Still don't have zircons in your jewelry box? I don't know what you're waiting for, so I'll give you a good reason: it's the most similar gemstone to diamond.

And we all love wearing diamonds, right? We would do it every time if it weren't for one small-big detail: its price.

But there is no problem without a solution. Zirconia is an affordable option and only a jewelry professional would know how to tell it apart from a real diamond.

Or maybe you can do it too after reading this post, because I am going to give you interesting facts and some useful tricks.

What is zircon and why is it so appreciated in jewelry?

Zirconia is a synthetic gem or stone derived from zirconium oxide. It can also be called zirconia or cubic zirconia, because when it crystallizes it forms cubic crystals, like diamond.

Although it is not as valuable as other stones, it is essential in jewelry because it has a highly appreciated quality: it is so similar to the real diamond that only a trained eye can tell the difference.

And if you don't believe me, check out this Iris Gold ring, with white zircons. Don't you think they look a lot like diamonds?

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Before it became common in jewelry to use cubic zirconia as a diamond mimic stone, others were tried. But, due to their characteristics, they were not convincing: either they were too soft, or the brightness was artificial, or the color was not adequate.

It was in the 70s of the 20th century when the perfect double arrived: zirconia, so similar that it can hardly be differentiated and at a considerably cheaper price.

>> Do you like stones? Look at this post about gold rings with precious stones , to put color in your hands.

Is zirconia a synthetic diamond?

Nothing to do. This is a fairly common question, so I answer it so that you don't even think about it anymore.

When we talk about synthetic diamond, we are referring to a laboratory creation with the same characteristics as natural diamond. They are achieved in a controlled environment, subjecting the carbon to conditions of pressure and temperature similar to those that could occur in nature.

And the result is an authentic diamond that has been artificially created, and that has, like the natural one, a high price.

How you can tell the difference between zircon and diamond: the paper test

It is a simple but effective trick, and it will allow you to decide if what you have in front of you is a diamond or a zircon. Do the following:

• Grab a white sheet and a pencil
• draw a black dot
• Place the stone on the point, right in its center.

Are you able to distinguish the point? So it is a cubic zirconia, since it has a greater transparency. You can also do the test with printed letters and verify that with a diamond, being more opaque, the background is not seen with the same clarity.

Maybe you don't have a diamond and a zircon on hand to test yourself, and what you want is to enjoy the jewels without further ado. Well, let me recommend this fantasy of earrings  Hoops Aimi Gold, with colored zircons.

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