What is Moissanite?
Moissanite is a naturally occurring gemstone made of silicon carbide. It simulates the style of a diamond and is often used in the place of diamonds in jewelry. It is usually quite difficult to see the difference between a moissanite stone and a diamond, which has attributed to the rapid increase in use of the gem. While Moissanite is a naturally occurring gemstone, it is rare enough that most Moissanite you will encounter is lab-created, similar to how you may purchase a lab-created diamond. A single stone can take up to three months to create!
Moissanite vs Diamond
Price
The biggest reason that Moissanite has been able to become a go-to for jewelers whenever it comes to creating engagement rings and other fine jewelry is the price difference. Moissanite can typically be found at a price considerably cheaper than a diamond price, typically only around a tenth of the cost!
If you’re looking for that perfect diamond engagement ring, but can’t afford the right one, you will likely want to explore moissanite engagement rings. With diamonds, whenever you purchase cheaper pieces of jewelry, the overall quality of the diamond may be compromised. Smaller and lower quality diamonds will have less clarity and be cloudier, while a higher quality moissanite stone may cost the same. In some cases, purchasing cheaper diamond rings is a worse choice than purchasing moissanite rings!
Color
Both moissanite and diamonds can be colorless, similar to the classic diamond stone that you may be accustomed to. However, the color of both stones can vary. The color of diamonds can be anywhere from colorless to a light yellow or brown, as well as the specialty colored diamonds, such as black diamonds or pink diamonds.
You can typically find moissanite stones as colorless, as the creation of high-quality moissanite has been tweaked and perfected for years by manufacturers. However, you may also find some gemstones that have a yellow or green tint to them.
Brilliance
The main difference between the two gemstones is the brilliance of them. A moissanite gemstone will generally be more brilliant than a diamond gemstone. This means that it will have more of that sparkly, fiery look to it, especially whenever the light hits it. Whenever the light hits a diamond, it will reflect as a white-ish light, while moissanite will have a rainbow-like light!
Durability
Everyone has grown up hearing that diamonds are the hardest things on Earth and that it would take another diamond or a laser to cut them. Diamonds can withstand virtually anything that you put them through in your day-to-day life, making them ideal for jewelry that you’re going to wear regularly, especially engagement rings.
Moissanite, however, is not as much less durable as you may think. Moissanite stones are the second hardest mineral on the Mohs hardness scale, which makes them nearly as ideal for day-to-day wear and tear as the diamond!
So, which one is better?
The short answer is: neither. That’s not terribly helpful, we know, but the perfect gemstone is different for each person. The diamond-moissanite battle to see which one is the best is going to be based on the variables in each person’s life.
Some things to consider while you shop for diamond & moissanite jewelry:
- Can you afford a high-quality diamond? If not, it may be best to go for a high-quality moissanite. You should always try to buy the best quality jewelry that you can!
- Are you shopping for a piece of jewelry that is going to be worn daily? Chances are, if you’re shopping for an engagement ring, you are. Consider your partner’s activity level and how likely they are to subject the engagement ring to hardship. If your partner is regularly hands-on and will be putting their ring through a lot, you will likely want to look at high-quality diamond engagement rings so that your partner can rest easy knowing that their diamond ring won’t be destroyed. If your partner never works with their hands, sometimes works with their hands, or works with their hands regularly on less physically demanding tasks, either a diamond or moissanite ring would work great for them!
We’re here for you!
As you continue on your journey to choosing the perfect piece of jewelry, we’re here to answer any questions that you have about OroSpot’s diamond and moissanite rings. Contact us with your questions today!
You can check out a few of our moissanite ring options below or shop for a variety of options with bands made from white gold, rose gold, yellow gold, sterling silver, and more here!
FAQs
Will a moissanite gemstone lose its fire?
No! Moissanite stones typically keep the same fiery, sparkly brilliance to them as time goes on.
Does Moissanite become cloudy?
No! Like diamonds, moissanite stones will not get cloudy as time passes on.
Will a moissanite gemstone be easily scratched?
No! Moissanite stones have a rating of 9.25-9.50 on Mohs hardness scale and are extremely resistant to scratches and abrasions.
My moissanite center stone is hazy. I tried to clean it, but the film won’t come off!
Don’t panic! Gemstones are exposed to tons of different elements as you wear them, especially if they’re placed in an engagement ring. Because of this exposure, a film of organic build-up can occur on the stone. This can be removed by many over the counter jewelry cleaners or by a jewelry cleaning service!