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Cubic zirconia and zircon - what's the difference? Differences between cubic zirconia, cubic zirconia, Swarovski crystals and zircon

We looked after my wife's watch today. From what I saw, I liked these (picture above). When I asked what kind of red glass in a circle it was, the seller replied that it was zirconium. At home we looked at this watch on the internet, the following phrase is written on the manufacturer's website: hardened crystex crystal. And the Swarovski emblem.

I had to be puzzled by the difference between all these concepts. The internet reads:

Fianite- artificial material, zirconium dioxide ZrO2, crystallized in a cubic system. It can be conditionally considered as an analogue of the mineral tazheranite. It is widely used in jewelry as a synthetic imitation of precious stones. The name cubic zirconia was given in honor of the Physical Institute of the USSR Academy of Sciences (FIAN), where it was first synthesized, but the name is practically not used outside the former USSR and Eastern Europe. Abroad, this material is often called jvalite and zirconite. In some cases, especially in translations from foreign languages, cubic zirconia is called zirconium or zircon, which creates confusion, since cubic zirconia is a synthetic material imitating diamond, zircon is a yellow-brown mineral not associated with it, and zirconium is a chemical element.

Zirconium(chemical symbol - Zr; lat. Zirconium) - an element of a side subgroup of the fourth group of the fifth period of the periodic system of chemical elements of D. I. Mendeleev, with atomic number 40. The simple substance zirconium (CAS number: 7440-67-7) is a shiny metal silvery gray. Possesses high plasticity, corrosion resistance.

Zircon(German Zirkon, from Persian زرگون, zargun - golden) is a mineral of the subclass of island silicates, zirconium silicate ZrSiO4. Contains, as a rule, 1-4% of hafnium, which isomorphically replaces zirconium in the crystal lattice. Transparent crystals of zircon are used in jewelry (hyacinth, jargon). When zircon is calcined, bright blue stones called starlite are obtained. Quite often, when selling jewelry, especially in the case of imported jewelry, the word "zircon" is mistakenly used to refer to a synthetic material with a high gloss - cubic zirconia (cubic zirconia).

Swarovski crystals- they are not natural crystal, and also do not have (like crystal) a crystal lattice. Swarovski manufactures crystals from over 70 different components, most of which are classified and are the company's know-how. Swarovski is constantly working on new technologies and chemical formulas to improve its crystals. In addition to crystal production, the company is engaged in high-precision cutting of synthetic and natural stones for the jewelry industry. Places of stones are marked with a Swarovski laser signature. The assortment of natural stones includes: sapphire, amethyst, citrine, topaz, etc. The assortment of artificially grown stones includes: cubic zirconia (zirconium dioxide is a mineral created by the Physical Institute of the Academy of Sciences (FIAN), hence its name), spinel, corundum, alpinitis.

That is, the seller was clearly wrong, calling the red "stones" zirconium. But how to understand whether this is Swarovski crystal or is it still Swarovski cubic zircon (cubic zirconia)? What exactly does the phrase: hardened crystex crystal mean?

And what is still more expensive: cubic zirconia, zircon, Swarovski crystals? Who's fumbling?

Each girl has at least one cubic zirconia jewelry in her jewelry box. And if we know at least something about natural inserts, then zirconium for the majority turns out to be unknown.

Many people mistakenly confuse "zircon" and "zirconium", but these are completely different stones. Zircon is a natural, rather expensive gem that can be compared in properties to sapphire. This stone has a very bright shine and for this quality it has been nicknamed "the younger brother of the diamond" or "imperfect diamond".

Translated from the Persian language, the word "tsargun" means "golden gem". Cubic zirconium, in turn, is a synthetically grown crystal. The history of the appearance of the stone dates back to the second half of the twentieth century. Once the world was told that fairly cheap diamonds had appeared on the jewelry market. The diamond bourses were gripped by panic, because no new deposits were known. The conspiracy was soon uncovered. It turned out that the stones were grown by scientists in secret laboratories. They were originally intended for completely different purposes. For refraction of laser light in scientific centers, it was necessary to use stones without defects, which all natural minerals "sin" with. The development was entrusted to the Physics Institute of the Academy of Sciences. Their discovery was named after the abbreviation of the institute and became known as "cubic zirconia".

