Amber Laine

Cubic Zirconia

Cubic Zirconia is a Girl's Best Friend!

Unmistakably the best simulated diamond on the market today, Cubic Zirconia is a beautiful and versatile stone that has been used as a diamond substitute that has started to be valued as a fashionable stone all by itself. Frequently made into gold- or rhodium-plated sterling silver Cubic Zirconia jewelry, is a brilliant stone that can be made into almost any jewelry you can imagine. Cubic Zirconia is a lab grown crystal that at first was made by scientists to perform like a diamond. Some people strive to make Cubic Zirconia a better facsimile of a diamond by improving techniques to quench the colorful flashes of light – known as fire – and improve brilliance, or the white flashes of light given off by diamonds and Cubic Zirconia, creating an almost undetectable diamond substitute to the naked eye, while some appreciate the fire for what it is and wear their Cubic Zirconia with pride. Cubic Zirconia comes in different colors, sizes, and shapes, and is a popular gemstone for fashion jewelry because of its low price, and is set into precious metals and carefully crafted to be just as beautiful and elegant as higher-priced diamond jewelry.

What is Cubic Zirconia, Anyway?

Cubic Zirconia, frequently abbreviated as CZ and called Cubic Zirconium by accident, was actually first created by scientists looking to create a cheaper and more versatile alternative to using diamonds and rubies in the creation of lasers and other optical applications. Cubic Zirconia is actually zirconium oxide with a stabilizer added to force it to grow with a cubic crystal structure, like diamond. The cubic structure is important so the stone refracts light the same way as diamonds, which is important both for scientific uses and to make the look-a-like diamond convincing. In 1976, commercial production of Cubic Zirconia as a diamond stimulant started, and then in the 1980s production really took off when jewelry designers began using Cubic Zirconia in their popular designs, which was readily adopted by the fashion industry as the best crystal for fashion. Branching out from seeing Cubic Zirconia as simple a diamond substitute, CZ manufacturers can now add certain oxides to Cubic Zirconia to create an array of fancy colors, including champagne, pink, red, purple, blue, and green. Another special technique to add unusual color to Cubic Zirconia is to vacuum-sputter a thin layer of metal oxide onto the surface of the gem, giving it a mystic iridescence. This technique is not at all durable as regular coloration, as the layer can be scratched off over time without proper care.

Cubic Zirconia vs Diamond

Diamonds are a girl's best friend, we've been told, but Cubic Zirconia can be, too. The allure of diamond is that it is hard, brilliant, and rare. The rarity and the effort required to mine the diamond, as well as the clarity of the color and number of flaws a diamond has, contributes to the high price of diamond jewelry. But Cubic Zirconia jewelry can be just as great as diamonds! Cubic Zirconia is pretty hard (meaning it isn't easily scratched) compared to other precious gemstones – about 8.5 on the Mohs hardness scale, compared to 10 for diamond and 6 for glass – and is just about as brilliant as diamond. Some Cubic Zirconia is given a Diamond-Like Carbon coating (DLC coating) to bring the brilliance closer to that of a diamond and to help quench some of the fire. Diamonds has less fire and reflect mostly white light, while Cubic Zirconia is a fiery stone and reflects more colors. The most expensive diamonds are nearly colorless and have few, if any flaws. Completely colorless diamonds are very rare. Cubic Zirconia is naturally colorless and flawless, making them as beautiful as the most expensive diamonds for a tiny fraction of the cost. As they make such good diamond alternatives, Cubic Zirconia makes a perfect alternative to the April birthstone.

Care and Cleaning of Cubic Zirconia Jewelry

Because Cubic Zirconia is a hard gemstone, be sure to keep it apart from your other jewelry or keep it in a small cloth or plastic bag by itself to prevent it from scratching your other jewelry. Although Cubic Zirconia is a durable crystal that will keep its color and brightness for ages to come, avoid letting it coming into contact with harsh chemicals or abrasives, which could dull its brilliance. Cubic Zirconia, like diamond, is a brittle stone, so be sure to protect it from sharp blows and impacts by removing the jewelry before doing things like yard work. Cubic Zirconia can be cleaned with most traditional jewelry cleaners, and can be brushed gently with a soft bristled brush. Wipe dry quickly and thoroughly with a soft, lint-free cloth to prevent water spots and residue build up that can dull the trademark fire and brilliance of the stone.

