Learn the key differences between moissanite and diamonds and how to choose the right gemstone ring.
What is Moissanite?
Moissanite was discovered by a doctor named Henri Moissan in Arizona Meteor Crater in the late nineteenth century. He named it Moissanite after his own name. Natural moissanite is very rare and only appears in craters, and its color is mostly dark green and black. Our common moissanite is synthetic silicon carbide (5-6 months cultivation cycle), and the price is only one tenth of diamond. High-quality moissanite itself is colorless and transparent, but because of its high refractive index, its fire effect will show different fire effects according to the intensity of light in different environments.
The difference between moissanite and diamond:
If we take a cursory look, we can hardly distinguish moissanite from diamonds, and even professional drill pens sometimes have great errors, because their properties are too similar in all aspects. But if you look closely at the flower, you will find that the fire effect of moissanite is much stronger than that of diamond. The degree of dispersion is also what we often call fire, moissanite is 2.5 times that of diamond (diamond is 0.044, moissanite is 0.104). Moissanite also wins in the refractive index of light (diamond is 2.42, moissanite is 2.65), only moissanite is slightly inferior in hardness, ranking the second hardest gemstone in nature, second only to diamond (10 for diamonds and 9.25 for moissanite).
1. Price: There is an obvious difference. The price of diamonds of the same quality and carat is about ten times that of moissanite.
2. Specific gravity: The weight of moissanite (3.22) is lighter than that of diamond (3.52), and the two can be distinguished by weighing, or by using methyl iodide specific gravity liquid (specific gravity 3.32) to measure the two. distinguish.
3. Hardness: The Mohs hardness of diamond is 10, while the Mohs hardness of Moissanite is only 9.25, which is not much different, but diamonds can leave scratches on Moissanite.
4. Fire effect: Moissanite’s fire effect is about 10% higher than that of diamonds, and it will flash more brilliantly under the light.
5. Conductivity: About 80% of moissanite has the physical properties of electrical conductivity (only blue in natural diamonds, and blue-gray diamonds can conduct electricity). The more common white or pale yellow diamonds are insulating, so a conductivity meter can be used to identify diamonds from moissanite.
6. Refractive index: Moissanite and diamond have different refractive indices. In addition, moissanite has the characteristics of birefringence, which can easily observe the double image of moissanite ridgeline and bottom tip, even if it is constantly changing and observing Angle, ghosting will still appear, but the ghosting will be more obvious from the main facet of the table, which is completely different from the single refraction effect of diamonds.
7. Polishing pattern: diamonds should constantly adjust the polishing direction during the polishing process, and moissanite is polished in the same direction, so the waist of the moissanite will be parallel to the polishing pattern, which is ten times as high. The magnifying glass can be clearly seen in the adjacent facets.
8. Cut: Moissanite’s cut lines will be smoother, while diamonds will be particularly sharp.
How to choose Moissanite:
First of all, look at the 4C standards of moissanite parameters. The 4C standards are clarity, color, caratage, and cut.
1. Clarity
Moissanite clarity standards are divided into I1/I2/I3, SI1/SI2, VVS1VVS2, IF, FL grades
2. Color
Divided into D-E-F colorless, G-H-I-J nearly colorless, K-L-M yellowish, N-O-P-Q-R yellow, S-T-U-V-W-X yellow grades, the highest grade of moissanite is D (Diamond’s initials) grade, the further back the letter, the more color the moissanite. It is closer to yellow, which means the lower the color level.
3. Weight
1 carat = 200 mg = 0.2 g, 1 carat = 100 points, 1 point = 0.01 carat
4. Cut
Judging whether the cut of Moissanite is good or not mainly depends on whether its cutting and grinding proportions are accurate and symmetrical, and whether the polishing and decoration are perfect. In this way, all facets can reflect all the incoming light, so that the fire of Moissanite presents the most beautiful effect.
Moissanite FAQ:
1. Is a Moissanite a diamond? Is it different from a diamond?
Moissanite, whose chemical composition is silicon carbide (SiC), is essentially different from diamond (elemental C). The Mohs hardness of moissanite is 9.25, which is slightly lower than that of diamond (diamond has a Mohs hardness of 10), but the dispersion value of moissanite is higher than that of diamond, so compared with diamond, moissanite is more The fire of diamonds is good, as the saying goes, moissanite looks more scintillating than diamonds.
2. Can moissanite be bought and how much is it worth?
Compared to natural gemstones, moissanite requires absolutely no mining to produce, lab-grown moissanite has a smaller carbon footprint and has a lower impact on the environment. The price is only one tenth of that of a diamond.
3. Will moissanite lose its luster?
Moissanite does not lose its luster over time. The clarity and color of the stone do not change over the years. As with other gemstones, dirt is the only common element that may inhibit ring sparkle.
4. Is moissanite durable?
Moissanite is one of the hardest gemstones known and is perfect for engagement rings as well as everyday wear.
FEEL STYLE offers high quality Moissanite diamonds. Pair our unique styles with classic diamond pieces to build your collection of jewelry rings. Tell us a little about yourself and what you are looking for. We will guide you through the process of creating the perfect jewelry.
