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Looking fabulous when mounted in the lush, luminous glow of Sterling silver, this gemstone features regularly within the Flirtation and Purity ranges at Yellobox. Sparkling a wide variety of glistening colours, Cubic Zirconias are a magical stone that brings colour and sophistication to contemporary jewellery fashion.
Due to a similar appearance and underlying characteristics, some have expressed the view that the cubic zirconia is used primarily as a diamond stimulant or a cheaper alternative. Many jewellers unfortunately exploit this by incorporating the cubic zirconia stone into lower quality, 9 carat gold and influencing customers to buy the piece of jewellery, simply because it has the appearance of a real diamond.
Opposing this practice, Yellobox believes that the cubic zirconia possesses its own beauty and attraction and acknowledges it not as a substitute but instead respects it as a semi precious gemstone within its own right. Congruently, all our weighted diamonds are mounted in 18ct gold or platinum, as we do not believe in cheaper imitations. Our cubic zirconias are mounted in quality Sterling silver jewellery and complement perfectly.
An issue of quality exists here also as other jewellers attempt to use cheaper imitations of the cubic zirconia stone, such as glass (often know as “paste”), synthetic white sapphire and colourless quartz stones. At Yellobox, we avoid this option and emphasize quality with each glisten of true cubic zirconia, set in the lush glow of Sterling silver. Unlike most stones (and even diamonds) a magical characteristic of the cubic zirconia is that, contemporary production creates a stone that is virtually flawless. Similarly, we feel the same way about the quality of our jewellery.
Please click on any of the following links to learn more about Cubic Zirconia.
The cubic zirconia is a flawless, radiant stone that can retain its dazzling beauty much like the diamond. It is a synthetic stone, produced in laboratories to have the same physical and chemical characteristics as genuine stones but is less expensive due to their abundance.
The stone is chemically composed of the minerals, zirconium oxide and yttrium oxide, which are extremely rare in nature, however widely artificially synthesised. Both these materials are naturally opaque, white ores before melting them together to form amazingly, brilliant, clear stones. They are cut using the same techniques as diamonds and due to many similarities they have remained the most effective diamond stimulant since 1976, as regards gemological and economical importance.
Cubic zirconias at Yellobox, do not represent a less expensive diamond but a gemstone in its own right. Our Purity and Flirtation ranges demonstrate how this dazzling stone has added magical sparkle to the highly fashion-orientated and contemporary Sterling silver designs. We have a variety of hypnotic colours at an intensity that a diamond stone could not radiate. These remarkable stones are of much substantial beauty and sparkle and represent the finest in latest feminine fashion. As they are synthesised under slightly varying conditions, the cubic zirconia is graded in clarity. Strong relationships with many suppliers throughout the world have facilitated Yellobox in finding the perfect stone. Each cubic zirconia has been chosen for their brilliance, transparency and sparkle. We are so confident in our choice that we offer a 14-day Money-Back guarantee if you are not completely satisfied with your product.
This magical stone is increasingly popular within modern jewellery making. One must only look at our Purity and Flirtation ranges to understand why! As early as 1980, annual global production of cubic zirconia had already reached ten thousand kilogrammes. Considering commercial production began just four years prior, this was rapid large-scale synthesis. Indeed the development of the production method was relatively slower and much less smooth.
As previously established, cubic zirconia is composed of the mineral, zirconium oxide. In nature, this material would have synthesised in correlation with the formation of monoclinic crystals. Since 1892, this was the only state of zirconium oxide realised and was of little economic importance due to its rarity. It was later understood that a stabaliser was required for cubic crystal formation to occur (i.e. yttrium oxide).
The primary impression of this was introduced in 1930 with the synthetic product called ‘stabalized zirconia’. Although cubic, the material was opaque, polycrystalline ceramic and had an entirely different appearance than the sparkling stones at Yellobox today. The material was in fact used for refractory purposes due to it strong resistance to chemical attack and high melting point of 2,540°C.
The following encounter was in regards to a naturally occurring form of cubic zirconia and happened seven years later. It was discovered by two German mineralogists, called M. V. Stackelberg and K. Chudoba who discovered microscopic grains of the stone in the mineral, metamict zircon. This was quite a large breakthrough as after gaining confirmation by x-ray diffraction, it was proven that a natural counterpart to the synthetic cubic zirconia exists. Interestingly, the two scientists did not recognise the importance of the finding. They perceived the mineral as an insignificant byproduct of the metamiction process and neglected to give it a formal name!
Scientific advances were necessary for the next stage in the realisation of the modern cubic zirconia. In France, Y. Roulin and R. Collongues sought new material for use within optical lasers and similar apparatus. Consequently, they were responsible for research on the controlled single crystal growth of cubic zirconia in the 1960’s. The result was a process called, ‘Cold crucible’. This related to the use of water as a cooling agent whilst zirconia was melted to form small crystals.
Since this period, the technique was perfected by a group of Soviet scientists, within Lebedev Physical Institute in Moscow. They renamed the modified process, ‘Skull Crucible’ due to the shape of the water cooler employed. Within the USSR, the cubic zirconia was referred to as a ‘Fianit’ and the breakthrough was finally officially published in 1973.
The Cubic zirconia stones at Yellobox are made from a process known as ‘Skull crucible’, introduced in 1973. Over the years, the technique has experienced little variation. The zirconia powder and yttrium oxide stabalizer is located within a large canister, composed of an array of water-filled, copper pipes. Radio frequency induction coils are positioned perpendicular to the copper pipes and function in a manner similar to a microwave.
To begin the process, a solid piece of zirconium metal is required to act as a catalyst for the reaction. After melting this catalyst, the radio frequency induction coils heat the surrounding zirconia powder from the centre of the canister outwards. On the other hand, the water-filled copper pipes have an opposing cooling effect upon the solution. This results in a thin layer of solid outer surface with molten content.
After a few hours of this state, the heat is slowly reduced and at such, there is a formation of flawless crystal. A lengthy annealing process is then performed at a temperature of 1400°C to strengthen the crystals and remove any strain. The end result is a series of annealed crystals, approximately five centimetres long and 3 centimetres wide. These are then cut into cubic zirconia gemstones in a similar way to a diamond.
Radiating brightly from many Sterling silver rings, pendants and earrings within our Flirtation range, are the sparkles of a wide spectrum of coloured Cubic Zirconia stones. As we have learned in the section ‘CZ Synthesis: Skull Crucible Today!’, the resulting material is flawlessly clear, crystals. However, with a particular additive, the stone can shine in a variety of spectacular colours.
The minerals required are known as metal oxide dopants. They are added to the zirconia powder and yttrium oxide mixture at the beginning of the ‘Skull Crucible’ process. The colour of the end product is then influenced by several main metal oxide dopants that may be more commonly used.
Please view below to identify the dopant responsible for creating the associated colours of cubic zirconia:
Yellobox offers the following tips so that you may enjoy the brilliance and shine from your Cubic Zirconia for many years.
