Moissanite is a rare naturally occurring mineral, composed of silicon carbide (SiC), first discovered in 1893 by French chemist Henri Moissan. Created under controlled laboratory environments, allowing for consistent, high-quality production with minimal imperfections.
Moissanite has become an increasingly popular and highly regarded stone choice for couples seeking a diamond alternative. It is typically priced around 80% less than natural diamonds, making it one of the most cost-effective centre stone options.
| Durability | Moissanite has a 9.25 on the Mohs scale, being the second hardest material used as a gemstone (after diamond). With a diamond scoring a 10, moissanite falls right behind it with only a 0.75 difference. |
| Brilliance (refers to the stones ability to reflect white light) |
When you’re looking at a diamond, you’ll notice both brilliance (white flashes) and fire (coloured flashes). Moissanite also shows both, but typically has more fire than diamond. So, moissanite tends to have more flashes of light than diamond. Moissanite has a refractive index from 2.65 – 2.69, which is higher than a diamond. |
| Clarity |
Because moissanites are grown in laboratories, they don't have the clarity imperfections that diamonds can contain. Moissanite will always offer that eye-clean look, whilst diamonds may contain imperfections that are visible to the eye. |
| Ethics / Sustainability |
Moissanite stones are not mined meaning there is no risk of unsustainable gem mining, lack of rehabilitation to the environment, exploitation of human labour, or indirectly supporting conflict.
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