Spring cleaning can reveal some unexpected finds. Let's imagine you're voluntarily cleaning out a relative's vanity when you find a jewelry box in a drawer's back corner. The dusty box reveals a stunning diamond ring inside, much to your surprise. As you pick it up, you wonder if it is an authentic diamond ring or if the stone is merely cubic zirconia.
Should you ever find yourself in this situation, you might like to know a few essential guidelines that could help you to determine what kind of stone you have. While cubic zirconia may look convincing at first glance, several factors separate it from a diamond. Let's examine each of these stones to determine if that ring in the vanity drawer is real.
How Can You Tell Which Is Which?
There's a reason some people opt for cubic zirconia jewelry. Diamonds and cubic zirconia look somewhat similar where clarity is concerned. If you're not a trained gemologist, you may not realize what makes a diamond more valuable, and you may mistake the two for one another. After we talk more about cubic zirconia, you'll better understand why diamonds are the famous choice for fine jewelry.
Cubic Zirconia
Cubic zirconia is lab-created, meaning that these stones cannot be discovered on the earth naturally. Don't mistake these for lab-created diamonds. Technically, these stones are diamond simulants, signifying that they have very little in common with diamonds, although they look alike. At the core level, diamonds are comprised of carbon, while zirconium oxide is what makes up cubic zirconia.
How Diamonds and Cubic Zirconia Differ
What factors separate these look-alike stones? Primarily, diamonds and cubic zirconia differ in durability, color, density, and value.
Diamonds Are More Durable
If you scratched a cubic zirconia stone on a hard surface, it would scratch far more easily than a diamond. Diamonds are more durable than their simulant look-alikes; in fact, only another diamond can scratch a diamond. Because of their extreme durability, diamonds are the perfect option for the jewelry you'd like to wear daily and still last a long time.
The Two Stones Differ in Color
When selecting diamond jewelry, you might look for nearly colorless stones since they're more valuable. When it comes to diamond grading, color is judged on a scale of D-to-Z, with D being the most colorless.
Cubic zirconia is lab-created, meaning some aspects of its appearance are under the control of the manufacturer. One such aspect is color. Most cubic zirconia is nearly colorless and appears similar to a D color grade.
Cubic Zirconia and Diamonds Have Different Clarity
Perfect doesn't mean authentic. A typical, valuable diamond stone is judged on a clarity scale of "flawless" to "included," indicating that the stone includes notable imperfections. Although flawless diamonds are the most expensive stones, flawless cubic zirconia is not equally as valuable. Since cubic zirconia is manufactured, it appears to be flawless. This factor may make it a passable look-alike, but it doesn't warrant authenticity or value.
A Diamond Is More Valuable
While cubic zirconia makes fun costume jewelry, it doesn't have much actual worth. Though it appears similar to diamond jewelry, it gradually loses clarity and becomes foggy over time, revealing its authentic value. Diamonds, by contrast, have unrivaled natural worth.
The Difference Between Cubic Zirconia and Lab-Created Diamonds
Though cubic zirconia is created in a lab, it's much different than a lab-created diamond. What gives a stone its value is composition. Cubic zirconia will always be zirconium oxide, and it will always have a low value since that material isn't in high demand. On the other hand, diamonds will always be carbon, whether they are naturally-mined diamonds or earth-grown ones. Because of this, lab-created diamonds are as valuable as earth-grown stones for a fraction of the price.
Timeless Diamond Jewelry
When you're ready to purchase authentic and valuable jewelry, diamonds are the ideal choice. At Noémie, we're pleased to curate the best pieces of fine diamond jewelry for you to wear or gift to your loved one. We make each ring, bracelet, earring, and necklace with high-quality diamonds and metals, so you can be assured your piece will endure throughout your many seasons. Let's explore pieces and find one that fits your style most.
Diamond Eternity Band Ring
Have you been looking for the perfect diamond bands to gift your sweetheart on your next anniversary? Our Diamond Eternity Band combines luxury with a timeless charm. Each diamond band features glowing pavé white diamonds that encircle an 18 karat gold band. You can pair this ring with other petite bands or let it stand alone.
Compass Diamond Pendant
Your journey is uniquely yours. Your essence is what guides you on your path, and no one knows that better than you do. Our Compass Diamond Pendant in 18-karat yellow gold is an expertly handcrafted piece.
It displays gorgeous petite white diamonds around an engraved compass center with an adjustable chain. Wear this pendant with others to curate a look that attracts compliments, or you can wear it solo as a personal reminder of your values.
Tennis Bracelet
When you're searching for classic diamond jewelry, you can't find a more quintessential piece than a Tennis Bracelet. This piece of jewelry has become an iconic staple over the decades, making it a go-to everyday choice for many. Choose 18-karat white gold, rose gold, or black gold to accent the diamonds in your bracelet.
We're happy to customize your tennis bracelet to fit your wrist perfectly, so you can be sure it's a perfect match. Our tennis bracelet boasts 1.8-carats of stunning diamonds, making this a piece that will add a touch of luxury to any look.
Custom Diamond Ring
Whether you're looking for an engagement ring or searching for a terrific anniversary gift, our Noémie Custom Diamond Rings put you at the center of your ring design. Use our Custom Diamond Ring Builder to select your desired diamond shape, carat weight, metal, and pavé band.
You have the power to create a ring that best suits you or your partner. As always, our jewelry features 18-karat gold and F/G color diamonds with VS clarity, because you deserve fine jewelry that uses the highest-quality materials.
Consider a Lab-Created Diamond
Though cubic zirconia is lab-created, it's far less valuable than a lab-created diamond. Still, there are several benefits to lab-created stones that you should consider. First, they're guaranteed to be conflict-free stones because they're lab-grown rather than mined from the earth.
Second, lab-grown diamonds tend to be less expensive while retaining every bit of authenticity as an earth-mined diamond. For these reasons, when you're considering your next piece of diamond jewelry, you may want to opt for a lab-grown stone that shines just as brightly.
Conclusion
Perhaps the ring you found in the corner of the vanity is an authentic diamond ring, after all. Diamond jewelry is valuable and timeless. Now you know the differences between diamonds and cubic zirconia, which will help you figure out what your jewelry really is. Whenever you're ready to add more diamond jewelry to your collection, keep Noémie's fine jewelry and exceptional craftsmanship in mind.
Sources:
Your Complete Buying Guide to Cubic Zirconia (CZ) |Jewelry Shopping Guide
Diamond vs. Cubic Zirconia – the top 8 differences | Jewelry Shopping Guide
Cubic Zirconia vs. Diamond: Most Important Differences | Jewelry Notes