CZ Cubic Zirconia Sterling Silver Jewelry

A pink cubic zirconia ring is a great way to express yourself or your love, but these rings are not all the same.  Colors and styles vary widely.  Some are darker bordering on magenta, whereas others are light and translucent.  You’ll find pink cz that are bluish violet, and even some with a peach or orange hue.  They range from sugary sweet heart styles, to more sultry evening looks and cocktail rings that are very fashion forward.  If you’re looking for a pink cz ring, you’ll find nearly all of the same styles you’d expect to find with white or clear stones.

A pink cubic zirconia stone looks beautiful in sterling silver or marcasite settings as well as yellow and rose gold.  It also combines beautifully with white or colored pearls.

Why have a traditional white or clear gemstone wedding ring set?  You can wear a pink cz solitaire as a promise ring or engagement ring.  We often see these types flanked by smaller white  stones either around the perimeter of the pink solitaire, as a three-stone ring, or around the circumference of the band.  The pink stone may be a heart shape, or standard oval, cushion, princess, asscher or marquise cuts are available as well.  We love the uniqueness of colored engagement rings.  Perhaps because they are different, they feel more special.  You’ll also find that when people admire your ring, they are less concerned with whether the ring is “real” or not, and are more interested in the beautiful stone.

If you’re looking for a more playful style, a cocktail ring is also stunning.  It’s a bold, right-handed look, and will be the only ring you need to wear.  We’ve seen pink pave dome settings as well as single, giant cz stones guaranteed to get attention.

We are also seeing a lot of stackable rings featuring pink cubic zirconia stones.  Within the same stack, you’ll have a variety of shades from light to dark for a wonderful effect.

Sweet and budget friendly, a pink cubic zirconia ring can be as inexpensive as twenty dollars, and as expensive as several hundred dollars, depending on the materials and setting.

Below are a few of the styles we like.  (Note: These image links will take you out to retailers’ sites).

A pink cubic zirconia ring is a great way to express yourself or your love, but these pink rings are not all the same.  Colors and styles vary widely.  Some are a darker pink bordering on magenta, where others are much lighter and more translucent.  You’ll find some pink cz that are more bluish violet, and others with a peach or orange hue.  They range from sugary sweet heart styles, to more sultry evening looks and cocktail rings that are very fashion forward.  If you’re looking for a pink cz ring, you’ll find nearly all of the same styles you’d expect to find with white or clear cubic zirconia.

A pink cubic zirconia stone looks beautiful in sterling silver or marcasite settings as well as yellow and rose gold.  It also combines beautifully with white or colored pearls.

Why have a traditional white or clear gemstone wedding ring set?  You can wear a pink cz solitaire as a promise ring or engagement ring.  We often see these types flanked by smaller white cz stones either around the perimeter of the pink solitaire, as a three-stone ring, or around the circumference of the band.  The pink stone may be a heart shape, or standard oval, cushion, princess, asscher or marquise cuts are available as well.  We love the uniqueness of pink cz engagement rings.  Perhaps because they are different, they feel more special.  You’ll also find that when people admire your ring, they are less concerned with whether the stone is “real” or not, and are more interested in the wonderful pink stone.

If you’re looking for a more playful style, a pink cz cocktail ring is also stunning.  It’s a bold, right-handed look, and will be the only ring you need to wear.  We’ve seen pink pave dome settings as well as single, giant pink cz stones guaranteed to get attention.

We are also seeing a lot of stackable rings featuring pink cubic zirconia stones.  Within the same stack, you’ll have a variety of pink shades from light to dark for a wonderful effect.

Sweet and budget friendly, a pink cubic zirconia ring can be as inexpensive as twenty dollars, and as expensive as several hundred dollars, depending on the materials and setting.

Since we’re on the topic of manmade diamond simulant producers this week, I thought we’d take a look at Asha Diamonds.   If you’re looking for an alternative to a “real” diamond engagement or wedding ring, Asha Diamonds will be one of the first places you’ll look (along with Diamond Nexus Labs).  Based in Las Vegas, they don’t have a storefront presence, so customer service is provided live online through the website or through email.  They also have a partner company called Moissanite Co. which specializes in moissanite, a topic for another day.

