Posts Tagged ‘cubic zirconia’

European Style, Chinese Muscle

Saturday, August 14th, 2010

The Great Wall of China is not working. Built in 200 BC to protect the land from Mongols hoards, the Great Wall is a symbol of the vast breadth and scope of the economic development of the Chinese nation. International corporations have taken the place of invading Mongols, as they have occupied the Chinese worker in factories across the country. With the approval of the Chinese government, businesses around the globe have made China their main industrial source for all things manufactured. The silver jewelry industry is one such example.

The latest in silver jewelry designs come primarily from Europe, mostly from Italy. Annually, Europeans hold highly anticipated fairs and conventions featuring the newest styles in jewelry. From clothing fashion to jewelry design, Europeans have always been at the forefront of inspired modern style. Yet due to the rise in cost of production as influenced by higher wages for workers and regulatory restrictions in the production process, Europe, as a whole, finds itself unable to compete with Asia from a manufacturing standpoint.

European countries tend to feature the rights of individual workers in terms of reasonable compensation for services rendered, as well as protection from discrimination and an expectation of fair treatment. There are also restrictions concerning environmental standards for production, waste and materials that may be generally harmful. Most countries in the west adhere to these seemingly righteous societal constructs. As a result, the hands of the factory owners in Europe are tied, rightfully so. China, however, has a different perspective.

Workers in China don’t have the benefits of their counterparts in Europe. The government, as a non-elected body has allowed for the purest form of capitalism with market forces dictating all, without concern to the well being of the people and the environment. There are no restrictions concerning the individuals rights of worker to receive proper compensation and fair treatment, rather it depends on what depths the workers are willing to go. There are no regulations concerning the environmental impact of manufacturing, allowing for the cheaper production of goods. As a result, Chinese labor is the most cost efficient and productive in the world. Enter, silver jewelry.

The only advantage Europeans have is traditionally, they have set the trends when it comes to silver jewelry, including a high standard of craftsmanship. European retailers have remained loyal to their industrial core but more and more they are viewing China as a formidable opportunity. Other types of jewelry markets such as gold and gemstones have long since been penetrated by Chinese manufacturers. Silver has been the least affected industry as the Chinese manufacturing machine was busy in other more ostensibly profitable jewelry markets. It is within the last 10 years that Silver has been recognized as a viable industry with a great potential. So what was China to do match the quality and style of the Europeans?
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Diamonds – How To Know If A Diamond Is Fake Or Real

Saturday, June 19th, 2010

A diamond is a girl’s best friend! It is a beauty and unique nature makes it easy to admire. Diamond purchasing is a great task and an exciting pleasure. There are various types of diamonds so when buying real diamonds, one should learn about fake diamonds so that you will be able to distinguish between the fake vs. real diamond. Nowadays the best fake diamond is in great demand. Here are some of the simple solutions or the methods that will enable you to find out the difference between the fake vs. real diamond. The best way to know about the precious diamond is to acquire knowledge from a diamond professional. If possible take the diamond along with you to the shop and get all the details from the jeweler. The best fake diamond looks so similar to the real diamond that even a professional diamond jeweler may get confused and may have hard time to finding out whether it is a fake or the real diamond. In case you are not satisfied with the views regarding the real diamond from the professional, here is a way to find out which is a real diamond and which is a fake diamond.

The first method is to check the diamond with the help of diamond tester as it will help you to differentiate between real diamond and best fake diamond. It is an electronic tester that can check all the diamonds except the moissanite stone for which the diamond tester is not reliable. The best fake diamond is the cubic zirconia and the weight of this diamond is around 50% more than a real diamond of the same size and shape. This weighing test also can find out the difference between fake vs. real diamond.
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Diamond Simulant: The Other Face Of Real Diamond

Sunday, May 30th, 2010

The material that is similar in look to the diamond is known as diamond simulant. At present it plays an important role in the diamond simulant industry.

The diamond simulant has the same characteristics of a real diamond. With the diamond simulant or the manufactured diamond, the simulant can be made of artificial material. It can be a natural or it can be combination with both. The diamond simulant is different from the synthetic diamond and the major difference is the material properties. In the case of a synthetic diamond, the properties are same as the natural diamond. The diamond simulant has dispersion and hardness properties like natural diamonds and their properties help in imitation. The differences in a diamond simulant and in synthetic diamond can be found by diamond professionals only.

The common simulants that are used in the manufacturing of a diamond are the leaded glass and the cubic zirconia. Leaded glass is also known as Rhinestones. The other materials that are used rarely in manufacturing diamond simulant are strontium titanate and the synthetic retile. But today, the moissanite plays an important role in manufacturing of a diamond stimulant even though it is costly when compared to leaded glass and the cubic zirconia.

The following properties must be possessed by the diamond simulant to have a great look and fine craftsmanship.
• The diamond simulant should look like a natural diamond.
• The diamond simulant properties should be similar to a diamond.
• The diamond simulant should cater for non-destructive testing otherwise the fine finishing will not be achieved.
• It should match the durability and the density test as per the standard laid down process.
• There should not be any scratches on the diamond simulant, other wise it will be distinct from the natural diamond.
• The diamond simulant should be hard in nature comparing to other gems.
• The manufactured diamond should have crisp and sharp edges to provide a sparkling look.
• They should be flawless and should cater for fine polishing.
• The diamond simulant should pass the window panel test.
• The specific gravity of the manufactured diamond should be around 3.5, so that it resembles the natural diamond.
• The diamond simulant should be of same weight with that of real diamond.
• The diamond simulant should match the optics and color properties with that of the natural diamond.

Artificial simulants
Nowadays the simulants of the diamonds are carried in large masses to cater the needs of the diamond simulant industry. Due the improvements in various technologies it has become very easy to manufacture diamond simulants and these simulants look more original than the natural diamonds.
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Chatham Diamond Or The CZ Diamonds

Saturday, April 10th, 2010

CZ stands for Cubic Zirconia and it is rarest mineral available in nature. This mineral is widely used in manufacturing the Chatham Diamond all over the world. Cubic Zirconia is a type of mineral that is known as Zirconium Oxide and the chemical formula is ZrO2. Even though they are rare and have scarcity, the Chatham diamonds are cheap when compared to various other minerals.

This article provides the reader with characteristics, advantages and the technical parameters of the CZ Diamond.

The main characteristics, advantages and technical parameters of Zirconium Oxide, which is used in manufacturing Chatham Diamond, are as follows:

Characteristics:
• This synthesized compound is very hard in nature.
• They don’t have any definite color, there for it is colorless.
• Essentially a Cubic Zirconia is a fine material and it is flawless
• Even though cubic zirconia is a colorless material it can be formed into various colors.
• Zirconium Oxide and the Zircon are different materials and are not be related to each other as the chemical formula for zircon is ZrSiO4 and it is Zirconium silicate.

Advantages:
• This cubic zirconium is very cheap compared to other various types of minerals.
• It is durable in nature and can be preserved for longer durations.
• It looks similar to a diamond and is used widely in manufacturing Chatham Diamonds.
• When compared to moissanite, cubic zirconia is more economical to manufacture CZ Diamonds.
• Cubic Zirconium is a type of gem that is frequently used in manufacturing CZ Diamond.
• The other synthetic gemstone that is used in manufacturing CZ Diamond or the Chatham Diamond is moissanite.
• Cubic Zirconia is a diamond simulant and widely used in Chatham Diamonds where as moissanite is a cultivated material.
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