How does cubic zirconia differ from a diamond in appearance? How to distinguish a diamond from cubic zirconia and buy a real jewel. Glue onto fat

It is believed that a non-specialist will not be able to distinguish cubic zirconia from diamond. Is it so? However, there are many points that will indicate these differences.

Cubic zirconia is a fairly popular replacement for diamond, but it is softer than the original. On the Mohs hardness scale it measures 8.5, while diamond measures 10.

In addition, cubic zirconia is not as fire-resistant as a diamond. If cubic zirconia is heated too much, it can easily crack.

1. No inclusions.

One of the most important differences between cubic zirconia and diamond is that cubic zirconia is virtually flawless. Since it is created artificially, its structure is homogeneous.

Even the most flawless diamonds have some internal defects. Some of these imperfections are not visible to the naked eye and you may have to use a loupe or microscope to see them, but there are no natural diamonds without imperfections.

Therefore, if, upon careful examination of the surface of the stone, you do not find any inclusions or other imperfections at all, most likely it is not a natural diamond.

2. Cubic zirconia is more fragile and prone to damage.

Another characteristic of cubic zirconia is that it is not as hard as diamond. Therefore, over time, its surface may become worn and scratched. Diamond is a very hard substance, and although it can be broken if hit hard, it is not easily scratched.

Cubic zirconia is also more fragile. You need to handle it with care and precision, because... with strong impact, a piece can easily break off from it.

Due to the fact that it is much cheaper than a diamond, of course, you can periodically buy a new stone when the old one is damaged.

3. Transparent and shiny.

Cubic zirconia has ideal purity and is absolutely transparent. You won’t find any shades in it, for example, yellowness, as in natural stone.

This allows cubic zirconia to shine, sparkle and sparkle more powerfully and colorfully than a diamond can.

The absolute transparency and purity allows for an intense play of light on its surfaces, and when placed next to real stone it shows much more colorful flashes of light.

4. Heavier.

Cubic zirconia weighs approximately twice as much as diamond.

5. Smooth edges.

If you carefully examine the facets of a diamond, you will notice that their edges are very sharp. In contrast, the edges of cubic zirconia are smoother and smoother. To see this, you will need a magnifying glass with tenfold magnification.

6. Cheap framing.

An inexpensive frame is used for cubic zirconia. Considering its low cost, it is installed in gold jewelry with a low standard.

It is unlikely that the standard of a gold item with cubic zirconia will be higher than 10 carats.

7. Heat insulator.

Cubic zirconia is a better heat insulator than diamond. Diamond has a higher thermal conductivity and dissipates heat very quickly. Therefore, if you breathe on it, the condensation from your breath will disappear immediately.

This will not work with cubic zirconia. Condensation will remain on it for a long time.

The final test.

If you are still not sure whether your stone is cubic zirconia, then you need to show it to a jeweler.

Jewelers usually have diamond testers - these are electronic devices that indicate whether a stone is natural.

Cultivated Diamonds vs Cubic Zirconia: What's the Difference?

Many people are not sure that there is a difference between artificial diamonds and cubic zirconia, and some even think that they are the same thing. Even though they are similar, these two types of stones are actually very different.

Let's take a look at what they're made of and how you can tell the difference between cubic zirconia and a cultured diamond (also known as a synthetic diamond).

What is cubic zirconia made of?

It is a form of zirconia, created synthetically, and is generally colorless and relatively unblemished. Since its optical and physical properties somewhat resemble those of a diamond, cubic zirconia is often used as a diamond imitation.

They are created in a laboratory and are also known as lab-grown, synthetic, engineered, and cultured. Contrary to what some people think, they are not considered fake just because they are created in a laboratory.

These stones are real diamonds because they have the same chemical composition and physical characteristics as natural ones.

Artificial diamonds and cubic zirconia differ in their physical and chemical properties. Here are some of the most noticeable differences that can help you tell these stones apart:

Durability

Man-made diamonds are significantly more durable than cubic zirconia.

