Cubic Zirconia (often referred to as Cubic Zircon) is a synthetic substance that can be used for many different applications. Cubic Zirconia CZ is well known in the business of jewelry. However, CZ has also found its way into other industries, including construction and dental lab coatings. CZ has the ability to provide both mechanical strength and hardness that are unmatchable by any man-made substance. Cubic Zirconia, CZ can even be cut into precise shapes and sizes.
How Cubic Zirconia is formed?
Cubic Zirconia CZ is formed through a process called crystal zirping. Cubic Zirconia CZ is extremely hard, similar to diamond. The material cannot be cut or molded however, and must be formed through a chemical process. There are several different types of CZ, all of which have different properties. The most common type of CZ is a cubic zirconia, or CZ, which can be found in many jewelry products such as engagement rings, wedding sets, pendants, earrings and watches.
Unlike diamond, CZ is completely synthetic in nature and contains no other elements. Cubic Zirconia, CZ, is known for its excellent hardness rating of 9.5, making it one of the hardest stones available in the market today. Another excellent characteristic of CZ, besides its great hardness rating, is that CZ is very light weight, which makes it easy to work with.
In addition, CZ maintains its brilliance even after years of exposure to light, which makes it highly durable. However, just like diamonds, when CZ is placed under direct light, the color tends to fade, which is why it is considered brittle. Some retailers consider CZ as durable enough to withstand several years of wear and thus are using it in their jewelry line. However, like diamonds, the color of CZ gradually fades with time, and the stone becomes gray. Its dispersion, which refers to the number of flaws present in the stone, is also considered to be low, which makes it less expensive than diamond.
Different forms of Cubic Zirconia
Cubic Zirconia, or CZ, is found in nature in many different forms. One of the most popular stones found in nature, and the one that is most often used to create jewelry, is moissanite. Moissanite is formed by carbon crystallization in an alkaline environment, and despite its cloudy appearance, these crystals display a high degree of dispersion. Cubic Zirconia crystals, which display low dispersion, are ideal for use in creating jewelry.
CZ is also formed from controlled single-crystal growth, which happens when a controlled temperature is applied to zircons at various stages of growth. The crystal growth process can range from very thin shells, called microparticles, to thicker shells, known as flakes. The crystals range in size from mere nanometers to about five micrometers in diameter. These fine sizes make CZ suitable for use in crafts and jewellery because it requires no special processing. Another advantage of CZ is that it has a controlled single-crystal growth, so the color or polish doesn’t fade over time.
Cubic Zirconia, or CZ, as it is popularly called, is produced by a controlled process similar to that used to make synthetic diamonds. The major difference between CZ and diamonds is that the primary material used to create CZ is titanium dioxide. Because CZ is titanium dioxide, it does not contain any naturally occurring minerals, so all of the positive attributes attributed to CZ are attributed to the titanium dioxide, making CZ a completely synthetic gemstone. CZ can also be produced from a mixture of other synthetic materials such as yttrium oxide and vanadium oxide, creating a synthetic “composition” which behaves very similarly to diamonds.
One of the most compelling arguments in favor of CZ as the most popular synthetic gemstone is that it is the simplest to create. Unlike diamonds, which take years to form, CZ can be created in a single crystal form, with no additional gemstones required to complete the formation process. CZ can also be cut to any shape imaginable, making it easy to obtain jewelry which mimics the shape of natural crystals. Synthetic CZ often comes in an array of colors, which further enhances its desirability as a jewelry piece.
