We use JavaScript to create the most functional website possible for our customers. JavaScript enables you to fully navigate and make a purchase on our site. If disabled the content or the functionality of the website can be limited or unavailable. Please enable JavaScript in your browser for the best possible experience. Thank you!
Moissanite (pronounced moy-suh-nite) is the mineral silicon carbide and came from a meteorite that crashed on Earth 1,000s of years ago.
Natural silicon carbide is extremely rare and only limited quantities and small particles have been found. In fact, all the existing natural Moissanite in the world couldn't make a single pair of solitaire earrings.
Moissanite has unrivaled fire and brilliance, even brighter and more sparkly than diamonds.
Nobel Prize-winning French scientist Dr. Henri Moissan discovered the glimmering crystals in 1893 when studying the ancient Canyon Diablo meteor crater in Arizona.
Tiffany & Co. gem expert and mineralogist George Kunz suggested the gemstone be named after Dr. Moissan in 1905.
Moissanite is the most brilliant gemstone in the world. Brilliance is a gemstone's ability to reflect white and create sparkle.
Moissanite vs. Diamonds
Moissanite and diamonds are frequently compared to one another because they have similar qualities and are both beautiful and refined. Keep in mind that Moissanite is not a diamond substitute, but a unique gemstone. Below are the physical ways Moissanite differs from diamonds.
Fire - Moissanite disperses more light than diamonds, creating a superior sparkle. Dispersion (or fire) is a gemstone's ability to reflect white light into different spectrums and create a rainbow of colors. Moissanite casts 2.4 times more fire than diamonds.
Clarity - Moissanite is comparable to a VS grade diamond (VS means very slight inclusions). The crystal structure of Moissanite contains needle inclusions, but they are invisible to the naked eye.
Color - All Moissanite is near-colorless. It is not graded on the GIA diamond color grading scale because the extra fire and brilliance of Moissanite makes it appear much whiter than a diamond of the same color. It wouldn't be fair to use the same grade to compare the two.
Sparkle - Moissanite is more brilliant than diamonds or any other popular gemstone. Brilliance is a gemstone's ability to reflect white light and create sparkle. This can be scientifically measured with the Refractive Index (RI). Moissanite has a 2.65 to 2.69 RI, making Moissanite 10% more brilliant than diamonds.
Weight - Moissanite weighs slightly less than diamonds, but is also sold by carat weight because their dimensions are identical.
Durability - The only gemstone harder than Moissanite is the diamond. Moissanite is extremely durable and resistant to scratching, abrasion and heat.
Moissanite Shapes
The fire and brilliance of Moissanite depends on its cut.
Round Moissanite is the most popular because it is the most brilliant and fiery. They also look the whitest of all the Moissanite cuts.
Cushion-cut Moissanite has larger facets and rounded corners to increase brilliance. This cut is also called pillow-cut or antique-cut Moissanite.
Oval Moissanite has brilliance similar to the round cut, and looks divine worn on long, slender fingers.
Moissanite also comes in square, princess, heart, pear, marquise, radiant, triangle and other fancy cuts. Keep in mind that these shapes will offer less fire and brilliance than round-cut Moissanite because of their unique proportions.
