Best Cubic Zirconia Engagement Rings

Ever since its discovery in the 1970′s, the man-made fake-diamond simulant cubic zirconia, has enjoyed great success and popularity amongst couples who desire the elegance of a diamond without the high price.

Nonetheless, in the heady state of love, it is easy to be swayed all too much by emotion and a guilty feeling that only the best will do for the special one in your life. Many a groom rush off to the local jewellers only to find that traditional diamond rings are not only rather expensive, but also rather small. But take heart. If your heart and hers is set on a colorless stone that glistens in the sun, the best cubic zirconia engagement rings are an excellent and affordable substitute that have been popular for many years.

CZ is the most diamond looking of all gemstones and for your money you can get a larger stone and a large choice in style and variety. Like diamonds, the best cubic zirconia stones are colorless (or white) and don’t lose their brilliance. Given proper cleaning, cz will retain its beauty for years.

Best Cubic Zirconia Engagement Rings by Band

14K White Gold	More than 100 customers have bought this item and LOVED IT! That is an overwhelming response which speaks volumes in favour of this ring. “I bought this ring as my new engagement ring. NO ONE believes that is is not a real diamond. The ring just sparkles.I felt like it was an excellent price for such a beautiful ring. It is not too big or too small. It would look gorgeous on anyone’s finger.”
	Click here to check it out on Amazon.com

14K Yellow Gold	A simple classic yellow gold engagement ring set with a round-cut cz stone. Affordable and much-loved. “This is a 1.25 ct cubic zirconia and it sparkles just like a real diamond but for a whole lot less expense. All of her friends think its a real expensive engagement ring and she’s just letting them believe that. Haha she really does love this ring. “
	Click here to check it out on Amazon.com

When it comes to choosing an engagement ring, there is more to consider than just the stone. The style, color and composition of the band chosen to hold the stone can make all the difference. Classic choices include gold and silver but platinum from which bands are also commonly fashioned are not as popular in CZ engagement rings due to its markedly higher price.

For this reason, cubic zirconia engagement rings in white gold are a great alternative to platinum struck bands as they sucessfully imitate the whitiesh hue of platinum but without the expense.

If white gold is still a bit costly, silver is also an option. And finally, for those who like their gold to look like gold, the choice of yellow gold cubic zirconia engagement rings is also wide and readily available.

Best Cubic Zirconia Engagement Rings by Cut

Designed to mimic their adamantine counterpart, in which the gemstone cut defines how fiery, brilliant and sparkly it will be, CZ stones are available in a variety of cuts and shapes. For example, mathmatically modelled to precision almost a century ago to maximise brilliance, the iconic round-cut remains to this day the most popular cut for engagement rings.

And without doubt, the most in-demand cut after rounds are fiery princess cut stones that are sure to set hearts ablaze. Following these are a host of other fancy cuts such as the marquise, oval, emerald, cushion and Asscher.

Best Cubic Zirconia Engagement Rings by Carat

For some, it’s all about the size of the rock and carats, carats, carats. Ironically however and contrary to popular belief, carat is not a description of how big a gemstone is. Rather, it is a description of how heavy the gemstone is with the industry defining 1 carat as being equal to 0.2g or 200mg.

Furthermore, a 1 carat cubic zirconia engagement ring is marketed as one that is similar in size to a 1 carat diamond. Consequently, since CZ and diamond have different densities, a 1 carat CZ actually weighs more than 200mg!

Best Cubic Zirconia Engagement Rings by Style

Finally, one has to pay due attention to the actual style and design of the engagement ring itself. After all, they have been around for more than a century and like all other fashion items, trends change.

The best solitaire cubic zirconia engagement rings are affordable and ever-lasting. They draw all the attention to the stone and are beautiful.

A simple variant of these are those that still feature a large central gemstone but are decorated by a multitude of smaller sidestones across the shoulders. These accent stones can even be made of real diamonds themselves in some cases.

A three-stone CZ engagement ring mixes and matches colours, shapes and sizes. The possibilities are only limited by your imagination!

A fourth popular style of engagement rings are those that capture the mysterious and romantic history of yesteryear. Such antique or vintage cubic zirconia engagement rings will grace any hand and exude the essence of old-world charm.

