Why Cubic’s?  They say, “diamonds are forever”, but in fact, they are also NOT for everyone.  While many people appreciate the beauty of the precious gemstone, they may not want to support the diamond industry, since the practice of diamond mining is very controversial and has been linked to rumors of child labor, cruelty and even violent deaths (know as blood diamonds).  In addition, the cost of diamonds is considered by some to be highly inflated by the diamond industry leaving some jewelry-lovers seeking other options.  That’s where cubic zirconias come in.  These man-made gems are very beautiful, look just like real diamonds, can be made in any color, and are very affordable, without strip mining or putting BIG holes in our earth.

Cubic Zirconia (CZ):  Is the Cubic Crystalline form of Zirconium Dioxide (ZrO₂).  This synthesized material is almost as hard as a Real Diamond (Note: Diamonds are the hardest naturally occurring substance found on earth).  A Cubic Zirconia has a rating of approximately 8.5 on Mohs’ Diamond Hardness Scale vs. a rating of 10 for a Real Diamond; a CZ is Optically Colorless and Flawless where a Real Diamond is rarely Colorless or Flawless.  By comparison, a Cubic Zirconia is entirely Colorless: equivalent to a perfect "D" on a Real Diamond Color Grading Scale.  A Cubic Zirconia has NO Interior Inclusions or Surface Inclusions like a Real Diamond might have.  Because of their Low Cost, Durability, and Close Visual Likeness to a Real Diamond, synthetic Cubic Zirconia has remained the most geologically and economically important competitor to Real Diamonds since commercial production began in 1976.  When a Real Diamond and a Cubic Zirconia are shown to a customer side-by-side for the very first time most people picked the Cubic Zirconia thinking it’s the Real Diamond because a Cubic Zirconia has a much Higher Brilliance and Reflective Quality than that of a Real Diamond.  A Diamonds reflectivity is 0.044 while a CZ’s reflectivity is 0.066.  Also, Cubic Zirconia are currently on average 200 to 600-Times Cheaper than the cost of a Real Diamond and finally, our Cubic Zirconia are actually mounted in some of the same bands that our Real Diamonds are set in.  A cut and polished round 1.0 Carat cubic zirconia stone will cost about $20.00 and a similar round 2.0 Carat CZ will cost about $30.00.  Where as, a cut and polished 1.0 Carat diamond stone will currently start at around $2,112 .00 to $3,265.00 and a similar 2.0 Carat diamond will start at  $9,844.00 to $17,719.00 depending on its cut and grade and as diamond sizes increase their price gets exponentially more expensive.

Grading Scale:  It’s a common misconception that all CZ Stones are the same.  Just like Diamonds, there are a number of Quality Levels, and there are a range of Price Points for these beautiful look-a-likes.  CZ stones are graded A+ (low), AA+, AAA+ (middle), AAAA+, and AAAAA+ (high).  The middle grade is what you will find in most jewelry pieces these are very beautiful-looking stones that are very affordable.  Let’s take a closer look at the grades The Callista Company sells.

AAA+ Grade Stones (3A+):  Cubic Zirconia that are rated AAA+ are usually more highly polished than A+ grade stones.  They tend to have more Luster, Shine, and Brilliance. They have 57 Facets just like a Real Diamond.  To create the most reasonably priced jewelry these stones are usually set in Stamped “S925”, 92.5% Pure Sterling Silver or Silver Plated bands, Vermeil, Titanium, Tungsten, Rose, White, or Yellow Gold Plated bands, and Platinum Plated bands.  AAA+ CZ’s are the most popular grade of stone on the market today, because they offer Great Quality and are the most Affordable of all the man-made stones.  AAA+ CZs look just like Real Diamonds and wear just like Real Diamonds without the Real Diamond Price.

AAAAA+ Grade Stones (5A+):  Are the highest quality CZs you can get.  They are crafted by the best stonecutters and are polished just like any top rated Diamond would be.  These stones are remarkably similar in appearance to Diamonds and are set in the same type of mountings as their Diamond counterparts; it is virtually impossible to tell them apart.  When a Real Diamond and a Cubic Zirconia are shown to a customer side-by-side for the very first time most people pick the Cubic Zirconia thinking it’s the Real Diamond, because Cubic Zirconia have a much Higher Brilliance and Reflective Quality than that of a Real Diamond.  These pieces are the Highest Quality, yet Most Affordable, choices for a shopper looking for a stunning piece jewelry without the stunning Diamond Price.  Even jewelers have a hard time telling them apart and must use a Diamond Tester to figure out which one is the Real Diamond and which one is the AAAAA+ CZ. 

Cubic Zirconia & Carat Weight:  For diamonds, carat weight refers to how heavy a diamond is.  However, a CZ is denser and will weight approximately 50 to 75% more than a diamond of the same size, which makes the two stones impossible to compare side-by-side by weight.  How we determine a CZ’s carat weight relative to a diamond is by comparing the millimeter dimensions of a diamond to that of a CZ to get a relative CZ carat weight.  For example, a 1.0 Carat CZ has the same dimensions as a 1.0 Carat Diamond.

Jewelry Care:  Just common sense, do NOT wear your jewelry when taking a shower, washing dishes, or swimming in a pool (to avoid damaging chemicals), digging in your garden, or exercising at the gym.  When in doubt just take your jewelry off, and store in a clean dry place.

Jewelry Cleaning:  The best homemade jewelry cleaning solution is a mixture of a few drops of DAWN dish detergent in warm, NOT hot, water.  Let the jewelry sit in the solution for a few minutes, then gently scrub with a Brand New, Baby-Sized, VERY SOFT Bristle Toothbrush, Rinse, Pat Dry with a soft towel.

Callista means “Most Beautiful” in Greek, and is the Trademark name of The Callista Company, since 2002.

Copyright © 2002, The Callista Company