This is mainly due to the differences in hardness between these stones. For this reason, cubic zirconia is much easier to scratch and is typically less durable than lab-created diamonds.

Facets and cuts

Because cubic zirconia is softer than grown diamonds when cut and polished, the two materials differ in how sharp the edges of their facets are.

Synthetics, like natural stones, have very sharp edges. Faceted cubic zirconia stones, on the other hand, have more rounded edges and become even rounder over time as the material wears away.

Fire (Dispersion)

Another difference lies in their level of dispersion.

This property is directly related to the way the stone refracts light into a rainbow of spectral colors - an effect also called "fire".

Cubic zirconia has a higher dispersion and for this reason, when exposed to light, this stone exhibits more colorful flares.

Cubic zirconia is a material that is heavier than natural and synthetic diamond.

Therefore, if you weigh a cubic zirconia and compare its weight to a similarly sized synthetic diamond, it should be significantly heavier.

Price

Man-made diamonds have the same properties as natural diamonds, and while synthetics are cheaper to produce, they are still relatively expensive compared to cubic zirconia. Real colorless diamonds are very rare and therefore quite expensive.

It is often the case that cubic zirconia costs a fraction of the price of a crafted diamond of the same size, color and clarity. It is much cheaper than real diamonds, and although diamond prices vary depending on various quality characteristics, you are unlikely to find a well-cut diamond around one carat for less than a few thousand dollars.

Color and Clarity: More Similar Than Different

Although cubic zirconia is typically cleaner and more colorless than most natural stones due to its synthetic origins, man-made diamonds have color and clarity that are just as good.

While lab-created diamonds may have yellowish tints and sometimes even natural-looking imperfections, the man-made process used to produce these stones typically ensures that imperfections are kept to a minimum, as is the case with cubic zirconias.

For this reason, how clear and colorless a stone appears should not be the primary way to differentiate man-made diamonds from cubic zirconia.

Heat and electrical conductivity: The best way check

Lab-grown diamonds and cubic zirconia differ in the way they conduct heat and electricity. This makes it easy to tell them apart using a diamond tester, which is a device that measures the conductive properties of materials.

This is why using such a tool is the most reliable way to determine whether a stone is a diamond or something else.

Most diamond testers will indicate whether a stone is a diamond, but if it is not, they will not determine whether it is a cubic zirconia.

What other diamond imitations exist?

Here are some of the most popular diamond substitutes other than cubic zirconia: zircon, moissanite, synthetic garnet (you may see it abbreviated as YAG and GGG, which are different variations of lab-grown garnets), spinel, rutile, white sapphire.

Trademarks such as DiamondAura or Diamonique may also indicate that the stone is an imitation (unless they indicate a synthetic diamond, which has the same chemical composition as a real diamond).

Therefore, if you see or hear these names mentioned by a jewelry supplier, you should know that you are dealing with imitation diamond.

The cherished dream of every woman is to own diamond jewelry. In recent years, a lot of products with artificial cubic zirconia) of the highest quality have appeared on sale, and it is completely incomprehensible at first glance - To do this, you need to know a little about the origin of cubic zirconia and their characteristics.

Cubic zirconia is a synthetic crystal artificially created in the laboratory of the USSR Lebedev Physical Institute, which in its structure is not originally intended for jewelry at all, it was necessary to create a laser, since it was one of its constituent elements. This artificial crystal had the desired optical properties and was free from defects that are inherent in natural stones. Its first purpose is a high-quality lens for quantum generators. Cubic zirconia can withstand aggressive environments and high temperatures (more than 2,500 degrees), which allows it to be used in the chemical industry. But thanks to its high physical characteristics, very quickly the purest cubic zirconia crystal began to be used in jewelry as an artificial diamond. How to distinguish cubic zirconia from a diamond?

There are special gemological tests to determine which stone is in front of you. By the way, cubic zirconia can imitate sapphires, rubies and other stones. A little observation and knowledge about the composition of crystals - and you can show the master class “How to distinguish cubic zirconia from a diamond.”

