Genuine diamond jewelry is being given a good chase by cubic zirconia jewelry. Cubic zirconia or CZ, looks just like real diamond and comes at anything between a tenth and a quarter of the price of a real diamond. Gemstone purists sneer at the cubic zirconia and call it "fake diamond". Apart from the fact that a cubic zirconia is not a diamond, cubic zirconia commands a very large share of the jewelry market and is categorized as a semiprecious gemstone.
Calling it an imitation diamond is more appropriate. A number of diamond alternatives do exist and are regularly used in jewelry. Cubic zirconia happens to be the best of the lot. It matches the qualities of a diamond, in brilliance, durability, and hardness, more closely than the other alternatives.
The diamond enjoys a unique reputation among gemstones which it has accumulated and acquired over a period spanning the entire history of human civilization. Its value springs primarily from the fact that it is the rarest of rare natural gemstones, and secondly that it is the hardest gemstone. Cubic zirconia, on the other hand, has a much shorter history and so its reputation as a gemstone is quite limited, therefore it cannot match the reputation of diamonds. Apart from that, cubic zirconia jewelry has everything that is sought after in diamond jewelry, albeit in somewhat lesser quantities. The difference is more than compensated for by its very low price, which can at times touch a tenth of the price of diamond jewelry, though very good quality cubic zirconia jewelry is about half the price of comparable diamond jewelry.
If you think that cubic zirconia and genuine diamond can be told apart by the casual onlooker, then think again. Cubic zirconia is slightly more colored than the absolutely transparent diamond, and is slightly less brilliant. Even experts can be taken in by the looks of cubic zirconia. The two gemstones will have to be juxtaposed for the diamond expert to tell the difference visually. More telling is the difference in weight by size, cubic zirconia being somewhat less than twice the weight of a diamond. The other difference is in hardness, with cubic zirconia being more brittle than diamond.
An interesting aside to this story is that cubic zirconia has no flaws, whereas genuine diamond has its share of natural defects, ranging from the noticeable to the negligible.
Cubic zirconia not only looks like diamond it is remarkably similar in all the other important characteristics of diamond. The brilliance is there, the clarity is there, the durability and hardness are all there. The only drawback is that these qualities are less in cubic zirconia. How much less depends on the quality of the cubic zirconia. The difference will be less than noticeable in good quality cubic zirconia, and noticeable in poor quality cubic zirconia. This difference will naturally affect the price of the cubic zirconia. The price of high quality cubic zirconia will be less than half the price of good quality diamond, whereas the price of poor quality cubic zirconia will drop to a tenth of the price of good quality diamond. Cubic zirconia jewelry is ideal for dressing up for all but the most exclusive occasions. This protects your diamond jewelry from accidental loss and even theft.
Cubic zirconia jewelry looks every bit as classic and stylish as diamond jewelry. You can wear it on every occasion that requires jewelry to embellish your outfit. Ear studs, chokers, pendants, broaches - all these items are available using cubic zirconia, and they are matchless in price and exquisite beauty.
Cubic zirconia can be worked into any form of dress jewelry. It takes the same cut and shape of a genuine diamond. Exquisite designs can be crafted using cubic zirconia. Why hold yourself back? Do what the world is doing, use cubic zirconia and set the room ablaze!
Calling it an imitation diamond is more appropriate. A number of diamond alternatives do exist and are regularly used in jewelry. Cubic zirconia happens to be the best of the lot. It matches the qualities of a diamond, in brilliance, durability, and hardness, more closely than the other alternatives.
The diamond enjoys a unique reputation among gemstones which it has accumulated and acquired over a period spanning the entire history of human civilization. Its value springs primarily from the fact that it is the rarest of rare natural gemstones, and secondly that it is the hardest gemstone. Cubic zirconia, on the other hand, has a much shorter history and so its reputation as a gemstone is quite limited, therefore it cannot match the reputation of diamonds. Apart from that, cubic zirconia jewelry has everything that is sought after in diamond jewelry, albeit in somewhat lesser quantities. The difference is more than compensated for by its very low price, which can at times touch a tenth of the price of diamond jewelry, though very good quality cubic zirconia jewelry is about half the price of comparable diamond jewelry.
If you think that cubic zirconia and genuine diamond can be told apart by the casual onlooker, then think again. Cubic zirconia is slightly more colored than the absolutely transparent diamond, and is slightly less brilliant. Even experts can be taken in by the looks of cubic zirconia. The two gemstones will have to be juxtaposed for the diamond expert to tell the difference visually. More telling is the difference in weight by size, cubic zirconia being somewhat less than twice the weight of a diamond. The other difference is in hardness, with cubic zirconia being more brittle than diamond.
An interesting aside to this story is that cubic zirconia has no flaws, whereas genuine diamond has its share of natural defects, ranging from the noticeable to the negligible.
Cubic zirconia not only looks like diamond it is remarkably similar in all the other important characteristics of diamond. The brilliance is there, the clarity is there, the durability and hardness are all there. The only drawback is that these qualities are less in cubic zirconia. How much less depends on the quality of the cubic zirconia. The difference will be less than noticeable in good quality cubic zirconia, and noticeable in poor quality cubic zirconia. This difference will naturally affect the price of the cubic zirconia. The price of high quality cubic zirconia will be less than half the price of good quality diamond, whereas the price of poor quality cubic zirconia will drop to a tenth of the price of good quality diamond. Cubic zirconia jewelry is ideal for dressing up for all but the most exclusive occasions. This protects your diamond jewelry from accidental loss and even theft.
Cubic zirconia jewelry looks every bit as classic and stylish as diamond jewelry. You can wear it on every occasion that requires jewelry to embellish your outfit. Ear studs, chokers, pendants, broaches - all these items are available using cubic zirconia, and they are matchless in price and exquisite beauty.
Cubic zirconia can be worked into any form of dress jewelry. It takes the same cut and shape of a genuine diamond. Exquisite designs can be crafted using cubic zirconia. Why hold yourself back? Do what the world is doing, use cubic zirconia and set the room ablaze!
About the Author:
You can purchase cubic zirconia jewelry for less than you might expect. Visit www.CostumeJewelryGuide.com to learn more about all your jewelry options. You'll get information on every thing from the always popular turquoise jewelry to Celtic jewelry, which is quickly gaining in popularity.
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