Diamonds are the best known natural gemstones which have been used in jewelry manufacturing since ancient times. For centuries diamonds were praised for their pureness and hardness and were decorating jewelry garments of royal and imperial families as well as many noble people all over the world. Diamonds have been forming in the bowels of the earth for billions of years, and have perfect structure and are near to being absolutely colorless.
Their high price is caused by the difficulty of its' extraction, as mining is one of the most dangerous jobs out there, as well as difficulty of production and faceting. Being the hardest material in the world, it can only be faceted using diamond plated tools, which makes the process rather expensive.
The most expensive gemstone should be put into corresponding setting, so diamonds are usually set in gold or platinum. All together it makes a jewelry piece very expensive and makes it more like an investment, rather than an accessory.
This led to the need of the solution for less expensive but nevertheless beautiful subsitute. Cubic zirconia was discovered in the end of 19th century and commercial production began in 1976. Since then it has been the biggest competitor for natural diamonds.
Cubic zirconia crystals are synthesized in the laboratory conditions, and due to that have perfect clearness in contrary to diamonds, which had been affected for billion years by natural conditions and often have yellow or brown undertone. Cubic zirconia is almost as hard as diamond and due to the fact of being synthesised in the laboratory, can reach any desirable size. It's many times cheaper than diamonds and can be as well faceted in many different shapes.
Cubic zirconia is often set in sterling silver, gold plated silver or gold, and is widely used for manufacturing any kind of jewelry, such as necklaces, bracelets, earrings, rings, cufflinks, piercings and so on.
This way jewelry embellished with cubic zirconia makes a great alternative to diamond jewelry, especially for everyday wear or young people. It means you shouldn't be afraid of buying, say, cubic zirconia ring or pendant, as when being properly faceted it will reflect light and shine not worse than a diamond. Additionaly, even large cubic zirconia stones will not hit price of thousands and million of dollars. Of course, you cannot consider cubic zirconia jewelry as an investment, but it's certainly a great way to accessorize and complement your outfit with a subtle luxury touch.
Just remember, that cubic zirconia jewelry is a part of fine jewelry, not costume jewelry, so don't be afraid of wearing it for special occasions and formal events with black or white tie dress code.
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