Still have questions that need answering?
Moissanite are the same as Cubic Zirconia
FALSE
Natural Moissanite was first discovered by Henri Moissan (hence Moissanite) in 1893 in Arizona. It is believed that the crystals had been brought to earth on a meteor that crashed into the site several thousands of years ago. As a result, Moissanite is sometimes called stardust or space diamonds.
Moissanite is composed of SiC or Silicon Carbide. Natural cubic zirconia was only discovered in the 1930s. It is composed of Zirconium Oxide. Cubic Zirconia contains a mix of Zirconium and Oxygen in its composition whereas Moissanite is made of silicon and carbon. In this regard, Moissanite is similar to diamond, which is composed of pure carbon.
Both Moissanite and cubic zirconia are extremely rare in their natural state. As a result, all Moissanite and cubic zirconia on the market today are lab created.
Moissanite – its origin is in the stars gives it an added romance and mystery and its composition is closer to diamond than cubic zirconia.
Moissanite is synthetic diamonds
FALSE
Moissanite is a unique gemstone with its own set of chemical and optical properties different from a diamond. Moissanite is not a substitute for a diamond either scientifically or chemically.
The properties of a Moissanite exhibits more fire and brilliance than any other gemstone. With that said they are extremely hard to tell apart from a diamond with the naked eye. You would need a very strong loupe or microscope and even still it might be hard for an untrained eye to see the two part.
Diamonds are more durable than Moissanite because they are harder
FALSE
Even though natural diamonds are harder (10) then Moissanite on the Mohs scale (9.5), most natural diamonds have micro fractures which can cause the diamond to crack or chip, whereas Moissanite is made synthetically which means that it does not have micro fractures or cracks allowing it to be stronger and less fragile then a natural diamond.
Moissanite is an exceptionally hard stone and ideal for daily wear. It has a high resistance to damage and abrasion.
All pink Moissanite is durable
FALSE
Most pink Moissanite in the market today starts off as a clear Moissanite that are colour enhanced by a “coating” process (Ion Induction) to make them pink. This micron thick coating on the gemstone is not permanent. Many dealers sell these stones and lead you to believe that “under normal wear” the colour is permanent.
In contrary, our pink Moissanite stones have a natural pink colour evenly distributed through out our range of stones. Our stones are not wrapped or have any surface coating. The colour is natural inside the stone. Therefore, we can apply our life time guarantee to our new range of pink moissanite.
Colour of Moissanite stones fade or change over time
FALSE
Moissanite is an extremely stable gemstone, and as such, it is impossible for the colour to change with time, just as it is impossible for a diamond to change colour. The only way the “perceived” colour can be impacted is if the stone gets dirty.
What is the difference between diamonds and Moissanite?
Diamonds are found in nature by means of mining. Mining can take place in land or at sea. Either way, it erodes soil and damages the natural environment. Moissanite are lab grown stones that present no threat to nature, making it environmentally safe.
How does Moissanite properties compare to Diamonds?
| ApolloGem | Diamond | |
|---|---|---|
| Reflective Index | 2.65 – 2.69 | 2.42 |
| Specular Gloss | 20.4% | 17.2% |
| Dispersion Index | 0.104 | 0.044 |
| Colour | D – G | D – G |
| Clarity | VVS1 | SI1 – SI2 |
| Polish | Excellent | Very Good – Excellent |
How is Moissanite graded for quality?
Our Moissanite stones are sent to an independent and trusted gemological lab i.e. Global Gemological Resesarch Institute (GRI), where a group of well trained gemologists inspects and assess all our stones with a 10x loop. The lab inspects for any inclusions and then grades the quality of the stone.
The lab issues all stones above 0,5 carat with certificates which describe the stone dimension, colour, clarity, cut quality, symmetry and polish quality. Each certified stone is laser inscribed with a unique serial number for easy identification on the GRI website.
All our Moissanite stones have a lifetime warranty on all the custom jewellery pieces we make.
Why do you think I should buy Moissanite?
Durability and Affordability. Moissanite rates 9.5 on the Mohs scale of hardness. It is second only to diamonds which have a rating of 10. They are both hard enough for everyday wear, and will not scratch or break. They are also a fraction of the price of real diamonds, yet deliver more brilliance.
Why is Moissanite an ethical choice?
Diamond mining causes enormous environmental devastation – often leading to erosion, deforestation and barren wastelands. Diamond mines are empty, barren and sad-looking places. In addition to this, there is also the factor of bad working conditions, human rights abuse and the risk that your diamond may be a conflict or blood diamond.
Since Moissanite is created in labs, the ethical and environmental issues are almost non-existent. There is minimum wastage of resources and good working conditions. A Moissanite is truly the ethical choice.