A Word About "Russian" Diamonds, CZ, Etc.

Before I get into discussing the etsy and ebay seller's items I discovered, I want to mention this:  There is a company, an honorable company, named "Russian Brilliants" that sells simulated diamonds, or CZ.  They are forthright in their product descriptions and claims!  They offer not only top-quality stones, but the finest CUT stones.  Bravo to them!  They even have a page that better outlines what I've been trying to say here.  Please take a moment and read it---about avoiding the false claims and hype.  Written by an attorney, it discusses the FTC violations regarding so-called "bonded" stones and "coated" CZ and creative marketing (at the buyer's expense).  VERY important reading!  Honesty is so refreshing! 
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I was looking at rings on etsy (I like to shop too!) and came across yet another seller who is offering so-called "created diamonds" or some sort of "Russian" stones.  They call them "Siberian Brilliant" stones which, when I googled it, seems to be a term that someone tried to trademark back in 2005 but the trademark didn't go through for one reason or another.  I found that term mentioned on a couple of discussion boards, with people who realized too late that it was just a CZ.   It seems that a "creative marketer" was selling these Siberian stones on ebay (still do) as well as on etsy (under a different seller name), and their ebay description is muddled.  What are they claiming... Is it a "created diamond"?  A CZ?  A CZ that is coated with a diamond, like an Asha stone? 

They seem to claim it's a diamond-coated or "bonded" CZ, as well as a lab-created one, and is ALSO made of other gemstones...whaaat??   Here is  description from their ebay site for a ring:

Siberian Brilliants are one of the finest Lab Created Diamond Bonded Gemstones available today, these stones are created using state of the art technology and are designed to have the exact visual properties of natural diamonds, unlike most simulates these stones are made from the exact elements found in the finest natural gemstones including diamond.

This is a problem. (And I don't just mean the grammar and spelling issues! haha)   First, a CZ is a diamond simulant, not a lab-created diamond.  I've talked about this on my blog before---a CZ is grown in a lab, but that's not a lab-created diamond, just a lab-created CZ.  Second, all CZ have the "exact visual properties of natural diamonds" so there is nothing special there.  And third, only a real diamond (mined or created) is made from PURE CARBON, which would be the elements found in the stone. It's all a confusing mish-mash of marketing buzzwords that make no sense and are there just deceive.  (And the saddest part is if you read customers' feedback, they are ridiculously misled and fooled.)

The problem is, these "Siberian" stones are NOT diamond coated.  They claim they have a Mohs hardness of "9" but that would be impossible---IF it's diamond coated, it would be 10.  Sapphire has a Mohs rating of 9.  CZ has a Mohs rating of 8.5.  Only a Moissanite has a Mohs hardness of 9.5, and they aren't claiming these are Moissanite.  These Russian stones are just CZ, and have been sold for about 8 years under the guise of having the same "elements" as a real diamond.  Their claims go beyond "creative marketing" and I don't like that. 

I found this same ebay seller's facebook page, and their description on facebook is quite different---never really implying that this is a diamond-coated stone:

All Lab Created Stones are not alike, our Siberian Brilliant line of created Diamonds by Dymonite are not common C Z , they have been designed to have the exact visual characteristics and are cut to the exact new specifications set by GIA (Gem Institute of America) and are virtually impossible for anyone to distinguish from a natural Diamond without the use of standard and state of the art electronic Gemological equipment, the fact is on one will be able to tell the difference, not your Mother, your girlfriends your sister etc.. even you will believe that this is a Natural Diamond.

CZ Rough

Okay, so here they're saying that the stones are VISUALLY the same as a diamond, and unless tested by a gemologist, will fool everyone.  So that is definitely NOT a "created diamond" at all, but simply IS a CZ.   I love how they throw in the "GIA guidelines" (but only for cut specifications!) to make themselves sound very official.   But who or what is Dymonite?  A quick google search yielded some varied results:  a hard surface cleaner, a youtube karaoke singer, lots of video gamers who use that name (I think it's a character in a game), and finally their website about these CZ stones.  Unfortunately, the website seems to have been abandoned in 2010 without any products listed. 

I've seen online sellers using the term "Russian CZ" for at least 10-15 years, as if it's somehow a better stone than other CZ.  (For awhile before that, it was "French CZ"!  Because anything French is fancy!!)  It seems that the "Russian CZ" term has faded lately because everyone has figured out that scam.  So now online sellers are offering beautiful CZ rings as "Russian" created diamonds (dropping the CZ altogether), or tried to give them a trademarked name so it sounds "official" and "fancy" and somehow "superior" to a "regular CZ."

These so-called Russian stones are just regular CZ.  And the truth is:  CZ are BEAUTIFUL.  They've taken what appears to be high quality CZ (CZ comes in various grades, just like diamonds) and set them in 14k gold settings.  I think this is a FANTASTIC alternative to real diamonds; for a lot of people, diamonds are not ethical or eco-friendly and lots of people choose not to buy a "blood diamond", or simply don't buy into the De Beers hype and price fixing.  A CZ set in sterling silver is fabulous, but sterling tarnishes and needs upkeep (cleaning).  And a CZ that is set in solid gold will last FOREVER and will always look like a flawless diamond.  It's a great alternative to a diamond!  A PERFECT ring, I think.

Fabulous CZ Rings found on HSN, for well under $200

But please, do your research.  Look at the ACTUAL diamond-coated CZ stones (Asha is a great company) in person.  Look at a top quality CZ.  Decide on a stone size and cut.  Choose a beautiful setting.  But know what you are buying!  Just because a seller online says their stone is a "lab created diamond", doesn't make it true.  In fact, if they are saying that, most likely they are trying to defraud you.  They are using buzzwords and "shell game" tactics!  They are relying on uninformed buyers who are easily swayed by their marketing tactics.   There are real lab diamonds---they are TRUE diamonds, Mohs hardness of 10, will test as a diamond because it IS a diamond inside and out---but they are just as expensive as a "mined" stone.  They are very expensive stones, although they are truly eco-friendly.

If, for ethical reasons, you want a real created diamond, look at them in person.  Visit a reputable jeweler.  Or deal directly with the producers of actual lab diamonds---Gemesis for example.  Don't buy one from anyone on ebay!!  Or anyone making such false claims on etsy, sadly.   A $300-$400 two-carat solitaire ring set in solid gold is a CZ, nothing more, and not worth anywhere near that much.   Don't fall for the big claims by some random seller online that a stone is "coated" and that makes it a diamond.  You'll buy it, and take it to a jeweler who can do a quick test and tell you that it isn't a diamond at all, but is a CZ.  Now THAT I can guarantee!