Moissanite Education
everything you need to know about moissanites center stones
what is a moissanite and what is it made from?
Moissanite is a naturally occurring silicon carbide. Moissanite was first discovered in 1893 by Dr. Henri Moissan, a French scientist, who the gemstone was then named after. He discovered microscopic particles in Arizona, from a crater that was created by a meteorite. Initially he thought he'd found diamonds but then came to learn that they were crystals, made up of silicon carbide. Natural moissanite is especially rare, making most of today's moissanite lab created.
Characteristics of moissanite:
There are four characteristics of a moissanite: Brilliance, Colors & Clarity, Fire Dispersion, and Hardness & Toughness.
Brilliance: The Refractive Index or RI of moissanite ranges from 2.65 to 2.69, meaning it displays more brilliance than diamond (with an RI of 2.42) or any other popular gemstone.
Color & Clarity: there are three grades of moissanite available today: colorless (D-E-F range), near-colorless (G-H-I range), and faint hues of color (J-K range). All of Olive Ave's moissanite stones are colorless and within the D-E-F range. There are no likely situations in which the color of moissanite will be permanently changed. Moissanite does undergo a temporary color change when exposed to extreme heat from a jeweler’s torch during jewelry repair, but with proper bench techniques there will be no lasting damage and the stone will return to its normal color once it cools. Moissanite can have needle-like inclusions that can be seen under 10x magnification. However, they are not visible to the naked eye and do not affect the clarity of the stone. It’s worth noting that nearly every gem has some sort of inclusion. They are unique characteristics, which occur in the formation of the crystalline structure.
Fire Dispersion: A gemstone’s fire is determined by a gemological property called dispersion. Dispersion refers to the prism effect that occurs when pure white light enters a non-opaque object, breaks into spectral (rainbow) colors, and reflects back to the viewer. Moissanite’s dispersion is 0.104, which exceeds that of any gemstone, including diamond, ruby, sapphire and emerald.
Hardness & Toughness: Moissanite is durable, tough, and extremely resistant to scratching and abrasion. With a hardness of 9.25-9.50, moissanite is harder than all other gemstones except diamond. Moissanite exhibits more heat resistance than many other gemstones, including diamond. Tests prove that at 2,000ºF–higher than the equivalent intensity of a house fire–moissanite gems remain intact and as brilliant as the day they were created. This heat tolerance makes moissanite unlikely to suffer damage during jewelry repair.
Moissanite vs. Cubic Zirconia
Moissanite and Cubic Zirconia appear vastly different and have a completely different chemical make-up. Moissanite is not only harder and tougher than CZ but also gives off more fire dispersion and sparkle. CZ is also very sensitive to heat which increases chance for damage during any repairs, resizing, etc. Moissanite is going to be the better choice for an engagement ring as it appears most like a diamond and is durable enough for an engagement ring.
How is a moissanite measured?
The carat is the traditional unit of measurement for a diamond’s weight. Moissanite is not measured in carats because it weighs approximately 10 percent less than diamond. For example, a 6.5mm round diamond would weigh 1.00ct, while a 6.5mm round moissanite would weigh 0.88ct. The two stones would be the same size – 6.5mm in diameter. Click here to see our MM to CT conversion charts with exact measurements per stone shape.
What are the benefits of buying moissanite?
Mining Free: moissanite stones are created in a lab so it reduces the impact on the environment and making it a more ethical option.
Value: moissanite is less expensive than diamonds but still appear similar
Durability: moissanite gemstones are a 9.25 on the hardness scale so they are a great choice a center stone for an engagement ring that is going to be worn daily.
