paste | ˈpāst
noun
A glass-based substance used to simulate gemstones
Paste refers to glass that has been hand cut to approximate the shape and coloring of diamonds and then polished to shine like a gemstone. The practice was established in the Georgian era as a means for those who could not afford elaborate gemstone-jewelry to commission pieces for themselves. Paste stones, which are not made from glass but from lead crystals, have a high lead content and are generally more brilliant and can be polished to a higher degree than other fake gemstones. The term Paste is used interchangeably for many crystal and glass based fake-gemstones.
