Clarity of the stone
Cubic zirconia is mass produced in a lab, created to be internally flawless. However, it is extremely porous and is susceptible to absorbing dirt and oil over time, easily tarnishing the once perfect clarity.
The difference between the Nexus Diamond and cubic zirconia is that the Nexus Diamond has a proprietary blend of Corundum coating to make the stone harder and impervious to porosity—resulting in a stone that will retain its D Color (completely colorless) and IF clarity (internally flawless). If for some reason should the Nexus Diamond alternative crack or discolor with normal wear, we’ll replace it for free, forever.
Chemical Composition of the Stone
Cubic Zirconia is composed of zirconium dioxide, which is just oxygen and zirconium. Consequently, creating a very soft stone that ranks between an 8 and 8.5 on the Mohs scale of hardness (10 being the hardest).
Made of a proprietary formula and patented coating, the Nexus Diamond sits at a 9.1, with only moissanite and a pure carbon diamond being harder at 9.25 and 10, respectively.
Cubic Zirconia vs Moissanite
Both known as diamond alternatives and/or simulants, these two stones sit at very different price points. With cubic zirconia being the softer stone and ultimately having a shorter lifespan, cubic zirconia jewelry can sell for $100 and less. Moissanite comes in 2nd as the hardest stone on the Mohs hardness scale, being built to last longer justifies the jump in cost, although still a fraction of a pure carbon diamond.
That’s not all that sets these two stones apart, cubic zirconia’s brilliance refractive index (RI) sits at a 2.16, which is the lowest brilliance compared to the Nexus Diamond (2.2), moissanite (2.65), and a lab diamond (2.41). On a similar note, both cubic zirconia and moissanite have a dispersion higher than a diamond—these stones produce a colorful spectrum of light as a result.
Cubic Zirconia vs Lab Grown Diamonds
While lab grown diamonds aren’t an “alternative” per se, they are a better choice in comparison to diamonds that were mined from the earth. What cubic zirconia and lab grown diamonds share is their lack of an ecological impact. There is no earth displacement, dangerous working conditions, habitat destruction, and numerous other negatives associated with these options.
However, in terms of quality and price, cubic zirconia and lab grown diamonds are timelines apart. In terms of durability, we know cubic zirconia is the softest of all these alternatives, with pure carbon diamonds being the hardest and able to scratch glass. A lab grown diamond will cost much more than cubic zirconia, but it is still significantly more affordable compared to a mined diamond—while being identical in every possible way, minus origin.
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