As much as I enjoy all forms of simulated jewelry, I’m not a scientist, so once I start seeing words like “spectrometer” and “laboratory data,” I start to zone out.  But basically, the types of gemstones created by Asha are distinguished from cubic zirconia and moissanite by their chemical composition, particularly the use of carbon.  Carbon contributes to bonding, coating, sealing and optical characteristics, as well as affecting the hardness of the stone.  This makes Asha Diamonds harder, clearer and more resistant to wear and chipping than your standard cubic zirconia.  Each simulated diamond company has their own proprietary or patented process for creating these gemstones.  But don’t get too caught up in the science.  At the end of the day, the most important thing is that you love your ring or other jewelry, and will appreciate its sparkle, clarity, quality and design for years to come.

While Asha carries earrings, pendants and necklaces suitable for the important occasions in your life, their specialty seems to be in solitaire, engagement and three stone rings, as well as wedding ring sets.  Prices of course will vary depending on ring size, carat weight and setting, and are considerably higher than what you’d pay for a comparable cubic zirconia, but less than what you’d pay for a similar diamond ring.

Purchasing a wedding or engagement ring online these days is very typical.  Whether it’s from Asha Diamonds or another manmade diamond company, keep in mind warranty and return policies, loyalty programs, payment plans and customer service responsiveness, particularly when it comes to educating you about their product.  The most important thing is that you feel comfortable and happy with your purchase.

We’ve never shopped there, but if you’ve had any experience with Asha Diamonds, please tell us about it!

It’s unusual that I find a simulated diamond retailer that has designs I actually like.  I do love many of the Diamonique lines on QVC, but recently I stumbled across Diamond Nexus Labs, a manmade diamond company based in Wisconsin.  I was very interested in their tagline, “Reward Your Intelligence,” as that’s how I view the purchase of high-quality, simulated jewelry.  It can take attention to detail, design and quality to select an important piece of jewelry that will be passed down from generation to generation.  It also takes helpful staff to guide the buyer through what can be a challenging and stressful process. DNL seems to prioritize customer service and lifetime guarantees, which right off the bat makes them an intriguing place to shop.

Like many simulated diamond makers, Nexus Diamond heavily promotes their wedding and engagement ring offerings, but they do have a variety of everyday earrings, pendants, bracelets, necklaces, watches and special collections.  They even have some trendier pieces such as their black and white line set in shiny platinum coated silver that look very couture.  Simulated sapphires, emeralds and rubies have striking color and some necklaces creep into the $5,000 plus range.  However, it is becoming more widely understood and accepted that the craftsmanship, materials, quality and settings of simulated pieces can command high values.   Since $5,000 is a small fraction of what some Cartier necklaces cost, the price still seems relatively intelligent.  And even for under $400 at Diamond Nexus Labs, you can easily find something lovely that looks far more expensive.

I liked the colored diamond simulants and have been very intrigued by browns lately, such as their chocolate brown cushion cut stone.  I also admire some of Nexus Diamonds’ more modern style white gold right hand rings. Their lever back earrings seem like a no-brainer in classic day-to-night styles you’ll wear for years to come.

There are a lot of diamond simulants out there, so like when buying other gemstone jewelry, the reputation of the seller is critical.  I can’t wait to check out Diamond Nexus Labs in more detail and look forward to hearing about your experiences as well!

You don’t have to sacrifice beauty, glamour or high-polish sparkle, when you opt for a cz cubic zirconia sterling silver  ring.  The advantages of a cz silver rings are many.  First, silver is abundant and widely available.   This makes it a much more economical option than a gold ring.  Sterling silver is an alloy, typically containing 92.5% silver, with the remaining (usually copper) serving to strengthen the metal.

Sterling silver is the perfect setting for any gemstone.  If you’re looking for diamonds, cubic zirconia, Diamonique or other simulated stones, you’ll find a silver ring setting to suit.  Even from the highest quality retailers, a sterling silver engagement ring will offer a bold look at a fraction of the price of gold.  If you’re looking for a cocktail or dome ring style, this is particularly beneficial, given the amount of precious metal this type of piece requires.  (Sterling silver is also great for wedding bands).

There is no sacrificing style, detail or craftsmanship in cz sterling silver rings.  If you’re looking for a prong, channel or bezel set, a silver setting works beautifully.  A solitaire or bypass style engagement ring also looks great in silver.  If you’re interested in a family heirloom type of look, there’s no limit to the flexibility in creating intricate scrolling shapes and elegant tapering.  Millgrain detail and an openwork gallery are commonly seen in sterling silver cubic zirconia rings and sets.  Craftsmanship is just as high in silver as in gold rings.

