Most people think moissanite is a "fake" diamond but it's a gemstone all on its own. First discovered in 1893 by Nobel laureate Henri Moissan in Diablo Canyon, Arizona, it was inside a meteorite crater (how cool is that?) moissanite is a natural stone with a chemical makeup of silicone carbide as opposed to a diamond which is all carbon. Although a natural gemstone, it's so rare that 98% of the moissanite on the market are lab-grown (that does not mean it's fake). That's good news for us because we want our beautiful stones to be origin-traceable and eco-friendly.
Compared to a diamond, moissanite has more brilliance than any other gemstone which means it refracts light more and THAT means more sparkle, ladies. Moissanite also has the highest dispersion of any stone, this fire gives the moissanite its distinctive rainbow-like sparkle.
This brilliant stone has a hardness of 9.25 on the Mohs scale which is only second to a diamond which has a hardness of 10 on the Mohs scale, this durability and scratch resistance makes moissanite great for everyday wear such as in engagement and wedding rings. Also, moissanite has heat resistance properties higher than any other gemstone which means they are less likely to experience heat damage during jewelry repair operations and added bonus is it would survive most house fires (let’s hope you never have to test that but it’s nice to know).
Pricing
So if moissanite is this great with off-the-chart brilliance and fire, awesome durability and hardness, why is it so affordable? The biggest reason is that it’s created in a lab, unlike a diamond which needs to be mined with expensive equipment and transported over long distances, moissanite is created in a controlled laboratory. This production allows for a
consistent and predictable supply, reducing the cost. The technology and expertise in moissanite production have advanced significantly, enabling large-scale manufacturing and improved efficiency. The precision of lab-grown moissanite production ensures a high-quality product with minimal material wastage, further driving down costs. All this, so that you can benefit from the cost-effectiveness of moissanite without compromising on brilliance, durability, or ethical considerations. Another reason is simply supply and demand, although more non-traditional stones are becoming popular for engagement rings, diamond is still by far the most popular because of this demand in the market sellers charge higher prices.
Moissanite is a great option for those looking for beautiful, brilliant, and affordable jewels that are also ethical and sustainable (we don’t want blood diamonds). There are many human rights violations associated with diamond mining such as underage labor and bad working conditions but with moissanite, you can rest well knowing you have not contributed to an industry with horrific history.
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