How to tell the Difference between a Diamond and a Cubic Zirconia

If you want to know how to tell the difference between a diamond and a cubic zirconium, it is necessary for you to have the correct information about what differentiates the two. Although both of them are very similar to each other, you may find some different features, which are easily recognisable.

A few of the differences between the two gems are given in this article.

You may not find any diamond totally colourless; if it is then it would not be precious. Most of them possess discoloration, rather than a completely colourless appearance. This feature of discoloration is not found in zirconia and hence one can easily recognise it. Remember that a cubic zirconia is completely without colour, unless a colour has been added in order to create a new variety.

In diamonds, one can easily find some flaw without using any eye or magnifying glass. Although there are some stones which are flawless or very nearly flawless, these are extremely expensive and so a person rarely buys them. On the other hand, cubic zirconium is flawless, and this is another feature which it makes it easy to tell the difference between a diamond and a cubic zirconium.

There are some other features through which both of these substances can be differentiated from each other easily. For instance, a zirconium is bulkier than a diamond. Take two of these stones with the size and dimensions, and then check the weight of both of them. You can easily tell the difference between the two if your measurements are correct and if you are using a standard scale.

Another differentiating feature is that diamonds are the hardest substances found in the world. Their hardness is around 10 on the Mohs scale. However, zirconium is softer and its hardness is 8.5 on the Mohs scale. If you visit any jewellery shop and find it difficult to differentiate between these stones, you should observe them in the brightest light. You will see that the diamond has white or silvery sparkles only. However, cubic zirconia will give out colourful sparkles such as red, yellow or blue.

Another important differentiating feature between these two stones is that a diamond possesses sharp facets, whereas a zirconium does not have sharp facets. The above are some of the easily understandable differentiating features between these two stones. If these features are taken into consideration, a buyer should not have any problem at the time of purchasing or shopping. Some people, however, would argue that cubic zirconia cannot compare with a real diamond.