OP: If you happily wear your CZ studs daily, and wish to get the real deal in a similar or slightly small size for budgetary reasons, that sounds like a really worthy birthday gift to yourself. They'll outlast an LV, for sure. If you'd like some input on stones let me know. You can do it "piecemeal" or preset, and I can point you in the direction of some great vendors to get a pair to blow your mind--you'll see the difference for sure. There ARE some CZs that are cut like diamonds and tinted to be more realistic, though the refractive indexes are different so there are visible differences, most notably when turned upside down, as stated above.