Many of us who have an interest in jewelry and the like must have come across sterling silver jewelry encrusted with sparkling CZ engraved crystals. Very few really know what CZ stands for. CZ is “cubic zirconia”, which refers to the man-made diamond-simulation crystals embedded in these jewels. Cubic Zirconia jewelry is a great gift item for any season and any occasion. Cubic Zirconia crystals are embedded in sterling silver to create magnificent pieces of jewelry such as pendants, rings, etc.
There are particularly two types of artificial crystals:
Synthetic – These crystals are inspired by their natural counterpart and both have almost similar properties. Diamonds and synthetic diamonds are examples of this type of stone, and the synthetic variety has the same properties as the natural one.
Simulant: These crystals are like their natural counterparts but are distinct in terms of properties. These different properties are such that they provide the same attractiveness and shine as natural ones. This is where cubic zirconia crystals come in with their lush colors unlike diamonds which they resemble in terms of allure and brilliance. Cubic zirconia jewelry is usually heavier than a diamond, although they can be the same dimensions.
CZ Jewelry Properties
* Although many may confuse zirconia with zircon, the fact is that the two are very different compounds. Chemically speaking, zirconia is the crystalline form of zirconium oxide (ZrO2), while zirconium silicate (ZrSiO4) is known as zircon.
* For any gemstone, the weaker the color, the more valuable it is and this rule holds true for CZ crystals as well. Lab-made gemstones, such as cubic zirconia, may have their colors pre-designed.
* In terms of clarity, the more unwanted minerals that are removed from the crystal, the more clarity it has and therefore the more expensive it becomes. Being designed in a laboratory, CZ crystal has more clarity than a diamond.
* Cubic zirconia has more weight than a diamond since the minerals that compose it are denser than those present in a diamond.
* These are also very close to diamonds in terms of hardness. On the gemstone hardness scale (Mohs scale), CZ crystals range from 8.5 to 9.
* CZ crystals sparkle almost like diamonds as they have a refractive index very close to that of diamonds. Its refractive index ranges between 2.15 and 2.18 up to 2.417 for natural diamonds.