In 1937, the cubic form of zirconium oxide, (CZ for short) was discovered by two German mineralogists. It wasn't until many years later in 1977, however, when Soviet scientists learned how to produce this mineral in a laboratory that it gradually became popular with jewelry designers. CZ really took off in the 1980's when companies began producing cubic Zirconia for mass consumption.

Recently, new developments in CZ production have led to a sparkling new array of CZs in every color of the rainbow. Gemologists agree that Cubic Zirconia is the finest diamond simulant because it comes closer than any other gem material to matching the characteristics of a diamond. In appearance, cubic Zirconia looks almost exactly like a good quality diamond, although there are some slight differences. It has slightly less brilliance (sparkle) than diamond, while having more fire (flashes of rainbow colors). Most people, even trained gemologists, cannot tell the difference with the naked eye. The overall effect is so similar to diamond that trained gemologists often require special equipment to tell them apart. CZ is also extremely hard. There are very few substances on earth harder than CZ. With a hardness rating of 8.5, CZ comes close to matching diamond's perfect 10.