourself to a colorless gemstone if you'd rather have color! Lady Di had a sapphire and her sister-in-law a ruby! I lost my engagement diamond a long time ago and was heartbroken at both the sentimental as well as the monetary loss. My point being...don't cave in to the pressure of the mainstream media. Wear what you like, what you can afford.
When it comes to colorless gemstones, the beauty is determined by several key factors: The clarity of the gem, the color of the gem (is it really colorless or is it lightly tinted), the faceting of the stone, and the mineral's ability to reflect and refract light.
The finest diamond started life as a rough pebble that appeared translucent until someone cut away the frosted exterior to reveal the beauty captured within. In colorless or near colorless stones, we are looking for a crystal clear quality, without fogging or spots. There will always be microscopic particles, invisible to the unaided eye, what we are concerned about is the stone being clean to the naked eye.
When light encounters any object, part of the light is reflected (sent back away from the surface), part is refracted (enters into the object, is bounced around, then exits), and part is absorbed. Depending on the object, one or more of these traits will be more visible. For instance, when light hits a "shiny" metal, part of the light is absorbed, none is refracted but much is reflected, making it appear shiny.
With a diamond that is well faceted, a lot of light is reflected off of the top facets and returns to our eyes as "shine" while a lot of light is refracted (enters into the diamond) and is then bounced back out throught the top of the diamond by the bottom and side facets creating the "fire" or scintillation. A diamond is both highly reflective and refractive.
Sapphires
White or clear sapphires can occur naturally in colorless or near colorless form (white sapphires have often been heated to enhance clarity and color which is perfectly acceptable in the gemstone industry as long as it is not falsely labeled as "untreated"). Although the refractive index of a sapphire is less than that of diamonds, when properly faceted and polished sapphires provide significant amounts of both reflected and refracted light. However, the refracted light lacks the prism effect we see in the refracted light of diamonds so the shimmer is more of a white and silver sparkle rather than the prismatic fire of a fine quality diamond. While diamonds are harder than sapphires when it comes to their cutting ability, sapphires are actually more durable in that they are less brittle when subjected to physical impact. The added bonus being that sapphires are precious gemstones in their own right and, while they can be costly, they are significantly more affordable than diamonds.
We have just recently found a reliable source for fine quality, lab created clear sapphire. Finally, an affordable, durable and eco friendly alternative to mined white sapphires. Having the same visual, chemical and physical properties as natural sapphires, these precision faceted beauties are crystal clear with magnificent faceting. While they lack the color play of diamonds, they really do sparkle and shine brilliantly provided they are kept clean, and they stand up well to ultrasonic and steam cleaning. Our at home preference is one of the commercial cleaning solutions available at most department and jewelry stores provided it is labeled as safe for gemstones, sterling, and gold.
Zircon
Natural clear zircon is truly spectacular in terms of both reflected and refracted light. They have a higher level of refraction than sapphires and display more "fire". The downside being that they are extremely brittle and are not suitable for day-to-day wear, being more sutable for "light" wear. They are very pretty when properly faceted and much more cost effective than both diamonds and sapphires. In general, we do not offer these gems because they are so brittle. Occassionally, an outstanding specimen catches our eye and we "have to have it".
Topaz
White topaz can be truly clean and clear. In fact, most semi-precious topaz on the gem market began life in this crystal clear form and man put his hand into the equation to add dramatic color by heating or by applying radiation or special coatings. A naturally mined topaz of color is quite unique and quite pricey. The typical sky, swiss and london blues that we see are all enhanced by man. There are some very colorful, coated specimens out there but their beauty is truly only skin deep. As for the natural, clear variety, they are less refractive than all of the above mentioned gems and really need to be kept clean to look their finest. The upside being that they are really quite affordable and, when well faceted, have a beauty of their own. While they are an 8 on the hardness scale, they tend toward being a bit brittle so don't wear your topaz when gardening or doing heavy work where physical impact is likely.
Colorless Quartz, aka Rock Crystal
The quartz family of gemstones offers affordability, durability, and much diversity! We are most familiar with the amethyst (purple) and citrine (yellow/orange) varieties of quartz but there are many other great quartz gems on the market: chalcedony, tiger's eye, smoky quartz, praisiolite, and aventurine to name just a few. Many of us remember grandma's crystal beads, usually clear quartz gemstones. Actually, the older the ornamental stone, the greater value it often carries!
Since quartz minerals are extremely widespread and occur in rather large deposits, it is relatively easy to find and produce very clean rough which translates to crystal clear gems. Most colorless varieties appear truly colorless. They have a lower refractive index than the above mentioned gems but they do have a durability that both zircon and topaz lack and we are finally seeing some very clean, clear quartz gems of very nice faceting entering the jewelry supply industry. They are not good at imitating diamonds but they do offer truly clean and clear gems with great wearability at really great price points.
THE IMPOSTERS.....
Cubic Zirconium, Cubic Zirconia, CZs
These should be crystal clear and reasonably priced as they are readily available in larger sizes in a variety of shapes. The key to their popularity is the fact that they are highly refractive although they usually display more color play than a diamond would. We have had many requests for CZs as they are the most affordable of the diamond look-alikes. It has taken quite a while for us to locate a good source for consistently fine quality CZs as many of those available in the supply chain are of inferior cutting and have a tendency to cloud. We opted to source from a high end diamond and gemstone seller as they offer Swarovski brand, precision faceted cubic zirconium at reasonable prices. These are magnificently eye clean and truly diamond faceted, offering a dazzling diamond simulant at a reasonable price. We are currently sourcing these manmade beauties in both clear and pink versions in limited shapes and sizes. Additional shapes and sizes are available upon request. Please email us for pricing and availability.
Moissanite
Much more refractive than diamonds, not entirely colorless in larger gems and more costly than most other alternative clear stones. They do sparkle nicely and I have to admit that my 1ctw stud earrings really catch the light! And, they are durable...I'd rather smash my hand against a hard surface with the Moissanite than with a diamond. We have started to incorporate these man made gemstones into our offerings realizing that many people are looking for not only a sparkling diamond substitute but also an earth friendly gem. Many enjoy the fact that their special gem came from a plant that is far more environmentally sound than a mining operation. Couple that with the fact that very many U.S. sources are offering precious metals from reclaimed/recycled metal and you have a win/win situation.
In the end, it boils down to buying what you are most comfortable with. For many of us, the down payment on a house is more important than a large diamond. There are many choices out there, don't limit yourself to a colorless gemstone if you'd rather have color! Lady Di had a sapphire and her sister-in-law a ruby! I lost my engagement diamond a long time ago and was heartbroken at both the sentimental as well as the monetary loss. My point being...don't cave in to the pressure of the mainstream media. Wear what you like, what you can afford.