Composite diamonds are all the rage as engagement rings, and it’s easy to tell why. They easily garner attention with their superlative shine, brilliance, and luxurious design. If you’re considering buying a composite ring for your loved one, there’s a lot you should know about rings with such diamonds to be able to make the right decision. With that said, here’s everything you must know about composite diamonds before making the purchase.
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Composite Diamond Overview
A composite diamond is a group of smaller diamonds put together, which creates an impression of a large diamond. To achieve this, diamonds are placed extremely close to each other, which makes them look like one big stone. This helps enhance the brilliance of the ring. While even two or three diamonds are fused together to achieve an outcome of this kind (called doublet and triplet respectively), composite diamond rings are a preferred choice as they boast multiple small diamonds. While solitaire rings are a more conventional choice, it is easy to spot celebrities rocking composite engagement rings, which look exquisite and brilliant.
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Are Composite Diamonds Real?
Composite diamonds can be both real and simulated based on the diamonds used. Some common simulants include cubic zirconia, moissanite, and lab-created diamonds. While you can opt for a ring that features only natural diamonds, you will also find a combination of natural and lab-created diamonds to make composite diamond rings more affordable. However, it is more common to use either only natural or only lab-created diamonds in a ring.
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Advantages of Composite Diamonds
Composite diamonds offer a host of advantages compared to more traditional diamonds that feature bezels and prongs. If you’re trying to decide whether a composite diamond is for you, it will help to take a look at the following advantages of composite diamonds.
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Affordable
One of the primary advantages of picking a ring with composite diamonds rather than a solitaire is that they’re a more affordable option. One of the characteristics of diamonds that decide how expensive they can be is the carat weight. As the carat weight of diamonds increases, it accounts for a disproportionate increase in the price of diamonds. A good example of this is that a two-carat diamond can easily cost four to five times more than a one-carat diamond, unlike the common notion that it would cost twice as much as a one-carat diamond. Therefore, if budget is a constraint when buying a ring, you can consider a composite diamond ring.
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The appearance of Single Diamond
Composite diamond rings are the best of both worlds. They are more affordable than one big diamond-studded ring, however, they can conveniently mimic the appearance of a solitaire diamond depending on their make. When you look at a composite diamond from a distance, you can’t easily tell if it is a single diamond or a cluster of mini diamonds placed close to each other.
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Wide Variety of Designs
Since composite diamonds have multiple small diamonds, you can have countless designs in composite diamond rings based on how these small diamonds are arranged. While that’s about the design itself, you can also easily find a good variety in the color of the ring. From floral patterns, square-shaped, round-cut diamonds, and a range of patterns on the bands as well. Some common colors that composite diamonds are easily available in are yellow, rose, green, and purple.
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Casual Style
If you’re looking for a more contemporary piece of jewelry, composite diamond rings are considered more casual and modern that their conventional counterparts. However, what differentiates them from the rest is their versatility. If you already have a solitaire ring and are considering investing in another ring and getting rid of your solitaire ring, you don’t have to take that road. You can simply modify how your solitaire ring looks by throwing in some small diamonds in a different color, which will add to the beauty of your solitaire ring.
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Disadvantages of Composite Diamonds
While composite diamonds have a fair share of advantages, they, like any piece of jewelry also come with some disadvantages. When you’re making a buying decision, it is important that you consider all aspects of a composite diamond ring— both positives and negatives. With that said, here are some disadvantages associated with composite diamond rings.
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Future Repair Costs
Composite diamonds can prove to be high maintenance as they demand regular cleaning and several repairs throughout their lifetime. People generally like to get their diamond rings cleaned from time to time. However, considering composite diamond rings have multiple small diamonds, it costs significantly more to get them cleaned.
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Complicated Maintenance
With several diamonds closely stacked to each other, cleaning each and every diamond can be quite a complicated process. Additionally, a single diamond doesn’t collect dust and dirt as quickly as a composite ring diamond. With a series of tiny gaps between each diamond, any amount of dirt collecting between the spaces can affect the shine and brilliance of the ring. This also makes maintenance a necessity rather than an option.
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Lack of Certifications
Certification gives buyers the confidence that the jewelry they intend to invest in is of good quality. However, sellers need to pay a certain price to get certificates for different pieces of jewelry. Most sellers would not want to get a certificate for diamonds that are less than a carat. In terms of composite diamonds, there’s no single diamond that weighs over a carat, and their small size is reason enough to not go for certification of composite diamond rings. The challenge with this is that it makes it difficult for buyers to determine the color, cut, and overall quality of these diamonds.
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Won’t Retain Their Value
No matter how big your ring is and how many natural diamonds make up a cluster in a composite diamond ring, it is not the kind of jewelry you would want to pick if you plan to invest. Composite diamonds don’t generally get you even the same amount of money that you give for them. And smaller diamonds don’t have market value when sold separately.
That was all about composite diamonds and their pros and cons for those who plan to make a purchase. Composite diamond rings make for an amazing choice when you’re shopping for an engagement ring on a budget; however, you do not wish to compromise on the grandeur of the ring. Given how engagement is a special, once-in-a-lifetime occasion, buying a composite diamond ring that displays sheer brilliance can be a great way to adorn your loved one’s finger with a huge diamond that’s easy on your pocket.
