Moissanite is a naturally occurring silicon carbide and gets its name from its discoverer, Henri Mossain, a French scientist who later on won Nobel prize for his discovery. Moissanites are considered as cheaper version of dimaonds, since they are more economical than diamonds.
Moissanite v/s Diamond
| Property | Moissanite | Diamond |
| Hardness | Rated 9.25-9.5 on Mohs hardness scale | Rated 10 on Mohs hardness scale, which is the highest for a gemstone |
| Brilliance | Refracts well and has higher brilliance, but has more rainbow like effect when it shines | Reflection is more white- like than rainbow. Brilliance depends on the cut of the diamond |
| Price | Cheaper than diamonds | Expensive |
| Availability | Natural occurrence is rare, hence lab made | Naturally mined |
| Color | Yellowish/ greenish . Can be colorless as well after processing | Diamonds are graded on scale from D-z, with D being colorless to Z having yellowish tint. |
Moissanite Engagement Ring Designs
Moissanite Origin
Moissanite is naturally occurring silicon carbide, which was discovered by a French scientist by name Henri Moissan. His first sample of Moissanite (named after himself) was found inside of a meteorite crater. While he initially thought he had found a diamond, he took his sample to the lab and discovered it was silicon carbide.
Since naturally occurring Moissanites are rare, they are lab formed, which makes them 90% cheaper than diamonds!
Moissanite Grades
There are three grades of moissanite. The first grade and the clearest of the three is the D-E-F range. The second one, which is almost colorless, is G-H-I. The third one, which has different shades of hue, is under J-K range.
Moissanite Color for Engagement Rings
Moissanite color range from brown tones and bright yellows to colorless or clear. The clearer the moissanite gemstone, the more premium they become. The color of the stones can change through various processes. This makes it easier to get any fancy color that a client wants.
The process of chemical vapor deposition is used to get those fancy colors on Moissanites. You can hence chose any color of your choice, though colorless stone is the best choice since they make them look more like diamonds!
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