When it comes to engagement rings, the traditional diamond has long been considered the gold standard. However, modern couples are increasingly exploring budget-friendly diamond alternatives that offer exceptional beauty, durability, and ethical peace of mind. If you're searching for the closest alternative to diamond for your engagement ring, you're in excellent company – and you have more stunning options than ever before.
Why Are People Moving Away from Diamonds
1. High Cost
Diamonds are notoriously expensive - often the most costly part of a wedding or engagement. For many, that expense just doesn’t align with their current priorities. Also, they typically lose 50% of their value the moment you purchase them, making them a poor financial investment.
2. Ethical Concerns
The diamond industry has a complex history involving conflict diamonds, unethical mining practices and exploitation of workers in mining regions. These ethical issues have led many consumers to seek more responsible alternatives.
3.Environmental Impact
Diamond mining requires moving approximately 1,750 tons of earth to produce a single one-carat diamond. This process causes significant environmental damage, including habitat destruction and water pollution.
4. Changing Tastes
Modern couples are prioritising individuality, practicality and value. They’re choosing rings that reflect who they are, not just what tradition dictates. That’s why more people are turning to great alternatives to mined diamonds and realising they don’t have to compromise on sparkle, quality, or significance.
The Best All-Around Diamond Alternatives
1. Cubic Zirconia (CZ)
Cubic zirconia has come a long way in recent years. Today’s high-grade CZ is virtually indistinguishable from diamonds to the untrained eye, making it one of the best all-around diamond alternatives for style, affordability and sparkle.
Pros of Cubic Zirconia:
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Affordable:
A fraction of the cost of diamonds.
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So sparkly:
Unlike natural diamonds, high-grade cubic zirconia is created without inclusions or flaws, resulting in perfect clarity every time.
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Ethical:
100% lab-created—no mining required.
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Durable:
Scoring 8.5 on the Mohs hardness scale, cubic zirconia is durable enough for everyday wear, ranking just 1.5 points below diamonds.
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Flawless:
Unlike natural diamonds, which inevitably contain inclusions and imperfections, cubic zirconia is created with perfect clarity. This means your engagement ring will have a flawless appearance that surpasses most natural diamonds.
2. Moissanite
Moissanite is another popular lab made stone for engagement rings. It’s slightly more expensive than CZ but offers incredible brilliance and sparkle.
3. White Sapphire
This natural stone is a good choice for those who prefer a gem with subtle sparkle. It's more durable than CZ but doesn’t have the same brilliance.
4. Lab-Created Diamonds
For purists who still want a diamond but not the price or ethical baggage, lab-created diamonds are an excellent compromise. They’re chemically identical to mined diamonds, just made in a lab.
Objkts: Pioneering Excellence in Diamond Alternatives
When it comes to exceptional cubic zirconia engagement rings, Objkts has established itself as a leader in the field. OBJKTS Jewelry specialises in stunning Cubic Zirconia jewellery, a lab-grown and ethical alternative to diamonds, offering women's engagement rings that rival traditional diamond jewelry in beauty and sophistication.
The Ultimate Sparkle Test
The difference is in the price tag, not the shine.
What Sets Objkts Apart
High-Grade Materials: OBJKTS prides itself on only using high-grade cubic zirconia "that mimic the typical luster and shine of real diamonds [with stones that are] almost indistinguishable [...] whilst being sustainable and a fraction of the cost."
Advanced Cutting Techniques: Crushed ice is a cutting style used for both real diamonds and cubic zirconia. This style produces lots of tiny facets on our cubic zirconia stones, each of which reflects light even in the dimmest settings. The result is a glittering stone that sparkles endlessly – just like a real diamond.
Versatile Design Options: Similarly to diamonds, it can be cut in a dazzling variety of shapes, from pear to cushion and beyond, ensuring every couple can find their perfect style.
Quality Assurance: Objkts uses hand-carved, 5A cubic zirconia for their premium collection, representing the highest grade available in the market.
Objkts Jewelry Are Pioneers Of The Alternative Engagement Rings
Objkts understand that engagement rings aren't just jewellery – they're symbols of love and commitment. Objkts are leading a smart luxury revolution, proving that you don't have to compromise on beauty, quality, or meaning when choosing affordable diamond alternatives. Your love story deserves a ring as unique and beautiful as your relationship.
With today's exceptional diamond alternatives, you can have the engagement ring of your dreams without the ethical concerns, environmental impact, or financial stress of traditional diamonds. The future of engagement rings is here, and it's more brilliant than ever.
Why OBJKTS Jewelry?
OBJKTS Jewelry has been selling timeless engagement style rings since 2019 to over 200,000 global customers. Our collection of rings and bands have been used as travel dupes, in weddings, as replacements for lost or outgrown rings, placeholders, and even skydive proposals! With over 60+ options with designs from classic solitaries to vintage inspired, there’s something for everyone.
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FAQ
The stones in our Stopgap rings are made with high quality, 3A-5A Cubic Zirconia, while the metals for the band include 925 Sterling Silver, 14K Gold or Rhodium Plated and Gold Vermeil (coated with 8x thicker gold plating than our other travel rings).
This one is completely up to personal preference – but if you have an idea of their dream ring, we’re more than happy to help you find a match.
If you’re not sure, you can take some inspiration from our bestselling rings here.
Either way, send us an email on email@objktsjewelry.com or message us on Instagram with a brief description or reference image of the desired style and we’ll take it from there!
Yes! We also have a collection of timeless wedding bands from a classic round band, to more playful silhouettes, in case you’re looking to placehold, protect or symbolise your love with them too.
Only a skilled gemologist would really be able to tell a natural diamond from a simulant with the naked eye – so we’re confident that our rings will look just as luxurious as the real thing on whoever wears them! (We’ve had many customer reviews commenting on the intense sparkle and indistinguishability of our rings from their mined counterpart).
All of our rings come with a 1 year warranty – read the T&Cs here.
For order related queries, have a look at our main FAQ page here