Getting a synthetic stone is a laborious process. To create cubic zirconia, zirconium oxide powder is heated in a melting crucible to a temperature of 2.7 thousand degrees Celsius. The oxide is placed in a cylinder wrapped in tubes of water on all sides. Thanks to this design, the outer walls of the cylinder are kept at room temperature, while the contents are heated by a powerful generator. The temperature gradually decreases and the mass begins to cool. To obtain the correct crystallization, stabilizers in the form of calcium and magnesium are added at this stage. Without these additives, zirconium oxide will resemble watery jelly or ice grains. After the end of the cooling process, diamond-like crystals are precipitated. If no additives such as vanadium, chromium or neodymium have been added, the stones will have crystal clarity. Now it is very important to correctly cut the resulting material. Initially, all stones are given a round shape due to the complexity of the cut, and only then the edges are polished. Finished crystals take up no more than 15% of the total mass of the stone.

With its beauty, the stone was able to enchant Soviet jewelers. Possessing all the properties of natural minerals in combination with a low price, cubic zirconia has won its place in the market of other countries, where zirconium cubes were mistakenly called zircon and zirconium. The translation error has led to worldwide confusion. Zircon is a natural stone, zirconium is a metal, an element of the periodic table, cubic zirconium is a crystal found in jewelry.

Today cubic zirconium has a lot of shades. Cubic zirconia insert is the most popular in both silver and gold.

Do you love cubic zirconia the way your mothers and grandmothers loved it?

A lot of confusion has gathered around this magic stone and people often ask the question "what is cubic zirconium?" - artificial diamond, cubic zirconia, zirconite, zirconium, zircon and much more.

In order not to create confusion and find out the characteristic features of cubic zirconium, I suggest you read this article.

What it is?

Cubic zirconium - this is cubic zirconia, the confusion arose due to the fact that abroad they mistakenly called it zirconium and zircon. Zircon is a natural and precious gem, because of its strong refraction of light, it began to be called "the younger brother of the diamond." Zirconium is a lustrous metal and occupies the 40th place in the periodic table. Cubic zirconium is cubic zirconia, and it is used most often in jewelry.

History

Cubic zirconium as such has no history, it was synthesized in the 21st century. All over the world, scientists racked their brains over the problem of the high cost of diamonds in laser installations. Scientists from the Physical Institute of the USSR Academy of Sciences (FIAN) managed to synthesize cubic zirconium and solve this problem; in honor of the academy, the stone was named cubic zirconia.

Varieties


Has such shades as: aqua, turquoise, amethyst, lavender, orange, champagne, golden, olive, colorless, pink, ruby, pomegranate, green, coffee, blue, black.

Here's more details:

  1. The classic and most popular type of cubic zirconium- transparent, which has no color and characteristic differences. Outwardly, it bears a great resemblance to a diamond.
  2. Dark green type of cubic zirconia - this color is achieved by significantly increasing the amount of chromium included in the crystal. Used in jewelry as an alternative to emerald.
  3. Alternative to garnet and ruby- at the stage of crystallization, a dye is added to the composition - neodymium. At the same time, you must strictly follow the methodology, because both the color and the structure of the stone depend on it.
  4. Yellow and red types of cubic zirconium- again, at the stage of crystallization, a dye - cerium is added. It turns out a stone with warm tones, usually light yellow or bright red.
  5. Brown and golden appearance of cubic zirconia - is obtained by adding titanium and its impurities, but it is very rare.
  6. View of cubic zirconia with a pinkish tint- during production, a substance called erbium is mixed into the main composition.
  7. Blue and blue iridescent shades - such cubic zirconia is very difficult to manufacture, several types of coloring are used to create it at once: a mixture of aluminum and cobalt is sprayed onto the surface, this happens in a vacuum. As a result, analogs of sapphire, topaz and aquamarine are obtained.
  8. Black colors - the least popular of all types. It is achieved by heat treatment, in contrast to other types, in which the chemical composition is changed.

