Looking for a diamond alternative that is environmental and wallet friendly but still sparkles like a diamond? Meet the Charles & Colvard Forever One moissanite. Moissanites are becoming more popular and we can see why!
Natural moissanites are an incredibly rare gemstone discovered in 1893 by French scientist, Henri Moissan. Henri Moissan found particles of moissanite in a crater created by a meteorite in Arizona. His initial thought was that he had found diamonds. What he really found was crystals made of silicon carbide. Because natural moissanite is so rare, the moissanites available are synthetic (laboratory created). What we love about moissanites is that they look very similar to a diamond, but in its chemical composition, durability, and brilliance it is a completely different stone.
Moissanites Compared to Diamonds
Table 1: Moissanite Comparison Guide (Charles & Colvard Ltd.)
Hardness/Durability
Compared to other diamond alternatives, moissanites will be highest on the hardness scale. A moissanite are rated a 9.25 on Mohs hardness scale. Diamonds are the hardest mineral known and sit at a 10 on Mohs hardness scale. This is one of the reasons why diamonds are a popular choice in engagement rings. Diamonds are forever! With moissanites sitting high on Mohs hardness scale this also makes them ideal for every day wear.
Brilliance/Fire
Moissanites have higher fire dispersion than a diamond which means that you get more rainbow flashes. Diamonds will have more white flashes as opposed to the rainbow flashes.
Colour
With recent improvements in technology we can now get near-colourless to colourless moissanites. Some moissanites may still have hints of yellow in certain lighting. Diamonds come in a range of colours that will affect the price of the diamond (click here to learn more about diamond colour grading). Colourless diamonds are rare and more desirable which makes them more valuable. A colourless diamond will have no traces or yellow or brown which gives it its famous stunning white sparkle.
Price
When comparing moissanites to diamonds, we use the diamond equivalent weight. The actual carat weight of a moissanite is different from the same size diamond. For the same size diamond and moissanite, moissanites will be dramatically lower in price.