ABOUT

Moissanite

The gem from the stars

- Moissanite

Natural Occurrence and Synthesis
Moissanite is a crystalline form of silicon carbide (SiC) that is extremely rare in nature. It has only been found in meteorites, making its natural occurrence quite limited. Due to its scarcity, most moissanite available on the market today is synthesised in laboratories. This process allows for the production of high-quality stones that can be cut and set by jewellers.

Chemical Composition and Optical Properties
While moissanite and diamonds are chemically distinct, they exhibit several optical similarities. Both types of stones are transparent and possess a notable sparkle. However, moissanite has a higher refractive index than diamonds, which contributes to its increased brilliance or sparkle. This higher refractive index results in more pronounced fiery rainbow flashes compared to diamonds, which tend to reflect a combination of rainbow colors and white light.

Durability and Hardness
In terms of hardness, moissanite ranks similarly to diamonds on the Mohs scale, making it an exceptionally durable gemstone. This durability means that moissanite can withstand daily wear and tear effectively over many years without significant damage.

Environmental Impact and Cost
Another advantage of moissanite is its environmental responsibility; it is considered conflict-free since it does not originate from mining operations associated with ethical concerns often linked to diamond sourcing. Additionally, moissanite is significantly less expensive than diamonds, providing an attractive alternative for consumers seeking beautiful gemstones without the high price tag.

Ethical

Jewellery

Because they are grown in controlled environments using advanced technology, moissanites require absolutely no mining to produce. Therefore, their origins are easily traceable.

Compared with natural gemstones, lab created moissanites have a smaller carbon footprint and result in less environmental impact. Fine jewellery made with moissanites is a responsible choice.

The brightest

Gemstone

A moissanite is a beautiful gemstone in its own right. Moissanites are very sparkly. They have a high refractive index. This creates a greater sparkle than that of a diamond. The sparkles are often rainbow coloured in some lights and colourless in others.

At GEMCO Boutique we are dedicated to creating brilliant gems in an environmentally and socially responsible way.

Your GEMCO Boutique stone is a beautiful, brilliant stone that will hold up to everyday wear. Its will also look as beautiful in 100 years as the day you bought it.

GEMCO Boutique have sourced the most dazzling and beautiful moissanites available. Our exclusive suppliers have been researching moissanite and producing since 1999. We are a high end and a professional team. Our suppliers are a large company with over 200 of the best stone cutting machines.

Moissanite vs Diamonds

It’s pretty common for moissanite to be compared to or confused with diamonds, and on the surface, these dazzling stones are very similar, even when side by side. Both stones have a high refractive index, are highly durable, have a high scale of hardness, and lots of brilliance and fire. And then there’s the difference in cost.

Diamonds have been the most common stone for engagement rings and wedding jewellery for generations but this may very well change in the future. The jewellery industry, particularly with engagement rings, has seen a steady increase in lab-grown moissanite sales each year, convincing those in the industry that lab-grown moissanite is here to stay.

The truth is that moissanite is not a synthetic diamond or the often dreaded cubic zirconia, it’s a totally separate gemstone that is naturally occurring, though extremely rare and found in meteorites. Because of its beauty and durability, it’s one of the few gemstones that’s incredibly well suited to fine jewellery. However, it’s so tough to source natural stones that the vast majority of moissanite on the market is lab created.

Your Questions Answered

How to tell the difference between Moissanite & Diamonds?

Unless you’ve seen a lot of diamonds and just as much moissanite you probably can’t tell the difference. Even to a trained eye, because natural diamonds combine an infinite range of colours, clarity’s and cuts, some diamonds just look like moissanite. And as moissanite quality gets better and better, they can easily be mistaken for diamonds. If you have other diamond jewellery, you might notice that moissanite looks a little bit different when side-by-side.

The true way to tell the difference? You’ll need some professional equipment.

A diamond tester is used to detect whether or not a stone is a real diamond by measuring how heat moves through it, but because moissanite heat conductivity is close to that of a diamond, it’s not a surefire bet. There are also diamond testers that measures electrical conductivity, but this will only tell you whether a stone is or is not a diamond, not necessarily what the stone is. Moissanite testers are specifically designed to identify moissanite by measuring how a stone conducts electricity.

Diamond or Moissanite? Only a trained eye can tell

Armed only with the naked eye, the best way to see the difference is to have a comparably sized diamond and to compare side-by-side. You’ll notice that moissanite and diamonds have different brilliance. Diamonds distinct sparkle is a unique combination of how it reflects light, the colors that refract through it, and the scintillation. Moissanite has more colours and fire, making quick flashes of rainbow colour when moving the stone around. This disco ball effect can be more pronounced in sunlight.

Like a diamond, the larger the moissanite the more color you are able to see and the easier it is to differentiate it from a diamond. Because of this, some people prefer to stick to moissanite center stones that are under a certain carat weight. That being said, no one but a jeweler or experienced jewelry buyer would likely see a difference.

Moving past the superficial, moissanite is almost as hard as a diamond on the Moss scale: a 9.5 as compared to a diamonds perfect 10 rating.

Why is this important?

Because whatever stone you choose to use has got to be tough enough for the everyday wear.

How bright is Moissanite

The most significant optical property affecting a gemstone’s brilliance, or sparkle, is the refractive index or RI. The 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.

Is Moissanite Durable?

Moissanite is one of the toughest known gemstones which makes it perfect for an engagement ring, a piece of jewellery that is usually worn every day. Studies in high pressure research have shown that moissanite stone is highly resistant to breaking and chipping.

While Moissanite is extremely hard, durable and resistant to abrasion and chipping, like all other gemstones, they are not indestructible. Care for your Moissanite jewellery just as you would other fine jewellery, taking precautions not to wear rings and bracelets when doing rough work.

mm vs. Carat Weight

The carat is the traditional unit of measurement for a diamonds weight. Moissanite is not measured in carats because it weighs approximately 10% less than diamond. For example, a 6.5mm round diamond would weight 1.0ct, while a 6.5mm round moissanite would weight 0.88ct. The two stones would be the same size – 6.5mm in diameter. All stones for sale are listed with their millimeters and the diamond equivalent weight (DEW) in carats.