Cubic Zirconia - Gem of Masquerade
September 5th, 2006 by Jackie
The cubic zirconia is widely known as a diamond stimulant. It is actually a mineral rarely found in nature, but commonly created for this use. While its most common use is to simulate the diamond, cubic zirconia (CZ) is available in a wide variety of colors to represent most gemstones.
The cubic zirconia is inexpensive, durable and extremely clear with a flawless appearance. In fact, the cubic zirconia shows far more brilliance and clarity than a genuine diamond.
Cubic Zirconia and the Diamond
Due to its inexpensive nature and similarities in appearance, cubic zirconia has been the leading diamond imitator since the middle of the twentieth century. It is so close in appearance, in fact, that often it can only be distinguished by a trained eye. Basic guidelines in distinguishing CZ from diamonds include:
- Cubic zirconia has greater dispersion than the diamond. This simply means that the CZ reflects more light, offering extra sparkle.
- Cubic zirconia weighs nearly twice that of a diamond the same size.
- The diamond’s hardness is ranked a 10 compared to the CZ’s 8.5. This discrepancy is reflected in the CZ’s susceptibility to surface scratches.
- The appearance of the cubic zirconia is nearly flawless. Nearly all diamonds include some defect.
Colorless diamonds are extremely rare. By contrast, cubic zirconia is easily made colorless. Also, the shades achieved with colored CZ are distinct from the shades of fancy colored diamonds.
History of Cubic Zirconia
Cubic Zirconia in its natural state is extremely rare. In fact, it was discovered in the 1930’s by German mineralogists and has been found nowhere since! The discoverers did not name the substance, which explains why it is still known by its scientific name. In the 1970’s cubic zirconia crystals were grown in Soviet laboratory. CZ became widely popular in the 1980’s when it began to be produced by the Australian jeweler Swarovski & Co.
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