Another option is to have 14k gold plating or platinum over a sterling silver core, giving you the prized gold finish but still at significantly less than a solid gold piece.

The disadvantage of a sterling silver engagement ring is that it does tarnish, and requires regular cleaning.  However, a simple silver cleaning cloth and tarnish-resistant jewelry storage will keep this to a minimum.  Rhodium plated silver is also an option, and provides a white, anti-tarnish finish.  However, items need replating every few years.

We were looking through the newest Diamonique earring offerings on QVC to find some stylish, simple lever back options that are small enough to wear everyday, and nice enough for dressier occasions.  Note that Diamonique is sometimes categorized as cubic zirconia, another simulated diamond, but Diamonique is a line that is exclusive to QVC and has a consistent reputation.  CZ is a broader description of this type of gemstone.  Read about other CZ and Diamonique Earring Styles.

Like most cz and faux diamond drop earrings, the lever back style earrings are the simplest to wear, and a failsafe for any jewelry wardrobe.  The higher-end styles come in solid white, rose or yellow gold with Diamonique gemstones in the 2-3 carat range.  The length of the drop is around an inch.  The round, bezel-set 100 facet style is a favorite and they are for pierced ears only.  These earrings are currently available for just under $100.

If you’re looking to spend a bit less on Diamonique earrings. the sterling silver or yellow-gold clad over sterling silver is a beautiful option for about half the price.  For example, their bezel-set, pear shaped lever back earrings with tear drop stone and gorgeous open gallery work is a bold look.  This earring set weighs in around 4 carats and are just over 1 inch in length.

For a different kind of cz drop dazzle, we like the “double drop” Diamonique lever back model features a 1 carat, and a 3 carat simulated diamond.  These prong-set earrings are again available in the 14k clad over sterling silver, or pure sterling silver, and create a bold, sparkly look with eye-catching movement.  These are surprisingly the least expensive of the Diamonique earrings we reviewed today at just over $39.

QVC offers every style of Diamonique lever back earrings available in every cut, style and precious metal.  Marquis, Asscher, Briolette….You’ll find them all at QVC.  Diamonique lever back earrings tend to have long, comfortable and sturdy posts, and no pair will cost more than around $115 dollars, a great deal considering the high-quality craftsmanship and precious metals used.   On sale, some are as low as $24, even with 14 carat gold clad metal.

If you’re searching for a Diamonique engagement ring, the various lines of Diamonique wedding jewelry may initially be overwhelming, but there’s no need to be intimidated.  In fact, selecting a Diamonique engagement ring is profoundly easier than shopping for a diamond ring.   First of all, you don’t need to worry about grading, as all Diamonique stones are all perfectly clear.  Also, you always receive a certificate of authenticity from your Diamonique ring.  And, there’s never any question of provenance or the source of your gemstone.  The best thing, however, is that you don’t have to agonize over breaking your budget.  It’s nearly impossible to spend more than two hundred dollars on a Diamonique wedding ring. Here’s how to select the perfect Diamonique engagement ring for you.

Select a metal. Diamonique jewelry comes in 14k white and yellow gold, sterling silver and platinum.

Choose a setting. You may be interested in a traditional pear-shaped, marquis, round or any other shaped solitaire stone. Multi-stone settings are another option, and some Diamonique styles incorporate colored accent gemstones.  You’ll also see a selection of three stone settings, as well as solitaire and wedding band set.

Think about scale. A ring should correspond to the scale of the hand.  Certain shaped stones accentuate the hand and fingers in different ways.  In general, small hands work better with smaller rings, and larger hands can support larger-sized rings.

Pick your style. Are you looking for a vintage or modern look?  Diamonique wedding rings come with etching and openwork for a retro look, as well as clean, simple edges and curves.

Don’t forget comfort. Certain types of bands, particularly in the Diamonique lines, are designed for comfort.  When you’re considering a lifetime purchase such as a wedding or engagement ring, it’s important that it feels good on your hand.

