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White sapphires and cubic zirconia are almost similar in appearance and people can confuse between the two. However, if you look closely and go by the stats, it can be found that cubic zirconia and white sapphire are different from one another in spite of having quite a few similarities. There are some basic differences in the hardness color and brilliance of the stones. Even though they look quite similar kind of, they are different in their contents and features.

What are white sapphires and cubic zirconia?

A natural gemstone, white sapphires are polished, mined, and finished as the other gemstones, for instance, amethyst and peridot. Cubic zirconia, on the other hand, is the stones that are created artificially in the lab. It does not necessarily signify if they are of better or worse quality. It simply states that they are not natural gemstones.

What are the basic points of differences between the two of them?

White sapphire and cubic zirconia both are different from one another if you have to look in terms of their intrinsic properties. However, their physical appearance can deceive the human eye and can seem quite alike. If you have to choose between the two, compare them together. The modes of their differences lie in the following:

• The hardness of cubic zirconia is about 8 to 8.5 according to the Moh scale of hardness. However, it is still prone to scratches, and they wear down faster than white sapphires do. They are less durable than white sapphires.
• The colors of the cubic zirconia can fade over the passage of years, making it lose the luster it had. The white sapphires are not prone to color fading, and it remains bright and excels in their brilliance forever.
• If you look at them, you are bound to notice the sparkle of cubic zirconia at the very first go. This happens as their refractive index is higher than that of white sapphires and they outshine the white sapphires in sheer brilliance. White sapphires though have the highest refractive index of natural gemstones.
• The creation of the two gems is very different. White sapphires are natural gemstones and are radiant enough with their natural glows. The cubic zirconia is made in the labs and created artificially. Hence, they have a higher refractive index and let out a brighter glow than any other can.

Therefore, in accordance to the topic of discussion, if you have to compare between the cubic zirconia and white sapphires, you will see that the white sapphires are more durable and stay devoid of any scratch or glitch. They are natural gemstones and have the durability, which is missing in cubic zirconia. You may think cubic zirconia is better at the very first glance due to the exaggerated luster that it projects, which is absolutely not true since this happens due to the high refractive index present in it. Each of them has its own set of pros and cons; with the features laid out for you, you are to choose whatever suits you the best.