Cubic Zirconia vs. Diamond: What are the Differences?

When it comes to jewelry, true fashionistas and jewelry enthusiasts always want pure jewelry. Still, the introduction of cubic zirconia in the jewelry industry has completely changed the market and how people respond to diamonds. The similarities between the two are uncanny, so cubic zirconia is often used as an alternative to diamonds. In fact, it is also dubbed as a diamond "imitation" or stimulant because when you look at it, you cannot tell the two apart.

Finding out the differences between cubic zirconia and diamond is indeed very hard – in fact, many believe we need professional help to tell the two apart. But it is also not that hard; if you are knowledgeable enough about pure jewelry, you can easily identify your original stone.

We all know diamonds are a girl's best friend, so what is zirconia? Maybe a distant friend that you want to avoid if you have your eyes on the real, valued stone. So to make this pick easy for you today, we decided to share some simple differences between the jewelry material, so you can quickly identify which one is real and which one is not.

Differences Between Cubic Zirconia and Diamonds

There is no doubt that cubic zirconia and diamonds look very similar but did you know their appearance is the true giveaway for their difference? Not everyone knows about this, but you can easily tell the two stones are apart if you look closely. Cubic zirconia may be an imitation of a diamond, but it is quite different from the original stone on a closer look.

2. Clarity

The biggest giveaway of a zirconia stone is that it is “flawless." – which, shockingly, a diamond isn't. Most laypeople who do not know much about stones believe a diamond, given its rarity and value, is a flawless stone, but that's not true. An original diamond has flaws in it – it has small inclusions, which are slight imperfections or blemishes.

Looking closely at a natural diamond stone, you will see black spots or lines; these are imperfections called inclusions. Since zirconia is made artificially, it lacks these inclusions and is "perfect" – aka an imitation.

3. Color

Along with being flawless, cubic zirconia is also colorless, which a diamond isn’t. Diamonds are graded on a D to Z scale to represent the color, and D diamonds that are supposed to be colorless, are incredibly rare and expensive. Apart from that, all diamonds, even white diamonds, have a tint of yellow and brown, but cubic zirconia are purely colorless, which is an easy giveaway.

 4. Durability and Composition

cubic zirconia and diamonds might look similar, but their composition and durability are very different. Diamond is a natural stone made from compressed carbon, and its composition is what gives it its durability – it is the hardest stone known to us. On the other hand, cubic zirconia is not as durable and ranks at 8 to 9.5 on the Mohs Hardness scale – while diamond ranks at 10.  

This goes without saying that the original natural diamond is way more expensive than cubic zirconia. Cubic zirconia may look like a diamond, but it is an artificial stone therefore much more affordable than a diamond which is rare and absolutely valuable. Diamonds are priced depending on their grade, size, and design – because of the cutting size. Hence, a small diamond might cost less than large cubic zirconia, so don't get fooled by a jeweler and compare the right size.

Bottom Line

Cubic zirconia and diamond are two very different stones – they might look like they are the same, but everything from their appearance to their chemical makeup and the actual value is very different. However, there is no doubt that the two look absolutely stunning, and there is no harm in wearing zirconia because not everyone can afford a pure diamond, and sometimes, zirconia does just the trick for you.

However, whether you want pure diamond jewelry or are looking for fancy alternative jewelry made using cubic zirconia – we have it all for you. Visit Shop n Glow and find yourself what suits you and your pocket best. They have an amazing collection of both diamond and zirconia jewelry.