The History of Cubic Zirconia

Zirconium oxide occurs naturally in the extremely rare baddeleyite mineral, and was first discovered in 1882. Zirconium oxide might have amounted to nothing more than a footnote in a gemological library book detailing baddeleyite, but a discovery decades later would lead to the revolutionary creation of the cubic zirconia gemstone.

It was in the 1930s that scientists discovered the naturally occurring cubic form of zirconia in microscopic quantities - and they realized the material may be useful in laser technologies.

In the 1960s, work began to try to create the synthetic cubic form of zirconium oxide, but with a melting point well past 2,000 degrees Celsius the housing for the synthetic process kept melting. It was not until the 1970s when Russian scientists perfected the synthesis of cubic zirconia – and the rest, as they say, is history!

In short time, people realized that cz was not only useful in laser technologies – but that it would also serve as a beautiful diamond simulant. Marketing this substitute diamond began shortly thereafter, and once Swarovski & Co. began selling cz gemstones in the 1980s the market for cubic zirconia loose stones and cubic zirconia jewelry exploded.

So today, to answer what is cubic zirconia? It is a synthesized cubic form of the rare, but naturally occurring, zirconium oxide.

What is Cubic Zirconia Synthesis?

Cubic zirconia is essentially made with microwave technology in a contraption known as a skull crucible. A small amount of zirconium oxide ‘starter’ powder is placed in the crucible – and a tiny amount of calcium or yttrium is added as a stabilizer that forces the zirconium oxide to take on the molecular cubic structure needed to create a rough cubic zirconia stone.

When heat is applied, the starter powder begins to heat on the inside – leaving the outside cool so that the crucible does not melt – the starter powder melts and then forms a crystal structure as the mixture cools. The final product is a crystal which may be cut into a gemstone of almost any shape – to create fancy colored cz stones trace amounts of elemental oxides are added to the starter powder, for example - cobalt oxide added to the starter will produce lilac and violet cz gemstones.

Properties of Cubic Zirconia

The properties of cubic zirconia include:

• Moh's Harding Rating = 8.5
  
  
• Specific Gravity = 5.50 - 6.00
  
  
• Refractive Index = 2.18
  
  
• Dispersion Rating = 0.058 - 0.0600

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