Pictured: Amara Teardrop Pavé Gold Vermeil Huggies
What Are Crystals?
Let's start with crystals because we use them in almost everything!
So, crystals are all about how they form. If you were to take one under a microscope and take a look, you’d see a repeating pattern that makes up the crystal. Like snowflakes, these patterns are unique and are what gives them their beautiful shapes.
Pictured Bottom to Top: Graduated Round Cut Tennis Necklace, Round Cut Tennis Necklace, Crystal Rainfall Open Hoops, Emily Pavé Moissanite Gold Vermeil Huggies, Pip Single Carat Gold Vermeil Ovals Studs
What Are Gemstones?
Gemstones are pieces of naturally occurring stones (precious/semiprecious) or minerals that are being used in jewelry or even decor. They've been cut, shaped, and polished to make the beautiful pieces we buy!
In a Nut Shell... any crystal that's been used for jewelry would be considered a gemstone!
This is where things can get a little tricky. Not all crystals are gemstones but most gemstones are a form of crystal (with a few exceptions).
Pictured: Mini Cuffs Collection
Let's talk about a few of those:
Examples of crystals that are also commonly gemstones: Rose Quartz, Amethysts, and Diamonds all have that repeating crystal pattern for their structure AND are commonly used in jewelry making them both crystals and gemstones.
Examples of crystals that aren’t gemstones: Sugar and salt are made up of those special repeating patterns but we aren’t trying to polish them for jewelry like you would a gemstone.
Examples of gemstones that aren’t crystals: Amber, and opals! Anything that doesn’t have those repeating patterns won’t be a crystal but it can still be a beautiful stone for jewelry.
Pictured: Silver and Cream Crystals on Ivory Wrap
What about lab made products?
They are also considered gemstones and crystals! Good quality lab made gemstones and crystals are still made with the same materials as they would have been formed with in nature. Kind of like baking a cake, labs take all the separate components and make these beautiful products in a controlled environment.
Lab made gemstones and crystals are produced quicker than it in nature and because they work with the components, it typically requires less mining to retrieve the raw materials than it would for a fully formed stone or crystals. This makes lab products cheaper and typically more sustainable than their naturally produced counterpart.
Pictured: Forever Collection Rings
There are still imitation gemstones out there!
Depending on what you’re looking for, you’ll still want to keep an eye out for imitation/simulated gemstones. Imitation or simulated are products created in a lab that only look like the original but likely won’t be made with the same materials as a real one.
Imitation gems do have their time and place
There are definitely occasions where imitations are totally normal and used transparently to still achieve a certain look! For example, Moissanites can be used to simulate the look of a diamond. Many people seek out this gem for its affordability, size, and comparable sparkle! The important part is that many KNOW they are buying a Moissanite for this purpose, and not because they believe it’s an actual diamond.
If you’re looking for the real deal for anything from say a diamond to an emerald to an amethyst, if the price looks too good to be true, it’s probably an imitation only made to look like the real thing.
Pictured: Gold Earrings
Affordable Alternatives
We’re all about (transparently) providing top-tier, affordable alternatives to some of the more expensive options out there. We don’t judge and most importantly, we don’t need super expensive things, but we do need nice things.
That’s why we’ve brought in gemstones like Moissanite and Cubic Zirconia for our pieces. You deserve to have high-quality sparkle without breaking the bank.
But what are Moissanites and Cubic Zirconia?
Both Moissanites and Cubic Zirconia are crystals that can occur naturally but are extremely rare. Like in the case of Moissanites, from a meteoroid rare! So today they’re manufactured in labs so we can still enjoy all their beautiful benefits in jewelry.
Pictured Left to Right: Together Gold Vermeil Pavé Double Ring, Alison Moissanite Gold Vermeil Eternity Ring, Knotted Moissanite Pavé Ring, Atmosphere Ring
About Cubic Zirconia
Did you know Cubic Zirconia was a competitor for diamonds? Also known as CZ, Cubic Zirconia was the go-to dupe for diamonds before they started creating lab-made diamonds and Moissanites. The gemstone is colorless and reflects light beautifully creating a rainbow of colors. CZ is fairly durable but can be prone to scratches or marks, especially if you work with your hands or are known to be rough with your jewelry. On the bright side, unlike diamonds that always have some form of natural imperfections, Cubic Zirconia gemstones are produced without any inclusions or imperfections for some flawless sparkle.
About Moissanite
Moissanites are currently the biggest competitor for diamonds on the market (other than lab grown diamonds). They’re the closest gemstone to diamonds in both hardness, brilliance, and fire! Moissanites are also lighter than diamonds so to achieve 1 carat in weight, you’ll get a larger stone than you would with a diamond. Perfect for those who love larger rings or lots of sparkle but aren’t looking to break the bank. Looking to learn more about Moissanites? Check out this page for more details -> About Moissanites
Pictured: Sierra Round Cut Moissanite Gold Vermeil Ring with Halo
Loving the sound of these gorgeous gemstones and crystals? Check out what we've got! We love using both natural and lab made products to bring the most variety, the most affordable prices, and of course, the most sparkle:
Emerald Rainfall 
Knotted Moissanite 
Gisselle Crystal 
Sierra 
Mallory 
Lev 
1 comment
Do you use genuine stones/crystals in your cuffs?
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