|
|
|
|
|
Gold watch, diamond ring I ain't missin' a single thing And cufflinks, stick pin When I step out I'm gonna do you in. --ZZ Top, "Sharp Dressed Man"
|
Recommended eBay seller
fenix1990 stocks brand new-with-tags womens plus size clothing in the labels you want, like Jones New York and Ralph Lauren.
Prices are reasonable, though not rock-bottom, and shipping is quick.
|
Moissanite: Just as Good as Diamond or Just Another Fake?
"When you realize how closely moissanite resembles a real diamond--at a fraction of the price--it makes sense to consider this beautiful alternative," gushes an online jewelry store.
Well, perhaps. Moissanite is actually a naturally occurring mineral, discovered in 1893 by Henri Moissan. However, there is almost none of this material on earth. It wasn't until the early 1990s that gem-quality moissanite emerged from a laboratory. Moissanite manufacturers claim it has more luster and brilliance than a diamond, perhaps twice the fire, and at a hardness of 9.5 is nearly as durable as a diamond (10.0 hardness). Some jewelers cannot distinguish moissanite from diamond without a special detection tool. Perhaps given human nature, it was inevitable that some unscrupulous persons would exploit moissanite. In 2001 a jeweler in Indiana was charged with theft for switching customers' diamonds with moissanite. Charles & Colvard, the laboratory that makes most of today's moissanite, says its customers are women who are buying jewelry for themselves, while retail jewelers are going after the engagement ring trade with rings set with moissanite in traditional gold or platinum settings. All else being equal, a moissanite stone has roughly one-tenth (or less) the value of a comparably-sized and colored diamond. Should you buy a moissanite piece? That depends. If you like it for itself, why not? But if you're buying it because you hope to pass it off as a diamond, consider this: Most such attempted deceptions are eventually unmasked, when the piece is taken in for appraisal or cleaning. Will it make someone unhappy to know their "diamond" isn't? If it's an engagement ring, that's not a great way to start off a lifetime commitment. Is it? |