Featured Product

This solid 14K White gold CZ ring features 2 Cts of beautiful CZ stones with a 1.5Ct centrepiece. Click here to check it out at Amazon or have a look at the rest of their range!

When it comes to cheap alternatives to diamonds, Cubic Zirconia has dominated the jewelry market for many years. Cubic Zirconia rings are incredibly popular, whether they are worn as an engagement ring or just a beautiful costume or dress ring. I wrote this guide to choosing and buying Cubic Zirconia rings to tell you what you need to know about the stone, how it can be used in jewelry, and how to care for your new ring.

About Cubic Zirconia

Cubic Zirconia (sometimes called the Russian Diamond) is the most widely used simulated diamond in the market today due in large part to its low cost and ease of production. Optically Cubic Zirconia is quite similar to diamond at a glance, but a jeweler or someone very familiar with gemstones would be able to tell them apart with the naked eye, at least in the right light. This is because Cubic Zirconia has higher dispersion but a lower refractive index than a diamond, which means it has more rainbow colors but less intensity of white light in the stone. The other key difference is that unless it is specifically colored during manufacture, CZ is completely colorless. In comparison, mined diamonds have a range of subtle tints, with stones commonly used in medium priced rings and other jewelry often having a slight yellow tint. This color will often not be noticeable on its own but when a diamond is compared to a Cubic Zirconia side by side, it may stand out. However the material used to set a stone can lend some color – so a gold CZ ring can look more like a diamond, whereas a silver CZ ring tends to look a very clear white. Note that CZ gemstones can be produced with any color tint desired.

Cubic Zirconia is also flawless, with none of the inclusions often present in medium grade diamonds. So the main difference between a CZ and a diamond is that the CZ looks a little too good!

Interestingly, some manufacturers are now taking Cubic Zirconia and adding a coating of another material. This is usually a form of carbon called Diamond-Like Carbon (DLC), although some manufacturers use a layer of synthetic corundum. The end result of this coating is to change the optical properties of the stone so that it resembles a real diamond much more closely. These treatments can be effective but they also make the stone more expensive, with coated CZ jewelry costing over $150 per carat.

Buying A Cubic Zirconia Ring

Just because Cubic Zirconia is a cheaper gemstone, there is no reason to skimp on the setting! A CZ set into a well designed ring is as beautiful as any other piece of jewelry, and CZ wedding rings or engagement rings can be as elegant or complex as you like. Many couples opt for a cheaper (but still beautiful) gemstone
like a Cubic Zirconia and then spend some of the money they saved on a custom ring made just for them by a manufacturing jeweler. Sterling silver CZ rings are a very popular choice. Silver looks great and can be used to design a lovely ring just as with gold or platinum, but offers substantial savings over a gold ring.

Caring for Cubic Zirconia Rings

CZ rings have a few particular cleaning and care requirements if they are to be kept looking their best. CZ is slightly more porous than a diamond and can pick up oils or skin care products over time. CZ rings can be cleaned with mild soapy water and a small scrubbing brush, a special jewelry cleaner, or an ultrasonic cleaner.

Cubic Zirconia is also a little softer than a diamond so scratching is possible, though unlikely. Ring enhancers are sometimes used in CZ wedding ring sets where the engagement ring is a solitaire with a larger stone, to help guard against accidental damage.

Cubic Zirconia rings became popular because of the low cost, but costing less doesn’t make them any less beautiful! Many consumers don’t see it as an imitation diamond, but as a gemstone in its own right.

Browse CZ Rings from Amazon.com

Wrap style enhancer rings are single bands that are worn next to the existing ring. They will need to be curved or indented so that they fit around the existing stone and setting. Insert ring enhancers feature a double band that fits on either side of the existing ring, and can often have extra gemstones set in to the band, or other detailed decoration. This type of enhancer is usually held together by a small bar across the underside of the ring so that it stays snugly matched up with your existing ring. However if the set will be worn together all the time, you can have a jeweler solder together the enhancer and the ring, so they are effectively one piece. This is reversible of course but you would only take this approach if you plan to wear the ring set together all the time.

I bought this estate ring as an engagement ring. This will need a custom ring enhancer made to suit the unusual curve of the filigree shank.

Solitaire ring enhancers are often used as a wedding band, to complement a unique engagement ring. This would most often be the case where the engagement ring was a family heirloom or an estate piece, that can’t easily be matched to an off-the-shelf wedding ring. In these cases the enhancer might need to be custom designed, but this will result in a lovely piece that carries over some of the features of the engagement ring.

Ring enhancers are primarily designed to add to the appearance of a simpler ring, but they have another useful function that is particularly useful if you have a ring featuring certain types of created gemstone, such as Cubic Zirconia. This type of stone can be less durable than Diamond or Moissanite jewelry, so a wrap style ring enhancer can be very useful for protecting the stone from accidental damage.

Whether having a custom enhancer made by a jeweler or simply buying one off the shelf to fit your existing ring design, there is a lot of scope for your design choice to add to your existing ring. You can use a range of metal types, and additional stones that complement the existing ring. Overall, a good way to add something to a favorite dress ring and a great way to add a wedding band to an engagement ring that is a family heirloom.

First of all, most jewelers recommend that you should absolutely select your diamond before you start to consider the setting to put it in. Obviously the diamond is the centerpiece, and the setting is only the platform upon which it is presented. There is plenty of information here on choosing a lab created diamond, and after you have chosen one, you will have better information to use in making your choice of setting.

One of the most perennially favorite settings for diamonds is the bezel style. A lot of people think this is just an old-fashioned look, but in fact it can be cut in a way that is very modern. Its overall look and feel is that of both elegance and simplicity. That is why it appeals to so many women.

Bezel Setting

The prong, or “claw”, setting is very popular indeed. It may grace more women’s fingers than any other style in the world. It consists of at least three prongs which come up and then wrap around the crown of the diamond. This is very common in solitaire engagement rings.

Claw Setting

Finally, you may want to consider the beautiful and extravagant pave setting. This is made up of many diamonds which are held together by a system of beads. It gives the appearance of a bunch of radiant diamonds. In fact, you may even hear this one referred to as a “bead” styling.

Pave Setting

This is only a short list of the settings for diamonds that are available. Though it represents the most common kinds, you should shop around to find what works best for you and for the created diamond or other man made gem that you have chosen.