In fact, it is much rarer than diamonds but is considerably less valuable. Zircon comes closer to resembling diamonds than any other natural gem. Its superior luster and intense fire give it a real sparkle that is comparable to a diamond.
In a word, cubic zirconia is a much less expensive man-made gem that appears quite like a diamond, but they are very different. Cubic zirconia is a manmade mineral made of zirconium dioxide. This stone can appear to be very like diamonds, but they have very different mineral structures.
So, if you want to tell the difference. What we can do is to take it to a jeweler or gemologist who will be able to test it with official equipment. And the most common trick to tell the difference is that diamonds transfer heat differently- diamonds are actually pretty good at thermal transfer compared to other stones, and so they will warm up faster in your hand than cubic zirconia will since cubic zirconia is more insulating.
Under such economical circustances, many customers turn to zircon instead of diamonds for best appearance at very low price.
