7 Tips to Buying a Simulated Diamond Ring

Have you purchased a diamond simulant ring and been left disappointed?  There’s nothing worse than a simulated diamond ring that screams fake. 

In this blog we provide 7 tips for buying a simulated diamond ring that looks real and is perfect for you.

Are you ready?  Let’s get started.

Why consider a Simulated Diamond Ring?

There are few things more exciting in life than finding someone you want to spend the rest of your life with and deciding you’re ready to propose.

But before you join the other 2 million people who walk down the aisle each year in the U.S., you have to pop the question, and that typically involves the right ring. 

And diamond rings don’t come cheap.   According to The Knot’s 2023 Jewelry and Engagement Study, the average cost of an engagement ring is currently about $5,500.  If you’re deciding how much to spend on an engagement ring, there are several factors to consider.  While $5,500 is the national average cost of a ring, the spend per couple varies. The study found that nearly half of all respondents are spending between $1,000 to $4,000 on their engagement ring. In fact, 9% of ring shoppers are spending under $1,000.

Ring shoppers spending under $1000 are usually opting for a high quality diamond simulant ring.

According to the bi-annual Knot Jewelry & Engagement Study, U.S. couples report spending an average of $5,500 on the engagement ring. More than half of couples (52%) choose a round cut engagement ring

A simulated diamond ring has become more popular as technology improves the options and people consider the many other ways they can use the money they save.

Tips to Buying a Simulated Diamond Ring

Below we outline 7 tips to buying a simulated diamond ring. While buying any jewelry is an incredibly personal purchase there are some basic rules to abide by. Perhaps the first rule is the most important – do your research!

1.  Start with Simulated Diamond Ring Research

When it comes to buying a good simulated diamond ring, you need to research your options.

First, make sure that what you’re about to buy is of high quality.   Few want to wear a ring which screams fake! 

Second, since there are many online stores offering imitation diamond rings do some research and make sure that the company you’re considering is a reputable one.  Check whether the company is a member of a professional body such as a jewelry association.   This is important because membership usually binds them to a strict codes of ethics and conduct.

Third, look for customer reviews online, especially if you can find some outside of the website so they are less likely to be biased.   Some Bridal and wedding magazines evaluate and recommend fake engagement rings.  For example check out this BRIDES publication on the best fake engagement rings

Finally, make sure the company that sells the simulated diamond rings offers a product warranty and a reasonable return policy. 

2.  Find out Your Partner’s Preference

Don’t forget to find out the style of ring your partner prefers before you go shopping for rings! You can either look at her current jewelry collection to see if she tends to buy vintage-inspired pieces or if she leans more towards simple and modern. Pay careful attention to stone shapes and observe common trends across various rings.

And though it can be fun to completely surprise your partner when you propose, they might appreciate being asked what kind of style they prefer since many people have strong opinions about the kind of ring they like.

You can also ask friends or family members if they know the style that she wants the most.

If all else fails, it’s hard to go wrong with a classic solitaire ring. The solitaire ring setting remains the most popular and is the right fit for anyone wanting to evoke a powerful symbol of commitment in a simple yet elegant design.

PHOTO:  If you are not sure what style of engagement ring to buy consider a round solitaire.    Round diamonds are by far the most popular shape.   Seen above is the Lumiere ring, a 2 carat round cut simulated diamond ring from Luxuria®.

A classic solitaire ring is timeless.   But in addition to being beautiful, solitaire engagement rings also have several other benefits that will make it even easier to select one for your upcoming engagement.  Solitaires are versatile. Due to the simplicity of the look, solitaires are extremely versatile when it comes to matching a wedding band. Almost any wedding band will pair beautifully with a solitaire, so if you really want multiple options, a solitaire engagement ring is a great choice. These rings also pair well with multiple clothing styles and will match any other type of jewelry. They look great on everyone, from those with small hands to those with long fingers, and everyone in between.

A solitaire ring is timeless, and it allows women to “dress up” the ring with enhancer rings or a more ornate wedding band. Seen above is the Luxuria® LUMIERE diamond simulant ring.

3.  Understand That Simulated Diamonds Are Not Synthetic Diamonds

Simulated diamonds are created from materials that resemble the appearance of genuine diamonds. Though simulated diamonds aren’t synthetic diamonds (which are identical to real diamonds when it comes to what they are made out of), simulated diamonds have different physical and chemical properties.

