Zirconia is a mineral with a crystal structure made from the elements zirconium and oxygen. It looks pretty like diamond, but is only worth a fraction of the value.

Zirconia, also known as zirconium dioxide, is a white solid used in ceramic glazes and refractory coatings, as a synthetic substitute for diamonds and as crowns in dentistry.

While real diamonds are made of carbon, jewellers make false diamonds out of zirconium dioxide crystals, aka cubic zirconia. The mineral zirconium silicate, or zircon, is also widely used as a ...