Jewelry

[Mindy D]

I posted about the porosity of CZ last week and I'd like to update. I have been busily cleaning diamonds and CZ's since the post. So many are just dazzling. It's been a satisfying endeavor. One of my diamond pave rings has never looked better. It wasn't this pretty THE day I got it. If you want to feel like you got NEW jewelry, take a week cleaning in very warm water with a little liquid dish soap and a toothbrush. Dry every part of each piece for some like-new sparkle. As for those pieces that are Diamonique and remain cloudy, I will probably send them in for stone replacement. 

[Desertdi]

CZ's are a 9 on the Moh's scale...........they shouldn't be porous.    I clean my jewelry in ammonia every couple days.  

[Mindy D]

CZ is an 8.5 on Moh's Scale. Hardness has nothing to do it's porosity. They are two completely different characteristics. The chemical composition and arrangement of CZ and it's molecular structure makes it somewhat porous.  Diamonds are chemically completely different from CZ and are not porous. 

[Mindy D]

Here is a link to just one industry scientific source on this matter. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26277084

[Mindy D]

Here is a link to just one industry scientific source on this matter. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26277084

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26277084

[Mindy D]

Here is a comparison of characteristics of Cubic zirconia to diamonds. They might look alike but they are completely different substances. Diamonds are made of the element Carbon (C). There is no carbon in a CZ. It is made of zirconium dioxide (ZrO2). The science teacher in me just loves this kind of stuff. Hope you are interested. Color: Since CZ are synthetic, they can be made absolutely colorless Diamonds usually have a yellow or brown tinge, the truly colorless diamonds are very rare. Definition: Cubic zirconia (or CZ), the cubic crystalline form of zirconium dioxide (ZrO2), is a mineral that is widely synthesized for use as a diamond simulant Diamond is a natural mineral, an allotrope of carbon. Crystal habit: CZ Dipyramidal prismatic Diamond ZIsometric, Octahedral Luster: CZ Adamantine Diamond Adamantine Material: CZ Synthetic Diamond Natural Hardness: CZ. Relatively hard. 8.5 on Mohs hardness scale Diamond Extremely hard (10 on Mohs scale). The hardest known natural material. Specific gravity: The specific gravity of CZ is between 5.6 to 6 and is relatively 1.7 times more than that of a diamond of the same size Diamond has a specific gravity of 3.52 Refractive Index: CZ 2.176 Diamond 2.417 Chemical formula: CZ ZrO2 Diamond C Dispersion: CZ. 0.060 (higher than diamond) Diamond 0.044 (lower than cubic zirconium and moissante) Density: CZ Between 5.5 and 5.9 Diamond 3.5 – 3.53 Thermal conductivity: CZ are thermal insulators Diamonds are among the most efficient thermal conductors Flaws: production of cubic zirconia is virtually flawless Diamonds definitely have some kind of flaw* Melting Point: CZ 2750 C (4976 F) Diamond 3550 C (6422 F) Cut: In CZ, the shape of the facet is sometimes different from that of a diamond

[Kachina624]

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@Desertdi wrote:

CZ's are a 9 on the Moh's scale...........they shouldn't be porous.    I clean my jewelry in ammonia every couple days.  

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My mom always used a few drops of sudsy ammonia in water to clean her diamonds.  Cuts through the body oils and lotions.  I never cared for diamonds, my aunt willed me hers and I gave it to my sister.

[Desertdi]

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@Kachina624 wrote:

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@Desertdi wrote:

CZ's are a 9 on the Moh's scale...........they shouldn't be porous.    I clean my jewelry in ammonia every couple days.  

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My mom always used a few drops of sudsy ammonia in water to clean her diamonds.  Cuts through the body oils and lotions.  I never cared for diamonds, my aunt willed me hers and I gave it to my sister.

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@Kachina624    I'm not into diamonds, either.   I like colorful stones; sapphires, garnets, and blue topaz, to wear with my "pounds of turq"!!!

[SANNA]

I always clean my real or CZ pieces, or any other gemstones except turquoise,coral,pearls, with regular Windex. It contains ammonia. Be careful with brushing though, you might dislodge small stones.

About clouded CZ Michael Valetutti explained  many year ago ( when he had his Signity line of Swiss CZs ) that older and cheaper CZ were created differently using  calcium. And that caused clouding.  The new generation or just better stones  are still fabulous after many many years.

[Kachina624]

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@Desertdi wrote:

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@Kachina624 wrote:

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@Desertdi wrote:

CZ's are a 9 on the Moh's scale...........they shouldn't be porous.    I clean my jewelry in ammonia every couple days.  

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My mom always used a few drops of sudsy ammonia in water to clean her diamonds.  Cuts through the body oils and lotions.  I never cared for diamonds, my aunt willed me hers and I gave it to my sister.

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@Kachina624    I'm not into diamonds, either.   I like colorful stones; sapphires, garnets, and blue topaz, to wear with my "pounds of turq"!!!

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@Desertdi  Exactly!  That describes my jewelry to a tee.  I let my sister have mom's diamonds and gold while I took her silver and turquoise.