Moissanite vs. diamond, which one should you choose?

 Moissanite competes with diamonds because of the similarities between the two stones. Indeed, it's possible for a neophyte to confuse a moissanite ring with a diamond. Our comparison highlights the nuances that separate them, to help you choose between a moissanite or a diamond.

What is moissanite?

Moissanite is an extremely rare mineral on Earth. It represents the natural form of silicon carbide, giving it the chemical formula SiC. Its crystals have a hexagonal tabular shape with rounded edges. They are very small in size, rarely exceeding one millimeter by five.

Moissanite crystals found in nature are rarely pure, which considerably affects their transparency. In addition, the stone is not perfectly colorless, but displays more or less discreet yellow, green or gray hues.

Thanks to the powerful chemical bonds of its atoms, like those of diamond, moissanite boasts exceptional hardness, coupled with a high capacity to resist high pressures. By way of comparison, while diamond sits at the top of the Mohs scale of mineral hardness, with a rating of 10, moissanite is right on its heels, with a rating of between 9.25 and 9.5. It thus ranks as the second hardest stone in the world.

 

The history of moissanite

 Moissanite owes its name to French chemist Henri Moissan (1852-1907). Winner of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1906, he is also remembered for being the first to isolate fluorine and for his work, which had numerous applications in industry.

Henri Moissan first observed moissanite in 1893. It was extracted from a meteorite that fell some 50,000 years ago in Canyon Diablo, Arizona, USA. Moissanite was initially mistaken for diamond because of its many similarities with the gemstone.

Once this misunderstanding was cleared up, it was considered an extraterrestrial stone until 1958, as it was always extracted from a meteorite. That year, the mineral was observed in the Green River in Wyoming, confirming its existence on Earth.

In 1959, more moissanite crystals were discovered in a Russian diamond mine in Yakutia (eastern Siberia). It appeared as inclusions in the deposit's kimberlites, dark, compact eruptive rocks.

 Other observations have since followed, most often within meteorites, more occasionally in the upper layer of the Earth's crust. Moissanite generally occurs as inclusions, in a variety of materials: kimberlite and lamproite (magmatic rocks), as well as xenolith (rock embedded in magmatic rock), for example, or in diamonds.  

 

The genesis of natural moissanite remains a mystery

The genesis of diamonds at the bottom of the Earth's mantle, where the highest temperatures prevail, is well known. It's known as the "igneous process": when magmatic rocks rising to the Earth's surface as a result of volcanic eruptions cool, their atoms hierarchize in crystalline form, giving rise to diamond. The formation of moissanite, however, remains unknown. Several hypotheses have already been put forward, but none has the unanimous support of researchers.

The extreme rarity of natural moissanite makes the mineral economically unaffordable. What's more, its often imperfect purity doesn't meet the criteria for jewelry design. For this reason, it is only available from jewelers in synthetic form.

 

Moissanite laboratory production

 Moissanite is produced in the laboratory by sublimation, from silicon carbide powder. This is heated to a temperature of 2,300°C, under argon gas and a vacuum, until evaporation takes place. The steam then passes through a graphite filter, lowering the temperature slightly to 2,200°C. It then solidifies and settles on a rotating seed crystal, accumulating in the form of a ball or stick.

Once cooled, the silicon and carbon form powerful bonds with each other and the final material, considered a gem, is moissanite.

The moissanite manufacturing process may seem fairly straightforward, but it requires considerable technical resources. This explains the lower cost of moissanite compared with diamond, although it remains expensive. In any case, only this alternative to natural moissanite is used for jewelry design.

 

Moissanite vs diamond: the comparison

 With the use of natural moissanite ruled out, jewelers are turning to its synthetic version to compete with diamond, which remains the symbol of excellence. As already mentioned, moissanite's hardness is close to that of diamond. Although it is a little more exposed to the risk of scratches, it remains high-performance.

Now let's take a look at the two stones under the angel four main criteria taken into account to determine diamond quality and value: Carat, Clarity, Colour and Cut.

1 Diamond vs moissanite carat price

 The weight of stones is expressed in carats, equivalent to 0.20 grams.

The price per carat of rough diamonds varies considerably due to their natural state, which cannot be influenced by man. Moissanite, on the other hand, has a more stable price per carat due to its industrial design. There are, of course, nuances depending on the quality of manufacture. To assess the commercial value, you also need to take into account the lower density of moissanite compared to diamond, with an average difference of 15%. This means, for example, that a moissanite ring weighing the same as a diamond ring will have 15% more volume.

The comparison between moissanite and diamond price per carat is not linear: on small stones, a diamond will be worth twice as much as moissanite; as the weight increases, the gap widens to the detriment of the diamond.

2 Moissanite vs diamond: clarity

 A stone's clarity depends on its inclusions and other defects. While these are often only visible with a magnifying glass, the effects on light reflection are perceptible to the naked eye.

Because it is industrially produced, moissanite has fewer imperfections than natural diamond. The price of the latter increases proportionally with its clarity.

3 Moissanite vs diamond: the color

The color of moissanite and diamond can be mistaken for each other from a distance or in poor lighting, but an expert eye won't be fooled.

The GIA (Gemological Institute of America) color rating is based on a scale ranging from D, the most colorless diamond, to Z, the most colorful.

Moissanite is never perfectly colorless and cannot be graded on the GIA scale. It is, however, considered rank K, as it reveals zests of yellow, green or gray, more or less pronounced depending on its fineness.

In all cases, the natural luminosity of diamonds is unsurpassed.

 4 Moissanite vs diamond: the cut

Moissanite is on a par with diamond in terms of cut, as it tolerates them all.

 

 

The brilliance of diamonds

In addition to the 4 C's, the stone's brilliance also plays an important role in the diamond's reputation. The fire attributed to it is the way in which light penetrates the diamond and is then dispersed into spectral colors, giving rise to the colors of the rainbow.

Its sparkle is the contrast between light and dark areas, resulting from the internal and external reflections seen from the top of the diamond. Any imbalance between these zones - depending on the quality of the diamond and its cut - makes the jewel darker and duller.  

The diamond's luminosity, referred to by some as brilliance, is due to the internal and external reflections of white light alone, observed from the top of the stone. It determines the diamond's "adamantine" brilliance.

 Is moissanite as brilliant as a diamond?

 Moissanite refracts light very well. It must, of course, be properly cut to disperse the light ideally.

These qualities give it remarkable brilliance... a little too remarkable for some connoisseurs' taste. Indeed, the way it reflects light appears too sparkling, without being as clear and vivid as a diamond. For some purists, moissanite cannot claim the incomparable elegance of a diamond.  

  

 

Moissanite vs. diamond: what should you choose? 

In conclusion, what should you choose between a moissanite ring and a diamond ring? Naturally, you'll need to consider your budget, which is necessarily higher for a diamond ring. As for the symbolic value, this is also in favor of the diamond. However, moissanite is an exceptional stone, but not a precious one.

Make no mistake about it, diamonds remain the undisputed value, passed down from generation to generation without losing their purity, color, brilliance or their ever-increasing commercial value. Diamonds will remain a prime family heirloom.

Finally, never forget the eternal value of the diamond in a piece of jewelry that will be handed down from generation to generation. It suffers no comparison on this point, whereas moissanite will never have this prestige.