Moissanite vs. Diamonds
What is Moissanite
Moissanite is a gemstone born from the stars. It was first discovered in 1893 by a French scientist named Henri Moissan, who later won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry. He discovered microscopic particles of the gem that would eventually bear his name in Arizona, in a crater created by a meteorite that fell to Earth. He initially thought that he had discovered diamonds, but later determined that the crystals were composed of silicon carbide.
Natural moissanite is incredibly rare, so moissanite available today is laboratory-created. After many years of trial and error, the particles Moissan discovered were successfully synthesized to produce what is now one of the world’s most scintillating gemstones.
Moissanite, referred to as a diamond simulant, is engineered to give the illusion of similarity to diamonds, but is compositionally and visually quite different from a real diamond. The durability, brilliance, and color of the two gems are quite distinct. One common property of both diamonds and moissanites is that they are both very good thermal conductors.
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Moissanite Origins
Because they are grown in controlled environments using advanced technology, moissanites require absolutely no mining to produce. Therefore, their origins are easily traceable.
Compared with natural gemstones, lab created moissanites have a smaller carbon footprint and result in less environmental impact. Fine jewelry made with moissanites and recycled metals is a responsible choice.
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 grade is similar across different qualities of moissanites. At Brilliant Earth, we offer Premium and Super Premium moissanites. Premium moissanites are nearly colorless and can be compared to a G or H in color on the 4 C’s scale, and Super Premium moissanites are colorless, falling within the D-F range.
A common thought when considering a moissanite is whether or not the gemstone will pair well with natural diamond accents. Moissanites look beautiful when set in rings featuring diamond accents. The image above features an oval moissanite set in a diamond accented three stone setting.