Cubic Zirconia Wedding SetsCubic zirconia wedding sets may be the perfect choice for couples looking for affordable wedding rings made with low cost and ethical diamond substitutes. Without a doubt, the CZ wedding ring market is booming – but the rise in sales for CZ rings have lead to some tricky marketing tactics which shoppers need to aware of. Check out the info below to find out more about CZ wedding rings and warnings about some CZ rings on the market, or to learn more about CZ check out What is Cubic Zirconia? Pros and Cons for Cubic Zirconia Wedding Sets: Cubic zirconia wedding ring sets are available in an endless amount of styles, sizes and designs – and fancy colored CZ engagement rings are now available too in yellow, orange, red, green, purple, pink and sherry brown. Other CZ wedding ring pros include:
Cons for cubic zirconia wedding sets include:
What to Look for To Find Quality CZ Wedding Ring Sets: Just because you are searching for an affordable, ethical, wedding ring does not mean you have to sacrifice quality. To be sure that you are buying quality cubic zirconia wedding sets, look for companies which specialize in: Cubic zirconia stones that have been hand cut and hand polished. Cubic zirconia cut stones that meet the same GIA (Gemological Institute of America) standards which cut diamonds must follow for certification. Companies which offer a certification report on their CZ rings and a guarantee on the stones. A small note on CZ wedding ring styles too – if you want a ring that closely resembles a diamond, shop for the less elaborate and large CZ rings which may look somewhat artificial once they are on your finger. Instead, search for CZ rings made with smaller and more carefully cut CZ stones. Although – if you want a bling wedding ring definitely go for the larger CZ carats, just make sure they are hand cut! Many companies are offering Rhodium Plating on cubic zirconia rings made with sterling silver. The rhodium will strengthen the silver band, and add a slightly whiter tone to the band, but rhodium plating will wear off with time. Re-plating the rings with a thick enough rhodium layer needed for wedding bands costs upwards of $100 dollars or more – and over time this cost can add up. Shoppers on a strict budget may want to stick with a sterling silver band – which is beautiful in its own right – and forgo the rhodium plating or look for cubic zirconia wedding sets made with titanium, stainless steel or tungsten bands if they need a band that is very affordable and extremely durable. Cubic Zirconia Wedding Ring Warnings: Two major issues have arisen with cubic zirconia wedding rings – the ‘grade’ which is used to market CZ stones and low quality metals which are used to make cheap CZ wedding bands: First I’ll address the low quality metals on some CZ bands. I found a number of CZ rings for sale online that had bright beautiful white wedding bands that looked similar to platinum or white gold – then I found out the band only looked that way because it was plated with rhodium, and the band itself was made with copper. Other rings were 10K gold plated in rhodium, but the 10K gold alloy contained high amounts of copper and nickel. What happens in a few months when the rhodium wears away? The ring will quickly tarnish and it may turn your finger green and if nickel is included in the ring alloy you may have an allergic reaction. With so many alternatives available – you shouldn’t settle for a copper ring – instead, stick with sterling silver, titanium, tungsten or stainless steel if you do not want a band made with 14K or 18K gold or platinum. If you are searching for cubic zirconia wedding sets, you will probably see “Grade A CZ”, “Grade AAA CZ” and “Grade AAAAA CZ.” With a little research I found out that Grade A CZ stones are the lowest grade of stones – which may easily cloud and chip or look vastly different from a diamond – the 3A CZ stones were middle of the road and the 5A CZ stones were marketed as the absolute best. (Although, I also found companies marketing their stones as Top Grade A stones). With more research I discovered that there are no laws or industry standards for CZ stone grades – and the “Grade” of CZ stones just started popping up recently on many Internet sites which sell CZ rings or provide information about CZ. Upon talking to a representative from a high end cubic zirconia jewelry store which does not advertise any grade to their product, I discovered that the whole CZ grade thing is essentially a marketing tactic. Even worse, companies may call their stones anything they want – because no industry standards exist for these grades. While some companies market their products as 5A cubic zirconium in good faith because they control their own laboratories and offer hand polished hand cut stones, other companies may not be so honest about the quality of their CZ stones. So – instead of looking for a grade of CZ, just stick with the tips above and search for cubic zirconia wedding sets which feature stones that have been hand cut and hand polished and cut to the exacting standards of the GIA – stones which have been cut to these standards will look more similar to a diamond than machine cut or poorly cut CZ stones and they are only a little more expensive than cheaper CZ rings. Special Care for Cubic Zirconia Wedding Sets: Cubic zirconia has a tendency to absorb oils and scratch under severe pressure – in time, CZ which has taken on oils and scratches will begin to look dull and cloudy. To preserve the stones in your cubic zirconia wedding sets for as long as possible follow these tips:
Alternatives to Cubic Zirconia Wedding Sets: Most couples turn to CZ rings because they are on a strict budget - and in the end they may end up paying more if they buy rings that are created with poor settings and cheap wedding band materials that scratch and bend with time. Fortunately, there are affordable alternatives to CZ - if couples are willing to go for a ring made with a gemstone instead of a diamond simulant. Affordable wedding and engagement ring alternatives which will last much longer than CZ and are usually made with quality materials and workmanship include: amethyst, aquamarine, black onyx, citrine, garnet, iolite, peridot, smoky quartz and tourmaline. All of these gemstones are very affordable, and they will last longer than CZ because they will not cloud up with time. Plus, colorful wedding bands and engagement rings are the a la mode style in today's wedding rings. Shopping Recommendations for CZ Wedding Rings: To find CZ wedding rings made with quality materials and workmanship, we recommend: Etsy: Here you can find jewelry artists which create affordable handmade CZ rings with quality settings and workmanship. Target: Target has just a few selections of CZ engagement rings made with stainless steel and sterling silver bands. Buy.com Overstock.com *Please note: We highly recommend that if you do purchase a CZ ring you stick with either a stainless steel band, or a handcrafted band, to ensure that the band will hold up to daily wear and that the setting is secure.
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