Cautious Clay

As the wedding season approaches, there’s big news for couples. The next best thing to a diamond is not cubic zirconium. In terms of hardness, it’s ceramic. And although you won’t want to wear one of these ceramic knives on your hand, you will find great use for them in the kitchen.

This ceramic is so hard it must be sharpened on a special diamond wheel. Carbide won’t even scratch the surface, which means that these knives will hold an edge for years of everyday use. And they’re extremely sharp, able to slice lemons and tomatoes paper-thin.

Ceramic has its price, however. The knives we tested cost $170 each. And they’re more brittle than their stainless-steel counterparts, which means they chip if handled too roughly. But honor them, treat them with respect, and they’ll last for years and years, like a good marriage. When things get dull, of course, both can be renewed--with diamonds.

Available at Ross Cutlery, 306 S. Broadway in downtown Los Angeles.