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I’m not really a jeweler, just a dabbler(and a filthy agate dabbler at that), but the main difference is in the hardness. Or, rather, the main difference most people can test for.
Cubic zirconia should sit 8–8.5 on the Moh’s hardness scale, while Diamond sits at ten.
You’ll still need a loupe or a magnifying glass, but tungsten carbide sits at 9.5 on the same scale. The easiest place to find it is in drill or rotary bits meant for cutting ultra-hard materials.
I’d use the smallest bit I could find and attempt to scratch a relatively unseen part of the stone. Cubic zirconia should scratch, while diamond will not.