On Second Christmas Day (in the Netherlands Dec 26th is also a holiday) a friend joined the diner and she wore a fantastic 'rivière' of paste stones. It was paste but she told it were "eco diamonds" (industrial made diamonds) set in platinum holders and rose cut (with refraction from the holder).
At the diner table all guests including me really were under the spell of the magic glitter which came from that rivière. The stones really, really, really sparkled, it almost outglittered the whole Christmas tree, I must say.
I know it is like cursing in the Church but I must confess that the thought entered my mind: why would a lady spend astronomic prices for real diamonds or other gemstones, while the "more affordable" alternatives easily matched the real stuff.
I must say I have never seen a rivière of real diamonds with my own eyes, other than from pictures or video. I can not tell if it really is so obvious that it is real and puts any paste far in the shadow. The glitter from the paste rivière of my friend was already staggering. I can not imagine real diamonds would really do more?
I must confess that the idea popped into my mind: if I was a noble or a royal lady, I should go for real good alternatives and pay just 10% or less from the costs of the real stuff. Or am I talking nonsense?