Diamond Alternatives: Sparkling Diamond Alternative Engagement Rings

Moissanite is our favorite diamond alternative. It is highly dispersive (rainbow sparkle!), and durable enough for everyday wear, even for a lifetime. These two factors are next to impossible to find in ANY OTHER WHITE STONE besides diamond!
   

What Is Moissanite?

Moissanite is an interesting gemstone, because it is both synthetic, and a diamond simulant. It is not, however, a synthetic diamond. It is a diamond simulant because it is made to look like a diamond. It is synthetic because it is made in a lab, but it is synthetic moissanite. The molecular structure is that of a stone that is found in nature.

 

The Difference Between A Diamond Simulant And A Synthetic Diamond

A diamond simulant is not the same thing as a synthetic diamond. A synthetic diamond, like a synthetic sapphire, is created in a lab, and it has the same molecular structure as the natural material. It is, therefore, still diamond, it is just lab-created.

A simulant is something that is made to look like the original. So, if you faceted a piece of glass just like a diamond, because you wanted a clear stone that looked like a diamond, that would be a simulant. It is not diamond on any level. Rhinestones and Cubic-Zirconia (CZ) are two commonly known diamond simulants. Of course, these are not useful for engagement rings, because of the hardness.

What Makes Moissanite The Best Choice For A Diamond Alternative?

Unlike other diamond alternatives on the market, Moissanite is HARD! Truly hard, not coated. With a hardness of 9.25, it comes in closer than any other gemstone to diamond. We've seen engagement rings with Moissanite withstand the test of time. Alternately, we've had customers send us other "diamond simulants" that they have purchased on-line, and because of our disappointment in the performance of the stones, we've even had them tested. The other most popular diamond simulant sold on line has a hardness of 7.5. Buyer beware! These stones look awful after a year of wear.

The other thing we love about moissanite is the SPARKLE! The layperson has a difficult time distinguishing the difference between diamond and moissanite.

And of course, being lab-created, moissanite is also ECO FRIENDLY! No earth was moved for this gemstone, making it truly the best eco-friendly diamond alternative available now.

White Stone Comparison Chart

	Diamond	Moissanite	White Sapphire	Cubic Zirconia
Hardness	10	9.25	9	7.5
Durability with Daily Wear	Lifetime, very low likelihood of chips	Lifetime, small chance of chipping	Lifetime, will likely chip	Up to a couple of years, surface will abraid quickly
Color	Varies; D-H appears olorless	Three versions: Classic is K-M, Brilliant is H-J, One is colorless	Usually colorless, can have pale tones of sapphire colors, such as blue or yellow	Colorless
Origins	Natural or Lab Created	Lab Created	Natural or Lab Created (colorless)	Lab Created
Dispersion (fire)	Very dispersive, flashes of rainbow colors	Extremely ispersive,  flashes of  rainbow colors	No dispersion; flashes are only white	Medium dispersion, some flashes of color
When dirty	Looks great even when dirty behind  stone, still sparkles	Looks great even when dirty behind stone, still sparkles	Looks muddy and dull  when dirty behind the stone (very unattractive when dirty)	Looks dull when dirty behind the stone

 

Moissanite: Brilliance and Fire

Moissanite has unparalleled sparkle! It has a higher refractive index than diamond, resulting in greater brilliance than diamond. Moissanite also has greater dispersion (fire) than a diamond, so you will notice more rainbow flashes of light.

Durability and Hardness

Moissanite ranks second to diamond in hardness. While a diamond is a 10 on the Mohns hardness scale, moissanite comes in at 9 1/4. This means that moissanite is a great choice for an engagement ring, as it will still appear *sparkly* over a lifetime of wear. A moissanite has greater stability than a diamond, meaning it can withstand greater temperatures and harsher chemicals it may be exposed to in jewelry manufacture and repair.

Color

Colorless: These Moissanites have absolutely no body color, and rank DEF on the color scale. As white as can be, however, not everybody wants this high white.

Near Colorless: This Moissanite is more in the GHI color range, and some people prefer the slightly warmer, natural tone of this Moissanite.

Moissanite is incredibly dispersive (even more so than natural diamond), so you can see lots of fire when the stone is in motion.

Forever Classic Moissanite is the original Moissanite, and is no longer in production. It is slightly tinted greenish-yellow. On the diamond color grading scale, it is close to a L-M grade.

What Gives Colored Moissanite Stones Their Color?  Moissanite with color acquires its unique shade as it is exposed to the extreme conditions that allow the stone to grow. The stone is exposed to superheated, pressurized gasses that begin to condense and form sealed chambers that make up the stone.
 

Cut

There are now a few different cut styles available for round and princess Moissanite. In comparing the classic round cut with the Hearts and Arrows cut, it is difficult to see with the unaided eye, however with the correct equipment, the hearts and arrows affect is clearly distinguishable!

For the princess cut Moissanite, there is a brilliant cut and the classic cut.

Eco-Friendly
Moissanite is lab grown! No earth is moved to create this lovely gem, making it a great eco-friendly diamond alternative.

History

Moissanite is a chemical compound known as silicon carbide. It was first discovered by Dr. Ferdinand Frederick Henri Moissan in Arizona’s Barringer Crater in 1893. Silicon carbide was just used for industrial applications until the 1990s, when it was realized that moissanite could be worn in jewelry. Today, quality moissanite for fine jewelry is so rare that it is lab-grown. Charles & Covard of North Carolina is, and has been, the only distributor of moissanite.
 

What Moissanite Will Sparkle in Her Eyes?