Diamonds Not Forever: Science of Cubic Zirconia and Diamonds
Monday, October 12th, 2009Popular Science had this interesting article about the chemical makeup of diamonds versus cubic zirconia stones. It addresses some common myths about diamonds that could make you find cubic zirconia jewelry even more appealing.
“It is bond strength, not hardness, that determines how easily oxygen can attack and burn a material, allowing me to burn a diamond in a pool of liquid oxygen resting in a block of graphite. If your house burns down with the family jewels inside, you can collect the pools of melted gold, but the diamonds will be gone in a puff of CO2. Cheaper, more attractive stones, such as cubic zirconia and synthetic ruby and sapphire, are made of refractory metal oxides that easily withstand the same heat. So it’s actually mall trinkets, not diamonds, that are forever.”
Gone In a Flash: Burning Diamonds With a Torch and Liquid Oxygen | Popular Science.