Amethyst

Amusing Anecdotes about Amethyst

• 1. Amethyst represented the Spirit of God on the robes of the High Priest of the Jews, as described by Moses
• 2. Russian Empress Catherine the Great dispatched thousands of miners into the Ural mountains to seek out Amethyst
• 3. In Tibet, amethyst was dedicated to the Buddha, and was thought to promote clarity of mind
• 4. One ancient Greek saga depicts the goddess Diana transforming a nymph loved by Bacchus into an amethyst, from which the stone gets the name "Bacchus Stone"
• 5. Amethyst was used by the ancient Egyptians for intaglio carved gems
• 6. The especially beautiful color of Russian amethysts caused them to become the standard for the best amethysts
• 7. Great thinker Leonardo da Vinci claimed that amethyst was responsible for ridding the mind of evil thoughts and quickening the intellect
• 8. Across history and cultures, amethyst has been thought to guard against drunkenness and perhaps to be helpful in overcoming addiction

Amethyst: Heart Drenched in Wine

Amethyst is type of quartz prized for its lovely array of purple shades available to be cut and set in dazzling pieces of amethyst jewelry. Shades can range from deep violet to light lilac to rosy mauve. Legend has it that amethyst was created when the Greek god of wine, Dionysus, pursued the fair maiden Amethystos, trying to bed her. She prayed to Artemis to help her stay pure, and Artemis granted her wish by changing her into a white crystal. When Dionysus saw what he had done, he was humbled, pouring a goblet of wine on the stone as a sacrifice of repentance, which stained the stone its traditional rich purple color. Once considered to be a cardinal gem, its increase in availability has led to a decrease in value. But what is bad for the value of the gem is good for you! Amethyst remains as brilliant and beautiful as ever, and is a very affordable gemstone option. Paired with both gold and sterling silver, amethyst is a versatile stone that can be used to add fun color to day-to-day casual outfits or as a regal addition to an elegant ensemble. Although traditional wine-colored amethyst is the most highly prized, you can enhance your wardrobe with whatever shade captures your heart.

Amethyst 101: A History

Amethyst gets its name from the Greek word "amethustos," meaning "not intoxicated." Throughout the ages amethyst was believed to protect the wearer from drunkenness. Drinking vessels were even made from amethyst for that very purpose. Multiple stories about the origins of amethyst involve wine in some way or another. Amethyst is even called "Bacchus Stone" by some, referencing the Roman god of wine. But not all of amethyst history has to do with wine! Before amethyst began being used in jewelry about 4,000 years ago, amethyst was used in tools and weapons. Once amethyst began to be used as decoration and jewelry, people began to ascribe powers and metaphysical benefits to it.

Ways to Use Amethyst

The mystique of amethyst and other quartz has stayed strong even today. In the 1980s and 90s, metaphysical uses such as energy therapy and gemstone healing created an increase in quartz sales and production. Rock crystal consumption has slowed a bit since then, but remains a significant portion of the market. In ancient times amethyst was used to keep crops from coming to harm, to bring good fortune, especially in war or on the hunt, and to drive out evil and stimulate the intellect. Today it is said to have a sobering and cleansing effect, and is a gemstone symbolizing friendship. Because Amethyst is available all over the world, it is surrounded by many different myths and legends.

Amethyst is the birthstone for February, making it the perfect gift for the Pisces in your life.

Amethyst is suggested for giving on the fourth, sixth, and seventeenth wedding anniversary.

So Why Does Amethyst Look Like Wine?

If you're not sure which myth to believe about the origin of amethyst's characteristic purple color, maybe it will help to know that scientists don't really have an answer either. In the 1900s it was thought that manganese was responsible for turning ordinary quartz such a lovely shade. Some speculated since amethyst's color can change when heated that the cause may be organic. More recently, scientists seem to thing that iron and aluminium may cause the amethyst color, possibly in conjunction with manganese. Amethyst's purple color is actually quite sensitive to heat. The color changes to yellow when heated, and can fade away if left in the sun. Sometimes it is heated on purpose to create citrine quartz or "burnt amethyst."

How to Care for Your Amethyst Jewelry

Because amethyst is only a moderately hard gem – about a seven on the Mohs scale – you can clean it with a soft bristled brush, but be careful to store it away from other jewelry, or in its own cloth or plastic bag. Do not expose amethyst to chemicals, acids, oils, or cosmetics, as they could dull the luster or even alter the color. This includes pool water and salt water. And unless you want your amethyst changing colors on you, make sure you store it out of the sunlight and avoid extreme temperatures. Never steam clean amethyst jewelry. Instead opt for warm soapy water and a soft brush. Dry thoroughly and quickly with a soft, lint-free cloth. Amethyst has good toughness as well – that is, it isn't very brittle – so they are more durable than most. Still use caution, however, when doing housework, exercising, or other tasks that may risk sudden impact on the stone.