# Do Lead Crystal Stones Have More "Fire" than Diamonds?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-lead-crystal-stones-have-more-fire-than-diamonds/521990>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [December 20, 2009, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-lead-crystal-stones-have-more-fire-than-diamonds/521990 "2009-12-20T22:15:04Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\
**Post date:** [December 20, 2009, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-lead-crystal-stones-have-more-fire-than-diamonds/521990/1 "2009-12-20T22:15:04Z")

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I was looking at some crystal jewelry (in a jeweler’s shop), and the crystal jewelry seemed more flashy that the diamonds.  
In fact, I actually preferred the look of the rhinestones/crystals to diamonds.  
Is this the case? Does lead crystal have a higher index of refraction than diamonds?

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**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\
**Post date:** [December 20, 2009, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-lead-crystal-stones-have-more-fire-than-diamonds/521990/2 "2009-12-20T22:46:01Z")

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> [@ralph124c](#):
>
> Does lead crystal have a higher index of refraction than diamonds?

A five second Google search reveals:  
[ul]  
[li][Ordinary glass has a refractive index of n = 1.5, while the addition of lead produces a range up to 1.7](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lead_glass).[/li][li][Diamonds - 2.4175–2.4178](http://www.chemistry.patent-invent.com/chemistry/elements/carbon_files/diamond.html)[/li][/ul]

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**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\
**Post date:** [December 20, 2009, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-lead-crystal-stones-have-more-fire-than-diamonds/521990/3 "2009-12-20T23:09:06Z")

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I think the biggest problem (heh), is virtually nobody can afford a diamond BIG enough for its theorectical optical superiority to show easily. Or show period for that matter IMO.

With cubic ziconium, leaded crystal and the like, you can make those suckers big. And such big stuff, with the right shape, and under a bright light, can look pretty nice.

Think about it for a moment. Whats the biggest diamond you’ve seen and could have possibly handled? For me, its something the fraction of the size of a marble.

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**Author:** ![ivn1188](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e480ec/32.png) [@ivn1188](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivn1188)\
**Post date:** [December 20, 2009, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-lead-crystal-stones-have-more-fire-than-diamonds/521990/4 "2009-12-20T23:57:24Z")

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CZ has a higher dispersion than diamond, and moissanite has a better refractive index, btw.