Diamond Simulants: Pros and Cons
If you are considering purchasing a diamond simulant, read our list of the most popular diamond simulants and their pros and cons. All simulants can be cleaned safely with warm, soapy water, but some may react in a variety of ways to other common cleaning methods.
Synthetic Cubic Zirconia (CZ)
Material: Synthetic Zirconia (CZ) Laboratory-made Mohs Hardness: 8.5
Care and Cleaning: Ultrasonic: Safe Steam: Safe
Advantage：
CZ is very affordable. With a hardness of 8.5, it is usually colorless and has no flaws. It has slightly more fire than diamond.
Shortcoming：
CZ scratches more easily than diamonds and is not as bright. Some people think its rich, sparkling color looks "artificial." Colorless CZ may turn yellow over time.
Synthetic Moissanite
Material: Synthetic Moissanite Laboratory Made Mohs Hardness: 9.25
Care and Cleaning: Ultrasonic: Safe Steam: Safe
Advantage：
It is the hardest of all diamond simulants and has twice the fire of diamond. It can also be colorless or nearly colorless with extremely high clarity. It is less likely to absorb oils and grease than diamond.
Shortcoming：
Doubly refracted, so from certain angles it may appear slightly hazy due to double images of the back facets. At larger sizes, it may appear “artificial” due to its extreme fire, thus revealing it to be a simulant, not a diamond.
Zircon
Material: Zircon Natural Mohs Hardness: 6 to 7.5
Care and Cleaning: Ultrasonic: Not recommended Steam: Not recommended
Advantage：
A natural gemstone, it is the oldest mineral on earth. Its fire is similar to that of diamond.
Shortcoming：
Zircon is not very hard or durable. It can be very fragile and should be worn with extreme caution as a ring stone. It is a doubly refractive stone and when you look inside a zircon you will see double images of its facets. This can make it appear blurry.
Sapphire, colorless
Natural Sapphire, colorless Natural or synthetic Mohs hardness: 9
Care and Cleaning: Ultrasonic: Generally safe Steam: Generally safe
Advantage：
Colorless sapphires are not only hard but also tough, making them very durable as ring stones. If you want a natural stone, natural colorless sapphires are relatively affordable.
Shortcoming：
Colorless sapphires are not as bright and sparkling as diamonds and require frequent cleaning to keep them looking their best. True colorless natural sapphires are very rare. Most colorless sapphires are usually nearly colorless.
Synthetic rutile
Material: Synthetic Rutile Laboratory-created Mohs Hardness: 6 to 6.5
Care and cleaning: Do not use ultrasonic or steam cleaning devices
Advantage：
Synthetic rutile is brighter than diamond and has more than seven times the fire of diamond.
Shortcoming：
Synthetic rutile has a low hardness and is therefore fairly easy to scratch, usually with rounded facet connections. It is a double-refractive gemstone, with double images of its facets visible, making the interior of the gemstone appear blurry. Synthetic rutile is usually pale yellow, and its "psychedelic" intense fire easily exposes the fact that it is not a diamond.
Gadolinium Gallium Garnet (GGG)
Material: Gadolinium Gallium Garnet (GGG) Laboratory-made Mohs Hardness: 6.5
Care and Cleaning: Ultrasonic: Generally safe Steam: Generally safe
Advantage：
GdG garnet has a fire similar to diamond. It is usually colorless.
Shortcoming：
GdGG has a low hardness, so it scratches fairly easily and is usually found with rounded facets. It is about twice as dense as diamond, so it is smaller than diamond of the same carat weight. It is no longer commonly used as a diamond simulant and is usually only found in vintage jewelry.
Yttrium Aluminum Garnet (YAG)
Material: Yttrium Aluminum Garnet (YAG) Laboratory-made Mohs Hardness: 8.5
Care and Cleaning: Ultrasonic: Safe Steam: Safe
Advantage：
Yttrium aluminum garnet is not only hard but also has high clarity.
Shortcoming：
They lack the obvious fire and brilliance of diamond. They are no longer commonly used as diamond simulants and are usually only found in vintage jewelry.
