Moissanite vs Diamond: What’s the Difference

Diamonds may have been women’s best friend for the longest time now, but lately we can all be held guilty for looking for alternatives that more importantly than anything, FIT THE BILL (without compromising on the glitz and glam, of course). Lucky for us, Moissanite has recently surged to popularity for checking all the right boxes of the perfect Diamond alternative. It practically mirrors the Diamond in appearance.

But as much as everyone is going gaga over it for that, it has led to considerable amount of confusion when it comes to figuring out the exact difference between the two by the untrained eye. No worries! To end the dilemma once and for all, experts at Sparkanite have come up with a comprehensive guide that will walk you through the ultimate showdown: Moissanite vs Diamond.

From brilliance, price, and durability to environmental considerations, you’ll be surprised to unearth the many differences that not only set the two gemstones apart, but can also prove instrumental in helping you make a more informed choice while shopping. Let’s dig into it:

First things first, What is Moissanite?

In simplest terms, Moissanite is a gemstone composed of silicon carbide that is more often than not, artificially grown in laboratories. In the limelight for being the perfect alternative to Diamonds, Moissanite imitates a Diamond in appearance (as long as you see it from a naked eye) thanks to its colorless beauty and brilliance.

Now that you’ve been introduced to it, aren’t you already weighing Moissanite against Diamond to arrive at the better gemstone. Let us decode the trick to you:

Is it better to buy a Moissanite or Diamond?

Well, it would be unfair for us to decide that on your behalf. So, while we’d leave the final choice upon you (since it ultimate comes down to your personal preferences), we can definitely assist you in taking the right call:

For those who are more about traditions, stature, and most importantly, can afford a luxury of the likes of Diamond, are naturally bound to go for it. But here’s what breaks the deal for Moissanite compared to Diamond- the POCKET FRIENDLY PRICE, the uncanny resemblance in appearance, and well, it’s got its share of pros (which you’ll figure out yourself as we decode the difference between the two gemstones).

Since the war of the better pick between these two gemstones won’t be over until you can set the two apart yourself (and take a call accordingly), let’s head to the ultimate difference between Moissanite and Diamond:

Moissanite vs Diamond Comparision

• Brilliance & Fire

  The brilliance of the gemstone is nothing but the light it reflects back as a result of the interaction of its facets with light, thus forming ‘THE SPARKLE.’ Fire, on the other hand, can best be defined as the splitting of the light that hits the gemstone into spectral colors.

  While their visual resemblance can easily fool an untrained eye, Moissanite & Diamond differ quite a bit when it comes to brilliance. In fact, to everyone’s surprise, Moissanite beats Diamond with a higher refractive index of 2.65-2.69 (as compared to 2.417-2.419 of Diamond). As a result, Moissanite sparkles way more.

  Moreover, if you closely notice, you’ll find the sparkle of Moissanite to resemble a rainbow with its colorful flashes (all thanks to its unique faceting pattern). While in the case of Diamond, the sparkle is way more white. That’s only because the dispersion value of Moissanite is more or less, twice the Diamond’s. So naturally, it exhibits more fire.

  Don’t forget to do a Moissanite vs Diamond side by side, to notice the slight visual difference (especially with stones that are considerably big in size).

• Durability

  Durability tells how well your gemstone can withstand the regular wear and tear.

  While both the gemstones stand out for their impressive durability, but Diamond is, to no surprise, the hardest mineral that the mankind has ever known. It strikes a perfect 10 hardness rating on the Mohs Scale. So naturally, it beats a Moissanite when we speak of durability.

  But interestingly, Moissanite is not as far behind as you’d have thought. It has been rewarded with a hardness rating of 9.25 out of 10 (which makes it the second strongest gemstone out there).

• Color

  Unlike colored gemstones, we judge the color of Diamond/Moissanite on the basis of how unhued it is. The more colorless the gemstone, the higher you’ll find it to be on the grading scale.

  Moissanite has long been known to showcase a yellow, brown, or greenish tint. However all thanks to technology advancements, you can easily find Moissanite in a Colorless-Near Colorless Range today. However at times, you might still catch them showcasing a slight yellow/grayish hue when subjected to certain lights.

  On the other hand, when it comes to Diamonds, you can go from coming across perfectly Colorless-Nearly Colorless Diamonds to the ones that boast a faint yellow, brown hue as you move down the color grade. In fact, fancy colored Diamonds can even showcase a black, pink, blue, yellow hue and what not!

