Thursday, September 29, 2011

Hip Hop Craze

By Agus Rahman


Have you ever noticed the kid in the mall putting on a chain and cross gleaming with what appears like diamond jewelry? They arent diamonds, of course and they can not be kids. In todays Hip Hop age we are facing an explosion of interest in these ake diamonds better known as cubic zirconia.

Hip Hop fans of all ages are imitating their rap idols in their adornment of the most flamboyant types of jewelry accessories. A whole new genre of fashion and models has been set as a result with its own language and boundaries.

The prolific rise of the rap industry as a mainstay in our cultural landscape is undeniable. People of all races, economic backgrounds and various regions of the world have been affected. Hip Hop has transcended its roots in the underground and has long since crossed over into the mainstream.

This phenomenon has made various cottage industries specializing in all things Hip Hop. Putting on a chain or donning some shiny earrings symbolizes the promotion of the Hip Hop lifestyle. It bellows out the success of an individual in the ability to procure these expensive products. Diamonds and gold have become the ornaments of Hip Hop, the outwardly physical manifestation of wealth.

Many of us have seen music videos starring rappers such as Nelly, 50 cent and Eminem. They are generally equipped with the finest lady, the fastest cars and also the most heavily diamond laced jewellery.

This trend started early in Hip Hop as commercially successful rap legends such as LL Cool J sported thick gold chains drawing the attention of all Hip Hop fans globally. Here was the beginning of the establishment of a cultural trend spanning from style to language.

Have you heard of terms such as bling, grillz and iced out? You may know what confident of these terms mean even if youre not a rap fan. These are words used to describe the various states of diamond jewellery. Youre diamond watch is definitely blinging(shining, glittering). If you ever win the lottery you might consider having diamonds attached to your teeth representing your grillz.

Or you may buy a heavily iced out pendant to match your bling watch and your frosty grillz. And so on and therefore forth. Ok, for this reason lets go back to that kid in the mall with the chain. Hes probably working at Burger King and wont be cashing any stocks soon that would allow him to purchase a pair of 1CT queen cut diamond earrings worth $5, 000. Instead, he is going for the next best thing. The fakediamond, otherwise know as cubic zirconia.

Cubic Zirconia might be easily mistaken for a diamond. In reality, one factor in identifying a cubic zirconia stone is noting its brilliance. CZ gems are actually more brilliant, more symmetrical and exhibit more fire(the dispersion of white light into a rainbow of colors) than real diamonds.

CZ forms naturally although the type used in jewelry is man made. Commonly, the best CZ is produced in labs in Russia. Therefore why are diamonds for this reason significantly more valuable? The reputation of diamonds as a wearable gemstone increased in the 19th century as cutting and polishing practices improved. Diamonds had primarily been used industrially as they are able to cut through most materials until this time.

Diamonds are the hardest gemstones known to numerous making them scratch resistant and easily polished. As a result of their legendary durability plus the brilliance and fire they exhibit, diamonds have become the standard gemstone for the most significant and valuable forms of jewellery, in particular, engagement rings.

Regardless of the value of diamonds vs. CZ, economically there's no comparison. In order for those Hip Hop fans to achieve the gaze and feel of their idols they have turned invariably to cubic zirconia.




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