CZ Engagement Rings – As Good as the Real Thing?
Can you tell a natural diamond from a man-made cubic zirconia (CZ)? Probably not, that is unless you’re a professional gemologist. The look of CZ is deceptively identical to a real diamond. In fact, it’s not uncommon for CZ engagement rings to be sold or presented as natural diamond engagement rings.
If CZ engagement rings are practically identical to (and some say just as good as) natural diamond rings, why didn’t they become available sooner? Because, compared to diamonds, cubic zirconia is a new invention.
The Beginning of CZ jewelry
CZ engagement rings couldn’t exist without cubic zirconia, a rare mineral produced naturally the same as diamonds. German mineralogists discovered the mineral in 1937. The similarities between CZ and diamonds were apparent, but since the mineral was so rare, it couldn’t compete with diamonds. It wasn’t until the late-1970s that Russian scientists learned to reproduce CZ in a laboratory setting, thereby making it widely available for use in jewelry.
The popularity of CZ took the jewelry world by storm. Jewelry manufactures seized the opportunity to sell the imitation diamond to those unable to afford the real thing. Many consumers, desiring the diamond look without the price tag, welcomed the availability of CZ. Soon, everything from CZ engagement rings to CZ bracelets and earrings were on the market.
CZ Engagement Rings Compared to Diamond Engagement Rings
It’s difficult for untrained eyes to spot differences between CZ engagement rings and diamond engagement rings. There are features that set CZ engagement rings apart from natural diamond rings, but it usually takes a microscope to observe them. Judge for yourself how CZ engagement rings measure-up against natural diamond rings:
- Like diamond engagement rings, CZ engagement rings are available in a variety of colors. But what if you want a perfectly colorless diamond in your engagement ring? Well, you may have a difficult time since most diamonds have small amounts of color. But that’s not the case with CZ. Perfectly colorless CZ engagement rings are readily available because they can be created that way.
- CZ engagement rings are more delicate than diamond engagement rings. It’s not because CZ engagement rings are badly made, but CZ is softer than diamond. CZ has a hardness rating of 8.3 compared to 10 for diamond. So if you try to cut glass with a diamond, and the diamond breaks, then it’s not a real diamond.
- CZ engagement rings are flawless. Cracks, hairlines, feathers, etc... are all foreign to CZ engagement rings. But if you examine even the most expensive diamond engagement rings, inclusions will appear in some or all of them.
As you can see, the differences between CZ engagement rings and diamond engagement rings are barely noticeable. Your preference for one or the other depends on how you feel about imitation diamonds. If natural diamonds are your preference, feel free to search our website. We’re sure you’ll find an affordable diamond to fit within your budget.
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