Marvellous Moissanite
Marvellous Moissanite
A little more information to let you know why we think lab grown moissanite is a great addition to your jewellery collection.
What is moissanite?
A rare naturally occurring mineral, moissanite was discovered in 1893 by Henri Moissan (yes, they named it after him) at the site of a huge meteor strike in Arizona, USA. However moissanite as we know and see it today was not possible until the late 1980s when viable lab grown silicon-carbide gemstones were realised; and really only available since the late 1990s when it was marketed as a new gemstone by Charles & Colvard.
Is moissanite a diamond alternative/substitute?
No moissanite is seen as a gemstone in its own right; more accepted now than ever before; since the acceptance of lab grown diamonds. Moissanite has its own unique chemical and optical properties, and these are what give it more fire and scintillation than all other gemstones.
Is moissanite as hard as a diamond?
No, a diamond is 10 on the Mohs scale, the hardest gemstone; moissanite is the second hardest at 9.25 on the same scale.
What about scintillation or brilliance?
A moissanite is rated 2.65 - 2.69 BRI (Brilliance Refractive Index), whereas diamond is rated 2.42 BRI; so moissanite shows more brilliance than diamonds of the same cut. Moissanite also has more dispersion than any other gemstone, therefore giving it more “fire” - over two times more fire than diamonds.
Clarity, colour and cut
Moissanite is generally said to have the equivalent clarity as a VS (very slight inclusions only visible under 10x magnification) graded diamond; VS accounts for roughly 10% of all graded diamonds sold.
The colour grading scale commonly used for diamonds can be applied to Moissanite. According to the GIA scale, diamond colours are:
- D, E, F: colourless (white)
- G, H, I: near colourless (very slightly warmer white - almost unnoticeable to the untrained eye)
- J, K: faint colour (slight tint of yellow, sometimes distinguishable to the untrained eye).
The most common cut for moissanite, follows the most common cut for diamonds - the round brilliant. The reason for this, is that the round brilliant cut shows off the fire and brilliance of the stone to its very best.
Is a carat a carat?
Diamonds are weighed in carats (cts), and with regards to diamonds we can roughly expect the stone to be a certain size. So for example, a well cut 1ct round brilliant diamond will have a diameter of 6.5mm.
However, because moissanite weighs about 10% less than diamond, they are sold by diamond equivalent weight (DEW) based on the diameter of the stone; so a 1ct moissanite will be the same size as a 1ct diamond whilst weighing less.
Care of moissanite
Generally moissanite resists scratching and damage due to its toughness (9.36 on the mohs scale); but you should always take care of your gemstones and jewellery to avoid unnecessary damage.
Keeping your moissanite clean is an easy job; we recommend warm soapy water (dish washing detergent is best), and a soft toothbrush for hard to reach spots in the jewellery piece’s setting.