Moissanites are naturally occurring gemstones with unique peculiarities, despite the similarities it shares with its counterpart – diamond. Although cheaper, this silicon carbide is in no way inferior to other gems.
Some of the outstanding qualities it possesses are durability and brilliance. On this note, moissanite is on par with diamonds and even exceeds it.
You will understand and appreciate its true value when you evaluate it as a separate entity and not a diamond “knock-off”. The rare compound is highly resistant to heat. Hence, a careless jeweler will not damage your precious stone.
What Makes Moissanite Different?
Even though moissanite looks similar to a diamond, there are some dissimilarities between both gemstones. First off, when you think of the birthstone for April, what comes to mind? Diamonds, of course.
On the other hand, moissanite is an ideal alternative option. Interestingly, this silicon carbide was discovered by the famous French chemist, Dr. Henri Moissan, in a meteor crater.
Hence, there are speculations that the mineral stone may have an extraterrestrial origin. According to most people, moissanites are “gemstones born from the stars.”
Moissanite has a Mohs hardness scale rating of 9.5, which makes it an ideal alternative to a diamond. Hence, your moissanite rings can stand the test of time.
Moissanite Dispersion Quality and Pricing
One factor that distinguishes moissanite is its high refractive index. It has a “double-refraction” optical property that gives it an intense sparkling appearance, twice diamond’s brilliance (single-refraction optical property).
With a high dispersion, about 2.4 times that of diamonds, moissanite display intense fire, which increases according to clarity, cut, and color.
Another factor that endears this gemstone to the hearts of consumers is its affordable pricing.
For the same quality, brilliance, and durability, you can purchase a moissanite jewel for a fraction of the cost of a diamond gem with the same size and carat weight.
To top it all, moissanite’s rarity makes it highly valuable, as it is rarely grown naturally. For this reason, there are many synthetic moissanite gemstones in the market.
Although alike in appearance, people still believe that moissanites are inferior diamond products.
Your spouse could be embarrassed to discover that you purchased a cheaper moissanite engagement ring, as opposed to a diamond ring, as the latter has a long-standing heritage no one would like to see destroyed.
However, unlike diamonds with questionable mining ethics and procedures, moissanites are ethically produced in the lab.
Moissanite Vs Diamonds – Ethics and Procedures
Natural diamonds exist in kimberlite formations, several miles beneath the earth’s crust, in streambeds or seabeds, in several locations across the globe. A lot of these diamond deposits reside in Africa.
Unfortunately, many large corporations exploit these diamond-rich countries, drilling miles into the earth’s crust to extract these precious gems.
Another way around it is to implement alluvial mining; this process involves the manual (hand) extraction of these mineral rocks from streambed deposits.
Several human rights activists and organizations have questioned the working conditions of miners in these areas.
Sadly, these blood diamonds are used to fuel civil unrest in these countries. Also, heavy mining equipment causes damage to the environment, including pollution.
For this reason, not many entities associate themselves with blood diamonds. If you are looking for an ethical alternative, then lab-grown moissanite is the ideal option.
