Frequently Asked Questions about Faux Jewelry and Cubic Zirconia
Synthetic Precious Stones vrs Simulated Stones
Synthetic precious stones are produced in laboratories. They have the
same physical and chemical characteristics as genuine stones, but because
they are man-made they are not scarce. Their abundance makes them less
expensive. All four natural precious stones - diamond, ruby, sapphire,
and emerald - are available in synthetics. A cubic zirconia is a synthetic
precious stone.
A simulated stone, on the other hand, is made of paste or glass that is
colored to look like a natural stone. They have few physical characteristics
and no chemical characteristics of either the real or the synthetic precious
stones. These simulated stones are usually used in what is known as paste
jewelry or costume jewelry.
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Faux Jewelry is the term used to describe jewelry that generally uses
synthetic stones to create all of the brilliance and fire of the expensive
jewelry using natural stones. Faux Jewelry bridges the gap between low
quality "paste jewelry" and expensive "fine jewelry". By reproducing the
look and feel of expensive jewelry with high quality synthetic stones
and gold layering you are able to wear expensive looking jewelry
without paying the high price.
If you already own jewelry with natural stones, Faux Jewelry is great
to wear on ocassions when you don't want to worry about losing your expensive
pieces. Travelers love faux jewelry because it gives them the look they
desire without the worries of theft or lose. Lock up your natural stones
and wearing our faux jewelry -- never worry again!
If you can't afford natural stones, or can't see the point in buying jewelry
only to lock it up for safety... then, again, faux jewelry is for you.
It is high quality, cost saving beauty! It is being worn openly by everyone...
remember... this is not costume jewelry. These synthetic stones have the
same chemical and physical characteristics as their "natural cousins".
Why pay the price if you can't tell the difference?
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Cubic Zirconia
Cubic Zirconia is a good example of a synthetic stone.
It is chemically comprised of zirconium oxide and yttrium oxide. Individually,
both of these materials are opaque, white ores, but when melted together
under appropriate conditions, they combine to form an amazingly brilliant,
clear crystal.
Producing cubic zirconia is an art in itself. The ores are melted together
at extremely high temperatures then carefully cooled to form the flawless
crystals that ultimately will be cut like their natural cousins, diamonds.
Like diamonds, the best cubic zirconias are white and do not lose their
color or brilliance. Given proper cleaning, the cubic zirconia will retain
its own flawless, radiant beauty permanently, just as the diamond does.
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Cubic zirconia stones are cut in the same fashion as diamonds. The size of the
gemstone is usually indicated by its weight in carats, a carat being one-fifth
(1/5) of a gram. The stone can also be measured in millimeter diameter
size.
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The best cleaning agent for cubic zirconia is liquid dishwashing detergent.
However, other cleaners can be used, preferably those without ammonia.
Natural skin oils, soap, and dirt cause a film that dulls the beauty and
luster of the cubic zirconia, just as it dulls real diamonds.
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That's the beauty of the synthetic stone. Today's technology makes it very
difficult to distinguish a real diamond from a cubic zirconia. It
usually takes a jewelers magnifying glass and a lot of expertise to tell
the difference. Remember: These are not simulated diamonds... they are
synthetic. They are not copies... they are engineered to be man-made replicas
of the natural stone.
The following tests identify cubic zirconia:
- Cubic zirconia can be identified by a specific gravity test of a unmounted
stone.
- Cubic
zirconia can be identified by marking ink on the table (flat top)
of the stone; on cubic zirconia ink beads up.
- When
gemprinted, cubic zirconia photographs the reflective and refractive
pattern.
- When
measured for heat conductivity with diamond probe, cubic zirconia
and other imitations register red on the indicator; diamond registers
green.
(Now really, if you have to go through all of that to test for a CZ... doesn't that tell you the current quality of these synthetic stones!)
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Our Cubic Zirconia Jewelry
Just as diamonds have different grades because they were produced under similar
but not exact circumstances so CZ’s have different grades. We carefully
select our stones for their brilliance and beauty. They will not cloud,
lose their color or sparkle. We are so sure that you will be impressed
with their quality that we offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee.
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return it for a full refund.