Starfall Chain Drop Earrings£21.56
Azure Butterfly Pendant Necklace£36.43
Golden Square Luxe Jewellery Set£66.18
Romance Heart Jewellery Set£125.66
A few of our newest zirconia pieces — from £21.56
Cubic zirconia might be the most unfairly dismissed stone in jewellery. Call something "CZ" and people hear "fake" — yet it's a real, lab-created crystal with genuinely impressive optics, and it's the sparkle behind some of the most-loved affordable jewellery in the world. Here's an honest look at what cubic zirconia actually is, how it stacks up against moissanite and diamond, and when it's the smart choice.
What exactly is cubic zirconia?
Cubic zirconia is a lab-grown crystal of zirconium dioxide, first produced commercially in the late 1970s. It isn't glass, and it isn't an imitation material in the sense of paste or crystal rhinestones — it's a distinct synthetic gemstone grown at extremely high temperatures, then cut and faceted like any other stone.
Fresh from the cutter, CZ is optically flawless and completely colourless — a standard most natural diamonds never reach. It also shows more "fire" (rainbow flashes) than diamond, which is why a well-cut CZ can look almost too sparkly to some eyes.
CZ vs moissanite vs diamond: the honest numbers
| Property | Cubic zirconia | Moissanite | Diamond |
|---|---|---|---|
| Made of | Zirconium dioxide (lab-grown) | Silicon carbide (lab-grown) | Carbon |
| Hardness (Mohs) | 8–8.5 | 9.25 | 10 |
| Fire (dispersion) | High — more than diamond | Very high | Moderate |
| Long-term wear | Can dull with daily wear over years | Keeps its sparkle indefinitely | Keeps its sparkle indefinitely |
| Relative price | £ | ££ | ££££ |
One quirk worth knowing: CZ fails a standard thermal diamond tester, while moissanite often passes one — which is exactly why jewellers use dual testers. Neither result makes a stone "good" or "bad"; it simply confirms what the stone is.
So is cubic zirconia "fake"?
Only if it's mislabelled. A CZ ring sold as a diamond ring is a con. A CZ ring sold as a CZ ring is simply an honest piece of jewellery — the same way gold plating is honest when it's described as gold plating. At Micoryan we tell you exactly what every stone and metal is, because the alternative is the kind of jewellery industry nobody should want.
How long does CZ jewellery last?
CZ is hard, but noticeably softer than moissanite or diamond, so daily knocks and household dust (which contains quartz, at hardness 7) can slowly micro-scratch the surface. Oils from skin and lotions also cling to it more readily than to diamond. In practice that means a CZ ring worn every single day may lose some crispness over a few years, while CZ earrings, pendants and occasion pieces — which take far less abuse — can look sharp for many years.
Care is simple: wash gently in warm water with a drop of washing-up liquid, brush softly with a very soft toothbrush, rinse and pat dry. Remove CZ rings for gym sessions, cleaning and gardening, and store pieces separately so harder stones can't scratch them.
When CZ is the smart buy — and when to choose moissanite
Choose cubic zirconia for statement pieces, trend-led designs, colourful stones and jewellery sets — anywhere you want maximum sparkle for minimal outlay, worn occasionally rather than around the clock. Our new zirconia pieces above start at £21.56, which makes experimenting with bolder styles genuinely low-risk.
Choose moissanite when the piece will be worn daily and forever — an engagement ring, an eternity band, everyday studs. Its hardness means the sparkle you buy is the sparkle you keep. Both are honest choices; they simply suit different jobs.