Choosing a diamond

The first and most important quality of a diamond is hardness. On the scale of mineral hardness, diamond occupies the highest level, that is, it cannot be scratched by anything, only with the same diamond. Cubic zirconia is much softer. You can try to run a diamond across the glass and it will leave a scratch. Cubic zirconia is not capable of scratching hard minerals, even ordinary glass.

The next point is switching on. All natural stones have inclusions to one degree or another - cracks, discolorations, etc. You should know that diamonds of the purest water (without inclusions) are extremely rare in nature and they are incredibly expensive.

Try looking at the light through a cut diamond - a diamond. If it is a real stone, you will only see a point of light in the center due to the refraction of rays from the back faces. But light passes through the artificial crystal, and you can see through the large artificial stone in the ring the finger on which the ring is worn.

But the most reliable test is carried out by a gemologist for thermal conductivity. For this you need a special device. It will show the level of thermal conductivity from the surface of the stone. Natural diamond has very high thermal conductivity. It is impossible to create an artificial crystal with the same high index.

And the easiest way to distinguish cubic zirconia from a diamond is by price. How much does a cubic zirconia cost and a diamond of the same size cost? Even a small diamond with low performance is a valuable natural stone. Therefore, jewelry with diamonds, even with diamonds, will be much more expensive than products with large and pure, but artificial cubic zirconia.

Cubic zirconia is a very attractive stone. However, not everyone knows how to determine that it is he. After all, there are a sufficient number of fakes made of glass on the market. In addition, cubic zirconia is very similar to a diamond. To determine the authenticity of a stone, you need to take several steps, which will be discussed below.

Glass

First, let's figure out how to distinguish cubic zirconia from glass. The shine will tell you that this is a real stone. It is not for nothing that it is compared to a diamond, since it refracts light perfectly and sparkles. Glass cannot boast of such qualities; it is inferior to cubic zirconia in brilliance.

The stone also has good hardness data, so it can scratch the glass itself. Therefore, this method will help to verify the authenticity of the mineral at home.

Of course, it is not always possible to distinguish a fake. After all, there are types of glass that have only slight differences from stone. Therefore, it will be difficult or even impossible to identify them with the naked eye.

One of these options is rhinestone. This glass is often used to imitate semi-precious or precious stones. If you have doubts, but you can’t verify it yourself, you should show the jewelry to a specialist.

Here the question may arise: why is a glass product considered a fake? Understanding the differences between the elements will help answer this question:

• the stone shimmers attractively, incomparably with glass;
• cubic zirconia is much stronger, while glass can crumble, so the stone in the ring will last much longer;
• jewelry with this addition looks more sophisticated, and if the stone loses its shine, a simple polishing with a napkin is enough;
• psychological comfort from the knowledge that the ring contains cubic zirconia and not glass.

Zircon

Zircon is a natural gemstone. Cubic zirconia is grown in laboratory conditions.

Zircon is slightly inferior in price to diamond and is mined in limited quantities. It is less durable and hard.

Diamond

Before getting into the details, you can first look at a photo of what a diamond and cubic zirconia look like.

The refractive index of cubic zirconia is close to that of a diamond, which makes it difficult to determine how to distinguish it from a diamond. This similarity, of course, is actively used by scammers who seek to present jewelry with cubic zirconia as expensive diamond jewelry. After all, the average user is unlikely to be able to distinguish stones from each other.

Therefore, knowledge of how to determine the authenticity of cubic zirconia is helpful information which can save a lot of money.

