It was a very large meteorite that struck Arizona thousands of years ago. But the biggest impact of that meteorite was not its explosive contact with the earth’s surface, but instead was brought about by the smallest traces of an unknown mineral found within it. That mineral was moissanite. An exceedingly brilliant mineral, moissanite showed promise as the perfect gemstone, if only there was more of it. Alas, there was not. But now, more than a hundred years after its discovery, and through the miracles of modern science, moissanite has finally made its way onto the jewelry market, and is enjoying great success as a leading diamond alternative. With unequaled brilliance and fire it’s no wonder that moissanite is fast becoming the gemstone of choice for discerning buyers the world over.

The advantages of moissanite:

What are the reasons for buying moissanite? Why not simply buy diamonds instead? The fact is that there are many advantages to owning moissanite jewelry as opposed to diamond jewelry. Some of those advantages are:

The Brilliance: In the jewelry industry the term “brilliance” is used to denote the amount of white light returned through a gem to the eye of the observer. In other words, how “sparkly” a gem is. Moissanite is actually more brilliant than any diamond, allowing moissanite jewelry to “show” better than diamond jewelry.

The Fire: The dispersion of light through a gemstone, particularly a colorless one, creates flashes of color. This is commonly known as the fire. The light dispersion of moissanite is more than twice that of a diamond, giving it far more fire.

The Mystery: Moissanite is truly not of this world. Originally discovered in meteorites, moissanite has the allure of a heavenly star fallen to earth. Moissanite jewelry adds mystery and sophistication to any outfit.

The Cost: With all its beauty and allure moissanite jewelry is still less expensive than diamond jewelry. For instance: a pair of diamond stud earrings with a total carat weight of 2 ct. can cost $15,000 or more, while the same pair of earrings with moissanite instead of diamonds should cost around $900.

It is also important to note that moissanite is not a diamond substitute, like cubic zirconium, which seeks, and fails, to emulate the beauty of diamonds. Moissanite is instead a diamond alternative, with a beauty and allure all its own. Moissanite can be worn with pride, which is something that cannot be said about cubic zirconium.

Where is the best place to purchase moissanite:

To get an idea of the different styles and prices that are available in moissanite jewelry it is more convenient to view it online before shopping around at local jewelry stores.

Retail jewelers will sometimes carry a small selection of moissanite, but you will find a greater selection online. Just type “moissanite” into an Internet search engine like Google or Yahoo and you will find several reliable websites that specialize in moissanite.

The cost of moissanite jewelry is dependant upon several variables, the type of jewelry and the size of the stone. Moissanite earrings with a total carat weight of 2ct. should cost around $900. A 2ct. moissanite ring or pendant should cost between $1100 and $1200. A 4ct. moissanite tennis bracelet should cost around $2000.

Why moissanite is so popular:

Is there any wonder why moissanite is makings such a big splash in the jewelry industry? As colorless stones go even diamonds can’t match the beauty of moissanite, not to mention the cost. With brilliance, fire, and mystery trapped in the heart of every gem, moissanite is simply unequaled by any other stone.

Casey Buell is an expert in the field of moissanite and gemstones, and a contributor to the award winning moissanite website located at http://www.moissanite-collection.com/

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In 1998, C3, Inc. (Charles and Colvard) [Nasdaq: CTHR], a subsidiary of Cree Research, Inc., introduced gem-quality synthetic silicon carbide onto the market under the name “moissanite,” marketing it as a lower-cost alternative to diamond. For example, a 1 carat (200 mg) moissanite gem sells for about $600 (2005 USD), while a diamond of similar size and color typically runs for upwards of $4500. Synthetic moissonite is almost as hard as diamond, with a slightly higher index of refraction and greater dispersion; these qualities make SiC a decent and durable diamond simulant. Moissanite’s greater dispersion and index of refraction gives it more fire and brilliance than diamond.

Source: Wikipedia

While some properties of moissanite are closer to those of diamond than to cubic zirconia, another synthetic diamond simulant, once its properties are known, moissanite is perhaps even easier to identify, as it is doubly refractive and has a slight green tint to it. Jewellers were at first fooled by moissanite’s thermal conductivity, which is close to that of diamond, rendering older thermal testers useless; what worked with cubic zirconia did not work with moissanite.

Moissanite is harder than cubic zirconia (9 1/4 vs. 8 1/2), lighter (SG 3.33 vs. 5.6), and much more resistant to heat. This results in a stone of higher lustre, sharper facets and good resilience: loose moissanites may be placed directly into ring moulds, as the stones remain undamaged by temperatures up to twice the 900 °C melting point of 18k gold.