Cubic Zirconia vs Diamond

Difference Between Diamonds and Cubic Zirconia

Cubic zirconia is slightly denser than a diamond. A diamond has a refractive index of 2.42, while cubic zirconia only has a refractive index of around 2.15 to 2.18. The much lower refractive index, however, has minimal effect on optical properties. The thing that will actually affect what the stone looks like and how it reacts to white light is its dispersion rate. Cubic zirconia has a much higher dispersion rate than diamonds, which means it has more “fire”.

Cubic zirconia is almost 90 times cheaper than a diamond as it can be mass-produced and requires exponentially fewer resources to come by. Cubic zirconia does not require a grading scale as a diamond would. Because they are lab-grown, the quality is almost always perfect.

Cubic zirconia is much more environmentally friendly than natural diamonds. Diamond mines cause immense damage to the environment. The biggest environmental concern with the production of cubic zirconia is the heat requirement sometimes being fulfilled through burning fossil fuels.

Lastly, cubic zirconia might become cloudy over time and needs to be cleaned far more often than a diamond. Diamonds also have higher thermal conductivity than a cubic zirconia, so it might be best to remove your cubic zirconia jewelry when working in the oven or by the stove. Extreme heat can damage the stone.

Cubic Zirconia Engagement Ring

In today’s society, views are slowly beginning to shift once again. While natural diamonds are still the style icon of choice for many couples, some are engaging in more adventurous practices. Other precious and semi-precious stones are rising in popularity, and many are seeking more affordable options.

The reality is that the economy is not currently in a position where many couples in their 20s can afford natural diamonds. Even synthetic diamonds are over the price point for some people.

A lot of the reason why mined diamonds are far more sought after these days is because of the symbolism connected to them. Something that was formed 200km beneath the earth’s surface, pushed up by a volcano and then mined somewhere in an exotic land, processed with the greatest care to finally end up on your finger seems like quite the fairytale.

Lab-created diamonds, while lacking some the symbolism, are still somehow more closely connected to this concept. When we look at cubic zirconia engagement rings, the symbolism is entirely missing. To such an extent, in fact, many people equate the cubic zirconia with “fakeness” and insincerity.

This is undoubtedly an unfair discrimination against these dazzling but affordable CZ stones. They are not only a more conscientious purchase in terms of cost, but you can also rest assured that the impact on the environment is far less than a natural diamond, and there is no chance of a cubic zirconia stone causing as much strife as conflict diamonds.

Where Do Cubic Zirconia Stones Come From?

Initially, there was a diamond simulant stone similar to cubic zirconia made in Russia and sold as Djevalite, but this was an economic failure. Later, Swarovski made their own formula and made a commercial success of what is now known as cubic zirconia.

Swarovksi has made an enormous success of cubic zirconia stones and has made them a real alternative to diamond jewelry. As for what cubic zirconia actually is? It is one of only a handful of synthetic stones that are considered diamond simulants. They are the cubic crystalline form of zirconium dioxide. They are made by introducing extreme heat that melts the zirconium oxide to create a brilliant CZ stone for sparkling jewelry pieces.

Cubic Zirconia Versus Diamond

While there are some fundamental differences between diamonds and cubic zirconia, there are also stark similarities that we should not ignore.

Most importantly is that both a diamond and a cubic zirconia measure high on the hardness scale, meaning that they are suitable for everyday wear. Diamonds are often set in precious metals like gold and platinum, whereas cubic zirconias are more often set in something like sterling silver which still offers the dazzle of white gold or platinum if kept clean and cared for properly but are more durable and affordable.

Cubic Zirconia vs. Colored Diamonds

Furthermore, both stones have the option of being colorless or colored.

Some colorless diamonds are more affordable than their colorless diamond cousins, but few are completely natural as the colors are caused by inclusions. This leads many jewelers to heat treat colored diamonds in order to improve their color.

The concept of the color diamond is not very well understood, and many people tend to question whether they are “real diamonds”. While we can confirm that they are, in fact, real, we must also confess that most colored diamonds have been heat-treated, especially the highly mysterious but much more affordable black diamonds.

A cubic zirconia stone, however, can easily be made to have many different colors. Because cubic zirconia is made of synthetic material, it is easier to manipulate the chemical composition to create the desired color effects. Artificial stones are also often very near perfect in terms of clarity because they can be made without any inclusions.

Cubic Zirconia vs. Diamonds vs. Moissanite

When it comes to diamond alternatives, one of the most famous options remains the moissanite stone. These stones are also steeped in mystery and, for a long time, were mistaken for diamonds before technology allowed us to take a closer look.

While moissanite is extremely rare, it is far less expensive than diamonds and has a very similar Mohs rating of between 9.25 and 9.5, making it harder than cubic zirconia. Moissanite is also a naturally occurring gemstone, although many believe it to be from outer space.

A moissanite stone of the same carat weight as a diamond will be far more affordable and almost equally as durable as a real diamond. The only thing that really seems to affect the opinion of moissanite is what it does to natural light. Where a diamond, be it a “real diamond” or a lab-grown diamond, will play with light to some extent, but moissanite has a far higher dispersion rate. While this might sound attractive, many people compare it to a disco-ball effect and find it to be a little too intense.

This also makes it easier to spot the difference between a diamond and a moissanite. Cubic zirconia is far harder to distinguish from diamonds through the naked eye alone. Therefore, the differences between diamond, cubic zirconia, and moissanite as the kind of thing that each individual person should consider for themselves before deciding whether a cubic zirconia ring is the best alternative to diamonds, or whether they prefer something else.

Frequently Asked Questions