FIRST THING TO KEEP IN MIND, IS THE HARDNESS

When considering the fact that most women wear their ring every day, the gemstone’s hardness and strength is vital. The harder it is, the longer it will serve as a beautiful decoration.

Gemstones’ hardness is measured on a scale known as the Mohs scale, which assigns minerals a value between 1 (softest) and 10 (hardest). A 7 or higher on the Mohs scale usually indicates a gem is hard enough for normal everyday use. Below that we recommend to handle it with special care.

MOISSANITE, THE ETHICAL DIAMOND

Moissanite is a gemstone born from the stars. It was first discovered in 1893 by a French scientist named Henri Moissan, who discovered microscopic particles of the gem in a crater created by a meteorite that fell to Earth. He initially thought that he had discovered diamonds, but later determined that the crystals were composed of silicon carbide.

They are the best alternative to diamonds, regarding their durability, brilliance, and colour they are very similar.

THE DIFFERENCES

- Hardness: on the Mohs scale, Moissanite scores a 9.25, which makes it one of the hardest gemstone (diamonds are 10)

- Brilliance: Moissanite tend to have more coloured flashes of light than diamond, however, this depends partly on the diamond cut. Diamonds with older cut styles or modern cuts with certain angles will show more fire than most modern diamonds. This can make it difficult to tell the difference between the two.

- Colour: Today, you can readily find Moissanite in the same range of colour as white diamonds. Still, Moissanite can project a yellow or greyish hue in certain lights, the larger the Moissanite, the more noticeable the colour. Those very sensitive to colour may prefer diamond or white sapphire to Moissanite.

THE ADVANTAGES

- As Moissanites were created in a lab, they can be an appealing option for those seeking an eco-conscious gemstone,  as they require no mining

- They look like diamonds, it takes an expert, and sometimes advanced equipment, to show the difference

- They don’t have the large clarity imperfections that diamonds may contain, as they are grown in laboratories. Therefore a Moissanite will always be eye-clean, while diamonds may contain imperfections, visible to the eye.

- For a similar weight and quality, they cost considerably less than diamonds