It is very common for people to confuse a Moissanite with a Diamond, due to the fact that they are not able to recognize that these two precious stones are totally different. Nowadays, a lot of people choose Moissanite as an alternative over a Diamond, but is it true that these two precious stones have so many in common? For this reason, it is necessary to analyze the core elements that compose these specific precious stones.

What is a Moissanite?

In a previous article of our blog, a detailed analysis over what diamonds are has been made. At this point, an analysis over what a Moissanite is, shall take place. So, Moissanite constitutes a natural mineral gem, which was discovered in 1893, in a crater created by meteorite that fell to Earth, in Arizona USA by a French scientist named Henri Moissan. He initially believed that what he had discovered were diamonds, but soon later laboratory researches had shown that the specific stone was crystals composed of silicon carbide, while diamonds are composed of 100% carbon.

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Differences between Moissanites and Diamonds

To begin with, natural Moissanites are extremely rare and as a matter of fact the ones available in the marketplace are mainly laboratory-created. As far the Moissanites are concerned, there is ambiguity over the fact that even though its construction creates the illusion of a diamond, there are crucial differences not only in the internal characteristics but also in their appearance. They may look almost the same at first sight but let’s take a closer look at their characteristics.

  • Hardness

    Moissanite, just like Diamond, is extremely hard. Diamond, of course, constitutes the hardest precious stone. Thus, diamonds receive a 10 on the Mohs scale of Hardness, while Moissanite scores a 9.25, a very good score that makes it one of the hardest substances on earth. Its durability is the main reason of its great similarity with the Diamond.

  • Color

    As far as the color is concerned, apart from the fact that Moissanites are generally considered to be colorless, it is not difficult to ascertain that in certain lights they project a yellow or grayish shade. It should be noted, at this point, that the larger the Moissanite, the more obvious the color. Diamond is considered to be the winner since its colorlessness would render it totally white and shiny under any light.

  • Quality

    As it was previously stated, Moissanite is an extremely rare precious stone and for this reason, Moissanites that are available on the market, have been constructed in special gemological laboratories, presenting minor quality imperfections. Emphatically, its quality is significantly higher than the one of a low cost diamond.

  • Shine

    It is true that Moissanite and Diamond shine differently. Moissanite has an index of optical refraction of 6.25-2.69, which is higher than that of a diamond. Moissanite projects rainbow colors, which attract people’s attention. However, it should be noted that these colors may prevent some people from choosing a Moissanite, since they think that these colors, which are extremely obvious under the sun light, are a bit hyperbolic. On the other hand, Diamond has an index of optical refraction of 2.417-2.419 and reflects light in different ways. The way in which light is being reflected and refracted, not only internally but also externally of a diamond, causes as a result its impressive shine.

  • Price

    The price of Moissanite may be the main reason why so many people choose it, since its cost is approximately estimated to be 1/10 of diamonds’ price.

Why to choose a Moissanite

Everything depends on someone’s personal preference and the amount of money that they are able to spend as well. Moissanite may not look like a diamond, especially for those people that they are able to easily recognize the differences between the two precious stones, but it still constitutes an exceptional choice for someone who can afford to buy a diamond!