Industries of application


Cubic zirconium turned out to be durable and is not inferior to expensive stones, and production costs are quite low, which helped it "capture" the production market and get into a variety of industries:

  1. Jewelry making. Due to the low cost of production and respectable appearance, cubic zirconium is often used in jewelry, and its ability to imitate most precious and semiprecious stones only played in favor.
  2. Medicine. It is irreplaceable when creating ceramic spraying, since the use of materials with this spraying can take place in absolutely any environment, sometimes even in aggressive ones, where cubic zirconia shows its stability.
  3. Chem. production. Received recognition for its physical properties, primarily for its refractoriness.
  4. Magic, astrology and esoteric rituals. Due to its great similarity with other precious stones, it is used by magicians in rituals. Despite the fact that cubic zirconia is versatile and can suit every person, it is generally accepted to think that a crystal can help people who work in the scientific field.
  5. Optics. Cubic zirconia stands out for the highest quality and the optics from it are of high quality.

Physical properties

In terms of physical properties, cubic zirconium is similar to diamond, but in some parameters it is inferior to it, for example: the hardness of cubic zirconia is 8 points on the Mohs scale, and diamond is 10 points. Diamond also has a lower density, therefore it is lighter.

But it is quite difficult for an inexperienced eye to distinguish processed cubic zirconia from a diamond:

  1. Huge range of colors. This is facilitated by the fact that the coloring is achieved by adding a special dye at the crystallization stage.
  2. Optical abilities. Due to its property of refracting light rays from the crystal, high-quality optical devices and lenses are obtained.
  3. Stability. The stone has high chemical and thermal resistance; it is coated on items that need a long service life / used in aggressive environments.
  4. Durability. The physical properties of cubic zirconium are comparable only to diamond, it is almost impossible to break or break it.

Magical properties


Despite the fact that cubic zirconium is an artificial stone, it is still credited with magical properties.

  1. It shows itself as an excellent amulet for wanderers and people who regularly change their place of residence.
  2. Improves memory and concentration, which favorably affects self-discipline and makes it possible to carry out a huge number of tasks in a short time.
  3. The talents of the speaker and eloquence are revealed to the utmost, so people who work in social work: journalists, lawyers, businessmen and so on, should wear cubic zirconia.
  4. Cubic zirconia is saturated with negative emotions. In some cases, and positive, then it is worth giving up wearing a stone. If the crystal has been with a person with poor health or character for some time, then it is better to get rid of it, since it could absorb all the negative energy and transfer it to the new owner.
  5. Cubic zirconia is able to increase the magical and healing effect of other stones. In many rituals, it is used in this capacity.

It is worth noting that at the moment most experts in the field of magic deny these abilities, as well as the fact that the stone makes its owner lonely.

Healing properties

Cubic zirconium also has medicinal properties, although it is an artificial stone, from which one can distinguish:

  1. Elimination of melancholy. Cubic zirconium perfectly fights stressful situations and psychological problems, improves mood, relieves mental anguish.
  2. Strengthening the immune system. It perfectly keeps the body in good shape and the human body will become as strong as the crystal itself.
  3. If you recently had an operation or you had an injury, then you should definitely make your choice in the direction of cubic zirconia, it perfectly speeds up the process of rehabilitation of the body.

Who is suitable for the sign of the zodiac?

Cubic zirconium was artificially bred and does not occur in nature, therefore, it does not contain zodiacal importance, and absolutely everyone, without exception, can wear it.

However, there are some tips worth paying attention to:

  1. Aries can wear any stone, regardless of color, it will help them get rid of excessive emotionality.
  2. A crystal of black, blue or light blue color is perfect as a talisman for Cancers, Pisces and Scorpions.
  3. Yellow, especially of a rich and vibrant color, as well as other warm shades, should be worn by Gemini, Aquarius and Libra.
  4. Bright red, brownish and pinkish tones will help Capricorns, Taurus, Virgo.

Jewelry


Cubic zirconium (cubic zirconia) is one of the most used stones in jewelry, its popularity is due to the fact that it is inexpensive to manufacture, has a huge variety of colors and has good physical properties. A large selection of rings, earrings, bracelets create a large assortment of choices, even a Pandora bracelet is made from cubic zirconia.

Basically, cubic zirconia is used with silver jewelry. Cubic zirconia always looks natural and can only be distinguished by a specialist during a detailed examination.

If you decide to buy jewelry as a gift, products with cubic zirkonia are ideal for this, since it has a lot of advantages: the stone has an amazing appearance, it cannot be distinguished from the real one even close, its cost, choice of stone color, cut and size , the stone is in stunning harmony with any kind of metal.

