Athena - CZ Black Rhodium Plated Sterling Silver Stud Earrings. Free Shipping within US.

Athena - Gemstone Stud Earrings, black rhodium platted sterling silver, Cubic Zirconia, bridal wear, gift for any occasion, women, teens. FREE SHIPPING within the United States.  
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Sophisticated Gemstone Earrings: Brilliant blue white 5mm, round, faceted, conflict free, Cubic Zirconia gemstone stud earrings, set in solid sterling sliver with black rhodium platting. Perfect for any age or occasion.

**The Stats:
Grade: AAA Grade Cubic Zirconia.

Size: 5mm or about 3/16" diameter gemstone.

Shape: Round.

Color: Brilliant Blue White  color.

Cut: Brilliant cut, well cut, faceted.

Clarity: Clear and clean.

Surface: Vitreous.

5.75mm across the setting or about 1/4" in diameter. 
.5g or .02oz in weight per earring. It should be light enough even for girls or teens.

Flawless.

Questions? http://www.etsy.com/shop/LusterWear?ref=si_shop

**Rhodium Plated Sterling Silver Facts:
Sterling Silver is designated as . 925. Sterling Silver is a precious metal.

Rhodium is a member of the platinum precious metals group. White gold and sterling silver may be plated to improve the color of the metal and to avoid tarnishing. (Yes, white gold will darken over time, but does not tarnish as sterling silver will.) 

Black Rhodium produces a corrosion-resistant, tarnish-resistant and extremely durable finish. It produces a sophisticated gray-black color. Additionally, Rhodium is hypoallergenic.  It will not harm your gemstone. Rhodium by itself is a good deal more expensive than platinum or gold. But used as a plating material on Sterling Silver or gold, it is affordable, durable, and adds value to the metal that it is used over.

**Cubic Zirconia Facts:
Cubic Zirconia (CZ) is the cubic crystalline form of zirconium dioxide (ZrO2). It should not be confused with zircon - a natural (also brilliant) gemstone, which is a zirconium silicate (ZrSiO4).

The only other gemstone with more brilliance is Moissanite - which is also a conflict free man made gemstone.

The idea of producing single-crystal cubic zirconia seems to have been born in the minds of scientists seeking a new and versatile material for use in lasers and other optical applications. CZ is also used in headphone technology!

**The Elephant in The Room:
>Is a CZ a real gemstone?

Yes. It is a man made, grown in a lab gemstone as opposed to an earth mined gemstone. It is cut and polished in the same way as any other gemstone would be.

It is supposed to be the molecular equivalent of an earth mined diamond. The differences are minor and mostly in the refractive index, or so I have been told. My husband (a scientist), my son (both a scientist and a lawyer), have somewhat of a different opinion about man made lab stones. They say that if the stones are molecular equivalents, the stones can legitimately be called "diamonds" or "sapphires" etc. and are therefore "real".

It is really up to you. Does the source matter to you? If you don't mind all the stuff that goes on with the mining of diamonds - buy a diamond. If you DO mind - buy a CZ or a Moissanite.

**Shipping and insurance are quoted for delivery within the United States (free shipping in the United States only). Shipping outside of the United States will require a fee due to additional costs that vary per country. 

I love to ship internationally and have done so many times. Please check the listed countries to see if I can ship to yours.

Sales to non-US buyers may be subject to import/customs charges. It is the purchaser’s responsibility to research any custom fees or other taxes which may be imposed by their country of residence.

All occasion wear. Suitable for any age group. Gorgeous color!

Enjoy!

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