Cubic zirconia jewelry is the perfect alternative birthstone
for April. This affordable diamond-simulant was first created in the
laboratory in 1969 and when first released, fooled many gemologists. Today, it
is one of the most abundant in the marketplace combining similar properties
such as high refractive index, good dispersion of light and hardness.
Fortunately, by using a thermal conductivity testing tool one can easily
identify cubic zirconia jewelry.
One of the great advantages of cubic zirconia jewelry is that
it is usually available in a variety of colors. These synthetic gemstones can
be created in all of the birthstone colors and many more. Chemically, this is
done during its creation by adding different minerals. Although cubic zirconia
jewelry is often made using stones that are machine cut and have been
laboratory-made, there are various grades based on cut, color and clarity. It
may prove beneficial to inspect your cubic zirconia jewelry for flaws that may
not be obvious at first glance.
Moh's scale of hardness classifies cubic zirconia as 8-8.5.
This hardness allows for frequent wear of your cubic zirconia jewelry and
cleaning using gem cleaner. Regular cleaning of your cubic zirconia jewelry
will maintain the brilliant shine that resembles the fire of a diamond or any
gem it resembles.
