There’s no doubt that over the years, diamonds have been expertly marketed to become one of the most popular and sought-after gems for all types of jewelry. Fortunately in recent years, expert gemologists, smart couples, and jewelers have begun searching for conflict-free diamond alternatives that are just as beautiful and lustrous. Meet moissanite.
First discovered in 1893 by Henri Moissan, moissanite is an incredibly rare and naturally-originating gemstone. Now mainly grown in cutting-edge laboratories, brands like Moissanite Labs can ensure that each gem is flawless, colorless, and rivals natural diamond. Let's examine the differences between moissanite and diamond.
Appearance
When viewing high refractive index (R.I.) gems, there are two qualities which catch the eye: brilliance and fire. Brilliance is the white flashes that result from the reflection of light off the surfaces of the facets. Fire is the colorful flashes coming from the gem material itself.
Due to its high R.I, moissanite produces a higher degree of fire than diamond. The truly colorless quality of top-grade DEF moissanite gems also allows for a higher level of brilliance than diamond due to the varying inclusions in diamonds muddying the light and diminishing the overall appearance of each gem. Finding a truly-colorless diamond is exceedingly rare and incredibly expensive.
Price
Although loved for its superiority in both appearance and sustainability, moissanite is also prized for its affordability and lower markups. While diamonds require complex mining operations that span across the globe, moissanite can be grown in cutting-edge labs and thus, savings are able to be passed on to you.
Couples love using their savings to go on luxurious honeymoons, begin saving for a beautiful home, or start an education fund for children. With many diamond buyers later regretting their purchases and wondering why they ever spent so much, moissanite fills a valuable role in providing an amazing experience all without the markups of the diamond industry.
Hardness
It's no secret that diamond is the hardest mineral found on Earth, with a hardness of 10 on the Mohs scale. Moissanite comes in at a close second at 9.25 (still harder than sapphire). Furthermore, while hardness only applies to the resistance to scratching, diamonds have internal cleavage planes which make them susceptible to cracking, a fault that most moissanite is immune to.
Sustainability
Diamond mining causes enormous environmental devastation. It is estimated that for every carat of diamond mined, over 1 ton of earth is excavated. Mining often leads to erosion, deforestation and barren wastelands. If you look at images of diamond mines, you'll see bleak pits in the ground that harm local communities. In addition, much of the diamond industry is rooted in slavery and exploitative working conditions. In contrast, moissanite is produced conflict-free in vetted laboratories. There's a reason you'll never hear of "blood moissanite".
When looking for your next addition to your jewelry collection or the centerpiece for a beautiful ring as unique as you, consider choosing this ethically-sourced stone. Every gem from Moissanite Labs is conflict-free and doesn't require land exploitation and dirty mining that harms our planet.
We're on a mission to share moissanite, the world's most-beautiful conflict-free gem, with the world. If you're ready to shop or just want to explore our collection, click here to view our premium moissanite gems.