CubicZirconia.com- The Clear Choice — Diamond vs Cubic Zirconia

That 'diamond' jewelry in the case at your local jeweler is...actually cubic zirconia 0

We often hear from our happy customers before they trust and order from us that "I've never seen a cubic zirconia before". In almost every case, that's simply not true even though they (and probably you) did not and do not realize that they (you) have seen cubic zirconia.

Did you realize MOST of what you're shown locked in jewelry cases at the most well-known diamond retail establishments are actually set with CZ and not diamond?

It reduces the jewelry store's carrying cost, liability for theft, and people can't tell the difference anyway. Yet these same salespeople are trained to say "diamonds are valuable, cubic zirconia are worthless"...while showing pieces of jewelry their customers are meant to THINK of as diamond but are actually CZ.

Go ahead and visit your local big-box diamond jeweler and let them show you a piece from the jewelry case. When you have an engagement ring or earrings set in your hands, ask them if it’s actually made out of diamonds and set with a diamond centerstone.

Watch how they squirm not wanting to admit that what you’re holding is in fact cubic zirconia.

Catch it on video and we’ll all have a laugh!

Read more about diamond vs cubic zirconia here.

Check our full cubic zirconia jewelry product catalog.

"Give Cubic Zirconia a Chance as Diamond Replacement for Bridal Jewelry" says Journalist 0

Is cubic zirconia a mineral or not? 0

Cubic Zirconia— also commonly known as “CZ” though not frequently at this website, where we like to give a little more respect than lazily abbreviating everything— is often thought to be a mineral, since gemstones like diamonds are usually minerals.

Is cubic zirconia in fact a mineral?

The short answer is “yes and no”. A mineral is defined as occurring naturally. Therefore, most cubic zirconia stones used in jewelry are fabricated in a lab environment and are not classified as minerals. As man-made constructs of zirconium oxide created in high temperatures they simply cannot be 'natural'.

However, there IS a cubic zirconia mineral and it was first discovered in the 1950s.

What gets sold most often in cubic zirconia jewelry, though, is a man-made gemstone manufactured using a process first discovered by Russian scientists in the late 1970s.

However, as a diamond simulant and alternative cubic zirconia gemstones are without peer in our opinion, and for your money you simply can’t beat purchasing cubic zirconia.

That was today’s science lesson!

Remember…if you can’t tell the difference, why pay the difference?

CubicZirconia.com

P.S. If you have any questions about cubic zirconia that you want answered immediately and that we can use to educate others in a future blog post like this one just contact us and let us know!

Cubic Zirconia Size Chart by Carat Weight 0

Measuring Cubic Zirconia Loose Stones: CZ size comparison to diamonds

When people refer to the size of a diamond, they’re not actually talking about the size dimensions of the stone. The size of a diamond is measured in its weight. The word "carat" comes from the "carob" seed, the original unit of measure for diamond traders. Carat is the unit of mass for gemstones and is used as a way to compare one stone to another. (Note: Carat weight is unrelated to the similar sounding karat, which refers to gold's purity).

Whether you're shopping for finished jewelry set with CZ or loose cubic zirconia stones, it's important to know how these stones are actually measured.

When comparing diamonds and Cubic Zirconia, you first must understand that the weight of a diamond is different from the weight of a CZ because of differences in density.  In fact, Cubic Zirconia are 1.7 times denser than a diamond. Since the carat weight of a gemstone is a function of its weight, the dimensions of a 1 carat real-weight diamond will not be the same as the dimensions of a 1 carat real-weight Cubic Zirconia. If using real-weight measures, a Cubic Zirconia stone that matched the weight of a 1 carat diamond would be smaller, more dense, and heavier.

So how does a 1 carat diamond compare to a Cubic Zirconia stone?  To account for the weight difference and to make life a little easier, Cubic Zirconia are measured in millimeters which references the same dimensions as a diamond carat equivalent.  We take the dimensions of an absolutely perfect diamond, measure its height and width, and voila – that’s the dimensions we use for an equivalent Cubic Zirconia. For example, a perfect Round Cut one-carat diamond is comparable to a 6.5 mm Round Cut Cubic Zirconia.  In other words, a 1 carat Round Cut Cubic Zirconia diamond equivalent is 6.5 mm.