Spotting A Cubic Zirconia Engagement Ring

These man-made CZ gems as they are also known, look like diamonds, feel like them and are also available in familiar cuts such as princess, emerald and asscher.

From a cursory glance or even closer inspection, the average person cannot tell a high quality CZ ring from a diamond especially one of lower quality.

Certain ad-hoc tests, such as dropping them in water and seeing how ‘transparent’ they look can indicate whether a stone is CZ or not, but to tell the two apart definitively, laboratory tests need to be conducted.

Regardless of these facts, you would be well advised to make sure your lady knows you are buying a cubic zirconia engagement ring for her and that she is happy with that. There is absolutely no shame in buying a stone that is beautiful in its own right for a fraction of the price.

About Cubic Zirconia Engagement Rings

Cubic Zirconia also know as CZ for short is a synthesised gemstone. This means that it is not naturally found in the Earth but instead is manufactured in a factory.

Technically it is a form of zirconium dioxide in which the crystals are packed together in a cube-like fashion. It is durable, hard, optically flawless and has been an important competitor for diamonds since the 1970′s.

“Do You Want A Ring That Lights Up The Night With Its Fire?”

You may be surprised, but cubic zirconia engagements rings are often more fiery than their much-vaunted counterparts. This is because CZ has a higher dispersive power meaning that it splits light into its component rainbow colors more dramatically.

The engagement ring is quite possibly one of the most important purchases you will make in your life. It represents the bond of a sanctified union that is to come and a faithful commitment based on trust and loyalty.

For centuries those that are betrothed to one another have given each other tokens of that love as expressions of the feelings they share for one another.

Most engagements last between 6-12 months as this is how long it can take to prepare for a well-organized wedding. During this period, a woman will be on cloud nine as she shows off her engagement ring to her friends, family and passing strangers!

Cubic zirconia engagement rings are an excellent token of this affection for those who love the look and sparkle of diamond but are saving that wonderful gemstone for another special occasion after the marriage such as the fifth or tenth anniversary.

18k White Gold CZ Engagement Rings

18 karat gold is one of the highest purities of gold used in jewelry making. 18k means that out of every 24 parts, 18 parts are gold and the remaining 6 parts are other metals. Such metal mixes are known as alloys and in the case of 18k white gold, the added metals are those which give a whiteish color to the alloy such as silver, palladium and nickel amongst others.

Even though 20k and 22k are more pure, they are not commonly found in jewelry in the Western world but are popular in other areas of the world such as the Indian subcontinent. 18 karat gold is 75% pure gold and for this reason, for a given CZ stone, an 18k white gold cubic zirconia engagement ring will tend to be more expensive than a similar band made from less pure alloys such as 14k and 10k white gold.

This may be partly the reason why CZ white gold engagement rings of higher purity are much less common and less readily available than their counterparts of lesser purity. Nonetheless, with a little digging around you are sure to be able to track down a ring that meets your requirements. The discussion below elaborates on the kinds of CZ engagement rings to be found in this category.

18k White Gold CZ Engagement Rings by Cut

Popular stone cuts include the princess-cut and round-cut. Even though many other fancy cuts exist, surprisingly on Amazon, at the time of writing, out of 185 CZ white gold engagement rings that fit the bill, these are the only two cuts available. That surely is a testament to the popularity of these two cuts.

18k White Gold CZ Engagement Rings by Carat

Now don’t confuse your karats with your carats. Karat with a ‘k’ denotes purity of gold bullion as in 24k gold bars. Carats with a ‘c’ denotes a gemstone’s weight. Not its size or purity, but its weight. Satisfying the benchmark that many would-be brides aspire to, 1 carat cubic zirconia engagement rings are set with a CZ stone that appears similar in size to a 1 carat diamond.

For those who lust after something a bit more meaty, stunning 2 carat CZ stones make for amazing rings that are sure to attract attention.

18k White Gold Cubic Zirconia Engagement Rings by Type

Perhaps the more interesting discussion regarding this category of CZ engagement ring revolves around the nuances, decoration and style of the band itself. It could be simple, polished, circular and for all intents and purposes getting the job done, or it could be embellished, vintage-style, pave-set, perhaps even gaudy and featuring multiple stones or specifically three as in the case of a Trilogy engagement ring.

