If you're shopping for an iced cuban, you've seen GLD and 6 Ice. Both are established brands with real followings — this isn't a hit piece. But the three of us make different choices about stones, metals, and pricing, and those choices are exactly what you're paying for. Everything below comes from each brand's own published product and material pages, checked July 2026 (details can change — verify before you buy).
GLD: Tiered Materials, CZ at the Entry Level
GLD's own materials guide describes three tiers: gold-plated pieces built on a stainless steel core (their most popular line), vermeil pieces on sterling silver, and solid gold. On stones, their guide is equally direct: CZ in many gold-plated pieces, moissanite featured in vermeil, and VS diamonds in select solid-gold work — with cubans starting around $140. That entry price buys plated stainless with CZ — a look-first piece. As covered in Moissanite vs CZ, CZ scratches and clouds with wear and won't pass a diamond tester. Their transparency about it is to their credit — you just need to read the tier you're buying. They back pieces with a lifetime warranty.
6 Ice: Real Moissanite, Theatrical Compare-At Pricing
6 Ice sells genuine moissanite cubans — 925 sterling silver, white gold plating, D-color VVS stones, GRA certificate, and they advertise passing diamond testers. Materially, that's the same class of piece we build. The difference is the price theater: their 8mm moissanite cuban lists at $679, presented as 65% off $1,950. If that $1,950 were ever the real price, the material math wouldn't support it. You're not getting a $1,950 chain for $679 — you're getting a ~$679 chain with a big anchor number next to it.
Stone Blvd: Same Materials, No Anchor Games
Our 8mm Iced Cuban is $699 — 925 sterling silver, D-color VVS1 moissanite, certificate included, passes a tester. That's the price, every day; we don't run phantom compare-ats (when something's genuinely on sale, it says so and means it). Free shipping on every order, 30-day returns, and widths from 8mm to 18mm.
How to Read Any Iced-Out Listing
Ask three questions. What's the stone — named moissanite or vague "CZ diamonds"? What's the base metal — sterling silver or "gold color" stainless? And is the price real — or a permanent markdown from a number nobody ever paid? Full checklist: Where to Buy Iced Out Jewelry That's Actually Real. Then judge for yourself in the Iced Out collection.
Brand Comparison Questions
Is GLD jewelry real?
GLD is a legitimate brand with tiered materials — per their own guide, entry pieces are gold-plated stainless steel with CZ, while higher tiers use sterling silver with moissanite or solid gold with diamonds. Check which tier a specific piece belongs to before buying.
Is 6 Ice moissanite real?
Yes — their moissanite line lists 925 silver, D-color VVS stones, and GRA certification. Just evaluate the actual price, not the crossed-out compare-at number.
Why is a moissanite cuban ~$700 when CZ cubans are $100?
Hundreds of real graded stones versus mass-produced CZ. The moissanite piece passes a tester and keeps its fire permanently; the CZ piece clouds within months.
What should I compare when choosing between iced-out brands?
Stone type (named, graded), base metal (925 silver vs stainless), certification, tester performance, return policy, and whether the listed price is real or a permanent "discount" from an anchor number.
