Replacing Diamonds With Cubic Zirconia Stones - Everything You Need to Know

by Vidya Lakshmi Αύγουστος 09, 2020 4 min read

Replacing Diamonds With Cubic Zirconia Stones - Everything You Need to Know

Hey Guys, 

Did you read our last post about how to style your diamond jewelry? If you haven’t yet, check it out here.It’s super informative, all about how to wear diamonds everyday, coz why not?.

Today’s post is a bit different though, but kind of connected to our previous one. Coz today it’s about Cubic Zirconia Stones, the much cheaper but just as good, replacements. 

Cubic Zirconias are for everyone who’d like to wear diamonds everyday but are not able to shell out thousands of dollars to buy many of them. With cubic zirconias you can definitely buy many items of jewelry for the cost of owning that one diamond piece. They could be great alternatives. 

So if you’re wondering how zirconias can be worn instead of diamonds here's everything you need to know.

What Are Cubic Zirconias

Cubic Zirconias are man made gemstones, they’re definitely real but they’re lab made. They are made from a crystalline form of zirconium dioxide, which doesn’t have any color but is quite hard. They are made by melting zirconium oxide powder along with magnesium and calcium at very high heat. Once it cools down it forms crystals which are then cut into different shapes. CZ’s are also a much more sustainable choice compared to diamonds which are mined. Due to the fact that they are lab made, and not mined, they are much cheaper than diamonds. 

 Cubic Zirconia

How Are They Similar To Diamonds?

They look extremely like diamonds because they are colorless and do have very similar reflective properties. They normally disperse off more colours if looked at under natural sunlight as opposed to diamonds that disperse more white light. There are some other subtle differences too, however,  which might not be very visible to the naked eye. So if you were to look at them from far away you wouldn't be able to tell the difference. This is the main reason for them being used as the most common yet affordable substitutes for diamonds.

Their Durabilities

You guys would already know that diamonds are the hardest naturally occurring minerals in the world. Which obviously means they are extremely durable and cannot be easily scratched. Cubic Zirconias are also quite hard but much less durable than diamonds. So they do need a little more care and maintenance than diamonds. They can be cleaned every now and then. It would also be wise not to wear them when washing the dishes or doing laundry because frequent exposure to those harsh chemicals could cause them to get cloudy. You can however replace them easily if they do get damaged. 

Diamonds rank 10 on a Mohs scale of hardness while Cubic Zirconia ranks 8.5. Which means that they are quite hard and durable even though much less than real diamonds.

Man Made Diamonds and Cubic Zirconia

Now don’t think that Cubic Zirconias are the same as man made diamonds. They are actually not. Man made diamonds are still real diamonds except they are synthetically made.They have the same composition as diamonds too. They are still made of carbon and they are quite different from Cubic Zirconias. Except for the fact that they are lab made, there’s nothing else that’s common between the two. 

Man made diamonds may be cheaper than mined ones, but they’ll still be far more expensive than Cubic Zirconias.

How Do They Compare in Terms of Cost

Like we’ve said earlier, diamonds are very much expensive and their costs could differ according to their sizes and shapes. CZ’s and diamonds differ significantly in terms of cost. If you are looking to buy different types of jewelry to add to your collection of everyday items, buying diamonds wouldn't be a great choice because you’d have to definitely spend more than 2000 dollars just to get one small piece. On the other hand, for just a few hundred dollars you can very well own quite a number of jewelry that looks almost the same. In short they’re quite cheap. So if you’re really looking for diamond alternatives that don’t cost you a fortune, then CZ’s are the choice for you. 

Some Final Thoughts

Alright, we’ve covered everything about CZ’s and why purchasing them would be a great idea if you’re just buying them to grow your jewelry collection or if you were just looking for short term, everyday wears. Diamonds are precious stones. They also hold an amount of sentimental value among people. They are so high priced because of their rarity and the amount of work that goes into mining them and cutting them into beautiful jewelry. So if you’re looking for an asset to last you for a lifetime, then investing in diamonds would be a great choice. On the other hand, like we said before, if you’re not willing to spend too much money, or if you cannot afford to buy lots of diamonds for now, then CZ’s are a good idea too. 

Cubic Zirconia Ring

So that's about it for today. If you’re looking to purchase some Cubic Zirconia jewelry, take a look at some of our collections here. We sell Grade AAA Zirconia stones which means they are finely cut, much more lustrous and shiny. They are more clear and closely resemble diamonds. You’ll find these and lots more in our shop.

Butterfly Charm Bracelet

Butterfly Charm Choker

Queen Ring

Morpho Crystal Necklace

Diana Stud Earrings

Bye Guys,

Talk soon.


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