How about these to get you in the mood?

A unique little piece, this ring features what at first glance appears to be a solitaire but in fact is decorated by a further three stones. Even the band itself is not quite circular making for a design that will stimulate discussion amongst jewelry enthusiasts and your girlfriends alike.

The scent of love is definitely in the air and on the perfect night, the perfect ring to present to your beloved may well be the one shown below.

Once again a quite unique design. The delicate cubic zirconia stone is held between formidable triangular-shaped faces of an 18k white gold band that is slightly juxtaposed and tapers down to a more orthodox band style.

If it’s a bit of a razzmatazz you want to fire up when you wear this ring, jewelry like this certainly does not go unnoticed. Sold by GIOIE, a leading European e-commerce company dedicated to the best ‘Made In Italy’ jewellery.

More About 18kt White Gold CZ Engagement Rings

Some 18kt white gold cz engagement and wedding rings are coated with Rhodium. Rhodium is similar to platinum and shares many of its properties including its white color. A thin coating of Rhodium results in a ‘whiter’ white gold. However, this rhodium coating eventually wears away and needs to be re-plated every couple of years.

The great advantage of Rhodium is that it is hypo-allergenic. This means that it does not cause the skin reactions that some people have to nickel which used to be used in white gold alloys in the past.

Another factor to be weary about when choosing 18k white gold is that it is softer than 14k white gold. This is because gold is naturally quite a soft metal. This is not necessarily a bad thing. It is just this very softness that has allowed gold to be used as a currency throughout history as it has the ability to be molded and shaped easily.

Nonetheless, the more pure the gold alloy, the softer it is and therefore more prone to wear and tear. However this is just another reason why buying white gold plated with Rhodium is a good idea as it gives your white gold cubic zirconia engagement ring a harder shell.

Cubic Zirconia Engagement Rings in White Gold

So you’re all pumped up. You’ve decided to pop the question and you’re rearing to go. Except you need a ring first and you’re not sure what to get. Before buying an engagement ring a few questions do need to be addressed such as what stone to get and how big it should be, what band to get and its purity, whether it should be a solitaire or not, and most importantly….what size!

Well if you are on a budget, then it may come as a pleasant surprise that the most affordable and best cubic zirconia engagement rings made from white gold are listed right here. As the name suggests, white gold has a whitish/ grey hue to it and it is a common alloy of gold that has become hugely popular since it was first introduced during the early part of the 20th century as a substitute for the far more expensive and naturally white metal platinum.

Like its traditional counterpart, white gold is made for jewelry purposes in standard purities such as 9kt, 14kt and 18kt amongst others and is a great choice for couples who prefer its sophisticated and gently understated whitish hues over the classic ‘in your face’ yellow tones of gold.

Traditionally since the 1920′s when white gold was first mixed, nickel was used as the whitener as it was affordable and effective in imitating the platinum look. Unfortunately it has been found that the nickel content used in some white gold alloys gives rise to certain skin rashes and conditions such as dermatitis amongst some wearers and thus has steadily fallen out of fashion.

Even though it may still be legally used in white gold mixes in many countries, for the most part, especially in the West, vendors prefer not to sell nickel-based white gold engagement rings anymore whether they be CZ or diamond.

However when shopping around for antique and vintage white gold cubic zirconia engagement rings, these may still be made from nickel and due consideration should be given to this fact. This is of course assuming you are looking at genuine antique pieces and not modern-day replicas.

A safer and more modern technique in use nowadays to improve the whiteness effect and overall beauty of these white gold wonders is to plate the band with rhodium. This not only enhances the coloration but also helps to protect the finish of the band from scratching and other forms of wear due to its hardness.

CZ White Gold Engagement Rings by Band

When investigating the kind of band you want, you are most likely to be faced with a simple choice between 14k metal and 18k metal. 18k white gold bands are of course more expensive but they do not necessarily look any more whiter than their 14k couterparts.

In fact 18k white gold may not be as white as 14k white gold because it contains more pure yellow gold content. This is why white gold rings are traditionally plated with rhodium, in order to get the whitest possible finish. Rhodium also helps protect the ring from wear and tear and resistance against tarnishing if for example a metal like silver (that can be tarnished by air) has been used in the alloy.

