I registered on this forum for answers but there's sooooo much to read that I ended up more confused than when I started. I know I'm not the only newbie to post this request so I apologize to the vetrans...

I would prefer a "man made" diamond over a "mined" one. But I would like it to look as "real" as possible (please dont judge) My SO doesn't like the idea of giving me a "fake" and he's thinking that he needs to spend $8000 - $10000 on a ring!!!!(Apparently he's been looking in the VVS/ E-F category) I'd much rather make an ethical choice, put the $ elsewhere and STOP WAITING for him to save those pennies!

I would really love if someone could take a quick minute to guide me on where to start looking (I prefer a 1ct cushion solitare). I have no idea if I should be looking at, Asha, Moissanite, Nexus etc. I know there's differences between all of them but I'm still coming up blank on which way I should go. I've read that some loose their sparkle, while others look a blue color, some are treated, some are coated...Eeek@!

Help?

First things first:

Asha is CZ with a diamond coating.
Diamond Nexus Labs is just CZ. Plain and simple. No matter what they advertise.
WinkCZ is also CZ but with expert cutting done.
Moissanite is moissanite. It's its own gem the same way CZ is a gem.

Gemesis Labs and BTD both grow real diamonds, but they generally match the prices that mined diamonds cost, so it's not really cheaper to go the man-made route, diamond-wise...

With lots of dirt/oil, CZ and Asha can lose their sparkle, but that's what cleaners are for! : )

Moissanite is super-fiery, so if you love color, go this route. They also tend to be a little warmer in color than CZ, so if you want to pass this off as a diamond, it'd be a little easier because it doesn't look absolutely WHITE. It's also much more durable than CZ. So this will last a while, though Asha can, too, if you treat it well.

If you want perfect-diamond white, go Asha; WinkCZ also would do nicely.

Don't go for Diamond Nexus Labs. They falsely advertise and sell plain CZ. Independent tests prove this.

Hope others can chime in on this!

here is some info on your topic, welcome to the forum!

http://betterthandiamond.com/discussion/ubbthreads.php/topics/468357/2

http://betterthandiamond.com/discussion/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=479788

http://betterthandiamond.com/discussion/ubbthreads.php/topics/358000/1

In my humble opinion, I'd start with Moissanite or Asha...as those are the best out there (or wait for the Amora GEM which is different than Amora Moissanite but that'll take a while to come out). Nexus has been known to falsely advertise what it is they're selling (which is common uncoated CZ, nothing more) which is a red flag to me to stay far away! There are a few pics floating around from unhappy Diamond Nexus customers (if you search for Nexus some should pop up). I've never seen a Diamond Nexus stone IRL, but they do seem rather pricey for CZ.
Now, as for Asha and Moissanite, they are two totally different things. Moissanite is a specific gem (NOT a CZ) that is man-made, as genuine Moissanite is extremely rare. It is a beautiful stone, it has a cool history and a lot of people LOVE it and say an untrained eye won't know it's not a diamond. Some people say they are more color sensitive, and can detect some 'warmth' in Moissanite (and older stock that you will find in cheaper websites or in jewelry stores that don't regularly stock Moissanite will look yellow sometimes) and some people say that for a 1 ct size you probably won't see any color. If you're concerned, you can get an Amora Enhanced Moissanite, which helps to get rid of any color that may be there. I've seen photos of unenhanced and enhanced and both look beautiful.
Asha is a CZ that has been carbon coated in the lab process to make it look more diamond like, it's supposed to last longer than regular CZ in terms of cloudiness. It needs to be cleaned more frequently than Moissanite (I think) but some people say that it looks more like a diamond. I have never seen either, so I can't say.
If I were you, I would go to MoissaniteCo.com and AshaDiamonds.com, as they are owned by the same people, and order a loose stone of each and see what YOU like better. If I recall, you can return loose stones within a period of time with no extra fees. I hope this helps!!!

OOH I forgot to mention Wink CZ! I'm so glad others (who are way better informed) chimed in

Here's a breakdown of Asha vs. Moissanite specifics that I did in a different thread a few weeks ago. This is a run down of what I've learned from owning both and from all of the wise members on these boards.

http://betterthandiamond.com/discussion/...ASHA#Post732416

That is a good idea to order one of each and return the one you don't like. I think there are no re-stocking fees for single stones too (?)...I was considering either the pink moissanite or an Asha and was going to do that but ended up deciding on the enhanced Moissanite based on reviews and recommendations from this forum. (and looking at video ad nauseam...so sparkly!!)

If you are color sensitive I would go with an Asha. If you like a warmth in your stones than I would go with an Amora Moissanite. Moissanite have beautiful sparkly. Asha, is GORGEOUS. I am a asha girl since I am very color sensitive. I do own a enhanced Moissanite ring but I never wear it. Its to warm for me. It sparkles like crazy though!

Seeing stones in person is good, but if you order and return more than one stone there will be a small restocking fee.

This is a great thread! I am not in the market to purchase, but when I first registered I was very confused about all the types of stimulants. When I tried to research on here, I got very overwhelmed. There are some great explanations here!