Price

Cubic zirconia is most often bought in bulk, from a hundred or more pieces, so the given colors are approximate.

It's better to look at the prices yourself:

  1. A pack of small, colorless stones will cost about $ 10.
  2. A package of small but multi-colored stones also costs around $ 25.
  3. And packing large stones starts at $ 40, since their production requires sophisticated technologies.

How to distinguish from a fake?

In order to distinguish cubic zirconium from glass, it is enough to look at the brilliance, it is not without reason that it is compared with a diamond. In the case when the stone shines weakly or does not shine at all - in front of you is a fake, in addition, glass products cannot boast of the same strength.

Any product grown with deviations from technology or not at all according to technology is a surrogate. Many manufacturers, for the sake of economy, simplify the manufacture and this leads to a poorer quality of the mineral.

Here are the main signs of a fake:

  1. Dull shine... The stone was originally created by scientists for optical lenses, so it has a huge refractive index.
  2. Large volumes... Usually the size of the stone does not exceed a couple of centimeters.

Also, some scammers can pass off cubic zirconia for a diamond, in order not to become deceived, it is enough to follow these methods:

  1. Take a look through the stone. If only a luminous point is visible, then it is a diamond. It is impossible to look through it. Conduct an experiment: take paper with text, if you can read it through a stone, then this is cubic zirconia.
  2. There is another way - take a stone in your hand and hold it, if it is cool, then it is a diamond. The temperature of cubic zirconia is always equal to the temperature that surrounds it.
  3. If you breathe on the stone, the diamond will remain the same as it was, and the cubic zirconia will fog up.
  4. If the stone is smeared with oil and placed on glass, then gluing will be only if it is a diamond.

What stones is it combined with?


 Earrings with pearls and cubic zirkonia

Cubic zirconia is in harmony with most precious and semi-precious stones. The most popular is a bunch of cubic zirconia and pearls, together they create an amazing impression. Products made of cubic zirconia and white agate look extraordinary, and cubic zirconia looks amazing in conjunction with topaz. Overall, cubic zirconia works amazingly with most gemstones, all you have to do is pick one for yourself.

In the present period, a number of methods for obtaining precious cubic zirconias are known. The most common is the crystallization method. In a specialized container, inside which a special composition is immersed, which is heated to a temperature of three thousand degrees Celsius. Then they are instantly cooled and crystals are formed on the rods of the container.

The color of the stone depends entirely on the components included in the composition. Thanks to this feature, cubic zirconia perfectly imitates most precious and semi-precious stones.

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Output

Undoubtedly, the creation of artificial stones is expensive, nevertheless it is much more economical than looking for new deposits of diamond, corundum, topaz and other precious stones. Therefore, cubic zirconium will be in demand for a long time.

He is popular and this is quite logical: he wants to buy jewelry with a diamond a large number of people, but not everyone can afford this option. And exquisitely beautiful cubic zirconias, with no less bright shine and variety of colors, are easily accessible to a large audience. Current technological processes make it possible to generate works of art using the "zirconium cube".

He presented a temple of science, in which an analogue of a diamond was created - FIAN (Physical Institute of the Academy of Sciences). Foreigners know him as "Cubic Zirconia" - zirconium cube, abbreviated as CZ. Cubic zirconium refers to a stone that is zirconium oxide. Jvalite, daimonsquai or zirconite - this is how it is called outside the former USSR. This leads to confusion in translation.

Cubic zirconia learned to create in the laboratory, the technology was described in 1973. And already three years later, work began on industrial production. In 1990, annual production worldwide reached 50 million carats. Not to be confused cubic zirconia- a natural mineral or chemical element zirconium.

Secrets of creating stone

The technology for the production of jewelry raw materials includes heating a mixture consisting of crushed zirconium and stabilizing particles, followed by cooling with water. As a rule, zirconium oxide crystals have no cubic structure. But when a stabilizing agent is added, it appears and the stone becomes like a diamond.

Zirconium and cubic zirkonia made from it

An electric field is created around the crucible in which the base mixture is located and the mass is heated to 2750 ° C. Metallic zirconium is added to the composition at this stage. Crystals that are grown at 2750 ° C are cooled to 1400 ° C and held there for annealing. The result is beautiful stones intended for the jewelry industry up to 5 cm wide. They are additionally processed: cut, according to the required dimensions and polished. The advantage of the technology is that the stone can be given a variety of shades.