• Clarity

  Clarity dictates the absence of inclusions, blemishes, or any sort of imperfections in the gemstone that go on to deteriorate its beauty and quality.

  Since Moissanite is grown in laboratories under controlled settings, it (justifiably) takes the cake for being more eye-clean. Diamond, on the other hand, is naturally formed deep underneath the earth’s surface, which is why it is more likely to boast some imperfections as a birthmark.

• Sourcing & Origin

  Moissanite was initially discovered in nature by a famous scientist Henri Moissan (which is a story we’re saving for some other day), but cut to today- most of the Moissanite that you’ll come across are lab-grown. Under controlled environments, the conditions that work as a catalyst in growing these crystals such as high pressure & high temperatures are artificially replicated.

  Diamond, on the other hand, takes millions of years to form naturally in the earth’s mantle under high heat and pressure as a result of volcanic eruptions. It is mined in many countries across the globe today.

• Price & Affordability

  Hands down, the factor that single-handedly makes Moissanite as compared to Diamond a favorite for all those looking to save some precious bucks on their Bling- THE PRICE DIFFERENCE.

  Since Moissanite is artificially grown, it doesn’t have to go through the long, tedious and more than anything, expensive process of mining (and then going through many hands to come to the market). In turn to that, it is a lot more cost-effective. While that isn’t the case with naturally grown Diamond that has always been synonymous with luxury and as a result, can hurt your pockets (especially if you’re on a strict budget).

  If we speak of the exact price difference, Moissanite is about a fraction of a cost of Diamond. You’d be surprised to know that lower quality Diamond that are significant bigger in size are pricier than higher quality Moissanite of smaller size.

• Ethical & Environmental Considerations

  Last but not the least, splurging on Moissanite is any day a more environment conscious choice. All because it is a lab-grown gemstone that eliminates the need for mining and luckily, also saves you from the adverse effects that come along with it.

  Yes, we’re talking about environmental damage (due to resource exploitation, mining in war-torn regions, use of heavy machinery, and what not) as well as labor rights violation. Both of which that Diamond has long been held guilty for. While as long as you’re going for Conflict-free Diamonds, you’re not contributing to the damage as much, Moissanite is the first choice that comes to mind when we speak of an environment-friendly & ethical gemstone in every sense.

Now that you can actually set the two apart like a pro, let’s wrap things off by answering something that will take you by surprise:

Will Moissanite pass a Diamond test?

Yes! Moissanite not only imitates the Diamond to an extent that an untrained eye can’t tell the difference but it can go on to fool a Diamond tester itself.

A Diamond tester measures the electrical and thermal properties of the gemstone to judge if it is real or fake. And to everyone’s surprise, Moissanite not only passes the test but is also one of the very few Diamond stimulants to do so. All because of yet another common characteristic between the two: the high thermal conductivity.

So DON”T LET A STANDARD TESTER FOOL YOU. Conduct multiple tests, consult a professional, and most importantly, keep the differences that we laid out in mind to tell the two gemstones apart.

Final Thoughts

Whether you’re someone struggling to find the better choice between Moissanite & Diamond or are so surprised by the uncanny resemblance that you need a showdown between the two to tell them apart, this blog is for you!

Putting an end to years of confusion, experts at Sparkanite have assembled all the key differences in the ultimate battle: Moissanite vs Diamond. Give them a good read and you’ll be more than ready to make a more informed choice all by yourself accordingly.

We hope you had a lot to take away from this blog. We’d be back with more of such informative blogs. Until then, we bid a warm adieu!

FAQs

1. Is Moissanite as good as a Diamond?

   If you ask us, the answer to that actually varies from person to person since everything ultimately rests upon the individual’s preferences.

   If you’re seeking for something that more or less, bring the same amount of bling without breaking the bank, you’ll find a Moissanite to be the best gemstone ever. However, if traditions, prestige, and luxury mean more to you (and you’re ready to pay the high expense that comes along with that), Diamond is the better fit.

   Don’t forget to go through the detailed differences we laid down before to take the right call.

2. Will Moissanite get cloudy?

   Moissanite is held in high regard for being extremely resistant to dirt, but overexposure to harmful chemicals & oils can cause it to appear dull over time. But that’s just temporary. Clean it well, be mindful of all the professionally prescribed do’s and don'ts, and your Moissanite will forever sparkle as good as new.

3. Is Moissanite worth buying?

   A hundred times over, yes!

   The most prominent reason resides in the fact that Moissanite can offer as much bling as a Diamond does (since it imitates it in appearance) at only a FRACTION OF ITS COST.