Long recognized for its amazing ability to simulate diamonds, cubic zirconia is more flawless than diamonds found in nature, and can be cut to refract light even more perfectly than real diamonds. For consumers, CZ stones are an eminently affordable alternative to diamonds.
Because of the simulated stones' popularity, those who make jewelry - whether earrings, necklaces, rings, or pendants - are designing ever more beautiful settings for the synthetic gems. The low wholesale cost of loose cubic zirconia allows jewelry designers to create ever more elaborate pieces.
In addition to being able to buy loose cubic zirconia at wholesale or below wholesale prices, jewelry makers appreciate the dazzling array of colors and cuts that are available for CZ stones. For example, amethyst, violet, and lavender cubic zirconia are all shades of purple, while aqua and tanzanite are gorgeous shades of blue. Citrine and champagne are both in the yellow-gold range of colors, emerald and peridot are green, and garnet is a deep, rich red color.
The colors of these synthetic gems are obtained by adding an "impurity" to the CZ stones, such as a metal oxide. For example, erbium may be added to create a pink color, or neodymium might be added to create purple. Similarly, chromium can be added to make loose cubic zirconia stones green, and cerium may be added to create yellow, orange, and red lab created gems.
Of course, many jewelry makers and consumers prefer the brilliant clear cubic zirconia. Similar to diamonds, these white CZ stones are graded according to quality. Cubic zirconia AAAAA is the highest quality, followed by CZ AAA and cubic zirconia A.
Although the way a diamond cutter and polisher cuts a gem-quality diamond is in large part determined by the imperfections of the rough stone, those who manufacture loose cubic zirconia don't face the same constraints. For that reason, the variety of cuts of CZ stones is remarkable, as it the beauty and brilliance of the cut stones.
Some cubic zirconia cuts very much resemble those of diamonds, while others are more unique. Loose cubic zirconia cuts include oval, round, heart, octagon, marquise, square, star, pear, and trillion.
When it comes to lab created gems, cubic zirconia is only the tip of the iceberg. In addition to synthetic diamonds, simulated blue sapphires, alexandrite, and tanzanite, all made from corundum, are also popular. Likewise, simulated stones like coral, emerald, garnet, lapis, and emerald have gained widespread acceptance among both jewelry makers and consumers.
With the exceptional quality of CZ stones, their low wholesale cost, and the incredible selection of colors and cuts, it's easy to see why loose cubic zirconia is often the stone of choice for jewelry designers and consumers alike.
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Chris Robertson is a published author of Majon
International. All Rights Reserved. Copyright 2010 (Sat Sep 22 2007)
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