Cubic zirconia cufflinks are a fabulous style statement for both men and women.  Everyone needs to wear cufflinks on one occasion or another.  They are the perfect accessory for any dress shirt, whether purely decorative or functional – fastening cuffs together.   You may think of cz cufflinks as somewhat dated or cheesey, but they can be a great finishing piece like the right item of jewelry or a standout pair of shoes.    We’re not suggesting golfball cufflinks, superbowl or “ball-and-chain” wedding cufflinks.  Rather, there are some elegant cufflink designs made with precious metals like sterling silver and gold and gemstones that you’ll keep for a lifetime.    We love vintage monogrammed cufflinks.  (Who cares if they are someone else’s initials?!)  You can also get cufflinks that coordinate with a necklace, making for a lovely set.  Cufflinks are a great gift idea since you don’t have to worry about sizing, and you can safely incorporate the recipient’s sense of personal style.  Stainless steel can be a more affordable option than sterling silver or gold cufflinks, but that is not always the case.  Some cufflinks have cubic zirconia, diamonds, or other gemstones such as agate or opal that raise the cost higher than a fancy pair of earrings.

Classic cz cufflinks are either square, rectangular or circular and made of a precious metal, and sometimes enamel.  They are only noticeable from some angles and shouldn’t overpower the sleeve.  For those who work in a formal office (i.e. opposite of us) they are one of the few opportunities, along with ties, for the wearer to show a bit of personality.  Another traditional cufflink style is the silk knot cufflinks, which come in a variety of colors and tend to blend in well with the shirt.  A pair of high-quality silk knot cufflinks can run about $30 dollars, but if stored properly, can last a lifetime.

The wonderful thing about Diamonique wedding sets is that they make for gorgeous engagement rings and wedding bands with both believability and high quality.  The cuts are classic, the clarity of the stones is perfect, and the enormous selection of designs ranges from vintage to modern.

Widely known as a beautiful substitute for diamonds, many people consider “believability” a critical factor when shopping for a Diamonique wedding ring set.   If you’re concerned about “believability,”  with Diamonique wedding sets, consider these points:  Some rings are perfectly suitable for a right-hand or cocktail ring, but worn on the ring finger, just look obnoxious.  So, go ahead and buy the big Diamonique ring and wear it on your right hand.  Also, typically 1-2 carats with smaller accent stones is considered “believable” for a ring.  When you’re talking 3 or more carats is when people seem to raise eyebrows.  Even if you’re in your pajamas, that 1-2 carat size doesn’t look totally out of place.  Just like with diamonds and cubic zirconia, the smaller the stone, the less expensive it is, so a ring encrusted in tiny channel-set or pave stones won’t cost nearly as much as a ring with a single large solitaire. You can get all the cz wedding band sparkle but won’t attract attention from people questioning its “authenticity.”

But before you think I’m telling you to “just be realistic” and buy a sensibly sized wedding ring that looks like something you could actually afford in your lifetime, consider this:  I suggest that Diamonique wedding sets are totally believable.  The clarity and brilliance of the stones themselves, as well as the high quality precious metals and plating not only give the impression of a lovely ring — it IS a lovely ring.  Diamonique jewelry is so believable, in fact, that it fools countless jewelers into thinking they feature real diamonds.  Furthermore, even “real” diamond jewelry varies widely in price.  A lower quality diamond can be purchased from any high-end retailer for thousands less than a higher quality stone.  And you can definitely see the difference.    Would you rather have a low-quality diamond with an odd yellow tinge or a clear, radiant gemstone in a gorgeous precious metal setting?  Our vote is for the Diamonique.  And get as big and bold a style as you like.  The key is, you have to really WEAR it and OWN it.  Jewelry has the power to elevate your look, so if you dress to the occasion, no one would doubt that your ring is “authentic.”  YOU have to be believable.  The ring already is.

Today we’re taking a look at the somewhat unusual combination of cz and turquoise.  We love the way cubic zirconia, with its fire and sizzle looks in contrast to the bright, matte turquoise, creating a more casual look.

CZ pairs with silver or gold in concert with turquoise, but the silver tends to be the most common, and as far as precious metals go, the most affordable.

While we’re obviously huge cz and Diamonique fans by themselves, we love the bold colors, and the way the turquoise varies from one stone to the next, making each piece totally unique!

You’ll also find that the turquoise and cz combination is more economical than pairing cubic zirconia with other materials like pearls, or other gemstones.

The biggest bang for your buck when pairing turquoise and cubic zirconia, comes with the purchase of a set, where you may find coordinating earrings and pendant or ring.  The turquoise pieces themselves don’t have to be too big in order to make a statement.