When it comes to sparkling jewelry, diamonds have always been a first choice. But for many folks, the cost has been way out of their price range. The good news is, there are options that dazzle but won’t cost nearly as much. They include lab-grown diamonds and cubic zirconia (“CZ”).
Birkat Elyon has long provided its customers with gorgeous, high-quality CZ jewelry, and is here to break down the difference between cubic zirconia and lab-grown diamonds.
Diamonds grown in a lab are just that. The process mimics the conditions that form actual diamonds found in a mine. It starts with a bit of an actual diamond – the “seed” – then subjects it to intense pressure. It takes up to a few months to grow.
While lab-grown diamonds don’t have the “overhead” of a real one, they’re still pretty pricey.
Cubic zirconia is also man-made but takes far less time and effort to create. For that reason, it costs a lot less than a lab-grown diamond.
When it comes to durability, both lab-grown diamonds and CZ hold up beautifully in everyday life.
Cubic zirconia is a smart option for things like sparkly earrings or bracelets; even lab-grown diamonds can be cost-prohibitive. Another reason that CZ is so popular is that it’s worry-free: if you ever lose a piece on vacation or a honeymoon, you won’t be out a fortune as you would be with a diamond.
To the average person, a quality CZ ring, like those from Birkat Elyon, is almost indistinguishable from a diamond – real, or lab-grown. It takes a real expert to determine which is which.
Another benefit that CZ has? A totally colorless diamond is extremely rare (and extremely coveted); typically, there’s some color hue reflected. However, cubic zirconia is colorless (unless a color is included on purpose) and reflects clear light.
Bottom line: just as with a genuine diamond, cubic zirconia has many advantages over lab-grown ones. They shine as brightly, impress as much – but are so much more affordable. Birkat Elyon invites you to check out our full line of high-quality cubic zirconia jewelry and treat yourself (or someone else) to something special.