Let's consider the options:

• If possible, it is worth looking through the stone. A diamond will not allow you to see light; you will notice a luminous point, while cubic zirconia allows it to pass through well. You can do a simple test. You need to put paper with printed text, if it can be read through the stone, then you are holding cubic zirconia in your hands. This simple method will allow you to distinguish stones at home.
• There is another, even more affordable option. You need to take the stone in your hand and hold it for a while. Cubic zirconia will be at ambient temperature, while diamond will always be cool despite the warm air.
• You can also breathe on the stone; cubic zirconia will fog up, but a diamond will not.
• Another determination method can be used, but it has certain implementation difficulties. And that's why. You should smear the stone with oil and then apply it to the surface of the glass. Sticking will only be observed if you are dealing with a diamond.
• If you pay attention to the edges, the diamond has sharper edges. You can look for small defects that, oddly enough, are characteristic of a diamond. The stone in question has an ideal surface.
• There is one more option left, the most impractical, since it allows you to find out the truth only after some time. If, after wearing, a stone loses its shine or becomes damaged, the answer to what kind of stone it is is obvious. After all, diamond has the highest hardness.

All that remains is to make a final conclusion. If you are not sure what is in front of you, then you can do something simple: take the product to a professional for evaluation. He will help put all the dots in this matter.

Fake

Now let's consider the question of how to distinguish cubic zirconia from a fake. Growing this stone requires certain technical equipment and adherence to technology, so material costs are required.

Any product that is not made according to technology or deviates from it is a fake. To save money, some manufacturers simplify production, which undoubtedly leads to a deterioration in the quality of the mineral.

Here are the main signs of a classic fake:

• Low shine. Real stone has a high refractive index, which is not as easy to achieve as it might seem.
• Big sizes. A real stone has dimensions of no more than 2 cm. A fake, of course, can have any size.
• Low cost. The price of cubic zirconia is comparable to the cost of a semi-precious stone, because the technology for its production is one of the most difficult. Therefore, a low price may indicate a fake.

conclusions

It remains to summarize. As you can see, there are certain methods that allow you to determine the authenticity of a stone with a fairly high level of reliability. All that remains is to look at the photo in order to have a more accurate idea of ​​what cubic zirconia looks like.

Diamond... So much in this word! Decoration with this precious stone is considered an expensive gift in every sense. However, in our time, when unscrupulous sellers want to profit from inexperienced buyers, you need to be fully armed. It is very easy to confuse a diamond with cubic zirconia, the cost of which is negligible compared to a diamond. Therefore, when making a purchase, you need to be vigilant and be able to independently distinguish a real diamond from a cheap fake.

What is a diamond

A diamond is a natural stone that is given a special appearance through processing. A diamond has a certain number of facets - 57 pieces, which allow light to be refracted as much as possible. This gives the stone incredible shine and shine. Diamonds do not scratch even with strong physical impact, because diamond is the strongest stone. The cost of a 1 carat (0.2 gram) diamond varies from 50 to 500 thousand rubles, depending on the clarity of the diamond.

What is cubic zirconia

Cubic zirconia is an artificial stone that was invented by Soviet scientists. At first glance, it is quite difficult to distinguish it from a diamond, but upon closer inspection, you can notice several differences. Cubic zirconia can have more facets than a diamond. Its value is practically not taken into account when evaluating jewelry - only the precious metal is taken into account. But don't underestimate this artificial stone. It has taken its rightful place in the production of costume jewelry. The bad thing is that sometimes they want to pass it off as a diamond. To prevent this from happening to you, we will tell you about the differences between these stones.

Here are a few simple ways, which will help you recognize a fake among precious stones. Some you can use right in the store before purchasing, while others are suitable for testing your home decorations.

