The "Diamond Aura" scam (cut, color, product, tone)

[Clark Park]

I was reading my Smithsonian magazine this morning and there was a big full page color ad from a company called Stauer selling jewelry containing a jewel called DiamondAura.

It peaked my interest because I am a gemologist, a graduate of the Gemological Institute of America, and worked for nearly 40 years in the fine jewelry business.

To be fair, Stauer never claims the product they are selling are real - genuine - natural - authentic mined diamonds. Instead they go on and on about how close it is to the the real thing ... "it even cuts glass like a mined diamond" (big deal, most everything cuts glass - quartz, iron, nickel, garnet, etc. What doesn't cut glass? ... wood, soap, your fingernail ... )

What Stauer does NOT state in their ad is that "DiamondAura" is nothing more than Cublic Zirconia ("CZ"), a man-made zirconium-dioxide that makes a pretty good inexpensive substitute for diamond. The ad in the magazine was basically for a sterling silver lady's ring with a CZ in it.

I have nothing against CZ. I understand the point of view to the millions of people who are opposed to spending a fortune on real diamonds. I am not, and will not, be a defender of diamonds nor do I advocate buying diamonds ... that is up to you.

My beef is this: why doesn't Stauer just come out and say they are selling CZ?

Here is the reason: because the silver ring with the CZ in it they are selling costs $100. A silver ring with a CZ in it usually costs $5 - $10 wholesale, or about $20 - $40 retail.

So, instead, they are implying that they are selling some sort of superior diamond substitute - could they be trying to deceive the public in suggesting it is a synthetic diamond (which it is not, because synthetic diamonds are actually real diamonds [pure crystalized carbon] but just created in a lab and not mined from the ground)? Unfortunately, synthetic diamonds are not easy to buy, and they cost almost as much as natural mined diamonds.

[Bulldogdad]

Yup, sucker born every minute.

[Pitt Chick]

Originally Posted by Clark Park

My beef is this: why doesn't Stauer just come out and say they are selling CZ?

Name brands matter.

[Tallysmom]

Clark -- I'm not sure, but I would bet that it's because cubic zirconia is a generic term, so there is little "cachet" in the name. All the fake diamond stuff out there has exotic sounding names -- Diamonique, Diamond Nexus, Asha Diamond.... very probably because that way they can copywrite the designs.

But nothing beats a real good diamond.....

[snshn1]

Thank you for the information given about Diamond Aura it was very helpful to me, and also the information about Stauer because that is the site that I was considering shopping from since it sounded so good. I may very well still get something just not what I had planned to. My question is what information do you have about the Tanzanite that they are pushing so hard to sell? Is it the same situation as the Diamondaura?
Thanks

[Clark Park]

Originally Posted by snshn1

Thank you for the information given about Diamond Aura it was very helpful to me, and also the information about Stauer because that is the site that I was considering shopping from since it sounded so good. I may very well still get something just not what I had planned to. My question is what information do you have about the Tanzanite that they are pushing so hard to sell? Is it the same situation as the Diamondaura?
Thanks

Hi!

Tanzanite is a real (genuine, natural, and authentic) mined gemstone. The gemological name is blue zoisite, but it is named after the country it was first discovered in, Tanzania.

I do not know what Stauer is selling, but I assume it's the real thing ... but read the ad very carefully.

The problem with Tanzanite is that it comes in many qualities, and I noticed on QVC and Home Shopping programs on TV that they are often selling pale, pastel lavender colored tanzanites - which are more common and not that valuable. Good quality tanzanite should look like the best quality sapphire, a rich blue with a hint of purple ... almost like a cross between a sapphire and an amethyst, but the blue should predominate over the purple. The color should be deep and intense, not washed out.

Let us know what you decide to do!

[sophialee]

Tanzanite is also pretty soft, I wouldn't wear it as an everyday ring. Fine for earrings and such.

[DoodlebugsMama]

I have a tanzanite ring I was given over 10 years ago. I was not told at that time that it was a soft stone & wore it often. I recently took it to have all the settings checked to be sure they were secure, and was told that "one more significant knock" & the stone might break in half. I was devastated, as this is a very special ring I had hoped to pass on. Is there any kind of treatment, resin coating or such, that could be used to strengthen & protect the stone? (I'm guess not, but hoping new technology is out there to help). I appreciate your assistance!

[d from birmingham]

Originally Posted by DoodlebugsMama

I have a tanzanite ring I was given over 10 years ago. I was not told at that time that it was a soft stone & wore it often. I recently took it to have all the settings checked to be sure they were secure, and was told that "one more significant knock" & the stone might break in half. I was devastated, as this is a very special ring I had hoped to pass on. Is there any kind of treatment, resin coating or such, that could be used to strengthen & protect the stone? (I'm guess not, but hoping new technology is out there to help). I appreciate your assistance!

You could still pass it on. Just not as a ring. Have it made into something else and have something put on it that will display the stone but protect it against any knocking or vibration. It will cost a bit of money for such a custom job but jewelers can change rings into necklaces for example and depending upon the design people wouldn't have a clue it was originally a ring.

[DoodlebugsMama]

Thanks so much!