Top 6 Best Diamond Alternatives 2020

There are so many reasons why you might be considering a diamond alternative for your engagement ring, whether you’re looking for something more sustainable or simply less expensive than a mined diamond, read on to explore top 10 best diamond alternatives ranked from 1 to 6:

1. Lab Grown Diamond

Lab diamonds are not technically diamond alternatives, as they 100% are real diamonds. However worth mentioning seeing as they are by far the best alternative to natural diamonds. Lab created diamonds have all of the features we look for in a diamond: beauty sparkle & durability - for just a fraction of the cost. 

Beauty & Sparkle

Man made diamonds are without a doubt the most spectacular mined diamond alternative, seeing as they are identical to natural diamonds. This means that lab diamonds have the same brilliance, fire and scintillation as natural diamonds - giving them the ability to create exquisite displays of sparkle that cannot be mimicked by diamond stimulants. 

Durability

Like mined diamonds, lab grown diamonds rank at 10 on the mohs scale, which means they are one of the toughest materials on the earth. This makes lab created diamonds extremely hard-wearing and scratch resistant allowing them to last a lifetime & be passed on through generations as heirlooms. 

Price

Lab diamonds are the perfect attractively priced mined diamond alternative - great if you prefer choosing a bigger, better quality real diamond for your budget. Lab created diamonds are between 40-60% less expensive than mined diamonds, which means you can choose a stone which is double the size in carat weight for the same price. On average the price of a 1ct G colour, VS2 clarity lab grown diamond is around £1800(GBP), this does however vary depending on the shape & quality of the diamond. 

2. Moissanite

Moissanites are a popular diamond stimulant created from silicone carbide, a great lower budget option that looks similar to diamonds but are not real diamonds. 

Beauty & Sparkle

Moissanites make a pretty diamond replica thanks to their unique rainbow sparkle. They do have a higher refractive index than a diamond, which means they sparkle in a very different way. The moissanite exhibits flashes of colour; whereas a diamond displays a much brighter, whiter sparkle. This is one of the distinct features which makes it easy to tell the difference between a diamond and a moissanite to the naked eye. The sparkle of a moissanite will only fade over time if its surface is scratched. Some low quality moissanites can have a yellow tint, so we recommend choosing one with a high colour. 

Durability

Moissanite ranks at 9.25 on the mohs scale making it a relatively hard & durable gemstone which is suitable for everyday wear. The moissanite however is not as indestructible as a diamond as it is more likely to scratch - therefore more care should be taken when wearing one. 

Price

Moissanite is an inexpensive diamond alternative costing approximately £500 (GBP) for a 1ct gemstone, this is a great option for those who are looking for an inexpensive diamond look alike.  

3. White Sapphire

Sapphires are a beautiful natural gemstone available in an array of pretty colours. White sapphires are the most common colour of sapphire used to mimic the look of diamonds in engagement rings. However, sapphires are a precious gemstone in their own right and should be celebrated for what they are rather than trying to mimic the look of a diamond, as they do exhibit a very different look. 

Beauty & Sparkle

White sapphires have a much lower refractive index, which means they don't disperse light as effectively as diamonds and have a very different way of sparkling. White sapphires exhibit a silvery type of sparkle and and a more opaque gemstone than diamonds. It is easy to tell the difference between a white sapphire and a diamond to the naked eye, as the white sapphire does not have any scintillation in its sparkle.

Durability 

Sapphires rank at a 9 on the mohs scale making them a very durable material suitable for the every day wear of fine jewellery. That being said, sapphires are not as indestructible as diamonds so do require more care whilst wearing them.

Price 

Priced at approximately £600-£800 (GBP) for a 1ct white sapphire, these precious gemstones are a reasonably cost effective gemstone, which create very unique engagement rings. White sapphires are a good option if you are looking for a natural stone on a budget. 

4. Cubic Zirconia (CZ)

Cubic Zirconia is a colourless synthesised diamond stimulant often used in costume jewellery or fine jewellery imitations thanks to its resemblance to a diamond. 

Beauty & Sparkle

CZ’s do not have some sparkle as diamonds, as they have a high dispersion rate therefore are nowhere near as beautiful as real diamonds and are very easy to detect from the naked eye. The sparkle of a CZ lacks the brilliance, fire & scintillation that appears in a real diamond. 

Durability

Cubic zirconia are not very durable compared to diamonds, as they are a much softer material making them easier to scratch and scuff with daily wear. When cubica zirconias are damaged through general wear and tear, they can quickly become cloudy looking and lose their luster & sparkle over time.This is why we recommend replacing them every 2-3 years. 

Price

Cubic zirconia are very cheap and can be purchased for as little as £10-£20. They shouldn’t really be regarded as gemstones, but more as diamond replicas seeing as they carry little to no value. This is why CZ’s are not suitable for fine jewellery but are better used in costume jewellery or as fine jewellery replicas. 

5. White Topaz

Topaz is a natural semi-precious gemstone, which is inexpensive and comes in a beautiful array of colours. The most common topaz used to imitate diamonds is the white topaz as it is transparent in colour like a diamond. 

Beauty & Sparkle

The colourless look of a white topaz is why it is often used as a diamond replica, although it does exhibit some sparkle it does not come anywhere close to sparkling like a diamond. This makes the topaz easily distinguishable from a diamond. 

Durability

Measuring at 8 on the Mohs scale, a white topaz is a much softer gemstone than a diamond, therefore you should expect it to scratch with everyday wear, once this gemstone has been scratched & scuffed it can lose its sparkle & luster. This is why we recommend using some care when wearing a topaz.  

Price

White topaz is a very cheap gemstone, as this is the most readily available colour of topaz, they can be purchased for as little as £30 for a 1ct stone. This makes the topaz a good option for costume or dress jewellery where you prefer a larger stone for the price.

6.White Opal 

Although white opals (also known as light opals) don’t have much of a resemblance to diamonds, they are a very pretty white precious gemstone, which are occasionally used instead of diamonds in fine jewellery. Opals should be used as a gemstone in their own right - rather than thinking of it as a diamond imitation. Like diamonds, each opal is one of a kind and completely unique displaying its own combination of rainbow coloured veins & patterns which can be very beautiful to look at. 

Beauty & Sparkle

Generally, opals are opaque in colour and polished with a smooth surface, which means they don’t have the same faceted shape as a polished diamond. Therefore, opals do not sparkle as a diamond would but instead their beauty is displayed in the beautiful array of coloured patterns on their surface. 

Durability

Opals rank at around 5.5 on the mohs scale which makes them the least durable of all the diamond alternative options listed. They certainly don’t stand up to a diamond when it comes to durability. Opals should be worn with care, as they are easy to scratch with everyday wear and scratches will dull their beauty. 

Price

White opals are the most readily available form of opals and vary in price depending on a multitude of factors including, their size, colour and the rarity of their patterns. To give you an idea, a nice quality opal can start at around £400 (GBP) and can range to upwards of £2000 (GBP)

Our Thoughts

If a traditional mined diamond is not for you, there are lots of good diamond alternatives to choose from! For us, lab created diamonds really tick all of the boxes as the best natural diamond alternative, thanks to their stunning sparkle, extreme durability and attractive price. 

When choosing a diamond alternative for your engagement ring it is important to choose the right one to suit your style & budget. Let us know in the comments which diamond alternatives you prefer, which would choose for your engagement ring?

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