1. Hardness. The first method is suitable for identifying a stone from a home collection. Inspect the decoration carefully. If there are small scratches on the stone, it has faded over time - this is cubic zirconia. The diamond is very hard and almost impossible to damage. To test the hardness of a stone, it is rubbed against glass. The diamond will not be damaged and will leave a deep mark, because it is not for nothing that diamond is used in cutting glass. But cubic zirconia may not cope with a glass surface.
2. Clearance. To evaluate a stone in a store before purchasing, you need to hold it up to natural light. This can only be done with fairly large specimens. A real diamond does not allow rays to pass through. Through a gemstone, you can only see a cloudy dot, but through cubic zirconia, light passes through unhindered.
3. Temperature. Jewelers know one more effective method distinguish artificial stone from natural one. To do this, you just need to put your hand on the product. A real diamond is always a little cool, but cubic zirconia will warm up from the warmth of your hands.
4. Steam. Breathe on the stone. There will be no steam left on the diamond from your breath, but cubic zirconia will easily fog up.
5. Form. Take a closer look at the stone. Experienced professionals can distinguish a real diamond from a fake one only by appearance. They say that a diamond has slightly sharper edges than a cultured stone. In addition, the surface of cubic zirconia is perfectly smooth, as it is made by man. Real natural material has small irregularities.
6. Stickiness. There is one more interesting way check the quality of the stone in front of you. Lubricate it with vegetable oil and apply the largest edge to the glass surface. A real diamond will stick without difficulty, but cubic zirconia will not stick.
7. Double light. For the next method of determining the naturalness of a stone, you will need a powerful magnifying glass with 20x magnification. The experiment requires bright natural light. A well-lit stone should be carefully examined under a magnifying glass. You will not see split rays on the face of a diamond. Cubic zirconia, on the contrary, bifurcates all light streams. A diamond imitation can be calculated without much effort.
8. Transparency. Place the stone in a glass of water. A real clean diamond will not be noticeable if you look at it from the side. This is where the expression “diamond of pure water” comes from, that is, a diamond that is absolutely transparent in water. Such diamonds are considered the most valuable and expensive. Cubic zirconia will sparkle from the water and give away its presence. However, this experiment is only suitable for colorless diamonds. If it has its own shade (for example, yellowish), such a procedure becomes meaningless.

Experiment with fat

These simple physical properties of stones will help you, without special skills and special equipment, determine which stone is in front of you - diamond or cubic zirconia. This is how you can identify cubic zirconia, which is used to create jewelry. However, if during the production of cubic zirconia it was initially intended to pass it off as a precious stone, then your efforts may be in vain. Modern cubic zirconia is very similar to natural rock and it is almost impossible to distinguish it on your own. In this case, you need to take the jewelry to a specialist. Using high-precision technology, he will help determine the quality and origin of the stone.

Having learned to distinguish a real diamond from cubic zirconia, you will not allow yourself to be deceived. And you will only pay money for natural gems.

Video: how to distinguish a diamond from cubic zirconia in a ring

We will tell you how to distinguish a diamond from cubic zirconia in this article. Although these stones are very similar, they have different properties and incomparable value. If a cut diamond costs at least 50 thousand rubles, then cubic zirconia costs several tens. Fraudsters take advantage of this to sell cheap counterfeits under the guise of jewelry, under the guise of promotions and sales. The stones are similar, but there are many differences between them. They are easy to detect even without special equipment and skills.

Origin and appearance of the fake

Cubic zirconia is not a precious stone, but an artificial one, created in the sixties of the last century at the USSR Academy of Sciences, at the Physical Institute. Hence the name - it is an abbreviation for “place of birth”. By the way, they don’t call it that abroad. Other names in use are jevalit, zirconite (although it has nothing to do with real zirconium).

Cubic zirconia also acts as an imitation of other stones - sapphires, topazes, rubies. To do this, it is tinted.

Green color comes from chromium; yellow, red or orange - cerium; pink – erbium. Cubic zirconias are often used in jewelry, but sometimes they replace diamonds in products made of precious metals.

Although an artificial diamond is just a cheap fake, it often looks more attractive than the original. The crystal has perfect purity, and the play of light on its edges is much brighter than that of a diamond.

How do doubles differ?

Synthetically created stone has different properties than natural minerals. They have different crystal structures, chemical compositions, and therefore physical properties. When buying jewelry, you need to be careful. Without special tests, it is difficult to distinguish diamonds from cubic zirconias.

These tests are simple. But without gemological examination it is impossible to be 100% sure of the nature of the stone. When it comes to recognizing a fake, simple tests are usually sufficient.

