Learn About Cubic Zirconia Jewelry
December 13th, 2008 | The Fashion Professional | Fashion Advice
There are so many things you need to consider when purchasing real diamonds, it can actually be a little scary. Because of this, you may well be thinking of purchasing some faux diamond jewellery.Cubic zirconia is a man made gemstone resembling a diamond used in jewelry settings. it might surprise you to know that it wasn’t originally created for use in jewelry making, instead it was created as refractory material which is also resistant to heat and chemicals. They were developed by scientists so that they could be used in lasers which are used in optical operations.
The cubic zirconia you see today has been created in a laboratory by combining the metals of zirconium and oxide through extreme heat and a monitored cooling process. In order to attain such high temperatures basically a very large microwave is used. By doing this the center of the zirconium would melt but the outside would stay cool thus preventing the molten liquid from spilling out.
Recently manufacturers have been covering the cubic zirconia with a thin layer of carbon. The process has resulted in making the material harder. Not only that but the stone then takes on an appearance that is much more like a real diamond. The problem is that this layer is not permanent and can easily be scratched off.
Cubic zircon is still very popular and you can only truly see the difference under the microscope. They also weight differently and you will find that a cubic zircon will weigh a lot more. Diamonds also have flaws in them because they are naturally occurring whilst cubic zircon has none. Under a microscope the cuts made in a cubic zirconia have notable differences to the cuts of a diamond.
When it comes to other diamond alternatives, a synthetic monissanite has become very popular in recent years. However, cubic zirconia has retained its popularity in the jewelry market. Many people wanting the look of diamond jewelry without the price tag of diamond jewelry will opt of the cubic zirconia jewelry instead. Although there are many women who have the idea that they won’t wear anything else other than real diamonds, there are still splenty of women who are more that happy to wear CZ. This sort of jewelry might also be great as part of a gift basket for women.
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