Author: MJT
Cubic Zirconia
So you’re interested in cubic zirconia? Maybe you’re just wondering what it is
exactly, and what all the hype is about?
Maybe you’re just interested in mineralogy, or have a fascination with
anything that sparkles? Well, whatever
the reason for your interest, here’s some background information on the world’s
most popular diamond substitute.
Most people know that cubic zirconia is commonly synthesized
in a lab for commercial use as a diamond substitute. Most people don’t know, however, that cubic
zirconia is actually a naturally occurring gemstone in its own right. On Earth, it is extremely rare, far more rare
than diamonds even. It was first
discovered by a couple of German scientists right before the second World
War. Their discovery apparently did not
make much of an impact on them and they did not even give the substance a name,
which is why it usually goes by its scientific name, cubic zirconia,
today.
It was rediscovered by the Soviets in the 1970s, who learned
how to synthesize the rare gemstone in a lab at a very low cost. It was then marketed with the name
‘Djevalite’, and really became popular in the 1980s when the Australian crystal
company, Swarovski & Co., began making it on a large scale to sell as a
diamond simulant.
Cubic zirconia is an oxide of the element Zirconium, or Zr
on the periodic table, and goes by the chemical formula ZrO2. It has many of the same properties of
diamond, and to an untrained eye its very difficult to tell the difference. However, cubic zirconia is a softer material
than diamond, is much heavier, and it tends to refract light slightly
differently; someone that knows what to look for can spot it with no trouble at
all.
More recently, zirconia has had some competition for its
diamond simulating properties with the introduction of the mineral
moissanite. Moissanite is an even harder
gemstone, weighs closer to a real diamond, and is even harder to tell
apart. It is at this point a more
expensive alternative, however, and has yet to be produced on the scale that
cubic zirconia is today.
Although always thought of as just a ‘fake diamond’, cubic
zirconia is a beautiful material of its own.
Unlike diamonds, which often have impurities, cubic zirconia is a
flawless substance. Today it is
available in a variety of colors, and makes an excellent gemstone and a
valuable gift.
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