I think what you are doing is awesome I don't really want to perpetuate the popularity of the diamond industry either, but I still feel like every now and then I want to say mine is a diamond, just because it WOULD be nice to feel like the special girl in the room with the massive rock.

I wish I had the guts you have, or the moral fiber maybe, to admit what it really is to every single person. I hate for you, though, that your family would be judgemental about such a thing! I sort of understand a little bit though, because I was raised in a very non-materialistic home, and although my fam knows I got a moissy, they also made me tell them how much everything is going to cost us (very very open family) and they all seemed really appauled that we were willing to drop that kind of cash on a ring..

THIS!!
Even though there are plenty of us on the boards that LOVE our sims, they are still a touchy subject out there in the real world and people can be SO judgmental. I, for one, will not have anyone thinking that my FI is cheap, we're poor, or anything else because of our choice...so I don't run and tell everyone on the street that my ring is a CZ and not a diamond. However, I do NOT ever call it a 'diamond' because that is a flat out lie and will bite you in the tush someday. I fear someone I know finding these boards (or the Bee) and seeing my posts and just *knowing* what my ring really is, and if I'd lied about it I would look like a fool. I have told a few friends and family members what it is, and they were all very surprised!
99% of the world sees a sparkly white rock on someone's finger, and knowing they are engaged, assumes it's a diamond ring. I've never had anyone ask what it is, or anything like that. The only question I get is 'Where did you get it?' because none of the local jewelry stores carry anything like it (halos are not common here) and I tell them we found a great deal online...which is 100% true.
Now, if someone gets jealous because my CZ looks better / bigger / whatever than their diamond and they have to run out and upgrade and spend a fortune? Totally not my problem, and they deserve the hit to their bank account if they are that ridiculous about keeping up with the Joneses.

That is very nice of you to say but I still haven't dealt with this topic IRL so I don't know how it will go. I don't plan on advertising the fact but I don't want to be dishonest or misleading either when asked. But you're right people are very judgmental no matter what you say. I am sorry your family gave you grief about how much your fiancé spent. It hurts when those closest to us aren't supportive.

FWIW, my family has always had diamonds (including myself from my first marriage). My sister used to be a jeweler, and while we aren't 'uppity' we are generally well off in some ways, and no one could imagine NOT having a diamond engagement ring. I mentioned to my sister once how I was considering a sapphire and her head nearly spun off, LOL.
Since I got my CZ and have been very open with them about it, they love it! My sister is looking into getting a giant aquamarine and CZ ring I showed her and is thrilled at the price! I gave my mom a CZ ring to wear in silver, since her set was yellow gold, and she told me the other day she wants to 'spring' for a more expensive CZ ring and asked where she should look. I never thought they'd be supportive of it, but they're shocked at how good mine looks. I guess you just never know.

No apology is necessary as I wasn't offended. I just wanted to narrow the brush you were painting with a bit.

I am the same with my family. Oddly enough I am the white sheep but it makes little difference in the end. White sheep, black sheep...the one who chooses a different path gets labeled and scrutinized. I share very little with my family and absolutely NOTHING about our financial situation. When I saw my mom last she didn't even acknowledge my ring so I didn't have to have the conversation. That was more than fine with me!!

I have only been asked by two people:

1. A teenage girl who had never seen a ring that large in her life and it was an excited "is it real!!!?" not snarky, she then went on to ask if I was marrying into royalty which I liked

2. My sister, who knows all about Asha and how much I like it, and I think truly knows it is an Asha. But FI and I have agreed "one in, all in" so I had to lie to her, and that sucked and still does. I toy with the idea of telling her and my mum sometimes but I know it will bite me in the ass one day so I dont.

One day I am going to die and whoever inherits my stunning rings is going to be cursing my name lol.

'Nuff said.

This! ITA!

I don't try pass off any of my sims or moissy's as diamonds. My friends all know which of my stones are diamond and which are not, and if asked by a stranger I always tell. If they don't ask and just assume, well, that's okay too........

