Category: Diamond Alternatives

Moissanite is a diamond alternative that is durable, brilliant and is priced well below natural diamonds. Of course, when looking for quality, most people believe that diamond is the only choice. The truth is, though, that because of advances in gem production, moissanite is now a viable rival to diamonds. However, the question still remains in the mind of smart shoppers, “can you tell the difference between moissanite and diamond?” In this post, we answer this and other relevant questions for those seriously considering non-diamond stones.

A Brief History of Moissanite

Moissanite was first discovered by Henry Moissan in 1893, as he studied the crater made by a meteorite. Moissanite is very rare in nature, but has come to be manufactured as a precious gem that not only resembles the best qualities of diamonds, but also surpasses them in brilliance or “sparkle” effect. Moissanite is not a diamond substitute–it has its own composition and is a gem in its own right.

In the late 1990’s, Charles and Colvard® patented the process of creating high quality moissanite stones. These stones take several months to produce and are hand-cut and crafted by expert jewelers. Because of this, each Charles & Colvard Moissanite® stone carries a limited lifetime warranty and a certificate of authenticity.

What is Moissanite Worth

Moissanite is priced based on size and color content. Diamonds, however, are measured by cut, clarity, size, and color. Because moissanite is made under the strictest standards, the cut and clarity are consistent. Also, because moissanite is roughly 10% lighter than diamond, it is measured in millimeters instead of carat weight. For example, a 6.5mm round moissanite stone would be similar to a 1 carat diamond, but would be .88 carats in weight.

The next feature that determines the price of a moissanite gem is its color content. Charles & Colvard® have developed three tiers of moissanite that range from a hint of color to colorless. The Forever Classic™ stone will have a hint of color and would be in the J-K category of the gem color scale. The Forever Brilliant® is near colorless and is in the G-I-H range. The newest moissanite developed by Charles and Colvard is the Forever One™. This is the most expensive since it is colorless in the D-E-F range.

For price comparison, here are some examples of loose moissanite stones. At the time of this writing, a 1 carat (6.5mm) Forever Classic™ round stone is listed for $255.00 (USD). A Forever Brilliant® stone of the same size is $330.00 (USD), and a Forever One™ is $475.00 (USD).

In contrast, the 1.04 ct round loose diamond stone with G color and VVSI clarity shown above is listed at $11,350.00 (USD). This stone is comparable to the Forever One™ moissanite listed above.

Can You Tell The Difference Between Moissanite and Diamond

Can moissanite pass as a diamond? The answer to this questions is “yes” and “no.” To the naked eye, you cannot tell the difference between the two. Moissanite will have more brilliance (sparkle) than a diamond, though. Also, under a thermal diamond tester, moissanite cannot be distinguished from a natural diamond.

The larger the moissanite stone, the easier it is to tell that it is different from a diamond, but to the average person, it will look like a diamond. Also, there are testers designed specifically to determine if a stone is moissanite. Moissanite will have needle-like inclusions perpendicular to the tablet facet that are visible under a loupe magnification of 10x. Inclusions are normal in all types of stones.

Charles and Colvard Forever Brilliant® and Forever One™ stones will be engraved at the girdle for authenticity, and this can be seen by a jeweler under a loupe. Other things to look for to differentiate between moissanite and diamond is moissanite’s gravity and refractive indices and if magnification can show doubling of facet junctions.

Conclusion

As you can see, moissanite is so like a diamond that the difference can only be seen by specific testers and by looking for moissanite-specific features. If you are considering a moissanite ring or stone, know that it is an excellent choice. However, be sure that it is certified and has a lifetime warranty.

For more information on moissanite and how it compares to diamond, be sure to read our article Difference Between Moissanite Diamonds. To see pricing for different cuts of moissanite stones, be sure to read our post Moissanite Diamond Prince List. We also review and list several types of moissanite rings in our articles Moissanite Engagement Rings Review, Emerald Cut Moissanite Engagement Rings, Antique Moissanite Engagement Rings, Cheap Moissanite Engagement Rings, and several others listed on our side menu. Be sure to leave us any questions or comments on our Contact Us page.

What is a Moissanite Diamond?

Discovered in a crater made by a meteorite in Arizona in 1893 by Frenchman and later Nobel Peace Prize winner Henri Moissan, the gemstone “moissanite,” which bears his name, is an exquisite stone. Chemically composed of silicon carbide, natural moissanite is extremely rare but its laboratory-made counterparts are readily available and are even more competitively priced than diamonds. The laboratory version of the stone is engineered to resemble the qualities of diamonds but still maintains its identity as compositionally different from the diamond stone. Below, we discuss the difference between diamond and moissanite.

Moissanite Compared to Diamond

Brilliance

Depending on the quality of the moissanite, the stone is not completely colorless, giving off a slight yellowish green hue in certain lights and is considered more brilliant than a diamond. This means that it disperses light very well, giving the stone that desired “sparkle” effect that most people typically associate exclusively with diamonds. This is a key difference between moissanite and diamonds and perhaps is the easiest way to tell the two almost identical stones apart. Moissanite “sparkle” is usually much greater than that of a diamond.

There are several things to consider when comparing and contrasting moissanite and diamonds when choosing a stone for an engagement or wedding ring. Most people prefer a stone that is colorless and while there are laboratory made forms of moissanite that claim to be colorless, depending on the quality of moissanite stone, this may or may not be the case. Like diamonds, the smaller the diamond or moissanite stone, the more colorless it will appear so keeping that fact in mind while shopping around is key.

Charles & Colvard®, the main producers of moissanite, have trademarked three types of brilliance for moissanite based on its color. Forever Classic^TM is on the J-K rangeof the gem color scale and has faint undertones of green to yellow to gray. Forever Brilliant® is near-colorless in the range of G-H-I . Forever One^TM is colorless and would fit the D-E-F category for clarity and brilliance. More details about the gem color scale can be found here.

Hardness

Another key difference, although slight, between these two types of stone is their score on the hardness scale. When scoring gemstones for their hardness capabilities and the resistance to scratching and damage, the Mohs Scale of Hardness is used. This scale, which measures the qualitative properties of minerals runs from one to ten, with ten being the hardest mineral known. Diamonds score a ten on this scale which attributes to their popularity in the jewelry business. Not to be outdone however, moissanite scores a 9.25, a score higher than any other mineral except diamonds in the jewelry business. Another plus for moissanite comes from its natural ability to resist the attraction of grease and dirt, keeping the stone and jewelry itself cleaner and more beautiful in between cleanings.

Price

Perhaps the most favorable review of moissanite comes from its price standpoint. Where diamonds are highly priced and cost is contingent upon qualities like cut, color and clarity, moissanite is reasonably priced and their cost hinges only upon two factors–size and type. Therefore, the size of the moissanite stone and whether or not it has been enhanced are truly the only real costs a buyer has to consider before purchasing.

Whether or not the purchase of a moissanite stone is because of budget reasons or for a desire of a stone other than a diamond, moissanite is a beautiful and cost-friendly option that is surely elegant and will dazzle in any jewelry setting.

For more examples of moissanite rings, be sure to read our articles Moissanite Engagement Rings Review, and Cheap Moissanite Engagement Rings. For a great selection of moissanite rings and jewelry, be sure to visit this page.