Born from the stars, Moissanite was first discovered in a meteorite by Henri Moissan. It is the next hardest thing to a diamond, a 9.25 on the Mohs scale of hardness, a diamond being a 10. In terms of both fire and brilliance, moissanite has an even higher refractive index than diamonds, resulting in a bigger wow factor. It is extremely difficult to tell apart a diamond & moissanite, making moissanite a common diamond alternative.
Moissanite stones are perfect for all types of jewelry including pendants, stud earrings, engagement rings, and wedding rings. Since they are such strong, long-lasting gemstones, moissanite should last for your entire life without losing its appearance or becoming damaged. Moissanite is also a more affordable alternative to diamonds, but it still shines just as bright. No wonder people are ditching diamonds and rushing to moissanite jewelry!
PRICE
Affordability is a main driving factor for people who are looking for diamond alternatives. We know diamonds are expensive. Moissanite, on the other hand, is readily available, substantially less expensive, and nearly indistinguishable from a diamond to the untrained eye.
REFRACTIVE INDEX
While diamonds are known for their sparkle, Moissanite actually sparkles more due to its higher refractive index. Refractive index measures how much light refracts off the gem. A diamond sits at a 2.42 while a Moissanite shines even more brightly at a 2.65.
FIRE
Fire describes how much color is refracted by the gem (similar to a prism). Because of its higher refractive index, Moissanite shines various colors of the rainbow while diamonds shine more white light.
HARDNESS
The Mohs hardness scale refers to how hard a substance is on a scale from 1 to 10. A part of what makes diamonds so appealing for engagement rings is the fact that they are made from the hardest substance on earth. If you are going to be wearing something forever, you want it to be durable! Yet when comparing diamonds to Moissanite, there is only a slight difference. While diamonds sit at a 10 on the Mohs scale, Moissanite is the second hardest material on earth sitting at a 9.25. Even under the roughest circumstances, you will not notice a difference.
ENVIRONMENTALLY RESPONSIBLE
Moissanite jewelry is created in a lab making it environmentally and socially responsible. Moissanite is an economically friendly choice for many customers because they are grown in controlled environments using advanced technology and require absolutely no mining to produce. Compared with natural gemstones, lab created moissanites have a smaller carbon footprint and result in less environmental impact.
SUMMARY
At only a fraction of the cost, Moissanite is superior to diamonds in almost every way. They are a dazzling gemstone that can stand up to the test of time. If you opt for Moissanite jewelry, you can wear it for life without concern for any damage whatsoever. Moreover, unlike it’s mined counterpart, a Moissanite stone is guaranteed to be sustainably sourced, produced under ethical conditions, and of the very highest quality.