Diamonds are still one of the most valuable and sought-after jewels in jewellery, but there are a few less expensive alternatives that may be utilised to create equally elegant jewellery. Moissanite is a well-known example. Henri Moissan, a French scientist, discovered Moissanite in 1893. Moissan discovered the diamond in an Arizona meteorite crater. Moissan initially thought he had discovered diamonds, only to realise that the jewel was made of silicon carbide.
Moissanite is now created in laboratories by synthesising the same components discovered by Moissan. While gold moissanite engagement rings appears to be a diamond, there are a few peculiarities to be aware of. The toughness of the gemstone is one of the most significant differences between moissanite and diamond. Moissanite gets 9.25 out of 10 on the Mohs Scale of Hardness, a rating system for a gem's resistance, which means it's difficult to cut and ideal for jewellery.
Diamond, on the other hand, remains one of the hardest minerals on the planet, attaining a perfect ten on the Mohs scale. Both should be able to survive the normal wear and tear that jewellery experiences. Moissanite is also more heat resistant, with a temperature range of up to 2000 degrees Fahrenheit, which means it will not break or burn when being repaired.
Real diamonds are colourless no matter where they come from, resulting in a dazzling white lustre. However, diamonds can still be found in certain coloured jewels. This is because of flaws in the composition or cut. Blue and pink hues can increase the value of a diamond, whilst yellow hues might decrease its value. Moissanite is not colourless; it usually has a yellow or green tint to it. Moissanite can, however, be made to appear near colourless depending on the size of the gemstone.
Light affects diamonds in three ways: brilliance is the light reflected by diamonds, dispersion is the light refracted, and scintillation is the diamond's surface light. Moissanite responds differently to light, yet it has the potential to be even more brilliant than diamond, occasionally producing a rainbow flash. Furthermore, moissanite is less likely to acquire dirt or oil and should retain its lustre for a longer period of time.
Regardless of the distinctions between moissanite and diamond, the nicest thing about moissanite is how similar it is to a diamond for a fraction of the price. Jewelry can be an expensive investment, and moissanite is an efficient and economical way to give something special to someone special.
Moissanite has demonstrated that it not only looks like diamond, but also behaves like it, retaining its lustre and withstanding daily wear and high temperatures. As a result, moissanite can preserve and even increase in value over time.
Moissanite is a type of silicon carbide that can be found in nature or manufactured in a laboratory. While it is not as hard as diamond, it is close: Moissanite has a mineral hardness rating of 9.25 to 9.5 on the Mohs scale, while diamond has a rating of 10. This unusual material has a strong crystalline structure that can endure high pressure and provides optical properties akin to diamonds. Moissanite colours are rated on the diamond colour grading system from D to K.
While the endurance of moissanite makes it a desirable material for industrial, technological, and thermal applications, its greatest strength comes in its beauty. Moissanite is a relatively new addition to the realm of jewellery, having been found in 1893. It was discovered mixed among mineral samples retrieved from a meteor crater in Arizona's Canyon Diablo by French scientist Henri Moissan. Moissan initially mistook the crystals he discovered for diamonds. He didn't correctly identify them as silicon carbide until 1904. Interestingly, synthetic silicon carbide was invented at a lab headed by Edward G. Acheson in 1902, two years before Moissan discovered it in its natural state!
Until 1958, when it was discovered in Wyoming's Green River Formation, natural moissanite was assumed to come solely from meteorite craters. Workers at a Yakutia diamond mine discovered natural moissanite in the form of kimberlite inclusions in 1959. Natural moissanite crystals have also been discovered along Israel's Kishon River. Moissanite is now known to occur naturally as inclusions in xenoliths, diamonds, and ultramafic rocks such as lamproite and kimberlite. Moissanite can be discovered in some meteorite craters because carbonaceous chondrite meteorites contain it.
Natural moissanite is extremely rare, hence the moissanite used in jewellery is synthetic. After securing patents to make and commercialise their exquisite lab-grown gemstones, Charles & Colvard debuted synthetic moissanite jewellery to the market in 1998.
When comparing moissanite with diamond, you'll note that moissanite has the unusual ability to give the appearance of doubled facet junctions. This effect produces more vibrant bursts of colour or "fire" than a diamond of the same size and cut.
Diamonds have a Mohs hardness rating of 10, making them more durable than moissanite. Nonetheless, moissanite is among the hardest of all substances, and it is durable enough to be used as a diamond substitute in a range of industrial applications as well as high-pressure studies. Moissanite is tougher than other popular gemstones such as emeralds, rubies, and sapphires, making it ideal for everyday jewellery.
Whereas diamond prices vary according to the specific qualities of the stone, such as cut, colour, and clarity, moissanite costs are often decided by the size of the stone and whether it has been enhanced. In general, moissanite costs a fraction of the price of a comparable sized, shaped, and coloured diamond.
Comments