The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) defines a simulant as the following, “the jewelry industry uses the term “simulant” to refer to materials that look like another gem and are used as its substitute but have very different chemical composition, crystal structure and optical and physical properties. These simulants, also known as imitations or substitutes, can be natural or man made.

There are many materials that simulated diamonds might be made from, each with their own durability, clarity, hardness, and color.    Examples of simulants commonly used in simulated diamond ring are cubic zirconia, crystal glass, white sapphire and moissanite.    Synthetic diamond is superior to these simulants are synthetic diamond is harder and visually looks identical to natural diamond.

4.  Decide Which Simulated Diamond You Prefer

When comparing the different simulated diamond options, you’ll notice that some stones look more colorless than others. There are also some that scratch more easily than others.  

No simulated diamond ring buying guide would be complete without comparing stone options.  Some of the most common stones for simulated diamonds include the following: 

Cubic Zirconia

Cubic zirconia has long been one of the most popular diamond simulants because it looks similar to diamond and comes at a very reasonable price. 

CZ stones are nearly always colorless (a perfect whiteness) and flawless in clarity (equiv. to IF or FL grade).   Indeed, its perfection that’s the most common giveaway that cubic zirconia is not a real diamond.

White Sapphires

These are popular substitutes for real diamonds.   Unlike cubic zirconia, moissanite and crystal, white sapphire is a natural simulant.  Sapphire is a member of the corundum family, a precious gemstone.   White sapphire is harder than CZ, moissanite and crystal.   On the downside, white sapphire can be less brilliant and sparkly than CZ or Moissanite.

Moissanite

Moissanite is a popular choice for a simulated diamond ring.   Today, nearly all moissanite is lab created.   Moissanite looks very similar to a genuine diamond, so much so that most people cannot tell the difference.  The advantage of moissanite is its hardness.   On the downside, Moissanite is a more fiery stone than both diamond and CZ.  This means Moissanite will produce more colorful sparkles than a similar diamond would produce.   Check out or blog on moissanite vs cubic zirconia which most resembles a diamond to learn more.

Glass

Glass or crystal is chosen as a diamond substitute because of its affordability.  If you’re on a budget, you might want to consider a glass stone instead of something more expensive. But glass is very soft compared to diamonds, so scratches can appear easily.

5.  Take Size into Consideration

When you’re looking at buying a simulated diamond ring, you might be tempted to assume that bigger is better. However, wearing a simulated diamond that is too big makes it easier for people to notice that it isn’t an actual diamond.

Since most imitations differ from diamonds in one way or another in regards to sparkle and brilliance, a larger stone can make these differences more obvious. Further cut quality is often poor on large stones so they don’t capture the fire, brilliance and scintillation of a well cut smaller stone.

Also, simulated materials scratch more easily than genuine diamonds do and scratches are much easier to spot on large stones over smaller ones.

Finally, try to match the stone size and shape to your partners fingers. An engagement ring for short fingers should help elongate your fingers – no matter their width: Oval, pear or marquise stones help lengthen the appearance of your finger. Rectangular emerald-shaped stones can lengthen short fingers, as long they aren’t so big they overwhelm.

PHOTO:  Tips to buying a simulated diamond ring – keep the stone size modest.  Large simulated diamond stones look less like natural diamond.   Its generally recommend to keep stones to 2 carat or below.   Seen above is a round cut diamond simulant ring set from Luxuria. 

Furthermore, For smaller hands or longer fingers it’s best to keep the overall proportion of your ring small.  In this case smaller round cut rings like the Luxuria® D’PROMESSO diamond simulant ring above works especially well.

6.  Don’t Forget the Setting

If saving money is your goal, a simulated diamond ring is a great option.  However, it doesn’t make a lot of sense to choose a simulated centre stone and place it in an expensive platinum setting.

Other options might include a setting made out of white gold or silver. Be aware that if you do choose yellow gold, the metal is softer and less durable than those made of fewer karats.

7.  Ask for Professional Assistance When Choosing

Even with all these tips, you might have a hard time choosing a simulated diamond ring. There are many options available to suit any style and any budget. If you’re struggling to find the perfect ring, seek professional assistance from a trusted seller who has experience selling simulated diamonds.

Browse Our Selection

Now that you know some of the things to take into consideration when looking for the perfect simulated diamond ring, take a look at the many beautiful rings we offer. 

Be sure to contact us with any questions you have about our products and we’ll be happy to assist you. 

Want to learn more?

We hope you found this blog on tips to buying a simulated diamond ring useful.    You might like to read our most recent guide on How to choose the best fake diamond ring