CubicZirconia.com- The Clear Choice — Engagement

Three things that don't have a "wedding tax" and are actually getting cheaper 0

Congratulations to Jorge and Melanie! 0

Proving that the park proposal is still pretty popular...way to go Jorge!

Proposal Idea: Romantic Getaway to Charleston, South Carolina 0

Charleston South Carolina is always near the top vote-getters for the “most romantic” cities in America. If she’s a history buff, architecture aficionado or lover of great Southern cooking, you should consider making some marriage proposal magic in Charleston with its historic, cobblestone streets with oodles of charm. Waterfront parks with stately towering oaks and rustic, wrought-iron benches. Covered, pedestrian bridges for hand-in-hand starlit walks over gurgling creeks. You'll stroll past antebellum mansions, restored plantation homes, and three-hundred-year-old brownstone townhouse with national landmark homes on every other block. Wine bars with live music are all over the place. Greenery and colorful flowers abound. It's an ideal setting for a romantic getaway for surprise marriage proposal!

Congratulations to Gary & Tisha! 0

An at-home proposal with man's best-friend in rapt attendance.
#shesaidyes

When Was Cubic Zirconia Invented? 0

Well, the truth is, it wasn’t invented per se.

Cubic zirconia is a naturally occurring substance. Some place its discovery as far back as 1892, with the discovery of naturally occurring zirconium oxide, or baddeleyite. But that’s a long way from your shiny cubic zirconia engagement ring! The natural form of cubic zirconia (or CZ, as it is popularly known) is so rare, that you can assume the CZ you find in any piece of jewelry has been synthesized. 

It was a long research road from naturally occurring CZ to the jewelry store, and to your love story, in the form of jewelry.

In 1937, German mineralogists noted its presence as a byproduct of an unrelated experiment. They didn’t even bother to give it a name. Early research sought uses for laser technology and other optical applications.

No one bothered about CZ’s amazing bling potential.

CZ carried on in relative anonymity until Soviet scientists discovered how to grow CZ crystals in a lab.

Cubic Zirconia melts at such high temperatures that no metal can serve as its container. Soviets discovered the method of using a skull crucible, which is a super-cool name, and which allowed the CZ to grow successfully.

Oh, those Russians! Their research was not published until 1973 (perhaps something to do with an unfortunate business called the Cold War?).

By 1976, commercial production began world-wide. Cubic Zirconia has graduated from obscurity to becoming the most important competitor of the diamond industry. 

Tekla Luchenski
Staff Writer

What is Pink Gold? 0

Pink Gold: Popular Trend Will Become a Classic

Pink gold is part of a hot trend in colored gold jewelry and accessories that has emerged over the past few years. Approximately six to eight percent of customers at CubicZirconia.com choose pink gold as they customize the jewelry to mark special occasions in life. Customers are choosing pink gold for important pieces, like anniversary rings, engagement rings and wedding bands. 

According to Google Trends, colored gold has increased in search popularity since 2011. We are seeing brands such as Michael Kors and Fossil producing pink gold watches and fashion jewelry pieces. How about Apple, who recently released the iPhone 6? Color choices? Silver, grey and, you guessed it - pink gold. If that’s not a sign of the fashion times, we don’t know what is. CubicZirconia.com abides! Most of our gorgeous selection, including cubic zirconia engagement ring styles, have a pink gold option. 

Pink gold offers a different take on an old friend - the more traditional yellow gold. Pink gold is a choice you can make for a contemporary look that will endure the passage of time and trends. You can enjoy pink gold for your fashion or heirloom pieces, with confidence that they will maintain their color and beauty for generations to come. We will talk about that quality and the purity of your gold piece a little later, but first, we’ll answer your burning question: What the heck is pink gold?

Gold Alloys 101

In general, gold is mixed with a different metal, so as to ensure quality over time. Solid gold is a soft metal. It will not hold its shape well, and it is vulnerable to scratches and dents. Bet you never thought of solid gold as a “scratch and dent” material! Because of its delicacy, goldsmiths have always used gold mixed with one or more metals to create an alloy. The type of metal in an alloy determines qualities of the finished piece, including its color. Add a little copper to yellow gold. The result is gold with a pink hue. 

Pink gold has been around since ancient times. In more recent times, it used to be called Russian gold, for its popularity in nineteenth century Russia. It has also been known as red gold and rose gold. The unique color comes from the gold’s copper alloy. Copper gives yellow gold a red, or pink color. The greater the amount of copper alloy, the darker the pink (or red) appearance. Simple? Cool.

Real Men (and Women) Love Pink - Even If They Call It “Rose”

The most popular contemporary term for copper alloy gold is rose gold. Rose is generally used interchangeably with the terms pink and red, although each term actually refers to a specific percentage of copper added to the yellow gold. Pink gold contains the least amount of copper, next to rose gold. Red gold has the highest copper content. We think they’re all ‘just as sweet’ (That’s from Shakespeare. Get it? And clever, too!). 

Speaking of alloys in gold, always remember that the alloy does not (read NOT) affect the purity of gold. Alloys contribute to the overall quality of the gold piece. They reinforce the gold’s strength and give it a particular color.

You can rest assured that if your gold is stamped as 10K, 14K or 18K gold, you are receiving that purity of gold as marked; 14k yellow gold without coloration has the same amount of gold content as 14k rose/pink gold. Whatever the alloy, the content is constant, according to the gold purity standard. In the U.S.A., laws regulate the standard of gold purity and its marketing. When you see “10K,” “14K,” or “18K” stamped on a gold piece, you can rely on the label and be confident in the quality of the gold you are buying.

Here is one important thing to remember when you set out to shop for colored gold. Ready? Here it is: 

You do not need to be a jewelry aficionado to shop for pink gold. 

This post could go ahead and outline the percentages of copper alloy that make the (small, like, teeny tiny, minuscule, even) difference between rose and pink gold. Here’s the good news. We don’t have to. If you like this style of colored gold, just ask for “rose gold.” Regardless of the percentages of copper alloy, rose gold has become the umbrella term for copper alloy gold. So have fun, and do not worry. No one will call you out for generalizing on this one. Pay attention, instead, to the overall quality of the piece. Shop with a reputable jeweler, like CubicZirconia.com, and you will do well.

Ready? Set? Shop! At CubicZirconia.com, we can help. We’re like that. In fact, we love helping.

Unsure about which precious metal to choose for your jewelry? Read our article, "Which Precious Metal Is Right For You/Her?"