SECRETS stones are the world's most perfect diamond simulant. Years of research and development have produced a stone of such quality that it is indistinguishable from a diamond with the naked eye. SECRETS stones are so perfect as they are crafted using the same cutting and setting techniques used in the fine jewellery industry.
Grown from the natural mineral base zirconium oxide in a state-of-the-art laboratory, this revolutionary stone is produced using enormous heat. Only the most perfect material is selected and hand cut by master craftsmen to the ideal proportions demanded in fine diamond cutting. This ensures each stone displays maximum brilliance and fire and is why all SECRETS diamond simulants are given a written lifetime guarantee to retain their flawless beauty.
It is worth considering the history of simulated diamonds and how fashion, image and needs really haven't changed much through the ages!
Gold and diamonds have long evoked passion, desire, even wars, such is the craving to adorn and, in our avaricious world, denote wealth and status.
Diamonds have been used as jewels since the early 16th century when limited craftsmanship allowed only a basic cut point and later a table cut to be created. It wasn't until the early 17th century that the rose cut was developed which is particularly beautiful for evening wear looking like a real gemstone especially by candlelight. It should be remembered THAT BEFORE ELECTRICITY NON-NATURAL light consisted entirely of candles or oil lamps and the sparkle and glow of gemstones and precious metals behaved differently than under today's artificial light.
As is the case today, 400 years ago, fine jewellery and precious stones were only within the grasp of the wealthy classes so it is no surprise that a gentleman called George Ravencroft recognised the opportunity to extend the idea to a wider audience and started manufacturing flint or bright glass around 1650. This had a high refractive index and was certainly one of the earliest known imitation diamonds. Over the next half century, with the addition of coloured metallic oxides, artificial emeralds, rubies and topazes became available.
Next, a gentleman called George Frederic Strass further developed the concept of imitation gemstones to such a degree that he was appointed jeweller to the French Crown and to this day, paste jewellery is known as 'strass' in France. What is of particular note here of course is that whilst the French aristocracy was undoubtedly one of the richest social classes in Europe at the time, it was entirely respectable, alongside their genuine precious stones, to wear imitation jewels for the sake of fashion, or just for variety and because they could.
In the 18th century, the brilliant cut was created and this sparkled magically by candlelight thus ensuring the legacy that endures today, that diamonds are highly prized and coveted. All members of society wanted to look and feel fabulous, all the time. Jewellery for both men and women was highly elaborate and with precious gemstones, naturally it was expensive. With the advent of rose and brilliant cuts, the ingenuity of craftsmen to create fabulous settings from gold and silver and the additional use of enameling, the introduction of diamond alternatives and all precious gemstones being copied plausibly in glass, meant that this wish could be fulfilled. Fashion lead and followed the changes in imitation jewellery which has seen the creation of truly magnificent pieces through the centuries.
All echelons of society realized that they could now have any colour, cut, size and shape that they wanted for a fraction of the price of natural gemstones and this of course is an alluring and seductive proposition! In addition, benefits such as the reduced anxiety of theft or the guilt attached to the expense and there being very little stigma around imitation jewellery at the time meant it was easily possible for everyone to look and feel good and keep up with fashion.
the early 20th century saw the discovery of zirconium oxide, however the processing available at the time meant that the stones were unstable and lacked the brilliance and colour of diamonds. Other options such as white sapphire satisfied the need for sparkling white stones, especially during the Art Deco period which produced some of the most magnificent white-stone encrusted pieces in history. These were often set in platinum to really enhance the brilliance of the white stones, the hunt, of course, for the perfect simulated diamond continued.
And so we arrive at the present day, towards the end of the 20th century technology finally caught up with demand! In Europe, the ability to create the most perfect diamond simulants from the zirconium oxide mineral base has changed the face of jewellery once again. As history has demonstrated, women want to feel valued, gorgeous, confident and glamorous at a price they can afford, and now, SECRETS makes this possible.
