What is Cubic Zirconia? Cubic Zirconia is a stone so optically close to diamond that most jewelers cannot tell the difference between a CZ and a diamond with the naked eye. The man-made stone is virtually flawless whereas most diamonds have internal inclusions or external blemishes. It is a high quality synthetic gemstone which imitates the appearance of diamonds. Cubic zirconia is zirconium oxide (ZrO2), a mineral that is extremely rare in nature. Synthesized CZ is much less expensive than diamond, optically flawless and can be created in a variety of different colors. Colorless Cubic Zirconia is used in jewelry to imitate the look of a diamond. However, it is not as high on the Moh's scale of hardness as a diamond and can scratch if it rubs against anything harder than itself. Care should be taken to protect it from scratches, sharp blows, abrasives and extreme temperature. To maintain the brilliance of this gemstone, it should be cleaned regularly to keep it free from everyday buildup that can occur when worn frequently. How Does CZ Compare to Diamond?The overall brilliance and fire of quality CZ stones is equal to that of diamond to the untrained eye. Cubic zirconia can be evaluated using the same qualities that diamonds and other gemstones are graded by: the Four Cs (color, clarity, cut and carat weight). Cubic Zirconia is a virtually flawless equivalent to a diamond on the clarity chart. CZ can be made entirely colorless, equivalent to a perfect score on the color grading scale of diamonds. The biggest difference is that cubic zirconia is 70% heavier than diamond. CZ is extremely durable with a hardness rating of 8.5 compared to 10 for diamond.
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