Looking to purchase Moissanite jewelry but don’t know where to start? Don’t worry – Slate & Tell has got you covered! Continue reading to find out why more people than ever are choosing Moissanite!
What is Moissanite?
Moissanite was first discovered in 1893 by a French scientist, Henri Moissan, in a meteor crater in Arizona. Moissan had initially thought he discovered diamonds when he first spotted the rock, but later realized that it was a rock in its own right – it was composed of silicon carbide. He later won a Nobel Prize in Chemistry and the stone was named in his honor.
Nowadays, moissanite is extremely rare to find in nature, so the majority of what you’ll find in the industry is lab-created. Compared to natural gemstones like diamonds, lab-created moissanite gemstones have a smaller carbon footprint, which results in less negative environmental impact.
Benefits of Moissanite
Environmentally: Moissanite is a mine-free process, created in a lab with very little environmental impact.
Value: Moissanite is less expensive per carat than many other gemstones, like diamonds.
Durability: Moissanite is a 9.25 on the Mohs Scale of Hardness, so it can withstand daily exposure and is highly resistant to scratching or breaking.
What is Moissanite made of?
Moissanite is made of the mineral silicon carbide – the strong covalent bonds hold the crystal structure together, which is why it’s such a durable stone.
Moissanite vs. Diamonds
This is one of the most common questions we receive! Moissanite may look similar to diamonds, but in reality, they are far from it. Don’t you worry, we put together a quick cheat sheet to help you decide the perfect stone for you.
Durability: Gemstones are measured on the Mohs Scale of mineral hardness, which assesses a gem’s ability to withstand surface scratching.
- Moissanite – Scores a 9.25 on the Mohs Scale, which means it’s very durable for everyday wear.
- Diamonds – Scores a 10 on the Mohs Scale, proving to be the most suitable for constant use, which is why it’s such a popular engagement ring choice.
Brilliance: Brilliance is used to describe the light return on a stone, which is the foundation for its brightness and sparkle.
- Moissanite – Moissanite reflects extremely well and is actually more brilliant than a diamond, plus has a higher dispersion too. It will not only give off more sparkle, but will reflect colors, as well. The bigger the moissanite, the more brilliance you’ll get.
- Diamond – A diamond has a different type of brilliance and reflects light in three different ways, through fire, brilliance, and scintillation. This combination gives a diamond that infamous sparkle
Color: Color has symbolized properties of natural strength and its benefits. It is the natural color or lack of, visible within the stone
- Moissanites are labeled as colorless, but depending on the light they are in, they can reflect various hues like yellow or grey. The bigger the stone, the more color you’ll see
- Whether natural or lab grown, a colorless diamond has a natural body color that contains no traces of yellow, brown or grey. This is what gives you that sparkling, bright appearance in a diamond ring.
Price: Many factors can go into the price of a gemstone, but moissanite is often less expensive than a diamond.
- Moissanites are much lower in price than diamonds and can be determined whether the stone is Premium or Super Premium.
- Natural and lab-created diamonds vary on price based on shape and the 4 C’s (carat, color, cut, clarity. In general, lab grown diamonds are a more affordable option than natural.
Selecting a Moissanite
While diamonds are graded on the 4 C’s scale (Cut, Clarity, Color, Carat), moissanites are graded solely on color. The cut and clarity is similar across different qualities of moissanites. See below to shop Slate & Tell’s most popular Moissanite rings! Shop all of our beautiful Moissanite styles here.
