| Advertisements promoting diamond earrings | | | | synthetic diamonds were priced 3% lower than |
| priced as low as $9.95 often tempt the unwary | | | | the naturals. However, the real savings are in the |
| consumer. The diamond is claimed to weigh 0.25 | | | | colored synthetic diamonds, which typically cost |
| points. Following simple arithmetic, since there are | | | | about 75% - 80% less than what a natural |
| 100 points to a carat, what is being offered are | | | | colored diamond would cost.Many laboratories are |
| actually stones weighing 1/4th of one point, which | | | | also committed to creating imitation diamonds |
| is 1/400 of one carat and consequently worth | | | | that look almost real. Cubic zirconia jewelry was |
| about $2. The bottom line is, it is possible to get | | | | highly popular in the 1980s. At $5 a carat, it was |
| both expensive and inexpensive diamonds, but | | | | highly affordable and a cheap substitute. However, |
| they are all precious and hardly cheap.Most often, | | | | it loses luster over time. It is not scratch-proof |
| earrings made out of cheap diamonds are | | | | and can easily be differentiated from the natural |
| marketed by jewelers claiming to buy the | | | | stone. Contrary to this, Moisannite, an astounding |
| diamonds directly from the cutter, by passing the | | | | fake, is almost as hard as diamond and even |
| middlemen. Cheap diamond earrings do not always | | | | more brilliant. It costs about $600 a carat, ten |
| refer to the massive discount afforded by | | | | times less than a natural diamond. A trained |
| wholesale jewelers.In 2001, Gemesis, a company | | | | gemologist, however, can easily distinguish this |
| founded by General Carter Clarke, initiated the | | | | from a real diamond.Looking for diamond earrings |
| mass-production of synthetic diamonds. The | | | | at affordable prices, the general emphasis is on |
| diamond industry, headed by the De Beers | | | | the awareness of cut, color, clarity and carats, |
| company, fought against this move, asserting | | | | but the importance of purchasing from an |
| them unfit to be regarded in the same league as | | | | accredited, reputable institution cannot be |
| the natural diamonds. Since diamond detecting | | | | understated. |
| machinery could gauge the difference, the | | | | |