In the world of jewelry and ornamental stones, diamond is considered to be the undisputed champion. Diamond has been a symbol of elegance and class for centuries. This is the reason why diamond jewelry is very expensive.
Diamond is originally found in the natural state. It needs to be mined and processed to get the perfect stone. But with the advancement of science, nowadays diamonds are also made in labs.
But even paying the huge amount for a lab-created diamond is not justified at times. For this reason, diamond simulants are taking the market by storm. The most common diamond simulant is the Cubic Zirconia.
Cubic Zirconia looks and feels the same as a real diamond, but there are many differences among them. In this post, we will discuss a few differences between a real diamond and a Cubic Zirconia.
1. Origin
Diamonds are originally found in the natural state. It is mined from the earth and then processed to get the final product. Synthetic diamond is absolutely the same as an original diamond, except they are created in labs with the help of chemicals and artificial pressure.
On the other hand, Cubic Zirconia is also made in labs. These diamonds only look like real or synthetic diamonds, but they have major differences. For example, Cubic Zirconia is made of zirconium oxide, and the natural or synthetic ones are made of carbon.
2. Color
Natural Diamonds vary in color and out of the lot the transparent or colorless ones are the most expensive diamonds. Most of the times, due to the rarity and beauty of these stones, it costs a fortune. Even colored diamonds are very expensive, and you have to burn a hole in your pocket to own one.
On the other hand, since Cubic Zirconia is lab-grown, their features and characteristics can be controlled to a large extent. If you see the best cubic zirconia rings in the markets and compare it with the real ones, then you won’t be able to identify which is a natural and which one is lab grown. The color of cubic zirconia is identical to the natural ones. But the only difference is the price. When compared with natural diamonds, cubic zirconia is very affordable.
3. Durability
As we all know, diamonds are one of the hardest substances in nature. It is very durable, and it is very hard to scratch or damage diamond jewelry. This is the reason why people spend a fortune on diamond jewelry because of its toughened natured. Diamond does not chip off easily and is perfect to be worn on a daily basis.
Cubic Zirconia, on the other hand, is prone to damage or scratches. Overtime cubic zirconia becomes cloudy and loses its beauty and shine. You need to take it to a jeweler for regular cleaning to maintain its shine. After a certain time frame, it needs to be replaced.
So to conclude, Cubic Zirconia is one of the best alternatives to natural diamonds. Although it is not long lasting as a real one, it can be replaced every now and then because it is very affordable and considered to a real one.