Many places offer a wide selection of cubic zirconia jewelry. These brilliant sparkling stones demand attention wherever they go. But what is cubic zirconia (CZ), and how is it made?
A cubic zirconia is a man-made gemstone. They replicate the fire and flash of perfect diamonds, but at a fraction of the cost. Placed into fine gold or sterling silver settings, a cubic zirconia is almost indistinguishable from a genuine diamond. Only trained gemologists can tell the difference between the two.
While CZ crystals have been known since 1937, early crystals were too small for jewelry-making. In the 1970’s, scientists discovered how to grow larger crystals in the lab. CZ is formed by heating zirconium oxide and yttrium oxide to very high temperatures (almost 5000 degrees Fahrenheit!). The mixture is then cooled very slowly. This results in beautiful, flawless crystals with amazing fire and brilliance. Other ingredients are also added to produce various colors.
The cooled crystals are quite large – too large for jewelry. A single large crystal is cut into smaller chunks. Specially-trained gemologists further cut and refine each chunk of crystal. They...
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