The Cubic Zirconia stone is a man-made gemstone characterized by its high brilliance and versatility. It is available in a wide variety of colors, shapes, sizes and cuts. That's why it is one of the most popular stones in the jewelry industry. In addition, due to its similar appearance, it is a very popular diamond imitation. The name 'Zirconia' comes from the so-called zirconium oxide, from which it is made.
Overview
- Abbreviation CZ (Cubic Zirconia)
- Artificial crystal
- Consists of zirconium oxide
- High purity: no inclusions
- Diamond look
- Large Variety of Colors
- Mohs hardness 8-8.5
- Scratch resistant
History
Zirconium oxide (ZrO2) was discovered in 1892. In 1973, two scientists at the Lebedev Institute of Physics in Moscow created zirconia crystals for the first time. They were originally looking for a crystal with special properties for use in laser technology. Since the late 1970s, the crystal has been used commercially in the jewelry industry for the first time.
Production
The artificial crystal consists of zirconium oxide, which is stabilized at a melting temperature of 2700 C° and forms a cubic crystal structure.
During manufacturing, zirconium oxide powder is first heated and melted. A stabilizer, such as calcium or yttrium oxide, is added to ensure that the cubic lattice retains its shape after cooling. The temperature is gradually reduced until the melt has completely cooled. The crystals grow under a protective cover and can then be processed for jewelry making.
Cubic Zirconia stones or diamonds?
How much does the diamond really resemble the cubic zirconia stone? Is there a visible difference and is the high price worth it? Here you can find out the most important differences between the two gemstones.
Optik
To be visually similar to a diamond, the zirconia stone is often processed into a brilliant cut. Compared to a diamond. The two stones are very similar in their high brilliance. Therefore, laypeople cannot see any visual difference between diamonds and zirconia stones. Even experts cannot see any difference with the naked eye. They can only distinguish them by their light refraction or thermal conductivity.
Price
Due to the fact that the cubic zirconia stone is a man-made crystal, it can be produced in unlimited quantities. The number of gemstones that only occur in nature is limited and therefore more expensive. A diamond is a very rare gemstone and therefore has a correspondingly high price. A carat of a diamond costs 4000-6000€ depending on the clarity, while a carat of a zirconia stone costs only a fraction of that, about 10€. This makes the cubic zirconia stone an inexpensive alternative.
Hardness
The diamond is the hardest stone there is and is at the top of the hardness scale, the so-called 'Mohs' scale. The hardness of a diamond is 10 on the Mohs scale and a zirconia stone is between 8 and 8.5 in comparison.
Karat
The weight of a gemstone is measured in carats. One gram equals 0.2 carats. The Cubic Zirconia stone is slightly denser than a diamond and therefore heavier. This means that a Zirconia stone and a diamond with the same carat weight are not the same size. A Zirconia stone is slightly smaller than the diamond.
Cubic Zirconia in different colors
Cubic Zirconia stones are available in a wide variety of colors. Even colors of certain gemstones can be imitated. To achieve a particularly similar gemstone imitation, small flaws such as cracks or inclusions can also be artificially created. To create different color shades, various metal oxides such as cesium, nickel, chromium and calcium are added.
Cubic Zirconia as a gemstone
We sell only earrings in 14k gold set with cubic zirconia stones to offer our customers both conductive and high quality jewelry at the same time. Due to the low price of zirconia, even elaborate designs with large stones are possible. We find the artificial crystal is the perfect imitation of diamonds due to its high radiance and hardness.