CZ Engagement Rings-A Great Alternative to Spending 4 months Salary!

CZ Engagement Rings-A Great Alternative to Spending 4 months Salary!

This incredibly stylish and affordable alternative to a diamond engagement ring is the one and only Cubic Zirconia engagement ring. They are popularly known as 'CZ' in the engagement ring market. These synthetic stones are becoming more and more popular for their affordability, and from a distance, they look identical to a diamond. It would take an expert to see the difference.

What exactly is the Cubic Zirconia

The Cubic Zirconia is known to be synthetically made in a lab, but this stone can be found naturally as well. It is extremely rare to find these, so only synthetic CZ stones are used for jewelry. If you wanted to look for a naturally made CZ stone, you could find them within the mineral baddeleyite.

The methods of making CZ vary with each lab, but basically, you need to take zirconium oxide and stabilize it with a mineral, like magnesium, calcium, and yttrium, by melting them down together in extreme heat. The heat needed to melt the zirconium is so hot that no cubical contain could withstand it. A microwave was used since microwaves heats from the inside-out, the stone itself becomes its own container as the heat expands towards the outside. 

When the zirconium oxide is melted down and stabilizes, it is called zirconium dioxide, and when this is taken from the heat to start cooling off, it starts to form crystals with oxygen. These crystals have the same properties of the cubic crystal system. Diamonds also have the same properties of the cubic crystal system, which is why CZ stones look so similar to diamonds.

CZ was first used in Russia for its laser technology. They did not have enough natural rubies required to generate the laser beams. CZ's gemology isn't close to rubies, but optically it served the purpose. It was then when it was discovered that CZs look a lot like diamonds. CZ then started to first come into the market around 1978.

Cubic Zirconia stones may have a lot of similarities to diamonds, from their external appearances to how they have the same crystal systems. Some differences they have are their hardness; diamonds are a ten on the Moh's hardness while CZs are around 8, which is still harder than most stones used in jewelry. Another difference is when natural light hits the stones, diamonds reflect pure white while CZ reflects beautiful white, beige and sometimes rainbowish colors, which is quite beautiful. 

How to take care of Cubic Zirconia engagement rings

You have a CZ engagement ring, and you want to keep it at it's cleanest and maintain its quality ( who doesn't? ), you should clean your ring once every 1 - 2 weeks. Here is a simple homemade solution that works every well with CZ.

1. Warm soapy water with mild dish soap

1. To make the solution you must mix 2 part warm water with 1 part dish soap. Make sure the dish soap is the mildest there is and can still get rid of grease. Also, make sure that the water is just warm enough to loosen up and wash away built-up oils, lotion, and soaps to get stuck to the ring.
2. Fully immerse your jewelry into a bowl of solution for two minutes.
3. Gently scrub the outside surface with a soft-bristle brush. Take note to be careful with necklace clasps, and multi-shared prong settings. Being too rough may loosen the gems.
4. Rince your jewelry individually in a separate bowl of water.
5. Pat dry using lent free cloth without strings. Jewelry polishing cloth is perfect for this, but if you do not have that, eyeglass cleaning cloths work just as well. Make sure that the jewelry is completely dry before wearing it or putting it away.

If your CZ jewelry still needs more care, try buying a professional jewelry cleaning liquid that is specially formulated for CZ jewelry.

AAA Cubic Zirconia

If you are looking for premium quality CZ engagement rings, AAA Cubic Zirconias are what you are looking for. Like diamonds, the quality, cut, and color affects the grade. The AAA rating is the most sought out for high-grade fashion jewelry. Having a AAA grade CZ piece will surpass any lower grade gem or stone in shine and luster for years to come. CZs are popular for their beauty and that they are flawless. Unlike naturally mined stones that have natural blemishes, CZ stones are just about perfect every time. The shine they give off when natural light hits the stone reflects a beautiful beige and white.

The CZ rings can be enhanced by pairing them with quality materials. Shop at Angelucci Jewelry to buy the best of the best grade AAA CZ engagement rings, each of their rings is coated in rhodium, a sister metal to platinum. Rhodium protects the rings from corrosion and damage, so your loved CZ engagement rings can last longer than the usual. Plus, with proper maintenance, your ring's brilliance will last even longer.

I can't stress it enough that AAA grade CZ rings are stunningly beautiful and from a distance how much they look similar to diamonds. CZ rings go well with any color, set and cut. Check out this aqua cushion CZ engagement ring, this classic clear CZ engagement ring, and this channel-set CZ engagement ring for some ideas.

Diamond rings are no longer famous for their beauty. Instead, they are most sought for their rarity in the market and of being expensive. Remember that even though CZ rings look almost identical to diamonds, they are their own stone and not a 'fake' diamond, there are synthetically made diamonds, but they are not Cubic Zirconias. Again, they are their own stone.

If you want to propose with something beautiful or if you are planning a surprise proposal and are not sure of the ring size, or the taste of the one you will propose to, then CZ rings are a perfect choice. They are beautiful and affordable. She may even fall in love with its beauty and keep it. In the end, the choice of the perfect ring for you and your future fiance is up to you.