Education
Cubic Zirconia
Cubic Zirconia (or synthetic cubic zirconia, as proper term re GIA classification) is an incredible material. It has great potential as a gem in its own right and it seems a shame to burden a fine material with the "diamond simulant" tag.
Taking Care Of Your Cubic Zirconia
The best cleaning product that we have found for cleaning CZ jewelry is made by Gemcare Products. Their kit contains a liquid cleaner for the stones, a paste for removing tarnish from the metal and a soft cloth. The paste will remove tarnish from any metal, be it silver, gold or platinum and the liquid will take all of the "cookie dough" off the back of your gems so that they can sparkle like they did when they were new. Natural skin oils, soap, and dirt cause a film that dulls the beauty and luster of the cubic zirconia.
Setting A Cubic Zirconia
After the purchase of a CZ, care must be taken in the setting process. Not all jewelers are aware of how to work with these stones. An inexperienced setter can shatter a cz or damage it beyond recovery if not properly handled.
Comparison Of Two Rings
Here are two rings we have made. We are very proud of each – yet they are quite different. On the left is a very nice ring, semi custom as head sizes have been changed to fit the stones and the split prongs have been added to the center stone. On the right is a hand assembled ring, not truly custom, but not stock by any means. Both rings are 14kt white gold, yet the one on the right is more expensive. Why you ask?
Conversion Carat - Millimeter
Cubic zirconium is measured in two ways – carat weight and millimeter size. However, since cubic zirconium is considerably heavier in gram weight than diamonds, for purposes of comparison, weights are converted and referred to in diamond weight. This chart will aid in ordering if you know either the millimeter size or the carat weight that you are looking for in the various sizes and shapes.
