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Learn about Moissanite

Learn about Moissanite

What exactly is moissanite? Is it a laboratory-grown diamond substitute? Not at all.


The name moissanite was named after Henri Moissan, the French Nobel Prize winner responsible for first discovering this luxurious jewel. In 1893, Moissan accidentally made the discovery of the natural mineral silicon carbide (SiC) while examining rock samples from a meteor crater located in Arizona.


Moissanite is a diamond simulant made of silicon carbide. A diamond simulant is a stone that has a similar appearance to a diamond but is not a real diamond. It is very difficult to tell apart a diamond & moissanite, making moissanite a common diamond alternative. It's one of the most common gemstones for engagement rings after diamonds. Moissanites are often compared to a diamond because diamonds have been the go-to option for engagement jewelry and any heirloom pieces due to their leading durability. This is achievable since a diamond’s hardness is a 10 on the Mohs scale (highest possible). The second gemstone on that list are moissanites, coming in at a 9.25, which means you can wear it every day for the rest of your life.


What is the difference between moissanite and diamond?


Hardness

Moissanite scores a 9.25 on the Mohs scale of hardness, while diamonds score a 10. This scale measures a gem’s ability to withstand scratches. Diamonds, at 10, are very hard and durable. And since moissanite is close behind at 9.25, it makes a great alternative for engagement rings and wedding rings since the gem can handle the wear of everyday use.


Color

Colorless diamonds contain no trace of other shades. Colorless moissanite, on the other hand, may project hints of yellow or grey. With both diamonds and moissanite, color is more apparent in larger gems.


Brilliance

Brilliance, a gem’s ability to reflect light, gives it its sparkling appearance. Moissanite and diamonds reflect light in different ways, since their faceting patterns are different. Gemstone fire or dispersion refers to how the stone breaks down light into spectral colors (the.Rainbow effect) through double refraction, When one ray of light passes through a moissanite gemstone, it is actually bent and refracted into two, emitting even more fire. This does not occur in a diamond, which only experiences single refraction.While some people are partial to moissanite’s rainbow reflections, others prefer the classic radiance of a diamond.


Price

When it comes to choosing between moissanite and diamonds, it really comes down to price. The cost of a moissanite ring varies depending on size and the quality of the stones, just as the cost of diamond rings varies according to cut, carat, clarity, and shape. Lab-produced diamonds are also less expensive than natural diamonds. But the bottom line is that moissanite jewelry is significantly cheaper than diamond jewelry: a 1-carat moissanite can cost around $400, while a 1-carat diamond can cost around $4,000. It’s a huge gap.


How Is Moissanite Graded?

Like diamonds, moissanites are graded on a scale known as “The Four Cs” (cut, clarity, color, and carat weight).

Diamonds are made of carbon atoms that form a crystal lattice. The four C’s refer to the most important characteristics of diamonds:


Cut (the quality, proportionality, and symmetry of its various features

Clarity (the absence or presence in diamond stones with more than microscopic flaws.

Color(Diamond Color Actually Means Lack of Color.

Carat weight(The size of a diamond is relative to its carat weight.


Can Moissanite Pass a Tester?

The answer is yes! Moissanite rings will not be detected by the diamond tester. Moissanite will often be misidentified as diamond by basic diamond testers because they only test heat conductivity and Moissanite is very similar to diamonds in that area. Testing electrical conductivity is a more certain way to distinguish the two stones. 

 

The Value, and Limitations, of a Diamond Tester

The Diamond Tester has become standard gemological equipment. Your basic diamond tester only tests one thing—thermal conductivity, which means it can distinguish diamonds and moissanite from other stones, like Cubic Zirconia (CZ), but it typically CAN’T tell Moissanite and Diamonds apart (it registers both as diamond).


Heat conductivity isn’t exactly the same for Moissanite and Diamond, but it’s really close. Many diamond testers can’t perceive the small difference, others are fooled because they aren’t calibrated properly to pick up the slight difference in conductivity. Even with their limitations, Diamond Testers are still valuable tools for jewelers and gemologists, they just can’t be trusted to tell the full story. In order to differentiate diamonds from Moissanite, a second tool (or functionality) is required.


Moissanite is (very slightly) electrically conductive—so slightly, that you need specialized equipment to detect it. A device called a Moissanite Tester has been designed for that very purpose. Moissanite testers only measure electrical conductivity—so they can easily distinguish between diamonds and Moissanite because diamonds are not electrically conductive.

Moissanite isn’t unique as a stone that’s electrically conductive, there are a number of gemstones that share that quality, but, again, diamonds are not one of them. Having access to BOTH a Diamond Tester and a Moissanite Tester allows you to positively identify whether a particular stone is a diamond, Moissanite, or something else more consistently. If your Diamond Tester identifies a given stone as “diamond,” you’ll know that it’s either diamond or Moissanite. As a subsequent test, If your Moissanite Tester indicates that the stone is ‘Moissanite,’ you’ll have a positive identification (that it is, in fact, Moissy)—otherwise, you can be certain it’s diamond.


