Do you know the difference between zirconia and cubic zirconia? They are two completely different minerals (even in price). This is what zircons and cubic zirconia are and why it is important to know the characteristics in order not to fall into the trap ♦
Synthetic diamonds or zircons? What if, on the other hand, they are cubic zirconia? Almost always the description of the jewels proposed by the manufacturers indicates which type of stone is used on rings, necklaces or bracelets. But this description is not always true. From your emails, in fact, we discovered that few really know the difference between zircons (a natural stone) and cubic zirconia (a synthetic crystal). The problem is that companies often offer jewelry with “zircons”. But in reality it is not about zircons, but cubic zirconia. And there is a big difference (even in the price): cubic zirconia cost very little. Better to clarify your ideas, then.
Cubic zirconia. It is one of the more popular alternatives for a diamond. For chemistry it is zirconium oxide, and it is often used as a synthetic diamond. If you read the initials Cz in the description of a jewel, it is cubic zirconia. It is a crystal, on the market since 1970. The physical properties are very similar to those of a diamond, so much so that it is difficult to distinguish them with the naked eye. Most cubic zirconia is colorless, but there are also colored ones. One aspect that distinguishes it from a real diamond is its thermal conductivity: like real zircon, cubic zirconia tends to be a thermal insulator compared to diamonds, which are heat conductors.
Zircon (zirconium silicate). It is a natural gem, and closely resembles a diamond. Among the characteristics that make it very similar to a diamond is the refraction capacity, even if the zircon is more opaque. Otherwise, zircon is quite similar to a diamond. It is an often colorless stone but, like real diamonds, it can have colored shades: green, pink, purple, white, yellow and blue, which is the most requested color. Although the colors of the zircon are natural, the stones can also be heat treated to make the gem colorless or, conversely, to increase the hue. The major visual difference of a zircon compared to a diamond is that the reflection of light is different, less brilliant.
Diamonds: are better originals or fake?
E la missanite com’è e come si confronta con Cz , lo Zircone e anche il diamante?
Ciao Alessandra, la moissanite è un minerale che esiste in natura e può avere un aspetto simile a quello dei diamanti. Ma spesso è proposta in versione sintetica, come la cubic zirconia: Puoi leggere qui: https://gioiellis.com/diamanti-meglio-veri-o-finti/