What Is Moissanite? Moissanite is an interesting gemstone, because it is both synthetic, and a diamond simulant. It is not, however, a synthetic diamond. It is a diamond simulant because it is made to look like a diamond.
Of all the white gemstone alternatives, moissanite looks and behaves the most like diamond. When viewed side by side, diamond and moissanite are typically indistinguishable.
Moissanite, referred to as a diamond simulant, is engineered to give the illusion of similarity to diamonds, but is compositionally and visually quite different from a real diamond. The durability, brilliance, and color of the two gems are quite distinct.
Cubic Zirconia
They're so commonly used as a diamond look-a-like that many people will cite that all non-naturally occurring diamonds are fake diamonds are called cubic zirconias. Cubic zirconia is a lab-made synthetic substance composed of zirconium dioxide.
Currently, lab-made cubic zirconia (CZ) is the most popular diamond lookalike. At a fraction of the price, it can rival diamond in brilliance (the light it reflects) and dispersion or fire (the colorful flashes that seem to come from within the stone).
What Stones are Comparable to a Diamond? Moissanites or white sapphires are most comparable to a diamond. While there are visible differences, these gems will look the closest to a diamond while offering a more affordable price.
Most synthetic diamonds look too good to be true all due to their extreme brilliance. Does your stone look really bright with lots of rainbow reflected colors? If so, it's most likely cubic zirconia.
Moissanite. In the last few years, moissanite has become one of the most popular diamond alternatives, and it's not hard to see why. Not only does moissanite strongly resemble a diamond, but they come in at a fraction of the price of the latter, and they are almost as durable.
The most common diamond simulants are high-leaded glass (i.e., rhinestones) and cubic zirconia (CZ), both artificial materials. A number of other artificial materials, such as strontium titanate and synthetic rutile have been developed since the mid-1950s, but these are no longer in common use.
The affordability of moissanite has made it a popular choice for those seeking cost-effective alternatives to mined diamonds for their wedding rings and lab grown diamond jewelry. For instance, a 1 carat mined diamond may cost as much as $9,000, while an equivalent 1 carat moissanite gemstone is priced around $600.
Moissanite Arguably the best faux diamond in existence, moissanite comprises silicon carbide, which means it is almost of the same hardness as a natural diamond. It also has reasonable colorlessness, although the glow is far more colorful than what you would see in a real diamond.
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.
Unlike faux diamonds and other gemstones, moissanite is also an effective conductor of heat. For this reason, when using a diamond tester that detects thermal conductivity, moissanite will pass as a diamond.
Herkimer diamond - also known as Herkimer quartz - is a beautiful, crystal clear gemstone that has some interesting physical properties.
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!
What Is Moissanite? Moissanite is an interesting gemstone, because it is both synthetic, and a diamond simulant. It is not, however, a synthetic diamond. It is a diamond simulant because it is made to look like a diamond.
The way that diamonds reflect light is unique: the inside of a real diamond should sparkle gray and white while the outside should reflect a rainbow of colors onto other surfaces. A fake diamond, on the other hand, will have rainbow colors that you can see inside the diamond as well.
Tanzanite. Tanzanite is a shocking 1000 times more rare than a diamond. Discovered for the first time in 1967 and only found in the foothills of Mount Kilimanjaro, these gemstones go for about $1,500 per carat. Tanzanite has the ability to change color depending on the angle of light it is in.
Benitoite. This rare stone exceeds diamond's rarity as well as its "fire" or dispersion. Combined with its often sapphire-blue color, it's no wonder this is a highly sought rare gem. Gem-quality benitoite occurs only in San Benito County, California (and thus a natural choice for the California state gem).
Emerald. Rarer than diamonds, emeralds are also more expensive than the same quality diamond. Their colouring ranges from green to blue-green, and the darker the colour, the more expensive they are.
Yes, some diamond simulants can pass a diamond tester.
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.
Color also has a big impact on the sparkle produced by a diamond. Because diamonds reflect white light, colorless diamonds produce the best sparkle and fire. In fact, the more color a diamond has, the less likely it is to reflect white light.
A large percentage of real diamonds turn a shade of blue under UV lighting because of the minerals inside the stone. Fake diamonds, on the other hand, will light a yellow, grey, or green shade.