Cubic Zirconia Versus Diamond
There are a few key features of cubic zirconia which distinguish it from diamond:
- Hardness: cubic zirconia has a rating of approximately 8 on Mohs hardness scale vs. a rating of 10 for diamond.
- Specific gravity: cubic zirconia is about 1.7 times denser than diamond.
- Refractive index: cubic zirconia has a refractive index of 2.15–2.18, compared to a diamond's 2.42.
- Cut: cubic zirconia gemstones may be cut differently from diamonds.
- Color: only the rarest of diamonds are truly colorless, most having a tinge of yellow or brown to some extent. By comparison, a cubic zirconia is often entirely colorless: equivalent to a perfect "D" on diamond's color grading scale. However, some sellers offer near colorless or yellow cubic zirconia, along with other colors, such as pink, green, etc.
- Thermal conductivity: cubic zirconia is a thermal insulator while diamond is one of the most efficient thermal conductors, with the thermal conductivity exceeding that of most metals. This allows distinguishing diamond from cubic zirconia with the right instruments.
Read more about this topic: Cubic Zirconia
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