When you’re shopping for jewelry on CubicZirconia.com, know that we use carat-equivalent sizes.  That means that when you buy a 2 carat Cubic Zirconia pendant, we match up the size dimensions for a perfect 2 carat diamond and make sure you get a match in size: that would be an 8.00 mm CZ stone, or a two-carat diamond equivalent. 

If you need help figuring out what size your stone is, measure the stone using the instructions below and use our comparison chart to determine the size.

The right center stone shape for an engagement ring can flatter the wearer's finger and cause even the simplest of ring designs to stand out, much in the same manner as the right hairstyle does for a person's face. 

Not sure which center stone shape is right for you/her? Check out our article Which Center Stone Shape Is Best For Me/Her? 

Not sure which center stone size is right for you/her? Check out our article Which Center Stone Size Is Best For Me/Her?

Share your Cubic Zirconia story and get 13% off your entire order! 0

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Thank you for all the submissions and stories!

For any current specials, call us 10am-9pm EST U.S. toll-free (888) 355-2484

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 Enter the promo code at check-out for a 13% discount on all products site wide.  

 To be eligible for this discount, we only ask that you share your Cubic Zirconia story and allow us to share it with other customers on CubicZirconia.com!

*Offer limited to the first 5,000 customers in 2013 who agree to provide a short story after purchase stating "I chose Cubic Zirconia instead of diamond because.,.."

It's not being cheap - it's being practical (a story) 0

"I am popping the question but I am NOT giving her a diamond engagement ring."

This was what was going on in my head as I was getting ready for the big date that night.

I was pretty sure she was going to say yes.

In fact, we’ve talked about getting married so many times, we both felt the entire thing was just going to be a formality. After all, we’ve been living together for almost 4 years now.

But somehow, I still felt a mixture of nervousness, excitement and anxiety building up inside me at the thought of finally making the “formality” a reality.

I looked once again at the cubic zirconia engagement ring I was planning on giving her tonight. 

Looking at the size, color and exquisite detail of the CZ stone, I knew if it were a real diamond, I would never have afforded it even if I worked 5 straight years with no days off.

I knew too that as soon as she sees it, she’d most probably know it isn’t a genuine diamond. She knows I won’t be able to afford a real diamond engagement ring looking exactly like this.

We both knew each other so well.

That’s why I’m bringing my other surprise with me right inside my breast pocket.

The deed of sale on a beautiful property I just put a downpayment on.

I’m sure, on a scale of one to ten, her level of excitement at me popping the question would probably be on the high five or low six – as I said, getting married for the both of us would just be more of a formality.

But I’m pretty sure she’ll be blown away by the fact that I may have scrimped on the ring, but I made sure I put my money on the right investment.

After all, she appreciates wise and mature decisions.

Why would I buy a real diamond and suffer getting though the payments for the next 3 to 5 years while, at the same time, trying to come up with the rent, the car payments, utility bills and making sure the fridge and pantry are stocked…

…when I can just go for the CZ ring right now, invest my money on a house we’re both going to live in along with the family we’ll surely want to build?

It’s not being cheap – it’s being practical.

Good thing, I’m one of the lucky guys who has found a woman who values prudence over anything that glitters and sparkles.

Anyway, no one at the restaurant would probably come up to us and say, “Hey, is that a real diamond?” while I was proposing, right?

Most of them will probably think, “Did you see the size of that diamond?” or “Look at that gorgeous ring!” or something to that effect.

Maybe, some will speculate and say, “Nah, that’s a fake.” But who cares. They won’t come up to us and say that out loud.

After all, even if that happened, I can whip out the papers for the house and say, “But this house I just bought for her isn’t fake.” And the discussion ends right there.

What really matters is what the lady right across from me will think.

I’m sure she’ll see through the cubic zirconia ring and right through my true intentions – to spend my life with her with a promise that I will always be someone she can depend on to make the wise decisions.

- The preceding account was written by a CubicZirconia.com freelancer employed by the company to assist with graphic design, website design, and product photography.