Creative financing for engagement ring and beyond...

Creative financing for engagement ring and beyond... 0

Explore the simple math of what's possible with savings of Cubic Zirconia vs Diamond for alternative engagement rings: car, wedding, honeymoon, college fund?

One of our favorite recent testimonials, from Shelly in Arizona! 0

"Woohoo...I'm so excited! I wanted to let you know I received the rings on Friday. YAY! First let me say, my rings are STUNNING! The one ring is so pretty, I really (REALLY) like the peekaboo accent! I'm not 100% sure I like them together. I want to wear both of them together for a bit and see if it grows on me but before I do that I plan to go out this weekend and try the engagement ring with a plain band. I may end up wearing the anniversary band on my other hand. Thank you sooo much-- for all the information, it was very informative and helpful, and for your kind service and words! You guys are amazing! Two thumbs up for communication. Anytime I asked a question it was quickly answered. Wow, wow, wow! I absolutely appreciate the customer service/support you've provided! It was a pleasure speaking to you and your passion for what you do shines through (pun intended :-) )!!! This was such an excellent experience. I am so pleased with the expert help I received, and still in awe when I look at the rings. Thank you tons for everything you've done to help me :). True professionals.

I had a lot of reservations about 1) buying a quality CZ (especially online), 2) buying any type of jewelry sight unseen and 3) getting the design I wanted without paying the high price for custom jewelry. I did extensive research, both online and in jewelry stores. I knew what size stone and cut I wanted for the engagement ring but I didn't see any wedding bands on the site that grabbed my attention. I sent an email with a pic attached of one I had found online and asked if it could be replicated. Danny called me and said he could replicate it, but then offered other suggestions. One being a ring that wasn't listed on the site. It was perfect! I also absolutely love that CubicZirconia.com works with Palladium.

I'm super excited! I would (and will) recommend CubicZirconia.com to anyone looking to buy a diamond and why they should choose a quality CZ vs a diamond. Save your money and have the wedding/honeymoon of your dreams. We rented a house on the beach last October for my birthday and had 14 people with us. It was such a blast that we decided to do something similar for a wedding, except with a bigger house-- with our savings purchasing CZ over diamonds. We're planning it for 5/24/15."

Shelly Mizell
Arizona, USA

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

diamond vs cz

Check our full cubic zirconia jewelry product catalog.

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

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

"Give Cubic Zirconia a Chance as Diamond Replacement for Bridal Jewelry" says Journalist. Yes, a man doesn't need thousands of dollars to make a good husband. CZ can supply what couples really need from an engagement ring a fraction of the cost.

Cubic Zirconia Size Chart by Carat Weight 0

Measuring Cubic Zirconia Loose Stones: CZ size comparison to diamonds

The MckenzieWhen 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.

Asscher cut loose stone measurement diagram

 

Cushion cut loose stone measurement diagram

 

Emerald cut loose stone measurement diagram

 

Heart cut loose stone measurement diagram

 

Marquise cut loose stone measurement diagram

 

Oval cut loose stone measurement diagram

 

Pear cut loose stone measurement diagram

 

Princess cut loose stone measurement diagram

 

Radiant cut loose stone measurement diagram

 

Round cut loose stone measurement diagram

 

CZ size comparison to diamonds

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?

Shop finished CZ jewelry by stone shape

 Asscher Cut

 Cushion Cut 

 Emerald Cut
 Heart Cut  Marquise Cut  Oval Cut
 Pear Cut  Princess Cut  Radiant Cut
 Round Cut  Triangle Cut  Trillion Cut

 

3d images of loose "diamond" clear cubic zirconia stones

Shop loose Cubic Zirconia stones by shape

 Asscher Cut Cushion Cut Emerald Cut
 Heart Cut  Marquise Cut  Oval Cut
 Pear Cut  Princess Cut  Radiant Cut
 Round Cut  Triangle Cut  Trillion Cut

 

 

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

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.