If you're shopping for an engagement ring, studs, or a tennis bracelet, you've probably seen moissanite come up as an alternative to diamond. Here's a straightforward look at how the two compare, so you can decide what's right for you.
What is moissanite?
Moissanite is silicon carbide, a gemstone first discovered in 1893 by Nobel Prize-winning chemist Henri Moissan in a meteor crater in Arizona. Natural moissanite is extremely rare, so the moissanite used in jewelry today is created in a lab. It is not a diamond, and it isn't a diamond imitation like cubic zirconia. It's its own gemstone with its own properties.
Sparkle: moissanite has more fire
Moissanite has a higher refractive index than diamond (about 2.65 vs. 2.42) and more than twice the dispersion (about 0.104 vs. 0.044). In plain terms, it bends light more and throws off more rainbow flashes, which jewelers call "fire." Some people love that extra color; others prefer the crisper white sparkle of a diamond. Neither is better, just different.
Durability: built for everyday wear
On the Mohs hardness scale, moissanite rates about 9.25, second only to diamond's 10 among popular gemstones. That makes it very resistant to scratching and a great choice for rings and other pieces you wear every day. Moissanite also won't cloud or change color over time.
Color and clarity
Quality moissanite is graded much like diamond. The best stones are graded D-E-F (colorless) with VVS clarity, meaning flaws are invisible without strong magnification. Most of our moissanite is D-color, the top of the color scale.
Price: the biggest difference
A 1-carat diamond can easily cost thousands of dollars. A 1-carat moissanite of excellent quality typically costs a small fraction of that. That's why so many people choose moissanite for engagement rings, bigger statement pieces, or simply to get the look they want without the budget stress.
Will moissanite pass a diamond tester?
Most standard handheld "diamond testers" measure how fast heat moves through a stone. Moissanite conducts heat similarly to diamond, so these basic testers usually read it as diamond. More advanced multi-testers also measure electrical conductivity and can tell moissanite apart from diamond. We always sell our pieces as moissanite, never as diamond.
Ethics and origin
Because our moissanite is created in a lab, there's no mining involved, and you never have to wonder where your stone came from.
The bottom line
Choose diamond if having a natural diamond matters most to you. Choose moissanite if you want a durable, brilliant stone with more fire, at a price that leaves room for everything else in your life.
Ready to see it in person? Browse our engagement rings, moissanite studs, and tennis bracelets. Questions? Message us on Instagram @mar_thejeweler.