Moissanite is a mineral composed of silicon carbide. Often referred to as the gemstone from the stars, it was discovered in 1893 inside of a meteorite in Canyon Diablo, Arizona, by Nobel Prize-winning chemist Henri Moissan.
Initially mistakenly identifying his discovery as diamonds, it wasn’t until 1904 that Moissan determined the crystals were, in fact, silicon carbide. This naturally occurring mineral form of what we now call moissanite was named in honour of Moissan later in his life.
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Is a Moissanite a Diamond?
No, a moissanite is not a diamond. Professionals grow them in laboratories because they are visually similar to diamonds, but compositionally they’re quite different. Diamonds are composed of carbon and moissanites are composed of silicon carbide.
While the untrained eye may visually perceive a moissanite as similar to a diamond, it has a higher refractive index — meaning it produces more rainbow ‘fire’ than a diamond when light hits the stone’s surface. Diamond is also physically harder than moissanite, which is a 9.25 on the Mohs hardness scale compared to a diamond’s rating of 10.
While they both feature dispersion, scintillation, and are both considered to be good thermal conductors, moissanites and diamonds are otherwise distinct.
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How to Tell a Moissanite from a Diamond
If you are not trained in the differences between diamond and moissanite, telling the difference can be difficult.
The best way to tell the difference is to line up two similarly sized gemstones, one moissanite, and one diamond, and compare them side-by-side. The distinct sparkle of a diamond is a unique combination of reflected light, the colors that refract through it, and its scintillation. While moissanite exhibits light reflection, color refraction, and scintillation, it also features more than two times the amount of 'fire' than diamonds, meaning it shows more intense flashes of rainbow light than diamonds. This 'disco ball' effect, which is more prominent in moissanite with larger carat weights, is the best way to quickly distinguish between moissanite and diamond.
To officially confirm the difference between a moissanite and a diamond, take it to a trained professional. By examining the ‘doubling’ of opposing facet junctions with a loupe, they can validate if your stone is a moissanite or a diamond.
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Can I please have the pictures of the products?
Sure, please reach out to our sales team with details of which product you are interested in and we will help you with jewellery pictures.
Moissanite vs. Diamond vs. Lab Diamond
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Moissanite |
Diamond |
Lab Diamond |
Durability
Gemstones are measured on the Mohs scale, which addresses a gem's hardness.
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Moissanites are at 9.25 on the Mohs scale, making them suitable for everyday wear.
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Diamonds, the hardest known naturally occurring mineral, are a 10 on the Mohs scale, making them the ideal option for engagement rings.
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Lab diamonds are a 10 on the Mohs scale, making them the ideal option for engagement rings.
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Brilliance
Brilliance refers to the appearance of light reflected from the gemstone's interior.
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Moissanites are slightly more brilliant than diamonds, though they feature more than twice the amount of fire. If a moissanite is larger than 1 carat, the difference in fire can be very noticeable as it has a refractive index of 2.64 to 2.69.
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Natural diamonds are slightly less brilliant than moissanite and feature two times less fire, though they still exhibit dispersion and scintillation. The refractive index of diamonds ranges from 2.417 to 2.419.
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Lab diamonds are slightly less brilliant than moissanite and feature two times less fire, though they still exhibit dispersion and scintillation. The refractive index of diamonds ranges from 2.417 to 2.419.
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Color
Color is the presence or absence of color visible within a gemstone.
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While most moissanites can now be grown as colorless or near colorless, they are also created in hues of teal, grey, green, yellow, and black.
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Natural diamonds occur in the colorless range, but they also occur in many colors, including pink, blue, and yellow from trace elements like nitrogen and boron.
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The rarest lab diamonds are those in the colorless range, but they are also created in many colors. Lab grown colored diamonds are more accessible than natural colored diamonds and can often be found in more vivid, fancier colors.
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Price
Price references how much you will pay for a gemstone.
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Moissanite is dramatically lower in price than diamonds of the same carat weight. Their pricing is based on size, shape, and whether the stone is colorless or near colorless.
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Natural diamonds are the most expensive. As they are mined from the Earth and take billions of years to form, they are much rarer than both moissanite and lab diamonds. In addition to their rarity, diamonds are priced based on their 4 C's and shape.
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Lab diamonds cost less than their natural counterparts due to their origin but cost more than moissanite. As with natural diamonds, lab diamonds are priced based on their 4 C's and shape.
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Sourcing
Sourcing refers to the origin of the gemstone and how it was produced.
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Moissanite is grown in controlled laboratories by professionals. Once formed, they're cut and polished.
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Natural diamonds form deep in the Earth. Then, they are mined, cut, and polished.
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Lab diamonds are grown in controlled laboratories by professionals. Once formed, they're cut and polished.
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