2.  What are Russian Jewels?

Russian Jewels are made of lab created gemstone material that initially came to fruition in Russia. While not chemically identical to a natural diamond, these stones were created to mimic the visual properties of a natural stone. Russian Jewels are of the "Hybrid" category below.

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3. Will my diamond simulant cut glass?

You will find thousands of products online with descriptions that state things like:

“They are so hard you can even scratch glass with these stones.” 

Of course they can! Glass rates under a 6 on the Mohs Hardness scale, so ANYTHING harder than a 6 will scratch glass. That encompasses every kind of diamond simulant there is including (but not limited to): YAG, GGG, Moissanite, CZ, Asha, Russian Jewels, Russian Brilliants, Russian Radiance, Diamonique, Diamonelle, etc.

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4.  What is the Mohs Scale?

The Mohs Scale of Relative Mineral Hardness

1. Talc

2. Gypsum 

3. Calcite 

4. Fluorite 

5. Apatite

6. Feldspar 

7. Quartz 

8. Topaz 

9. Corundum

10. Diamond 

The Mohs scale is strictly a relative scale, but that's all that anyone needs. In terms of absolute hardness, diamond (hardness 10) actually is 4 times harder than corundum (hardness 9) and 6 times harder than topaz or CZ (hardness 8).

There are a few handy objects that also fit in the Mohs scale. A fingernail is 2½, a penny is just under 3, a knife blade is 5½, glass is 5½, and a good steel file is 6½. 

As you can see, even a steel file can “scratch glass”. So the fact that a gemstone is harder than glass should never be used as a gauge to select your diamond alternative. Of course, the harder, the better if you are driving towards something with similar physical properties to a diamond.

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5.  What is the difference between SIMULANT, SIMULATE, SYNTHETIC and HYBRID?

Recently, the term 'simulate' became another name for a simulant. They are one and the same. The basic definition is as follows: 

A synthetic ANYTHING, will have the exact same composition as its natural counterpart, and also mimic the visual characteristics. (IE:  Synthetic Sapphire)

The chemical composition of a simulant is nothing similar to its natural counterpart however, it will have many of the same physical or visual characteristics.

A Hybrid is a combination of simulant and synthetic.  They are still considered a simulant, as they are not chemically identical to any natural material.

A HYBRID stone, though they may contain traces of SYNTHETIC, are still considered a simulant. For example, our own Russian Jewels mimic virtually ALL of the physical properties of a natural diamond, however, their chemical composition is different. What makes these stones, along with a few select others (Diamond Hybrid, Asha, Sona), a hybrid, is that they are coated with a DLC (Diamond Like Carbon) coating, assisting in the prevention of abrasions and the relatively quick clouding over of most low end simulants. (A common CZ will cloud within 5-6 months with regular wear. The “clouding” is actually tiny abrasions on the surface of the stone.) What the DLC coating does, because it IS so durable, is extends the life of the stone. We guarantee our hybrid simulants for life. We will replace it free at any time if ever you find an abrasion.

Please do not be fooled into thinking any SIMULANT gemstone is a SYNTHETIC gemstone! Synthetic diamonds ARE available (in fact, we have connections to three of the worlds top ‘secret’ sources and can get them at approximately half the price of natural, mined diamonds.

Clear, white Synthetic diamonds are in the early stages.  So far, only very small crystals have been created.  Blue, Green, Yellow and Red Synthetics are available, often up to 1 carat in size or more!

Contact us for availability on any gemstone, including simulants, synthetics, hybrids and natural stones.

Please feel free to contact us at any time at orders@enticingice.com with any of your jewelry and gemstone questions. Custom and unlisted items are also available in Gold, Platinum, Sterling Silver, Stainless Steel and more. If there is something you are looking for and don’t see it listed, let us know and we will do our best to accommodate you.

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Please don’t be fooled into believing any seller is offering you something that it is not. Far too many sellers prey on the fact that consumers are unaware that there are differences between a SYNTHETIC diamond, and a SIMULANT diamond. Both are commonly termed “lab diamond” so it can create quite a confusion.

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