Moissanite
Learn more about Moissanite, how they are created and why they are a great option for an engagement ring
WHAT IS A 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 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.
BENEFITS OF MOISSANITE
Eco Friendly
Moissanite is lab created with a minimal environmental impact.
Durability
Moissanite is a 9.25 on the Mohs Scale of Hardness, so it is suitable for everyday wear.
Value
Moissanite is less expensive per carat than many other gemstones.
MOISSANITE PRICING
When it comes to price, diamonds are pretty expensive stones.
Many young couples are willing to spend up to two months’ salary on their ring, thanks to social pressure and media influence.
A quick search online at the time of writing revealed that an average 1 carat diamond costs upwards of $4000, with the average cost of a diamond engagement ring being $5000.
A moissanite of similar appearance and size can cost up to 90% less than a diamond, with a 1 carat moissanite only setting you back about $450.
Whatever your views may be on this, moissanite is great alternative.
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 is similar across different qualities of moissanites. At Origin Diamonds, we offer Premium moissanites, falling within the D-F range.
A common thought when considering a moissanite is whether or not the gemstone will pair well with 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.
BENEFITS OF MOISSANITE
Moissanite has unrivalled brilliance, fire & lustre, the qualities that define the beauty of a ring.
REFRACTIVE INDEX - is the jewels ability to capture and reflect light.
The higher the refractive index, the higher the brilliance of the ring.
Moissanite has a refractive index of 2.65-2.69, outperforming all other diamond rings.
FIRE - is the dispersion or spectral separation of white light into rainbow flashes.
The more dispersion a ring has, the more delightful colour effects it will display.
Moissanite - has 2.5 times the fire of a diamond.
LUSTRE or scintillation is the flashes of light or shine you see when a ring moves in the light.
Moissanite’s - lustre rating of 20.4% is greater than a diamond’s rating of 17.2%.