The New Debate: 'Maybe She's Born With It, Maybe It's Forever Brilliant®'

MORRISVILLE, N.C., Dec. 10, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Remember that old commercial about long lashes, real or mascara? There's a parallel in the world of jewelry—a 'Mother Nature versus made by humans' debate.

(Photo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20131210/PH30820 )

For the woman who covets that pricey designer handbag from a luxury retailer on Fifth Avenue, Canal Street seems to offer a welcome reprieve. On any day of the week, one can pick up what seems like a perfect knockoff. But there's a reason the knockoff costs $20 rather than $2,500 or more. Look closely: it was made on the cheap with fake leather and junky zippers. On top of everything, the designer's name is often misspelled.

In this regard, it's often easy to tell a real handbag from a knockoff. The same goes for most jewelry. If the ring someone just bought has a gem that soon becomes dull and the band turns the wearer's finger green, of course it's a fake.

So what's a woman to do if she wants some sparkle in her life but can't afford the price tag of a "real" diamond?

Thanks to one company, it's now possible to get one's hands on authentic sparkle and glamour for a fraction of the cost. Founded in 1995, Charles & Colvard, Ltd. is the world's exclusive source for Forever Brilliant^®, their lustrous signature moissanite line with all the rarity and durability of "real" diamonds. 

Moissanite is created from raw crystals formed from very special refined silicon carbide. Perfecting the laboratory process of growing gem-quality moissanite—the second-hardest gemstone on earth—took decades of research, which is why Charles & Colvard has the restricted patent to produce it.

Once the gems leave the lab, Charles & Colvard's master cutters carefully polish each gemstone to calculated proportions, maximizing its brilliance until it reaches the company's high standards. The gemstones are then carefully sorted and graded by gem experts. The Charles & Colvard team makes sure each jewel meets its standards for color, clarity and cut. The company's products are available through various retail stores as well as online.

Moissanite's reputation took a significant jump with the creation of Forever Brilliant^®, which is whiter and brighter and provides the ultimate in affordable luxury. With its superior optical and physical properties, Forever Brilliant^® is up to four shades whiter than conventional moissanite—a unique and stunning gem that will be every bit as beautiful, fiery and brilliant generations from now as the day it was purchased.

"Our strategy is to establish reputable, high-quality, sophisticated brands as affordable, luxurious alternatives to other gemstones, and moissanite, available at about one-tenth the price of diamond, has earned its place as the ideal alternative to diamonds," says Randy McCullough, President and CEO of Charles & Colvard. "Forever Brilliant^® is so white and brilliant that many of the better jewelers, with the unaided eye, are unable to distinguish them from diamonds."

For more information, visit http://www.charlesandcolvard.com, who paid for the writing and dissemination of this release.

Contact:  Laura Radocaj, Dian Griesel Int'l.  
212.825.3210

SOURCE Charles & Colvard, Ltd.