Moissanite

Introduction to Moissanite - What is Moissanite and what are its uses?
Moissanite is a trade name name given to silicon carbide which is used in the production of synthetic gemstones. Moissanite gemstones are used in all different types of jewelry including a variety of rings such as wedding rings, engagement rings, earrings, eternity rings, necklace, pendant, bracelet all set in silver sterling and gold. But the cost of Moissanite jewelry is just a fraction of the cost of jewelry containing real diamonds. Moisanite, Mossanite and Moisannite are all common mis-spellings. The high price of gem-grade diamonds has created a large demand for affordable imitation diamonds which have similar characteristics, such as Moissanite and its predecessor Cubic Zirconia (or CV). Even some jewelers have experienced difficulty telling  the difference between a Moissanite and a diamond with the naked eye!

Identifying Moissanite as jewelry
When Moissanite was first introduced in in the summer of 1998 some jewelers misidentified Moissanite as diamond. These early errors occurred when thermal testers were used as an aid to identification because the thermal conductivity of Moissanite is very close to that of diamond. Once the properties of Moissanite were fully known and understood it became is easy to distinguish from diamond - Moissanite is as it is doubly refractive and has a slight yellowish / greenish tint to the stones which becomes more noticeable with increasing gem sizes. So what are the other differences between stones created with Moissanite as opposed to diamonds? What are the Pro's and Cons of Moissanite?

Quality of  Diamonds compared to Moissanite
Comparing the quality of diamonds compared to Moissanite. The Cut, Clarity, Color and Carat Weight all have a significant impact on the cost of diamonds because these factors are all used to value the price of a diamond. The Cut, Color, and Clarity are used to measure the quality of the diamond and the Carat is used to measure the weight of a diamond. The elements of the 4C's have been used to compare Moissanite with diamonds and the comparisons are detailed below.

The Pros and Cons of Moissanite - The Pro's
Facts and Information about the Pros and Cons of Moissanite are as follows, starting with the Pro's of Moissanite :

• Cost - The cost of Moissanite is roughly an eighth of the price of natural diamonds but is generally more expensive than Cubic Zirconia at one tenth of the price of natural diamonds
• Appearance - Moissanite is so optically close to diamond that even some jewellers cannot tell the difference without the aid of various tests
Clarity - Moissanite is not separated into different grades of Clarity like diamonds because each stone must meet set specifications before being released to distributors
•  The set specifications of Moissanite are comparable to diamonds which have been graded VS1-VS2 on the Diamond Clarity Chart
Inclusions / Flaws - Manufactured to appear more like diamonds, Moissanite gemstones have Inclusions which is a plus-point when compared to the flawless Cubic Zirconia - the growing process produces tiny, unnatural, white, ribbon-like inclusions Moissanite stones are equivalent to the H - J grades in the white Diamond Color scale
• Moissanite is not as white-white like the Cubic Zirconia (which is equivalent to a perfect "D" and therefore less believable imitation, as white-white color diamonds are extremely rare
• Hardness - Hardness denotes resistance to scratching as opposed to Toughness which relates to the ability to resist breakage from falls or impacts.
• Moissanite is much harder than most natural gems, and Cubic Zirconia, at about 9.5 on the Mohs scale, however it is nowhere near as hard as a diamond at about 10.0 on the Mohs scale
• Toughness - Moissanite is tougher than diamond because it has no natural fractures that can crack if the stone is subjected to an impact of some kind.
Moissanite has a slightly higher index of refraction (brilliance) and much greater dispersion (fire) than diamond
• Moissanite to is better able to retain it's fire if it gets dirty, oily, or smudged, whereas Cubic Zirconia looks very dull when dirty. The excess fire is seen as a 'pro' by some and a 'con' by others

Moissanite - The Con's
Facts and Information about the disadvantages or cons of the Moissanite are as follows:

• Jewelry containing synthetic gemstones like Moissanite are not a good investment, they do not hold their price
• Color - Has a slight yellowish / greenish tint which becomes more noticeable with increasing gem sizes
• Fluorescence - An undesirable hazy effect that causes them to appear slightly green or yellow. The effect  of Fluorescence on Moissanite is much greater under natural light or in sunlight. A jewelry dealer therefore tends to show the stones under a pink tinged light as this tends to cancel out the fluorescence.
• Moissanite is highly birefringent (a birefringent crystal splits a light beam into two) which is a desirable quality in some optical applications, but is not desirable in gemstones. Moissanite jewels are therefore cut along the optic axis of the crystal to minimize birefringent effects
• Fire - Has more 'fire' or brilliance producing a more synthetic effect. The high dispersion of 0.11 is apparent in Moissanite (nearly 2.5 times greater than that of diamond) and readily distinguishes it from diamond with a dispersion of 0.04 which is virtually unnoticed. The excess fire is sometimes considered cheap and fake looking
• Hardness - Diamonds are harder than Moissanite  which is 9.5 on the Mohs scale compared to a diamond at about 10.0 on the Mohs scale
• Inclusions / Flaws - Manufactured to appear more like diamonds, Moissanite gemstones have Inclusions Also natural flaws are absent in Moissanite replaced instead by tiny, unnatural, white, ribbon-like structures that are a result of the growing process.
• Rarity - Moissanite is not rare and can be made quickly and in vast quantities, whereas natural diamonds take millions of years to form
• Status and Wealth - It has not got the same status as a diamond and does not indicate wealth
• Symbolic Value - Diamonds have long symbolised love and purity - Moissanite has no such symbolic value

What is Moissanite? - Definition
What exactly is what is Moissanite? Definition: It is a high quality synthetic gemstone which imitates the appearance of diamonds and is made in a lab. It is created with silicon and carbon, through a combination of pressure and heat. Moissanite is a trade name name given to silicon carbide (chemical formula SiC) for use in the gem business. Moisanite, Mossanite and Moisannite are all common mis-spellings for Moissanite.

Moissanite CZ Jewelry
Moissanite jewelry has been available since the 1990's and Moissanite jewelry has gained in popularity. Moissanite jewelry include all different types of rings including wedding rings, engagement rings and eternity rings set in silver sterling and gold. Moissanite jewelry also include earrings, necklaces, pendants, bracelets again set in silver sterling and gold.

History Timeline of Moissanite
The following timeline details the discovery and production of Moissanite