If you have been hearing about moissanite and do not know what it is, you had better start learning about it. This precious stone exhibits superior qualities that make it a perfect fit for jewelry use. Before you buy your moissanite jewelry, it would help to learn moissanite properties to know what you are buying. It will help a lot in your jewelry choice.
Discovered in 1893, Moissanite interests grew among scientists. They later found it to be Silicone Carbide. From that discovery, manufacturing started in laboratories to this date. Therefore, this is enough supply in the market for all kinds of uses. As a result, it is more affordable than diamonds.
What defines moissanite?
This diamond-like stone is a top choice among jewelry lovers hence the reason it is of interest to them. Jewelers are growing moissanite in their labs for its great qualities. Therefore, it would be important to know them before you choose moissanite for your jewelry. Here is what you should know about this precious stone.
- Great Fire and Brilliance
A gemstone’s fire and brilliance are due to its refractive index. This refers to its ability to disperse light touching its surface. For moissanite, this quality is higher than that of diamond and many others in the market. Therefore, it is perfect for making jewelry products.
Upon hitting the stone’s surface, light is dispersed, producing a beautiful spectrum of light. It produces unmatched beauty and elegance compared to other gemstones.
- Hardness and Durability
The quality of hardness is important for all gemstones. Therefore, you must check the value of each stone you want to consider for your consumption. On the Mohs scale of hardness, moissanite has a value of 9.25, which is close to the diamond’s score of 10. For that reason, it compares favorably with the hardest stones in the market.
Due to this quality, moissanite is hard to scratch hence a durable option for most jewelers. In addition, it is heat resistant making it great since it requires little care in adverse weather conditions.
- Varying sizes and shapes
Jewelers easily cut this gem to produce varying shapes and sizes. Therefore, it is your perfect choice when in need of custom solutions for your jewelry. Unlike diamond, moissanite will give you options if you are looking for a unique size and shape to use.
Cutting this gem happens in a way that maximizes its light reflection abilities. Therefore, jewelers do it to ensure greater fire and brilliance than what you will see in other stones out there in the market.
- Clarity
Compared to diamond, moissanite ranks better providing stones with little or no inclusions in them. Therefore, the clarity of this gem is good. Any inclusions can only be seen under magnification. This is an important quality to check when buying gemstones out there in the market.
- Moissanite color property
Color and shade are vital for gemstones. Therefore, it is important to see how this gem compares with others. The most common color grades for this stone are two: the classic forever-brilliant version ranked as the I-J diamonds and the forever-brilliant options. Each of these comes with certificates ascertaining its color and quality.
Most of the top grade moissanite is colorless and “near-colorless.” However, you will find other variations of grey and yellow-green color. All these are good options but they will attract different prices.
- Carat weight of Moissanite
Conventionally, jewelers measure the weight of a diamond using carats. Typically, a carat weighs 200 milligrams. However, one-carat weight can be divided into smaller portions of up to 100 in number.
For moissanite of the same size as a 1-carat diamond, the weight is less. Therefore, moissanite is less dense than diamond. In that case, the gem is measured in millimeters. For instance, a 1-carat diamond measures 6.5mm but for moissanite of the same size, it will be 0.87 carat.
Final Thoughts
Moissanite provides great properties and qualities that compare well with renowned gemstones like a diamond. The stone is good due to its hardness, strength, fire and beautiful color. Above all, it is quite affordable despite providing diamond-like qualities to its users. Therefore, it is a top choice among jewelers for making quality and budget-friendly items.