Selecting your wedding and engagement rings are two decisions that require a lot of time and thought. Given that you may end up wearing these pieces of jewellery every day for the rest of your life, you need them to suit your tastes and preferences to a tee. This means that choosing the sort of stone you want to feature in your ring is not something you ought to take lightly. With most jewellers likely to offer you two options to pick between – zirconium and natural diamond – you need to know the differences between them. What you might also be interested in noting is that there’s now a third option on the table – one that offers new and exciting possibilities as well as some considerable financial savings…
Zirconium | Zirconium is a material that’s traditionally been used in both wedding and engagement rings. A beautiful, colourless stone that resembles a diamond to the inexperienced eye, its use is widespread, but it does have some drawbacks. While less expensive than certain other gemstones, it is not overly hardwearing and can lose its sparkle over time, while also being prone to scratches and damage. This is far from ideal when used in wedding and/or engagement rings, as the majority of women wear these daily and thus require them to be long-lasting and durable. As a result, replacement stones are often necessary, which can mean that costs mount over time.
Natural diamond | Another material that’s used in wedding and engagement jewellery is natural diamond, and this is usually considered to be the superior option. Coming with a hardness rating of 10, this type of stone is incredibly robust, often lasting for generations with almost no visible wear and tear. However, because of its premium qualities, in terms of cut, colour, and purity, diamonds do tend to be significantly more expensive than zirconium, pricing them out of some people’s budgets. Unfortunately, they do not hold this value for long, meaning that by the time you’ve left the jewellery store, your diamond is likely to have lost around 50 percent of its original value – no matter how high this might be.
Sirius gem | Given the issues with zirconium and the often prohibitive price of diamonds, many have wondered whether there is a third option, and the answer is ‘yes’. While still little known at this time, the Sirius gem is inexpensive, long lasting, and robust, having all of the beauty of a diamond without its price tag. With a hardness rating of 9.25, it is far less likely to become scratched or damaged than zirconium, while nonetheless possessing the exceptional sparkle and brilliance of traditional diamond rings. The result is an attractive stone that offers lots of beautiful design possibilities without breaking the bank. When it comes to choosing the perfect wedding ring, you have a big decision to make – one that should not be taken lightly. That’s why it’s important to consider all of your possibilities, so that no matter which type of stone you opt for, you know for certain that you’ll be happy to wear it for the rest of your days.
Sirius gem vs. natural diamond comparing video: