# Diamonds Vs. Cubic Zirconium **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 4, 2002, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diamonds-vs-cubic-zirconium/112347 "2002-06-04T18:11:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![CheapBastid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8baadc/32.png) [@CheapBastid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CheapBastid)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2002, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diamonds-vs-cubic-zirconium/112347/21 "2002-06-04T23:25:13Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by LolaCocaCola \* > \*\*Diamonds are the hardest natural substance known to man. Not sure if it’s a real diamond? Try cutting class with it; a real diamond can, a CZ can’t. \*\* No. While CZ is not as hard as Diamond it is still harder than glass and will not fail the ‘glass cut’ test. ---
**Author:** ![LolaCocaCola](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7cd45c/32.png) [@LolaCocaCola](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LolaCocaCola)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2002, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diamonds-vs-cubic-zirconium/112347/22 "2002-06-04T23:44:46Z")
Really? [johnny carson] _purses finger to lips_ I did not know that. [/johnny carson] ---
**Author:** ![CheapBastid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8baadc/32.png) [@CheapBastid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CheapBastid)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2002, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diamonds-vs-cubic-zirconium/112347/23 "2002-06-04T23:51:10Z")
Here is a nice listing of [test](http://www.diamondcuttersintl.com/diamondarticles/realthing.html) for authenticity. [Here](http://www.diamondcuttersintl.com/faq/view_item.asp?ID=3658) is an interesting take on the problem of color for Moissanite. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Zagna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d2c977/32.png) [@El\_Zagna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Zagna)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2002, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diamonds-vs-cubic-zirconium/112347/24 "2002-06-05T00:21:46Z")
I asked this same question about a year ago, but it didn’t come up on a search. I was lucky to have a couple of folks in the jewelry business chime in. As I recall, they claimed that they could tell diamonds from CZ’s but it wasn’t easy. I am a bit skeptical of laypersons who make that claim. I must admit that I don’t get the whole diamond thing. I don’t even find them particularly attractive or flattering, so I’m clueless as to why someone would care if some clear sparkly thing is a diamond or a CZ. However it was explained to me this way: Let’s say someone gave you a van Gogh forgery that was identical to the naked eye from the original. The gift giver states up front that it wasn’t real but it was a real pretty painting. It wouldn’t be quite the same thing would it? Or take something that doesn’t have such a huge monetary component to it. Let’s say the gift was a meticulously forged document with your favorite celebrity’s signiture on it. The gift just looses its punch somehow. ---
**Author:** ![imthjckaz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/imthjckaz/32/3223_2.png) [@imthjckaz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/imthjckaz)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2002, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diamonds-vs-cubic-zirconium/112347/25 "2002-06-05T01:06:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by LolaCocaCola \* > \*\* Try cutting _class_ with it; a real diamond can, a CZ can’t. \*\* You mean all I needed was a real diamond, and I wouldn’t have gotten all those truants. ---
**Author:** ![LolaCocaCola](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7cd45c/32.png) [@LolaCocaCola](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LolaCocaCola)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2002, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diamonds-vs-cubic-zirconium/112347/26 "2002-06-05T01:16:19Z")
_slaps forehead_ D’oh! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diamonds-vs-cubic-zirconium/112347.md?page=1)