A look at what is currently available on eBay
 GOLD VERMEIL ETERNITY CUBIC ZIRCONIA CZ TOE RING SIZE 4 US $32.19 
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 GOLD VERMEIL ETERNITY CUBIC ZIRCONIA CZ TOE RING SIZE 5 US $32.19
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 GOLD VERMEIL ETERNITY CUBIC ZIRCONIA CZ TOE RING SIZE 6 US $32.19
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Are Cubic Zirconia Genuine Gemstones?
ok ladies u know when u go to a mall and they sell rings like 20 bucks or less for a color cubic zirconia ring with silver ring and they look so beautiful (in my opinion) lols.. anyway and when i see those TV jewlery selling "genuine gemstones" like rubies emerald and blue topaz they look similar to the ones i see in the mall which label "cubic zirconia" except the ones they sell on the tv they are in like 14k or 18k gold settings and can size your ring if you want.
So my question is what IS a "cubic zirconia"? like what was it made of? And what makes a "cubic zirconia" so different than a "geniune gemstones" like rubies, saphire, citrine, topaz?
Im new to this subject about gemstones and i was thinking of starting to collect gemstones for myself, so if anyone knows a good tv website or store that sells gems for a good price and not trying to rip people off please me know =) thanks =)
I would disagree strongly with one of the answers. A CZ is not a diamond. It's chemical composition, atomic structure, make-up. etc. is completely different. A diamond has a hardness on the moh's scale of 10. while a CZ is 8.5. CZ's do not reflect the same as a diamond. They have a lot more dispersion. Plus they scratch a lot more easily. CZ's are man-made (natural forms are extremely rare to find). They are about as valuable as plastic and glass. Used mostly in costume jewelry. CZ's should not be confused with Zircon's. A zircon is a natural gemstones found in nature.
In regards to your question the difference between CZ and genuine stones such as ruby, sapphire, citrine, topaz, is; mother nature. Genuine gemstones are created in nature...thus the amount is somewhat limited to how much the earth can produce in a matter of time. CZ on the other hand is made by mankind...therefore there is less limits on the amounts that can be made in a certain time. However, there are gemstones that are very plentiful in nature such as blue topazes, citrines, amethysts, (the latter two are quartzes) etc...therefore prices on these stones are less expensive than a ruby, or a sapphire. But just to let you know also...a lot of blue topazes, citrines, amethysts, etc are made by mankind now. They are synthetic stones...synthetics carry the exact same chemical composition, and atomic structure of the natural stones. They are made in labs that provide a similar environment found in nature to create these gemstones. However, a CZ is not a synthetic diamond...it is a simulant. Simulants are stones that are made to physically look like a certain stone but isn't in composition, structure or form... for example plastic made to look like a diamond is a simulant. In regards to gemstones...everything has to do with supply and demand. The value of a gemstone is based on it's quality and rarity compared to the amounts available. What you see on the TV shopping networks are commercial quality stones. They are real, however they're quality is not anything rare, therefore you can purchase these stones for such inexpensive prices. Fine quality natural rubies, can go for 10,000 of thousands of dollars per a carat. They can easily sell in the 100,000+ range if it is a nice size and high quality. The reason ultimately is the rarity (supply) in finding a beautiful stone vs the demand by consumers for them. There's so much more for you to learn that will help you on this hobby..I suggest you purchase some books on gemstones and how to buy gemstones. These books will give you genuine information to help you understand this industry. Good Luck and feel free to email me if you have any other questions. I'm happy to help