Cubic zirconia jewelry is and can be as precious as diamond, and is made in the same laboratory as diamond. All of the gemstones made in the laboratory carry the same traits and feature of their natural counterpart. They have become more popular for their beauty and less as a replacement of the original stone. The synthetic gemstones creating in the laboratory have the same mineral in their make up as the natural stones. The cubic zirconia however is different because its composition is to simulate a diamond. It is made with the same crystal system found in a diamond. Unlike it synthetic relatives the cubic zirconia was only found once in its natural setting and has never been found again.
When buying wholesale stones, you want to find the high quality stone. Make sure to look at their samples for the quality of the cut, the smoothness, the hardness, and the weight. If you are unable to detect a high quality stone, enlist the assistance of a good gemologist you can trust. Even though you are trying to find the best prices in stones when looking at wholesale, do not buy second hand stones. You want the jewelry you make to wear to look like it a high quality piece of jewelry. Cubic zirconias are available in different grades such as Grade A, Grade AAA and Grade AAAAA. The Grade AAAAA offers long-lasting brilliance and sparkle, so it has become a high valued stone with consumers. If you choose to make your own jewelry, remember to make quality your top priority.
How to choose a cubic zirconia jewelry
When you shop for cubic zirconia jewelry, consider the price you want to spend on the jewelry, and consider the look you are going for when choosing the jewelry. Because cubic zirconia is less costly than diamonds, some manufacturers will make them cheaply by using cheaper metals. Some manufacturers see the cubic zirconia as the beautiful stone they are, so they will make them with precious metals such as gold, silver, platinum, and the up and coming titanium. The cubic zirconia jewelry made with precious metals will cost more than cubic zirconia jewelry made with a cheaper metal.
Probably the cubic zirconia jewelry seen by most people in stores is the less costly version, which is not made to rival a diamond, and does not show the cubic zirconia at its best. I have seen cubic zirconia jewelry online, which is not cheap. It costs less than the same setting with a diamond. However, it is difficult to tell quality by a picture on a web site.
Cubic zirconia bracelets
Bracelets have been around almost as long as some other pieces of jewelry. They were worn in Ancient Egypt as a major piece of jewelry. In fact the early Egyptians probably wore the first charm bracelets. The men would carry around certain items known at that time to ward off their enemies or evil spirits. Because they carried them around, at some time the charms were combined with jewelry pieces, which were worn around the neck or the wrist. This jewelry service a dual purpose, not only did they ward off their enemies and evil spirits, but they also were worn to signify to the Gods of this persons position in the after life.
Anklets have been around for almost as long as bracelets have been around and you will find them created from the same precious metals as the bracelets. The gemstones used are sometimes a smaller version than typically found adorning bracelets. However the effect is still the same.
Cubic zirconia brooches
Brooches have been used for hundreds of years. The Viking women used brooches to fasten two straps of their pinafores together. The brooches of that time were only serviceable so they were not decorated with jewels. However, through out history brooches have been used to hold up tunics, as a fastener for cloaks, or to hold up bits of material.
These brooches are made from sterling silver, gold or platinum and decorated with gemstones, diamonds or cubic zirconia. Some of the brooches have no stones at all, but are painted to give them color. Some are plain precious metal.