Firstly, WHAT is Moissanite ?

 a stone that looks like a diamond that it has become the most popular alternative! But before you label it as a fake diamond or a substitute, do know that it’s a whole other gemstone that has a pretty mysterious history.

I suggest you read on and discover how beautiful it can be in its own way. And if you’re still Team Diamond, at least you learned how to spot lookalikes!

Moissanite Has Extraterrestrial Origins

We’re not taking the word “extraterrestrial” lightly. 

Moissanite is literally from space

In 1893, Henri Moissan, a French chemist, discovered microscopic particles of a gem from a crater of a meteorite that fell to Canyon Diablo, Arizona. He thought that he had found diamonds, but the crystals were composed of silicon carbide. These rocks were so rare, the moissanites available today are only lab-created. It was eventually named after him.

For the past century, Moissanite has been engineered through and through to become a gemstone with one of the best scintillations. Even though it’s fair to confuse the moissanite with a diamond at first glance, they still differ in quite a few factors. Let’s talk about that!

Moissanite vs. Diamond

Moissanites offer a different kind of sparkle. Since they are cut differently, they don’t exhibit the same white light diamonds can display.
 A moissanite is known to give off a vibrant color sparkle. Although this is attractive to some, it can be too much for others that its brilliance is sometimes referred to as a “disco ball.”

Now, diamonds are best known for their sparkle. They actually reflect light in three different ways: The white light that’s reflected back is known as brilliance, while the sparkle we see is the diamond light return called scintillation.  Lastly, the rainbow colors bent through the diamond is known as fire.

Durability

On the Mohs scale of hardness diamonds recieve a 10, they can withstand surface scratching making then great for everyday wear and engagement rings.

Moissanite scores a 9.25. It’s still a phenomenal score, almost right up the alley of diamonds. This makes them one of the most durable stones, also ideal for everyday wear and center stones for engagement rings.

Color

Diamond colour is graded from D to Z in the GIA scale. Diamonds from D to J will not possess visible hints of yellow, browns, or gray.

This makes them appear icy-white!

While, moissanites aren’t rated by their color. And even if one is called “colorless,” it would still exhibit a yellowish or grayish hue under certain lights especially for large moissanites.

If you see an icy-white one, then it has been enhanced to mimic a diamond. Then again, if you’re into warmer tints, you’ll love moissanites.

Conclusion 

I’ve laid out all the basics for these two remarkable gems. It’s your turn to decide which one suits your wants or needs! Whether you’re looking into moissanites to save money or to watch out for fakes, remember that it has its own character and sparkle. A diamond is a diamond, but a moissanite is also something else!