Are diamonds really a girl's best friend?

I always thought the best gift you could get for a girl is a diamond, but is that really the case?

With diamond prices falling by 13% in 2012, you might think now's the time to buy your loved one that diamond ring she really wanted.  Maybe you should, but first think about the less well known gemstone Moissanite.

Now before you think its like cubic zirconia, or cut glass, well its not!  For one thing, it will never degrade like zirconia does. Moissanite is far superior than the finest cubic zirconia, and in a lot of ways superior to diamond. Firstly, it has a higher sparkle than diamond and grater dispersion than its costlier rival.  It is also the second hardest gemstone, measuring 9.25 mohs to diamond's 10.  Many consider it to be a superior gem. 

Moissanite was first discovered in 1893, in a meteorite.  Unlike diamond it does not occur naturally on earth.  All moissanite gems are man made using complex laboratory processes.  

Downsides?, well its man made rather than natural, and compared to expensive diamonds, moissanite has a more rainbow sparkle, with more yellow tinges when held up to a light.

Price differences are huge.  A 1ct. Diamond ring may set you back £2000, but the equivalent in moissanite may be £500.  Also, there is no ethical implication surrounding moissanite, with diamond, you could be inadvertently funding conflict. 

So, if you are getting engaged, maybe save £1500 and put it towards a holiday for the two of you!

Ultimately, it's your choice.

--

Moissanite can be purchased online at very.co.uk and amazon, amongst others.

More info about Moissanite here:

http://www.squidoo.com/moissanitevsdiamond

http://diamondssuck.com/