Moissanite Engagement Ring
Like cubic zirconium, moissanite is also a lab-created mineral looks very much like diamonds. It can have the same brilliance as a diamond, and is almost as hard as a diamond. Yet moissanite costs just a portion of a diamond's price.
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What is Moissanite:
Moissanite is a kind of natural mineral labeled as silicone carbide. In 1893, the French noble prize winner chemist Henri Moissan discovered moissanite in a meteor. Since there are almost no evidence of reserve of this mineral on earth, scientists set out to create synthetic moissanite in lab. In 1995, some avant-garde jewelers realized that Moissanite would make ideal gemstones, and the rest, as they say, is history. It's such a good substitute for diamonds that many jewelers cannot easily tell the difference.
Many people underestimate the value of moissanite by thinking it a fake diamond. Moissanite is actually a genuine gemstone, and should not be passed off as a diamond but should be valued for its own unique properties. While it is strikingly similar to diamonds, it does have differences that may make it an even more luxurious choice for an engagement ring.
Similarities
Like diamonds, moissanite is thermally conductive and unfortunately, this is the test that many jewelers use to test a diamond’s authenticity. Because moissanite can also pass this test and this may be where it gets its reputation as a fake diamond. Moissanite is nearly as hard as diamond and can feature the same brilliance, and for engagement rings, it can be fashioned into just as wide a variety of shapes, settings, and designs to suit any individual’s tastes.
Differences
Unlike diamonds, moissanite is rarely perfectly colorless, and may exhibit faint green, gray, or yellow tints, especially in larger stones. To avoid purchasing an inferior stone, always examine moissanite under different types of light to see how its hue alters. At the same time, however, moissanite’s hexagonal crystal structure is nearly twice as refractive as a diamond’s isometric one, giving it up to twice the brilliance and fire of a diamond depending on the shape and cut of the stone. This characteristic
can easily conceal faint color variations. Because moissanite is grown in a laboratory, it lacks natural flaws such as mineral inclusions and crystal fractures, but it can contain miniscule white ribbons that occur during the crystal’s growth.
Because of the misconception that moissanite is a diamond substitute, many people expect it to be far less expensive than the natural diamonds. Because the manufacturing process is so difficult, however, moissanite is only slightly cheaper than true diamonds, depending on the quality of each type of stone. A poor-quality diamond may well be less expensive than an exceptional good quality moissanite stone.
Just because it is lab-created gemstone does not mean that moissanite does not require the same care as natural diamonds. Its hardness and durability make its care similar to diamonds, such as storing it away from other gems to prevent accidental scratches and avoiding harsh cleaning chemicals. Moissanite engagement rings should be treated with as much care as any diamond jewelry.
Moissanite is a rare and beautiful stone, with the famous reputations of originating in the stars. A moissanite engagement ring may be a more affordable alternative to traditional diamond engagement rings for some couples, and its stunning beauty makes it an appealing choice for many lovers.
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