gemstone

Cubic Zirconia

Cubic Zirconium Dioxide (ZrO2)

Hardness: 8-8.5 Mohs scale. Color: Colorless (in this specimen). Luster: Adamantine to sub-adamantine. Crystal structure: Cubic. Specific Gravity: 5.6-6.0. High dispersion (fire) greater than diamond.

Hardness: 8-8
Color: Colorless (in this specimen)
Luster: Adamantine to sub-adamantine

Identified July 10, 2026More gemstone →

Explore Cubic Zirconia in the encyclopedia →

Identify your own rocks.

Get a report just like this from any photo, free.

App Store Google Play

Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Synthetic creation in a laboratory setting using a skull crucible process to melt zirconium oxide powder at extremely high temperatures (approx. 2750 degrees Celsius).

Uses & applications

Widely used as a low-cost diamond simulant in jewelry, as well as in industrial applications requiring high heat resistance and durability.

Geological facts

While it occurs naturally as the rare mineral baddeleyite, all cubic zirconia used in jewelry is man-made. It was first synthesized in 1937 but not popularized for jewelry until the 1970s.

Field identification & locations

Identify by its weight (heavier than diamond) and its tendency to exhibit more colorful flashes of light (fire) than a genuine diamond. It also lacks the thermal conductivity of a real diamond.