Modern technology has advanced to the point it is very difficult to tell diamonds and cubic zirconia apart. Let’s delve into this a little bit more.

CZ vs. Diamonds

When searching for the perfect diamond gift, the price of this beautiful stone might be a little daunting. Diamonds are often the most expensive of stones, with prices ranging up to the hundreds of thousands of dollars. With the high price of diamonds, you might be tempted to purchase one of the many diamond look-alikes or fake diamonds that are available today because of their much lower price tag.

CZ is by far the most common and accepted substitute for a diamond, especially when used in costume jewelry. There are other stones that are used to simulate diamonds, such as moissanite, white sapphire and white topaz, but is most commonly used because of its relatively low cost and high sparkle. It is hard as well (although not approaching the hardness of a real diamond) and has “fire”, a term often used to describe the sparkling qualities of diamonds.

CZ is a lab created synthetic stone, meaning it does not (usually) occur in nature in this state. This stone starts with zirconium oxide, which is heated and then made to keep a stable shape by adding another compound known as yttrium oxide. It was found only once in nature, in 1937, but was never again seen outside a laboratory. In the 1970's Russian scientists figured out how to create their own CZ, and it has been in production as a diamond simulating stone ever since.

So what is the distinction between diamonds and CZ? Diamonds definitely do occur in nature, they are mined from the earth and are made of just one element – carbon. They are harder, rarer, in a finite supply (we can't make more once we've mined them all) and more beautiful than simulations. While it is said that most people would not be able to tell the difference between the two stones with the naked eye, the choice of settings and other materials in the jewelry often gives away whether a stone is a CZ or a diamond.

It's your choice whether you want to invest in a diamond or spend less and get a substitute such as a CZ. Just be sure never to try to “trick” someone into thinking a simulation is the real thing, and remember that diamonds will appreciate in value while CZ will not.