Is Cubic Zirconia Real Diamonds, or is Cubic Zirconia Fake?
Many asked me what is the difference between Cubic Zirconia VS Natural Diamonds. And to answer this question, we have made this post to help our customers and reader in understanding what is cubic zirconia.
Is Cubic zirconia (CZ) real?
Cubic zirconia (CZ) does not occur in nature and is perfectly man-made, it is a flawless stone that is free of inclusions. Cubic zirconia is not a natural diamond but a simulated diamond. You can read more about Cubic Zirconia in our Jewelry articles here.
How to tell cubic zirconia from diamond?
Even though cubic zirconia (CZ) is not a diamond, it is difficult for the naked eye to tell the difference between cubic zirconia and a diamond. It is a stone that gives the same high level of brilliance as a diamond but is much more affordable.
Furthermore, cubic zirconia is almost as hard as diamond on the Mohs scale of hardness.
Diamonds have a Mohs scale of hardness of 10 and cubic zirconia is 8.5. When it is cut in the same shapes as designs as a diamond it replicates a diamond almost exactly.
As cubic zirconia is a simulated diamond, unlike diamonds that have inclusions or imperfections, cubic zirconia is flawless.
One thing to take note of is that the weight of a cubic zirconia crystal is about 75 percent more than that of a diamond. This means if you compare a one-carat diamond to similar-sized cubic zirconia, the cubic zirconia comes in weighing around 1.75 carats.
Unlike diamonds that have inclusions or imperfections, Cubic Zirconia Simulated Diamond is flawless.
Cubic zirconia has two main things that prevent it from having an identical appearance to diamonds.
- Cubic zirconia has more fire than a diamond and sparkles in rainbow colors.
- Cubic zirconia has a lower refractive index than a diamond.
But these gaps of difference can easily be closed with a coating that contains properties that make cubic zirconia more diamond-like by dulling the fire and improving the refractive index.
The amorphous coating, when applied to cubic zirconia, will give a false positive diamond reading when placed under a Raman spectroscope that’s used to authenticate diamonds. This property can sometimes fool the less experience jeweler, who may judge the simulated stone to be a natural diamond.
Below is a table that tells the difference between a Simulated Diamond and a Natural Diamond
What is the difference between Diamond and Cubic Zirconia CZ simulated diamond?
Cubic Zirconia has many diamond-like qualities. Thus many professionals, unless they have a trained eye or a special instrument, many cannot tell the difference between diamonds and cubic zirconia.
How much does Cubic Zirconia cost?
Compared to diamonds cubic zirconia is much more affordable. However, these stones can come in exceptionally high quality and be priced rather high. To determine the price of cubic zirconia, you would have to know what the carat weight is. Although they are not priced nearly as high as diamonds, cubic zirconia can be quite expensive depending on the quality of the cubic zirconia.
Cubic Zirconia vs Diamond
Some cubic zirconia stones give more brilliance than others and are graded accordingly. The only real way that it can be distinguished between the cubic zirconia is through a jeweler’s loupe (a magnifier).
Cubic zirconia is equivalent to the perfect “D” on a diamond’s grading scale. Perfect “D” is the highest of the colors grade of Diamond and only the rarest of diamonds with the highest quality are graded as “D”.
In addition, cubic zirconia produces more flashes of color (fire) than a diamond. This is one of the main reasons that some people choose cubic zirconia over a natural diamond.
Cubic Zirconia
There is an interesting article by Forbes.com where it talks about why smart people will choose to buy a Cubic Zirconia ring over a Diamond ring. You can also read more about Cubic Zirconia in our Jewelry 101 articles here.
How to clean cubic zirconia?
Cubic zirconia is easy to care for and requires little effort to maintain. Avoid rough handling and store items of jewelry separately to avoid scratches. Wash gently in warm water.
Since cubic zirconia mimics a diamond but is not the same material, it is referred to as imitation and simulant. However, cubic zirconia is beautiful in its own right and only becomes a problem purchase when it is misrepresented as a diamond or other gemstone.
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