Jewelers have learned to create cubic zirconia of different colors

Cubic zirconia replace diamonds

Most famous diamonds are replicated from cubic zirconium... Only high-class jewelers will be able to notice the difference. They notice that there is a subtle trace of a grayish or light yellow hue, which is inherent in natural diamonds, while faux cubic zirconia is flawlessly transparent. The second distinguishing feature is the absence of defects in the artificial analogue. Natural diamonds often have small inclusions.


Small inclusions can be noticed in natural diamonds, which are not found in artificial diamonds.

Jewelry zirconium adorns exquisite earrings and rings, being a spectacular substitute for both diamonds and other popular colored stones. It is resistant to external influences and pleases consumers with a democratic price.

Swarovski crystals

Due to the fact that in recent years they have become incredibly popular Swarovski crystals, even low-quality pieces of glass in cheap jewelry began to be called them. Real crystals from a famous brand are flawless and cost a lot. They are distinguished by perfect edges, absence of defects, haze or chips. Thanks to the special mirrored substrate, the crystals captivate with their bright shine. The characteristic play of light is achieved by sulfur oxide, which is added to the crystal.


Swarovski crystal rings

Crystals feature- the material from which they are made. it transparent and perfectly processed crystal... It is created with the addition of potash, quartz sand and red lead. All components are mixed in precise proportions. All the nuances of the technology are kept secret by the creators of the brand, so the material can be considered unique. Swarovski crystals are a worthy adornment of exquisite jewelry.

Cubic zirconia is often confused with natural zircon stone because of the similar name. Zircon stone created by nature and is also widely used in the jewelry industry. Due to its iridescent luster, the stone resembles a diamond. Its deposits are located in Vietnam, Norway, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Australia, Brazil and Madagascar. Production is also carried out in Yakutia and the Urals. Zircon color palette rich, and yellow stones are rightfully considered the most beautiful.


Natural zircon is a rare and very beautiful stone

Transparent colorless zircons often used as imitation diamonds. Light-sensitive zircons are an amazing phenomenon. They are striking in their ability to lose color in the light and restore it in semi-darkness.

Summing up, we can say that cubic zirconium and cubic zirconia are the names of the same stone, which is created artificially. Zircon is a natural stone that has an external resemblance to cubic zirconia, and Swarovski crystals are high quality processed artificial crystal. The above stones are used in the jewelry industry as more affordable analogs of a diamond.

Precious stones and exquisite jewelry complement any outfit and emphasize the discerning taste and high status of its owner. Choosing jewelry, many come across such concepts as "cubic zirconia", "zirconium" and "zircon". These definitions are often confused with each other. What are their differences and which stone should be preferred, we will try to figure it out in this article.

Cubic zirconia- a synthetic mineral grown by a laboratory method.
Zirconium- an element of DI Mendeleev's system, a shiny silver-gray metal.

Comparison of cubic zirconia and zirconium

What is the difference between cubic zirconia and zirconium? Cubic zirconia is a cubic zirconium and is the most popular imitation diamond, its synthetic substitute. It is grown exclusively by the laboratory method, does not occur in nature. Zirconium is just a metal that has nothing to do with jewelry. It cannot be used as an insert in precious jewelry. It is very often confused with zircon, a natural gemstone. This mineral is mined in limited quantities and is only slightly less expensive than a diamond. Zircon is often called cubic zirconia, but these are completely different materials. And their main difference lies in the conditions of origin. If the first one grows in natural conditions (for which it is valued much higher), then the second is removed in scientific laboratories and is, in fact, cubic zirconia in combination with other oxides.
Cubic zirconia is much harder than natural zircon; in terms of its strength, it can rival diamond. And their external differences are very insignificant. Today, products with cubic zirconia can be found in any jewelry store. Due to its shine and brilliance, the stone looks very impressive, and its price is ten times lower than that of a diamond.

TheDifference.ru determined that the difference between cubic zirconia and zirconium is as follows:

Cubic zirconia is a cubic zirconium.
Cubic zirconia is a synthetic mineral, while zirconium is just a metal.
Cubic zirconia is used as an insert in jewelry, while zirconium has nothing to do with jewelry.