Moissanite was discovered in 1893 by Henri Moissan while examining rock samples from a meteorite. Today all applications use synthetic material. It wasn’t until 1998 that Moissanite was introduced to the jewellery market as a diamond alternative.
Moissanite vs Diamonds
A completely synthetic creation, moissanite is an economical alternative to even lab-grown diamonds. With a hardness scale of 9.25 moissanite compares closely with diamond which is 10. Moissanites are also double refractive which means the light bends twice as it passes through them. This can give them a higher brilliance than diamonds. While diamonds are graded on the 4 C’s (Cut, Clarity, Color, Carat), moissanites are graded solely on colour.
If you like a stone that resembles a diamond without the high price, moissanite is a great alternative.