Click here to read more about 18k white gold CZ engagement rings.

CZ White Gold Engagement Rings by Cut

The cut and shape of the actual CZ stone is an element that is totally independent of the fact that it is mounted on a white gold band. The most heard about cuts and the items that you are most likely to come across when you are out and about shopping for your fiancee are of course the round-cut and the popular ‘fancy’ style princess-cut (any shape other than a round-cut is called fancy-shaped). But the choice does not end there.

Given that cubic zirconia is a diamond simulant, many other CZ stone shapes are available that emulate the fancy cuts of diamond. Fancy-shaped diamonds are uniquely intriguing and a symbol of their individuality. Compared to round-cuts, fancy-shaped diamonds retain more weight from the baroque-shaped rough diamond crystals in the cutting and polishing processes.

CZ White Gold Engagement Rings by Carat

Similar to cut, carat is also an attribute of the stone and not the band. Therefore they are independent qualities. A 1 carat cubic zirconia engagement ring is one that will feature a stone that appears roughly the same size as a 1 carat diamond of the same cut. And if that just won’t do, go for a 2 carat CZ stone which is sure to please the eye.

CZ White Gold Engagement Rings by Type

Regarding band type, there is actually quite a choice in this department. Gone are the days of simple, plain, smooth and reserved bands. Such bands still look great, but there are many other styles to choose from nowadays as well.

For example, those who like just a little more pazazz than a single solitaire, may find white gold CZ soitaire rings with sidestones more to their liking. These dazzling items feature any number of additional gemstones be they synthetic or natural that jazz up a ring just the right amount.

In addition, there are 3-stone white gold CZ engagement rings which remind us of love’s past, present and future, and vintage white gold cubic zirconia engagement rings which revive the fervor of years past such as the roaring twenties, a time when social, artistic, and cultural dynamism were at their height just prior to the Great Depression.

Misconceptions About White Gold Engagement Rings

Surprisingly, various misconceptions exist about what white gold engagement rings are actually made of. Some say that the white gold band is palladium, some say it is platinum and some say it can be either!

In fact white gold is the genuine article and is made in the same way as all gold jewelry is made i.e. by mixing pure gold with other metals such as nickel, manganese, silver, cobalt, tin or palladium. The resulting alloy which can be 14kt, 18kt or another standard purity of gold depending on the quantities of non-gold metal used, results in a lighter and whiter colored gold.

A typical white gold mix for example may be made from 750 parts gold, 40 parts silver, 50 parts copper and 170 parts palladium. Alloy making is a skilled art as not only does it affect color, but important jewelry-making physical properties such as hardness and ductility are affected as well.

Perhaps the misconceptions surrounding white gold and palladium arise because it can be used in the mix and those regarding platinum because it is itself a very precious metal and therefore similar to oil being called black gold.

Whatever the reason, you can rest assured that a white gold engagement ring whether it contain a CZ stone or real diamond, is constructed of a real gold band generally of 10, 14 or 18 karat purity.

Talking of diamonds, most men instantly think along the lines of this king of the gems when it comes to selecting an engagement ring. And why not, the South African company Debeers who make a living selling us diamonds have done a great job of marketing them to us and boy are they costly. Believe you me, if you have never been diamond ring shopping before, you are in for a big shock in terms of how small a diamond you’re hard earned money will get you.

Now of course, one would not for a minute suggest that the love of your life is worth anything less, but if she really loves you, then you may pleasantly find that the price tag is not what counts but the sincerity and adoration that you shower upon her.

So, if you are anxious about cost then there is a viable, pragmatic and surprisingly almost-perfect substitute to the diamond engagement ring that is getting more and more popular especially during these difficult economic times and the solution in question is of course an engagement ring set with CZ.

Cubic zirconia is a man-made gem that has been a competitor for diamonds since the 70′s and has been designed to look exactly like their big brother and share the same cuts and carat sizing. In fact it takes an expert to really tell a diamond ring apart from a high quality CZ stone.

Diamonds may be forever but love is eternal. So if you need to make the practical choice, discuss it with your spouse-to-be and make a confident purchase in a lovely CZ white gold engagement ring.