Moissanite

Moissanite is a "diamond simulant" - a laboratory grown gemstone with propertes similar to diamond. Moissanite is more expensive to make and buy than some other simulants but is said to have better "fire" and to be one of the best diamond simulants available. Although man-made it is sometimes marketed as the "star gem".

The gem's producers, Charles & Colvard, prefer to sell moissanite as a gem in its own right rather than as a "simulated diamond".

What Is Moissanite?

Moiassanite is the trade name for silicon carbide (SiC) used in the production of gemstones. It's named after Ferdinand Moissan who discovered the substance in a meteorite in Canyon Dianlo, Arizona in 1905. Although this discovery has led to moissanite being dubbed a "star diamond", the vast majority you can buy is laboratory made. Natural moissanite is extremely rare.

CREE Research began laboratory production of silicon carbide in the 1980s. These were initially single large samples - in 1995 they began to look at cutting them into single stones. The first of these were put on the market in 1998 by CREE subsidiary Charles & Colvard. Since then the popularity of moissanite jewelry has grown tremendously.

It can be extremely difficult to tell the difference between moissanite and diamond. The two have very similar refractive indices and hardness ratings. Unlike cubic zirconia, moissanite is thermally conductive so some standard tests fail to distinguish between the two. A special hand held unit is available to test specifically for moissanite.

Moissanite has considerably more "brilliance" (its refractive index) and "fire" (dispersion) than natural diamond.

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