Moissanite Guide

Welcome to our comprehensive guide to moissanite, where we explore the beauty, brilliance, and allure of this remarkable gemstone.

Forever One Oval Moissanite Gemstone Moissanites Charles & Colvard

What is Moissanite?

Moissanite is a rare mineral composed of silicon carbide that was first discovered in a meteor crater by Nobel Prize-winning chemist Dr. Henri Moissan in 1893. Due to its scarcity in nature, moissanite is now created in laboratories using advanced technology to produce gem-quality crystals with exceptional brilliance and fire.

Characteristics of Moissanite:

Moissanite is renowned for its exceptional brilliance, fire, and durability, making it an excellent alternative to traditional gemstones like diamonds. Key characteristics of moissanite include:

  1. Brilliance: Moissanite exhibits a higher refractive index than diamonds, resulting in superior brilliance and sparkle.
  2. Fire: Moissanite's dispersion, or fire, refers to its ability to break light into spectral colors, creating a dazzling display of rainbow flashes.
  3. Hardness: Moissanite ranks 9.25 on the Mohs scale of hardness, making it one of the hardest gemstones, second only to diamonds. This exceptional hardness ensures moissanite's durability and resistance to scratching, chipping, and abrasion.
  4. Color: Moissanite is typically near-colorless, with a slight yellow or green hue in some instances. However, newer generations of moissanite are available in a variety of color grades, including colorless and fancy colored options.

Moissanite is available in various shapes, sizes, and cuts, offering a wide range of options to suit every style and preference. Common moissanite shapes include round, princess, cushion, emerald, and oval, each with its own unique characteristics and appeal.

Similarities and differences between moissanite, lab-grown diamonds, and natural diamonds:

Moissanite is renowned for its exceptional brilliance, fire, and durability, making it an excellent alternative to traditional gemstones like diamonds. Key characteristics of moissanite include:

Similarities

Brilliance and Fire:

  • All three options exhibit exceptional brilliance and fire, creating a dazzling display of light.

Durability:

  • Moissanite, lab-grown diamonds, and natural diamonds are all highly durable, suitable for everyday wear and lasting a lifetime with proper care.

Certification:

  • Moissanite, lab-grown diamonds, and natural diamonds can all be certified by reputable gemological laboratories, ensuring quality and authenticity.

Customization:

  • All three options offer customization options, allowing customers to choose their preferred shape, size, cut, and setting for their jewelry pieces.

Availability:

  • Moissanite, lab-grown diamonds, and natural diamonds are all widely available, providing consumers with a range of options to suit their preferences and budget.

Differences

Composition:

  • Moissanite: Composed of silicon carbide.
  • Lab-Grown Diamonds: Composed of carbon, like natural diamonds, but created in controlled laboratory environments.
  • Natural Diamonds: Formed naturally deep within the Earth's mantle over millions of years, composed of carbon.

Origin:

  • Moissanite: Lab-created in controlled environments.
  • Lab-Grown Diamonds: Also lab-created, using advanced technological processes.
  • Natural Diamonds: Mined from the Earth.

Brilliance and Fire:

  • Moissanite: Exhibits exceptional brilliance and fire, often exceeding that of natural diamonds.
  • Lab-Grown Diamonds: Share the same exceptional brilliance and fire as natural diamonds.
  • Natural Diamonds: Renowned for their brilliance and fire, often considered the standard for comparison.

Hardness (Mohs Scale):

  • Moissanite: Rates 9.25 on the Mohs scale of hardness.
  • Lab-Grown Diamonds: 10, the highest level of hardness.
  • Natural Diamonds: Also 10 on the Mohs scale, making them and lab diamonds the hardest known substances.

Color Options:

  • Moissanite: Available in a range of colors, from colorless to colored.
  • Lab-Grown Diamonds: Offered in similar color options as natural diamonds, from colorless to colored.
  • Natural Diamonds: Range from colorless to colored.

Clarity:

  • Moissanite: Typically eye-clean with inclusions invisible to the naked eye.
  • Lab-Grown Diamonds: Varies, but usually eye-clean with minimal inclusions. Typically lab grown diamonds will have
  • Natural Diamonds: Clarity varies from Included to Flawless, depending on the presence of internal flaws or inclusions.
Explore Our Moissanite Collection:

Browse our exquisite selection of moissanite jewelry, meticulously crafted into stunning pieces that capture the brilliance and allure of this extraordinary gemstone. Each moissanite is hand-selected for its exceptional quality and beauty, ensuring a truly unforgettable piece of jewelry.