Cubic Zirconia is a mineral which is well known as a diamond substitute. It is durable and cheap and comes in a variety of colors. Cubic Zirconia was discovered in 1937 by two German mineralogists. Later it was made artificially in laboratories. Cubic Zirconia Jewelry is widely used since it is cheaper than diamond but looks exactly the same. Because of its low cost and durability it has become the most economically important diamond simulant since 1976.
Cubic Zirconia Jewelry is so similar to diamond that only a trained person can differentiate between the two. The key differences between diamond and Cubic Zirconia Jewelry can be observed only under a microscope or loupe. Cubic Zirconia Jewelry has a hardness of 8.5 – 9 on Moh's hardness scale. The specific gravity of Cubic Zirconia Jewelry is also higher. A Cubic Zirconia Jewelry will weigh approximately 1.7 times more than a diamond of equal size. However this difference is useful only when examining loose stones. Cubic Zirconia Jewelry is flawless, whereas almost all diamonds have some kind of defect. The facet shapes of Cubic Zirconia Jewelry are also different from diamond.
Care of Cubic Zirconia Jewelry is very easy. Cubic Zirconia Jewelry can be cleaned with any jewelry cleaner or mild detergent. It is so hard that it can also be cleaned with a brush to remove dirt o oil. Cubic Zirconia Jewelry can also be cleaned using ultra sonic detergents. Once the ornament is washed it should be wiped clean so that the soap residue is also wiped off. Cleaning of Cubic Zirconia Jewelry should be done frequently since body oil can make the stone look dull. Cubic Zirconia Jewelry has less sparkle than diamond jewelry, but it has more fire and flashes of colors.
