While buying diamond jewelry, you'll probably see some specimens being offered at unbelievable prices. There's a good chance that at least a few of them aren't real, though. There's nothing wrong with fake diamonds, and some couples like them better, but you should never pay real diamond prices for fakes.

There are lots of different ways to fake a diamond. Many of them are beautiful gems in their own right, but if you want a diamond, don't be taken in by them. If you understand the different types of diamond look alikes, you'll learn how to spot them and when you're looking at the real deal.

Moissanite - This is a very rare mineral that looks like a diamond, but it's chemically and physically quite different. This diamond fake isn't as common as some of the others, as its rarity means that moissanite sold as itself can cost more than natural diamonds.

Cubic Zirconia - This common substitute for natural diamonds looks similar but is heavier and less costly.

Artificially Made Diamonds - These real diamonds are chemically and physically identical to natural stones, but shouldn't be sold as natural diamonds, since they were made in a lab. They're a lot cheaper than good natural diamonds.

Faceted Crystals - Cut glass is sparkly and attractive, but lower in quality and much more fragile than the real thing. These crystal stones could crack or shatter in a ring.

The four characteristics that help guide you in finding out whether a diamond is real and what quality it is are called the four Cs. These are cut, color, carat and clarity, and learning about them will help you keep from being fooled by unscrupulous jewelers.

You should only work with jewelers you trust, and whose reputation is good. They should be able to tell you in detail about your diamond and answer detailed questions.

When examining a diamond for quality, don't forget to look at the setting. These expensive gems won't be placed in a loose, crooked, or badly made setting, and if yours seems low quality, the stone probably isn't real, either.

While you're looking, see if there's damage on the stone. A diamond is a hard gem that doesn't scratch or scuff easily. It reflects light in gray or neutral tones - rainbow sparkles are for fakes.

Is the stone transparent enough? Turn loose diamonds upside down onto a piece of paper with printing on it. If you do this, you shouldn't be able to read text through the light dispersion of a real stone.

Don't be afraid to look at your diamond closely, through a jeweler's loupe or magnifying glass. Real stones are well defined and cut, with fake stones often being asymmetrical or otherwise badly made. The thin girdles of real diamonds are faceted, too, with some designed types bearing numbers in this area to identify them.

Use the fog test on suspected fakes, too. Diamonds disperse heat rapidly, meaning that if you fog the diamond with your breath, it vanishes fast. Imitation stones remain fogged for a while.

Cushion cut diamond engagement ring in the older days was named pillow cut. For this type as its name suggest, resembles that of a plump cushion or pillow. Cushion shape comes in varieties of proportions. They could either be oval, square or rectangular with rounded corners.

Cushion cuts gained popularity in the latter part of the 1800s until the early 1900s.Before the dawn of electric bulbs, cushion cut diamond ring was also referred to as candlelight diamond because it was said to be most brilliant in candlelight.

In the modern day setting, cushion cut diamond engagement rings are more symmetrical than its older contemporaries, mainly due to the advent of modern refinements and upgraded lapidary skills. Though this may be the case, couples prefer older versions of cushion cuts and still searches for this kind in the antique or vintage market.

Cushion cut diamond engagement rings work best as alternative for couples who prefer traditional, subtle designs. Cushion cut diamond engagement rings are still rare in modern rings.

Cushion cuts are best in solitaires, the kind that draw the attention to the gemstone located at the center of the ring. Many women however, prefer small accent stones incorporated in the ring.

A cushion cut diamond ring has about 60 facets; this is 20 or more facets less than the modern rings. Facet refers to the smooth, polished planes that make up a stones surface. With lesser number of facets as compared to fancy shapes and signature cuts, it exhibits lesser brilliance.

But this characteristic, precisely adds to its unique appeal that sets the cushion cut diamond ring apart from its modern contemporaries for it provides a certain depth to the diamonds, allowing a person to see through it " revealing its unpretentious beauty.

The next time you invite your partner for a romantic candlelight dinner; consider a cushion cut diamond engagement ring to go with it?

Sure we all love the glittery, gorgeous jewelry that we see celebrities wearing all the time, but how many of us can actually afford it? This is where the option of faux designer jewelry comes into play. With faux designer jewelry, you are the only one that knows it is not real, because if you find the right faux designer jewelry it looks and feels just like the real thing, only for a fraction of the price.

Where To Look

There are certainly plenty of different stores that offer faux designer jewelry, however only a few are really worth mentioning. Overstock Jewelry is one great option in particular, and here you can find faux designer jewelry that is incredibly inexpensive but not at all cheaply made or fake looking.

They offer a huge selection of famous designer inspired jewelry for women, men and children, and their jewelry is inspired by names such as Cartier, Harry Winston, Heidi Klum, David Yurman, Michelle Round Deco, Juicy Couture and Vera Wang – just to name a few.

Jewels Lovers is another great option that you have to find faux designer jewelry. They specialize in fine jewelry reproductions inspired by world famous jewelry designers. Their attention to details and commitment to quality is truly second to none, and they are always sure to focus on the details and go the extra mile in order to ensure that all their pieces are the absolute finest reproductions possible.

They are actually so confident in all of their faux designer jewelry that they offer a lifetime warranty on all of their jewelry, and so if you are ever not satisfied with any purchase you can bring it back, no questions asked and no hassle on your part.

Advantages

There are many advantages that you will gain from choosing faux designer jewelry over the real thing, of course the major advantage involves price. You will be paying half as much or even less with faux jewelry than with the real thing, and so this allows the average shopper to look and feel as trendy as those purchasing the designer goods, but for much less.

Disadvantages

There are certain disadvantages as well, namely the fact that if you do not buy quality faux designer jewelry that it will be poorly made and may even irritate or otherwise affect your skin. This is why it is so critical to learn about a company before doing business with them and also personally check out any piece of jewelry before buying it.

Today’s woman views her jewelry collection as a major fashion accessory. With faux jewels that look so much like the real deal at first glance, it’s possible to have a huge collection of costume jewelry that is suitable for the dressiest occasions and costumes. With the sophisticated technology in plastics and faux metals, you can wear jewels of the costume variety that make you look like a celebrity at a very economical price.

Organizing your jewelry boxes for fingertip access!
What this means is that most women have jewelry collections that Grandma could only dream of having in her dresser. With the plethora of jewelry in the closets of most women today, you need more jewelry boxes than might be displayed on your dresser top. You also need a better method of organizing your jewelry or you’ll undoubtedly end up with a jumble of necklaces, bracelets and earrings tangled in a mass of knots.

Fortunately, along with the technological developments in jewelry choices, you’ve got jewelry boxes which help you keep everything in order. Just like the kitchen and closet organizers, there’s now a jewelry box for every type of collection.

For your truly precious jewels, the beautiful carved wooden, crystal and pewter jewelry boxes are dresser-top worthy and keep those fine jewelry items individually nestled on little beds of velvet.

However, for the more everyday costume wear pieces, something a little simpler with an emphasis on organization and efficiency of use is a great solution. There are clear Lucite(TM) jewelry boxes which make terrific containers for different types of costume pieces. For example, there are boxes designed to hold all your bracelets, with compartments sized just for bracelets. Some have drawers which slide out and come in tiers, somewhat like those sewing supply caddies which house your sewing notions. The clear plastic allows you to view your jewelry at a glance. More about Jewelry Boxes.