I have found that people generally think my moissy's are diamonds, and are always amazed to hear that they're not. Some people have never even heard of moissanite!!

Honestly, if you want to pass it off as a diamond, I wouldn't worry that people will know just by looking.

I love these kinds of threads. It is fun to hear the thought processes behind others' choices. (I am a big nerd. Lol)
I was given a lovely 70 pointer H&A diamond solitaire when my (now) hubby and I got enagaged 5 years ago. I didn't have much say in my ering, and it wasn't exactly a love at first site reaction. It never felt like me. I have started to love the diamond, but the setting has never grown on me, so I plan to reset it in different setting in the near term. I want this be my more modest sentimental set and I am so excited about it.
Which brings me to the amora gem! It has always been my dream to have a more unique set that feels more like "me," and I have finally figured out after years of stalking Pricescope and jewelry stores that ECs are what do that for me. I would like a larger EC stone because this will be my "dream" ring and the set that I wear more when I want to dress up (or you know, go to the grocery store in my jeans and t shirt lol). It will probably be an anniversary present a few years from now. I had always assumed it would be a diamond in this ring, bc I want a colorless stone that will go with whatever I wear and I wasn't willing to scarifice sparkle. I was even willing to pay the diamond price for a 2ct ish EC. And although I had started to hate the diamond industry for the marketing and unethical practices, I couldn't give up "the dream." But when I found th Amora gem krupps, I knew I had found my stone! So I am pretty excited that I can have both of my sets with less investment than originally planned, still get exactly what I want, and feel good about the ethics involved.
But that leads to the point of this thread. Should I tell or not? I hesitate because my original stone is a diamond and I feel like people would think I am being materialistic by upgrading to a larger size that is a "fake." Like I am not happy with what I can afford. The thing is, not that it is anyone elses business, but we could easily afford the upgrade I want in diamond by the time we are ready to purchase. I know it shouldn't bother me if other people think that, but if I am going to be honest, it does bug me a little. It reminds me of a family member of mine that wore a huge cloudy cz set for years and passed it off as real to everyone who didn't know better. It was tacky to me and the last thing I want to do is be like that!
On the other hand, I want people to know that I think for myself and don't apologize for my choices. I don't want to inadvertantly support the diamond industry by passing my amora off as a diamond, and I don't want to make my friends or family feel inadequate somehow bc they can't afford a "diamond" ring like mine. (A previous poster made some really good points about this, though. I agree that it is not my problem how my friends and family feel about their lives in comparison to mine, but I still think that letting people think my ring is a diamond would somehow perpetuate the keeping up with the joneses thing, which I hate to think of.) Plus, I don't want to have a lie hanging over my head, even if it is just an assumption that I don't correct. I would think about that every time I put the ring on, which would defeat the whole purpose of the upgrade, which is the enjoyment factor!
So I have finally come to the conclusion that I will tell anyone who seems at all questioning about the type of center stone. I will tell them it is a new stone called an Amora Gem that I found online and just fell in love with. That will probably be the end of it for most conversations, but I will happily provide more information for anyone who asks. I don't want to ring to be all about the fact that it is am amora gem, or a diamond, or whatever. I want the focus to be on how lovely it is, how much I enjoy it, and how sweet my hubby is to give me something so beautiful to celebrate our anniversary.
My last thought on the subject: Having said all of that, if I were to have my whole engagement process to do over again, I would choose a diamond alternative ering, like a sapphire. Or if I was a young gal about to get engaged, I would get a place holder for the amora gem. I say this because there is so much hoopla about a "diamond" engagement ring, and I would relish being able to proudly and unapoligetically make a different choice for myself. The whole lead by example thing comes to mind.
However, my new setting will have diamond side stones bc that is what is available in the look I want and the high end bench I plan to employ uses diamonds. So I guess that makes me a hypocrite. Lol I think I just don't like an anyone, be it an "industry" or just a judgemental person on the street, tell me what I should or shouldn't have. I just want a pretty ring that I feel good about! I am sure there are plenty of holes in my logic, but I thought it might help others to hear another person's opinion. I am still formulating all the details. Lol.