Posted by TMN Raugravine on December 27, 2011, 6:16 pm, in reply to "Paste vs real"
I read some years ago that a butler working on loan to Princess Michael of Kent for a dinner party was sent looking for a diamond that had fallen from the Princess's tiara. He said he sunnily heard a "crunch" and looked in horror at what was obviously a "paste" diamond from the tiara.
He said she looked totally unabashed when he brought the shards to her in a dust pan to apologize. --Previous Message-- : 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? : : : : :