Why choose diamonds when there’s moissanite?
Life goes on, and momentous occasions present themselves before you know it! Proposals, marriages, anniversaries – all events that we have learnt could (and in many cases, depending on the expectations you have been taught) should be commemorated using a diamond. That brings another new challenge into the picture: budget.
Traditional beliefs have taught us that 4-6 months’ worth of salary should go into the purchasing of an engagement ring, but given the cost of modern living, this belief is swiftly becoming not only outdated, but being called out for being impractical! Who wants to start the next phase of their life deep in debt? People are beginning to realise that many of the norms and societal rules we have been taught stem from a very different time, and that many of these standards can no longer be considered applicable in the modern world.
A clearer conscience
As time progresses, more and more information about the questionable nature of the diamond industry is coming to light, and people are taking notice (and action!). Diamonds have been closely linked to not only environmental destruction through mining, but exploitation, underpayment, conflict, corruption and even war.
The term, Blood Diamond, comes from its centuries-long connotation to conflict, particularly in Africa, where diamond corporations have caused massive destruction of the environment and communities through their exploitation of the land and soil in order to extract these diamonds. A lab-grown diamond can be a better option, as it removes the need for mining, but still comes with a massive price tag. What to do if you want something ethical but affordable? Moissanite might be just what you’ve been looking for.
What makes Moissanite the cover-all answer?
Because moissanites are lab-generated from a compound known as silicon carbide, they not only do not rely on mining to make their way into the market – it is also much easier to balance supply and demand in this way. Because the galactic costs of mining are taken out of the equation, it is a lot easier to make the stones available at a more competitive price. Far from being a cheap fake diamond, moissanites are an independently valuable jewel, with several (if not most) of their physical attributes being comparable to those of diamonds.
Moissanite is a brilliant option if you want to find a piece of jewellery for a smaller budget. An excellent bonus to buying a moissanite, which many people are not aware of, is that it is twice as shiny as diamonds! The technical term for this is the refraction qualities of the stone, which refers to the amount of light it lets out. In the case of a moissanite, it is double refractive, meaning that it lets out twice as much light that what enters the stone. Compared to a diamond, which is only single refractive, the brilliance of a moissanite is incomparable! As with any other gemstone, it is imperative to choose the right cut and colour for your stone, to make it come to life.
