Cubic zirconia jewellery is a popular alternative to authentic gemstones and offer the same dazzling look for a fraction of the cost. However just like real stones, they also vary in terms of quality so it pays to know what characteristics to look for. Some cubic zirconias resemble genuine stones more than others, and using these tips can help make finding a high quality cubic zirconia ring much easier.
If one is searching for a CZ that is a dead ringer for a diamond, it's best to select one that does not give off excessive color flashes in rainbow hues, as these stones tend to do. The top quality pieces will instead emanate white or blue light alone, which is most similar to a actual diamond.
Diamonds have grades indicative of their quality and so do CZ's. The lowest grade stones are those designated as "A" and the finest ones are "AAAAA", the former is most commonly used in costume jewellery, but there are some pieces which features higher grade stones as well. The best CZ's are both the hardest and reflect mainly white light, like a diamond.
The clarity must also be considered, just like when one is buying diamond jewellery. Clarity can be described as how clear the stone appears to the eye. Ideally one should be able to see into the stone's center, however sometimes this is not possible and it can have a cloudy or greyish look to it, this can happen during some sub-standard manufacturing processes. Clear-stone rings not only look more realistic and appealing, but they are also stronger.
One should avoid any seller who promotes CZ jewellery as "synthetic diamonds", because this term is an inaccuracy. A CZ is a man-made stone that can resemble a diamond, but it cannot truthfully be called a synthetic diamond since it would need to possess the identical gemological and physical properties, which it does not.
The hardness of the stone matters as well. Gemstone hardness is measured using the Mohs scale, with a diamond exhibiting maximum hardness with a score of 10. AAAA and AAAAA CZ's generally have a rating of about 8.5 which is also quite good, but those poorer grade ones with a rating of 6 are much more likely to get scratched, especially when worn on the hands.
Cubic zirconias are available in a wide selection of rich colors such as blue, purple, green, and red, which can at first glance bear a resemblance to precious gemstones but the key difference is that these CZ pieces which have a lot more sparkle to them. While lovely in their own sense, CZ is not usually as convincing a replica of colored stones as its simulated counterparts.
Choosing a high quality cubic zirconia ring can be done more successfully when one keeps these basic points in mind, however it is also a fairly subjective issue, since personal taste has much to do with it. A ring need not look exactly like a diamond to appeal to someone's eye, the most important thing is to always buy pieces one will continue to wear happily for many years.
If one is searching for a CZ that is a dead ringer for a diamond, it's best to select one that does not give off excessive color flashes in rainbow hues, as these stones tend to do. The top quality pieces will instead emanate white or blue light alone, which is most similar to a actual diamond.
Diamonds have grades indicative of their quality and so do CZ's. The lowest grade stones are those designated as "A" and the finest ones are "AAAAA", the former is most commonly used in costume jewellery, but there are some pieces which features higher grade stones as well. The best CZ's are both the hardest and reflect mainly white light, like a diamond.
The clarity must also be considered, just like when one is buying diamond jewellery. Clarity can be described as how clear the stone appears to the eye. Ideally one should be able to see into the stone's center, however sometimes this is not possible and it can have a cloudy or greyish look to it, this can happen during some sub-standard manufacturing processes. Clear-stone rings not only look more realistic and appealing, but they are also stronger.
One should avoid any seller who promotes CZ jewellery as "synthetic diamonds", because this term is an inaccuracy. A CZ is a man-made stone that can resemble a diamond, but it cannot truthfully be called a synthetic diamond since it would need to possess the identical gemological and physical properties, which it does not.
The hardness of the stone matters as well. Gemstone hardness is measured using the Mohs scale, with a diamond exhibiting maximum hardness with a score of 10. AAAA and AAAAA CZ's generally have a rating of about 8.5 which is also quite good, but those poorer grade ones with a rating of 6 are much more likely to get scratched, especially when worn on the hands.
Cubic zirconias are available in a wide selection of rich colors such as blue, purple, green, and red, which can at first glance bear a resemblance to precious gemstones but the key difference is that these CZ pieces which have a lot more sparkle to them. While lovely in their own sense, CZ is not usually as convincing a replica of colored stones as its simulated counterparts.
Choosing a high quality cubic zirconia ring can be done more successfully when one keeps these basic points in mind, however it is also a fairly subjective issue, since personal taste has much to do with it. A ring need not look exactly like a diamond to appeal to someone's eye, the most important thing is to always buy pieces one will continue to wear happily for many years.
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