About Cubic Zirconia

Cubic Zirconia (CZ) are the ideal conflict-free alternative to diamonds with similar sparkle and fire, but at a fraction of the cost. A CZ is a synthesized (lab created) crystalline material that is colorless, hard, and flawless.

Cubic Zirconia is a mineral, zirconium oxide, which is very rare in nature, but can be man-made to create a brilliant gemstone with all the fire of a diamond. In fact, only a trained eye can tell a real diamond from cubic zirconia!

Cubic zirconia is not a diamond at all. Instead, it is what jewelers call a simulated diamond, a gemstone cut to resemble a diamond. Cubic zirconia makes a good choice for a simulated diamond because it is completely colorless, but it differs from diamonds in several ways.

Both natural and synthetic diamonds share the same properties. Cubic zirconia, however, is softer than diamonds and does not conduct heat. Buyers can conduct several tests at home to determine whether that fabulous stone they found is a diamond or cubic zirconia.

A cubic zirconia with the same dimensions as a diamond is about 1.7 times heavier than the diamond. When the weight of cubic zirconia is given in carats, the number actually represents the carat weight of a true diamond of the same size. This is to standardize the scale so that the comparison between cubic zirconia and diamond is easy to make. Some cubic zirconia stones are measured by stone size rather than carat weight.

The “A” System of Rating Cubic Zirconia
When buying cubic zirconia, assess the quality by weight (carat), clarity, color and cut. The quality of cubic zirconia can also be measured by a separate system with six categories. The six categories used to describe the quality of cubic zirconia are: AAAAA (the highest quality), AAAA, AAA, AA, A and AB (the lowest quality). The highest quality stones are hard and clear, while the lowest quality stones are cloudy and soft. Most cubic zirconia sold today are rated as AAA quality stones. All of the cubic zirconia jewelry sold by Everyday Elegance is graded AAAAA.