What is Cubic Zirconia?

First produced in 1977 under the name "Djevalite" cubic zirconia or 'CZ' as it is commonly known is a synthetic gemstone used to simulate diamond. It is made by melting powdered zirconium and zirconium dioxide at extremely high temperatures, over 2,700 degrees Celsius. The resulting product is a gemstone which can be cut, shaped and polished like any naturally occuring gemstone.

Why choose cubic zirconia?

Cubic Zirconia is the most realistic diamond simulant ever made and it is impossible to tell one apart from a diamond using the naked eye and without instruments. Like diamond it is a beautiful gemstone which retains its sparkle and polish. The most common CZ type is clear and colourless, referred to as white but CZ is also avaialabe in many colours including red, orange, yellow, pink, green, blue, lilac and violet. Due to the fact that CZ is a synthetic gemstone it is considerably cheaper and more affordable than diamond. Here at The Silver Jewellery Workshop we have a large selection of earrings, rings, bracelets, charms, necklaces and pendants with cubic zirconia.

Caring for CZ

As with all gemstones care should be taken to ensure that the CZ does not rub against any other gemstone as this will cause scratching. It is never a good idea to wear two rings incorporating gemstones next to each other as the stones will rub against each other causing wear and damage. Jewellery with CZ can be cleaned, like sterling silver, with warm soapy water using an old toothbrush. The piece should then be rinsed well with clean water and allow to dry naturally. For more information regarding cleaning sterling silver jewellery please refer to our section "caring for your silver".