Alva Review-Courier -

“Is it live, or is it Memorex?” – a slogan from the days of recording tape.

Is it a real diamond, or is it paste? Paste diamonds, also known as diamond simulants, have some of the same characteristics as real diamonds, such as light dispersion and hardness, but are made of high-lead glass, also known as rhinestones, cubic zirconia, known as CZ, and a number of artificial materials.

The value of diamonds has remained high for several reasons. There are price swings as there are with any commodity but scarcity is not the issue. De Beers, a South African mining company, held a virtual monopoly on...