Only a trained eye can tell. Armed only with the naked eye, the best way to see the difference is to have a comparably sized diamond and to compare side-by-side. You'll notice that moissanite and diamonds have different brilliance.
Most people cannot readily differentiate between a moissanite and a diamond with the naked eye. Moissanite is near-colorless and has a similar refractive index compared to diamond. However, a gemologist can tell the difference between the stones with a loupe by observing the refraction patterns.
The average person can't tell. But if they know what moissanite is, you can tell the difference if they have a chance to really inspect the stone. Most people won't care to take more than a passing glance tho, so it really isn't anything worth worrying about.
The most effective way to tell moissanite apart from a diamond is to use a loupe to look through the top, or the crown, of the jewel at an angle. You will see two slightly blurred lines that indicates a double refraction, an inherent quality of moissanite. Double refraction is easier to see in some shapes than others.
99% of people on the streets cant tell the difference and most of the people who claim to be able to tell the difference with the naked eye cant either. It depends on a lot of factors. I would say the biggest depends on the color of the moissanite. Some colorless or nearly colorless will be too shiny or too white.
Can a jeweler identify moissanite? Certainly, a skilled jeweler or gemologist ought to be able to recognize moissanite. Even though moissanite and diamond can appear to be quite similar, a skilled professional can recognize a few variances.
For example, moissanite, a man made gem, may pass as a diamond on a standard tester pen. This is because moissanite also has very high thermal conductivity! Other diamond simulants, such as CZ, will not pass the tester. So, it's important to use multiple tests to confirm your stone!
1. Highly included and low clarity moissanite are unavailable for those that prefer lower quality gemstones. 2. Moissanite sparkles more than diamond which may be a downside for those that do not prefer it.
Using a jeweler's loupe for magnification, moissanite can be identified by the doubling of junction facets. In layman's terms, facets are flat surfaces cut into gemstones in order to best reflect light, and facet junctions are where these surfaces meet.
So, genuine diamonds will scratch a mirror. On the other hand, so will quartz (7), moissanite (9.25), and cubic zirconia (8). Moissanite and cubic zirconia engagement rings are almost as hard as their diamond counterparts. Most well-made synthetic diamonds will seem authentic if you only use the scratch test.
Moissanite is known for its high retractive index of 2.69, which is 25% greater than the refractive index of a CZ. The higher the refractive index, the more brilliance the jewel emits. Moissanite's dispersion of light is 58% greater than a CZ. Therefore, Moissanite emits more fire, or flashes of rainbow light, than CZ.
We've got good news for you: moissanite does not get cloudy! However, chemical buildup and dirt can start to dull its shine; same as with diamonds and other precious stones. If you keep your moissanite clean, it'll be crystal clear forever.
Brilliance. The most obvious difference between moissanite and diamonds is their brilliance, with moissanite possessing more brilliance than a diamond. “It has more fire and brilliance than any other gemstone, meaning it has more sparkle,” reveals O'Connell.
Moissanite also has the most brilliance of any gem in the world. Brilliance is measured by the amount of light reflected back at your eye. In other words, moissanite is measurably more beautiful than diamonds. In addition to its surface toughness, moissanite can also withstand much higher temperatures than diamonds.
Moissanites are significantly lower in price compared to diamonds of similar shape and dimensions, making them a budget-friendly alternative to a diamond. Moissanite gems vary in price only based on size and whether the stone is Premium or Super Premium.
A clear difference when performing a moissanite vs diamond side by side is the brilliance of each gem. Due to this jewel's High Refractive Index, it can create a superior sparkle, unmatched by a standard diamond.
Moissanite, being a lab-grown gemstone with a different chemical composition, has a unique luminescent behaviour under blacklight.
Yes. Moissanites are strong, long-lasting gemstones. A moissanite should last for your entire life without losing its appearance or becoming damaged. If you choose a setting that's made from a high-quality metal such as platinum or gold, a moissanite ring will last for a very long time.
Of the three, moissanite actually sparkles the most. Even if it's stated that the moissanite is 'colourless', they'll always have a grey to yellow tint that makes it easier to tell. When moissanite sparkles, it replicates more of a disco ball. Cubic zirconia, on the other hand, is made to be completely colourless.
When lab created Moissanites became available on the market around 1980, jewelers had mutual interests to not mass release this gemstone into the market. Jewelers were aware of Moissanites but had all refused to sell or educate consumers on this gem since it would interfere with sales on highly profitable Diamonds.
Moissanite stays super sparkly for its whole life. Because of its superior hardness and great refractive index, Moissanite stands the test of time. Unlike a CZ (a less beautiful diamond simulant), you never have to worry about Moissanite becoming dull, losing its brilliance, or getting foggy.
Moissanite is cheaper than diamonds because it is created in a lab. Rather than going through countless hands and endless red tape, it is created on-demand in the exact quantity, quality, and location that the company requests. This is a tremendous cost-savings for jewellery shops and brands.
Comparing the hardness of the two gems, CZ is less than half as durable as moissanite. Hardness also measures how likely a stone is to scratch or break down under chemical or temperature changes. Because CZs have a lower rating, they have less resistance to these extremes.
Here are some of our pro-tips for cleaning moissanite: The best way on how to clean moissanite is by using a soft toothbrush with dish soap and warm water. You can also use a commercial grade jewelry cleaner if need be. These cleaners work well by removing dirt that gets on your jewelry.
Diamond jewelry resells at roughly 25%-35% of its retail value. Moissanite retail value is also much higher than its resale value but the news here is somewhat better, moissanite can be resold for 50%-60% of its purchase cost.