Those who have already taken the plunge and switched to moissanite instead of diamonds, can thank its discoverer, Henri Moissan, who found the first deposit of what we have come to know as moissanite, near the impact site of a meteorite in the 1800s. If you only know one thing about moissanite, let it be this: its brilliance is out of this world – in fact, it is twice as brilliant as a diamond! One thing it is not, however, is literally out of this world. Due to the fact that the first discovery was made near the meteorite crater, many people believed for a long time that moissanite came from outer space, or as many websites will so glibly state, “from the stars”! This is however not the case – moissanite is made from silicon carbide, a naturally occurring compound that is found right here on earth. Sorry, space fans. But moissanite doesn’t need alien origins to be amazing. Here’s why.
It’s hard to be a moissanite
Really though. The scale of hardness against which gemstones are measured, is known as the Mohs scale of hardness. Diamonds measure in at a 10. Moissanites weigh in at a very competitive 9.5. What does this mean in real life? Moissanites and diamonds can basically be used interchangeably, with very little risk of scratching, cracking or harm coming to the stone as a result of processing.
A bit of colour
Both diamonds and moissanite are graded according to colour. In both cases, clear or completely colourless is the gold standard for high value, and as the tints vary from greyish to green and finally to yellow, the value of the stone decreases accordingly. Yellow tints carry the lowest value, but don’t take that as a disaster. The colour variations are often so slight that they cannot be picked up by the naked eye, or by a non-professional.
The cut of the stone also goes a long way in bringing out its brilliance. The angles of the facets are intended to channel and direct the light that enters the stone, to make sure that the light is amplified as much as possible upon exiting the stone. Because moissanite is already double refractive as it is, the cutting process is greatly simplified. Affordable Moissanite diamonds benefits from classic cuts, giving it a minimal, clean look, and cut correctly, you will be amazed at the fire and brilliance the stone gives off.
Because it gives off twice as much light as diamonds, moissanites sparkle more. When investing in a moissanite, you can have the best of both worlds – a stone with a far better sparkle, at a far lower price point.
Now is the time to get one!
Almost any budget is moissanite-friendly. The ludicrous idea of having to save several months’ worth of your salary before being able to propose is not only dated, but ludicrous, as no-one should be kicking off their married life out of pocket or in debt. Why not welcome a moissanite into your life?
