Moissanite – Taking Over the Engagement World One Ring at A Time

Engagements, Weddings, Anniversaries and Holidays are the time for jewelry

Moissanite is coming to the party as the best new inclusion in engagement jewelry, and it is partying HARD. Similar in appearance to diamonds, but by no means an imitation or knock-off, this amazing stone is as much a jewel in its own right as a diamond, just a little… different.

Sounds cool – what is it, exactly?

Moissanite is a gemstone that is 100% lab-created, and believe it or not, their light reflection and refraction properties are even higher than that of diamonds. Vibrant and bright, these stones are a force to be reckoned with!

A French scientist, Henri Moissan, discovered the first deposits of what turned out to be silicon carbide near the impact site of a meteorite at the turn of the previous century. This compound is found on earth, but is extremely rare, such as in the case of Mr Moissan’s discovery. It transpired that it is easily recreated in a lab environment, and processed silicon carbide, known as Moissanite in honour of this discovery, was born. 

Easily mistaken for diamonds based on its appearance and comparative hardness, moissanite looks like diamond crystals, but the main difference is the composition. Diamonds are made from carbon, while moissanite is pure silicon carbide. 

How can it be used?

The stones for moissanite rings can be cut and processed in exactly the same way as diamonds, with similar visual results. From round, princess, oval, cushion, pear, and radiant cut, the option for shaping your jewel is similar across the two stones. In modern engagement rings, moissanite really holds its own. 

Experts recommend that moissanites be cut into the brilliant round shape. This cut brings the stone’s natural brilliance to life, giving off the greatest amount of fire and brilliance. 

This cut will also camouflage any colour that may be present in the stone, resulting in it appearing nearly colourless, which, like diamonds, is the preferred grade. Because moissanites tend to have a yellow to greyish green tinge, this is a great way of concealing it. 

Will people know the difference? 

Chances are that your friends, and in fact, anyone who sees your ring, will never know the difference unless you tell them. Moissanite is a fairly new arrival on the commercial jewellery scene, and most people won’t even know enough about it to want to enquire about it. 

The short answer? If you are complimented on your extraordinarily sparkly diamond engagement ring, thank the person, and get on with your day. Isn’t the universal law of allure the mystery of not knowing? 

Can moissanite scratch? 

The Mohs scale of hardness is used to grade the hardness of a mineral. Diamonds measure up at 10, while moissanite comes second at an impressive 9.25. This means that moissanite engagement rings put up an impressive performance when it comes to the hardness a durability of the stone, making it versatile, and able to be used under the same conditions as a diamond, with similar expected levels of wear and tear (which is very little, if any!). At a lower price for a similar stone, it’s no wonder that moissanite is taking off the way it is!