Moissanite Cleaning & Care

Moissanites do need care to keep them at their brilliant best. A clean Moissanite will reflect light better and allow its fire and brilliance to show. That added brilliancy makes the Moissanite look larger than one that has been "dulled" by oil from the skin, soaps, cosmetics, and everyday activities.One of the advantages of Moissanite over diamonds or any diamond alternative available is that it does not have the same affinity towards grease and oil. That being said it is still a good idea to clean your jewelry about once a month to keep them sparkling as brilliantly as possible.


 

The Detergent Bath

Prepare a small bowl of warm soapy water. Use any mild liquid detergent that does not contain "soap" for it creates another type of "film" on the surface of the Moissanite. We do not recommend the use of any abrasive cleaners for any type of jewelry. Brush pieces gently with a toothbrush and rinse well. A hair dryer may be used to finish drying the jewelry.


The Cold Water

Another home cleaning process you can do is to make a cup of a solution containing water and household ammonia or similar product like Mr. Clean. We recommend about 3/4 parts of water and 1/4 part of the cleaning chemical. Let the Moissanite jewelry soak for about 10 minutes and with a toothbrush gently tap around the back and front of the mounting and if you can, try to reach behind the mounting where dirt would have accumulated. Rinse it well with warm to hot water and dry it with the help of your blow dryer. (We don't recommend the use of towels for drying your jewelry).


Commercial Home Jewelry Cleaners

You can purchase one of many formulated, non-toxic liquid jewelry cleaners such as GemCare. These cleaners are ideal for effectively removing the "film" that can accumulate on a gemstone surface.


Ultrasonic Cleaner

This is the most effective option for maintaining the brilliance of your Moissanites. It is the method our jewelers use prior to shipping customers' orders. It creates a high-frequency turbulence which can clean most of your jewelry.


Additional Recommendations

You may try to avoid using your fine jewelry while playing sports (working out in a gym is included here) or when you do any kind of rough work. Even though a Moissanite is the most durable natural crystal structure known to man, it can be chipped by a hard blow along its grain.


When you are not wearing your Moissanite jewelry, try to separate them individually. Moissanite pieces in a drawer or left in contact with other jewelry in a jewelry case can scratch each other and also can scratch other jewelry.


Does moissanite lose its sparkle?


First,what is Sparkle?Before we begin, let’s have a quick look at what ‘sparkle’ actually means. When white light enters a gemstone, it is broken up as it bounces around inside the stone. As it exits through the top of the stone, it leaves as a colourful flash. This creates a beautiful, dazzling effect called fire. Gemstones that can break up white light into colourful sparkles are described as “fiery” stones. Many gemstones exhibit fire, including diamonds. The special quality of Moissanite is how much fire it displays. It is well-known for this feature.


However, fire is only one aspect of sparkle. Brilliance and scintillation are also two important factors. Brilliance refers to your gem’s ability to reflect unbroken white light back to your eye. As white light enters the stone, some of it will remain unbroken, bouncing back out of the stone in one straight beam. A stone’s refractive index measures how much of this unbroken white light (brilliance) it can reflect. When you think of sparkle, you are thinking of a stone’s combined fire and brilliance. These two actions work together and complement each other to create a beautiful glitter in your stones.


Moissanite is truly a “forever” stone. With a superior hardness rating, dazzling amounts of fire and brilliance, and scratch-resistant properties, your Moissanite’s sparkle is guaranteed to last a lifetime. Moissanite does not lose its sparkle, and, with proper love and care, your grandchildren will also be able to enjoy this dazzling gemstone generations on!Moissanites have an extremely hard surface with outstanding reflective properties, making them able to withstand heavy wear without losing their luster for years upon end, unlike less attractive simulants like cubic zirconia (CZ). 


In Conclusion

Moissanite is an ethical and cost-effective option for anyone looking into purchasing an engagement ring or any other kind of jewelry. It is a beautiful and brilliant gemstone that rivals (or beats) the diamond in many categories and lends itself well to countless styles and cuts.


Moissanite boasts both tangible and ethical benefits, such as in its brilliance, durability, and versatility, while being lab-produced makes it conflict and exploitation free, as well as being far more sustainable than the diamond.

If you’ve read through this article and felt excited about all the benefits of a Moissanite, and you want something affordable that can give a better-looking ring for a lower cost, a Moissanite engagement jewelry is the right choice for you. The amazing part of shopping for a moissanite  is that there really isn’t any limitation to the designs you can choose from. Have a look at our Tianyu gems full collection of moissanite to start!




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