First, we’ll tell you how to distinguish cubic zirconia from a diamond using special methods. There are devices designed to determine the authenticity of crystals. There are many devices for analyzing diamonds; people call them diamond testers. The operating principle is different. Some look for differences in the refractive index, others in thermal conductivity.

There are combined devices. You can buy such a device. Portable options produced in China cost about a thousand rubles. American ones are more expensive - from 7-10 thousand rubles.

The stones can also be placed under an ultraviolet lamp. Cubic zirconia will take on a gray or greenish tint, and the natural mineral will glow blue.

Diamonds and their analogues usually have different cuts. A diamond usually has 57 facets. This processing allows you to reveal all its beauty. Cubic zirconias are different; they have fewer edges.

How to distinguish stones yourself

You can recognize a natural mineral and its analogue upon purchase or later, at home. It is based on the same properties:

• thermal conductivity;
• density;
• purity;
• ability to transmit light;
• strength.

Before choosing diamond jewelry, ask the seller for product certificates. If they are not there, or they look dubious, refuse to purchase. The low price should also be a concern. Even with a discount, 1 carat of diamond (0.2 g) costs about 50 thousand rubles.

Examine the stone in a ring or earrings through a magnifying glass. We have already said that a real diamond has 57 facets, while an artificial crystal has fewer. But the difference is that the analogue has slightly rounded edges. Diamonds also have small irregularities, inclusions, and defects, since they are a natural mineral. Cubic zirconia is grown in a laboratory and is almost perfect.

Another way to determine the nature of a stone is to warm it in your hands. This way you can test the mineral in earrings and bracelets. You need to hold the product in your hands. The fake will become warmer, but the real one will remain cold.

Checking strength and transparency

Diamonds are extremely durable. Rub it with sandpaper and you will immediately recognize the diamond or cubic zirconia in front of you. The first one will remain unharmed, the second one will have scratches. You can also drop hydrochloric acid. Nothing will happen to the natural mineral, and a stain will form on the cubic zirconia. If you are interested in the authenticity of stones in jewelry purchased long ago, consider these. Natural minerals do not fade over time, otherwise they are fake.

To recognize diamonds and fakes by eye, try placing them on a newspaper or the page of a book. The letters will be clearly visible through cubic zirconia, but through a diamond you will not be able to see anything.

Their ability to transmit light also differs. Take the crystal and bring it to the ray of the sun. It will pass through the fake without any problems, but diamond does not transmit light, so on the other side of it you will see a vague dot on any surface.

Another way to understand whether it’s a diamond or cubic zirconia is to breathe on the stone. The synthetic analogue will fog up, but the real mineral will not.

Oil and water test

The following experiment can be carried out if the stone is not part of the decoration. It needs to be placed in ordinary water and examined from the side. Cubic zirconia will be clearly visible, and the natural mineral will practically disappear. This is where the expression “pure diamond” comes from.

Whether the jewelry is with a gold “accompaniment” or on its own, ordinary vegetable oil or fat will help establish authenticity. If a diamond is smeared with oil and applied to the glass with its largest edge, it will stick. Cubic zirconia will disappear. It is also dense, so the animal fat on it breaks down into several drops. A single drop remains on the diamond.

For the last test you will need a magnifying glass with twenty times magnification. The stone must be viewed in natural light. A diamond does not double its rays, but if you have an artificial analogue in front of you, they will double. Finding the difference this way is not easy if you don’t have practice, but you can evaluate rings, necklaces, and any jewelry without separating the stone.

Why you need to be careful and a table of differences

Nothing beats the brilliant clarity and durability created by nature itself. Therefore, people choose real jewelry rather than substitutes. However, scammers are not asleep either.

When trying to establish authenticity without a specialist, remember: diamond and cubic zirconia are very similar. Today there are fakes that are extremely convincing. These include high-quality “synthetics” and pacifiers with natural diamond coating. In the latter case, the parameters of the stone change, and simple tests turn out to be unreliable.