- Blog
- Bios
- Boards
- Classifieds
- DIY
- Gallery
- Vendor Reviews
- Shop Weddingbee
Weddingbee boards
I just posted mine on another bee's post, but I'm a big advocate for Asha. I am in love with my stone..it's absolutely perfect. In person, it sparkles and is perfect because it is lab made.
Here's a picture with my band (i need to get better at taking pictures of it..):
Diamond
Pros: The hardest of all the options, very durable, very sparkly/firey/brilliant, carries the most social prestige
Cons: Usually carries the biggest pricetag too, may have been used to fund wars, not environmentally friendly
Lab-Created Diamond
Pros: Environmentally friendly, no chance of being a conflict diamond, is actually still a "real" diamond with same physical properties and prestige
Cons: Unless it's yellow or blue, probably costs just as much if not more than a natural diamond
Diamond Simulant (Cubic Zirconia)
Pros: Inexpensive, environmentally friendly, quality of simulants is improving (Ashas are really gorgeous and should probably be put in their own category)
Cons: Unless it has a special coating (ex. Asha) it's likely to get scratched and cloudy in a short time, physical properties do not match that of a diamond very closely so people can usually tell it's a CZ, there are LOTS of scammers marketing plain CZs as lab-created diamonds or specially treated CZs so you have to be cautious, low prestige
Moissanite (Lab-Created Moissanite)
Pros: Relatively inexpensive, more durable and more sparkly/firey/brilliant than a diamond, environmentally friendly (naturally occurring moissanite is not found in large enough quantities to make jewelry, so all of it is lab-created)
Cons: Certain cuts and larger sizes may show a yellow or green tint (especially in older stock), availability in brick and mortar stores is limited, some jewelers refuse to work with it, low prestige
White Sapphire
Pros: Quite hard and durable, less expensive than diamond
Cons: Not sparkly/firey the way a diamond or moissanite is (might be a pro for some people's tastes)
That's all I got for now. I hope that helps. I admit that I don't know much about white sapphire, except that it's sooooo pretty. Personally, I went with moissanite and am thrilled with my choice! I don't have any real life pics of my ring on this computer, but you'll see it if you do a search of my name and moissanite.
@jayce: you should just keep that response on file and post it on every thread like this!!
@mrand2008: I have a blue sapphire that I just posted on your other thread. I love it!! You can't go wrong with any choice, it's all personal preference! Good Luck!
@peaches1038: Thanks! But someone needs to school me on sapphires. I nominate you!
I think this is great information but have to add that I think it's hard to always tell a CZ from a real diamond. I went to my jewelers today (to get a ring resized) and asked him about this and he said it's hard to tell unless you test the stone, and of course keep in clean. But regardless, he said it is very hard to tell. He's been a jeweler for 30 years and is an expert on diamonds and only sells the best.
Just a thought for those of you considering a CZ. I have heard great things about Asha but just seems a bit pricey for me. I have a CZ in 14k white gold and a diamond solitaire in about the same size and even I can't tell the difference.
I'd go for a moissanite! I love my ruby engagement ring but my sweety is going to get me a sparkly moissy for our 5 year wedding anniversary and I'm realllllllllly excited. He actually gave me a diamond ring yesterday for valentines (because he thought my engagement ring wasn't nice enough, but a) I know he can't really afford a diamond ring, and b)i don't care if my engagement ring was only $200, i love it!
I told him to return the diamond ring and to surprise me with a moissanite in 5 years when we might be able to afford it!
What I'm trying to say is... I like moissanite better than diamonds (especially if you're on a budget)!
I went with Moissanite..absolutely love it and got the ring of my dreams for waaaaay less than a diamond...
I got an antique diamond (almost 200 years old!) so it's cut differently than modern diamonds and sparkles differently because of the old cut.
Personally I think you really need to look at them up close and in real life to decide what you want.
Good luck!
I have CZ, no one can tell. My jeweler said it's not worth the extra money to buy an Asha.
If a diamond weren't a possibility for me, i would probably go for a gemstone, i think it's so pretty when women have a colored stone surrounded by little diamonds.
Well my e-ring is all CZ in a silver setting... He wanted to get me an Asha and palladium setting (I can't wear white gold, I have severe nickel allergies) but I wanted him to put the money back for something that would benefit us. And I said we can always upgrade. I don't ask for much :)
But otherwise I would have definitely gone with an Asha otherwise... The Mira Moissanite is looking really damn good, but I'd rather wait for that to come out in more shapes, and use an Asha in the mean time if your budget would cover it!
You must log in to post.
| Visit our sister sites | eHarmony Online Dating |
eHarmony Advice Dating Advice |
Project Wedding Wedding Songs |
JustMommies Pregnancy Calendar |
Create the honeymoon of your dreams.
| User | Posts Today |
|---|---|
| Rojocameo | 16 |
| Rivendeler | 15 |
| Suikerbossie | 9 |
| ellisrobertson | 9 |
| kat2014 | 8 |
| Future Mrs K | 8 |
| lionskitty | 8 |
| couawilou | 7 |
| keranos | 7 |
| fivemonthsnotice | 7 |
| User | Posts Today |
|---|---|
| helena31 | 4 |
| Anardana | 4 |
| Mrs.danish | 3 |
| lionskitty | 3 |
| komatsu | 3 |
| NehaPrasad92 | 2 |
| RedGirl81 | 2 |
 BrittanyE |
2 |
| MrsOliveBird | 1 |
| couawilou | 1 |
I recently stated looking for an engagement ring...and I was preeetty blown away by all the different choices/kinds. I have seen diamonds, moissanite, white sapphire, lab-created daimonds, simulated diamonds, and a few others. Do any of the other Bees have any rings I could see pictures of to compare? Or maybe some stories to share to help me decide which kind of stone I should choose?
Thanks ladies!