Let me guess... you’ve recently heard or read about “Moissanite”, the most brilliant gem in the world - But what is so great about it and where does it come from?
Video Courtesy: Abby Sparks
Moissanite is quickly becoming one of the most popular gemstones used in engagement rings and other fine jewellery – and for good reason! Before we dive into detail about the amazing properties it has, let’s find out where it came from.
History
Moissanite was first discovered in the fragments of meteorite at Diablo Canyon, Arizona in 1893 by French scientist Henri Moissan. His first sample of moissanite was found inside of the meteorite crater itself - initially, he thought he had found a diamond, but he took the sample to the lab and discovered it was Silicon Carbide (SiC).
Natural Diamond (Left), Lab-Grown Moissanite (Right)
While natural moissanite still exists in very limited quantities, it is so incredibly rare that it must be created in a lab to produce pieces large enough to cut into gemstones.
There are a tonne of reasons why people all over the world are opting for this ethical and wallet friendly diamond alternative! Here’s a few...
Conflict Free
Unlike earth mined jewels, moissanite is absolutely conflict free, with guaranteed origin and high traceability. Many jewellery consumers are seeking a more socially responsible form of fine jewellery and appreciate the assurance that moissanite provides.
Durability
Diamonds and Gemstones are measured by hardness because the harder they are, the more difficult they are to scratch. Moissanite has a rating of 9.25 on the Mohs hardness scale, making it the second hardest stone to a diamond (10).
Moissanite also has heat resistance properties superior to many other Jewels,
Moissanite stones are less likely to experience heat damage during jewellery repair operations.
Moissanite can survive the extreme temperatures found in typical house fires.
Will stand the test of time.
Brilliance
The most obvious difference between moissanite and diamonds is their brilliance. In general, moissanite has more brilliance than a diamond and any other gemstone, meaning it sparkles a lot more! But why?
Moissanite has 2.5 times the dispersion power of a diamond, which means that it has a greater display of spectral colours when you rotate the stone. The result is a rainbow-like effect, while diamonds reflect whiter light.
Price
Overall the biggest advantage of moissanite over diamonds is the price. While maintaining all of these exquisite qualities, a moissanite gem can be up to 90% more affordable than a natural diamond - However just like most stones, the value of moissanite goes up with larger carat weights.
Summary
So now you know more about the increasingly popular choice that is the worlds greatest diamond alternative.
Here at Paredes & Co. we care about our clients and believe everyone deserves to wear quality jewellery with the options that make sense to them.
Contact us to get started on your very own custom piece.