A Look at Moissanite vs. Diamond
Comparing two brilliant gemstones
If you are shopping for diamonds, center stones, or engagement rings, you may have come across a gemstone called moissanite. You also may have seen that moissanites and diamonds look an awful lot alike. They are both brilliant, colorless gems that sparkle in the light. You may wonder, what is the difference is between the two? Or, is moissanite a good diamond alternative?
This article will compare the cost, ethics, brilliance, fire, and toughness of both these alluring gemstones. Powered with this knowledge, you can become a more savvy gem shopper and make the decision that is right for you.
A Bit of History
Diamond has been known to us for millennia. However, it was not until the mid twentieth century that the famously successful De Beers’ diamond advertising campaign launched. This campaign convinced millions of people that diamonds were rare, valuable, and a must-have for an engagement ring. The echoes of it still ring in our minds today, “A diamond is forever.” As the popularity of diamond rose, so did concern over unethical mining practices. From this concern, interest in alternative gemstones grew.
Discovered by Henri Moissan in the late 1800’s, moissanite is still quite a recent discovery. In 1998, these gems finally made it to the marketplace as a lab created gemstone based on the mineral found by Moissan. They were first created by Charles and Colvard, with their Forever One brand. In 2015, the patent expired and other companies joined in to create their own brands. In just a few short years, the awareness and popularity of this brilliant gem has skyrocketed.
A Quick Look
Moissanite and diamond are entirely separate minerals. Chemically speaking, moissanite is made up of silicon carbide and diamond is made up of carbon. That means that it is its own unique gemstone and a true diamond alternative, not a diamond simulant. Both minerals are colorless, or near colorless. It is very hard to tell the difference between the two gems without a diamond tester. However, you may spot a difference as light passes through the stone. Moissanite may appear more brilliant with an eye catching sparkle.
Brilliance
Every gemstone has a brilliance rating which is called the refractive index. This index is a measure of how much light is slowed and bends through the stone. This bending is reflected in the inner angles of the stone and reflected back to our eyes, which is what gives a gemstone its sparkle. The light that is reflected from the inner angles depends on the cut of the diamond or moissanite. Some popular cuts you may have heard of are round, cushion, radiant, or princess.
Moissanites have double refraction and diamonds have single refraction. If you look at them side by side in the light, the moissanite may appear to have more glimmer and radiance.
Cost
One of the biggest selling points when deciding between diamond or moissanite is the price. For the same sized gemstone, moissanites cost significantly less than diamonds. One reason for this is that a moissanite travels far less a diamond from its origin to the customer. A natural diamond has to be found, mined, sorted, and shipped before it is even cut, polished, and made into a gemstone for jewelry. A moissanite is simply grown in a lab, then cut and polished to specifications.
If choosing a moissanite ring for your engagement, you can save hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars. Many couples that choose this option use the money to help save for other big expenditures like a honeymoon or a down payment on a house.
Moissanite is also less dense than diamond. For this reason, you may see them compared in millimeters rather than carats. In other words, a similar weighted moissanite gemstone is bigger than a diamond.
Ethics and Environment
Natural moissanite is a mineral that is found almost exclusively in meteorite craters, and is extremely rare; much rarer even than diamonds. Because of this, almost all the ones you can buy are lab grown.
With real diamonds, you have the risk of owning a conflict, or blood diamond. With moissanite, you can rest assured that your gemstone is eco-friendly and 100% conflict free. They are artfully grown and cut in a lab so there are no questionable ethical or mining practices.
Toughness
Diamond is the hardest known mineral on Earth. Moissanite is the second hardest. This means that both gemstones are extremely resistant to scratching and have excellent durability, which is perfect for everyday wear.
Fire
The fire of a gemstone is the measure of how much white light splits and reflects different colors of light. This will look like singular colors or tiny rainbows of colors in your gemstone. These colors and rainbows will flash as your gem moves in light. Moissanites have over twice the fire of diamonds.
Summary
The bottom line: moissanite is an excellent diamond alternative. It is superior or equal to diamond in almost every way. It has more sparkle and more fire, is guaranteed conflict-free, and is the second hardest gemstone on earth, next only to diamond. All of this, but at a fraction of the price of diamonds.
Some people might say, it is still not a real diamond. And of course, they would be right. Moissanite stones are their own gem, just like rubies or emeralds are their own gems. It just so happens that colorless moissanites and colorless diamonds look amazingly similar.
Diamond rings are still in, but moissanite is fast gaining in popularity as awareness about its brilliant beauty, lower cost, and eco-friendliness spreads. So if you are looking for an alternative to diamond, or maybe just want to try something different, moissanite is an excellent option.
Resources and Links
For more detailed information, check out MoissaniteCo’s moissanite vs. diamond page. Here, you can also find links to moissanite vs. cubic zirconia and other jewelry guides.
