Cubic zirconia is very inexpensive, since it's synthetic and mass-produced. A cut and polished one carat cubic zirconia stone will cost $20 and a similar two carat stone will cost about $30. This is far cheaper than diamonds, which start at $1800 for one carat and increase considerably as size goes up.

Moissanite is more durable than cubic zirconia due to its greater hardness. With a Mohs hardness of 9.25, moissanite is nearly as hard as a diamond, while cubic zirconia has a Mohs hardness of 8 to 8.5, making it more susceptible to scratches and damage.

Diamonds are the hardest known natural material on Earth, rating a 10 on the Mohs hardness scale, while cubic zirconia rates an 8-8.5. This difference in hardness means that cubic zirconia will scratch more easily than a diamond.

Cubic zirconia measure 8.5 on the mohs scale so are not as durable or hard wearing as diamonds, so they will not last forever and eventually may will lose some of their sparkle or shine if not cared for correctly. As I have previously said, CZ stones are graded A, AA, AAA, AAAA, and AAAAA.