These days Moissanite is gaining popularity very fast. It is fast becoming the first choice for many couples. Discussed below is why moissanite engagement rings are so in vogue in recent times.
This fine gemstone is a synthetic stone. It is said to have refraction indexes that are supposedly higher than that of the diamond. These sparkling abilities have a bit of a back story.
French scientist Henry Moissan discovered these stones inside a meteor crater in Arizona in the year 1893. He had initially mistaken it for diamond due to its gleaming appearance and crystal-like shape. He then researched it for years to come.
He noticed the difference in composition and found that it was not pure carbon, unlike a diamond, it was made up of silicon carbide. He later won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry, and the stone was then named after him.
Moissanite looks pretty much like polished high-end diamonds, and this has made it very popular for numerous couples.
In its natural form, moissanite is very rare. More than 50 years passed after the initial discovery by Mr. Moissanite before another deposit of the stone was found.
In the 1980s, a few scientists and geologists tried to create this gemstone in a laboratory. Then 103 years after its discovery moissanite came into the jewelry market in 1995.
Moissanite and diamonds look extremely similar. Even a trained geologist sometimes fails to tell the two apart. In fact, even a digital test for diamonds will measure moissanite as a diamond.
Superior Brilliance
The difference between the sparkle of Moissanite and diamond is very marginal. However, it has been seen that Moissanite is more brilliant in appearance as compared to diamond. It has a higher reflective index of 2.65 to 2.69 as opposed to 2.42 of the diamond. The light dispersion of moissanite is 0.104, which is almost double that of a diamond.
Clarity
Moissanite is free from any visible impurities. Thus most women prefer this stone for their engagement ring. Since it is created in a controlled environment of a laboratory, hence high-end moissanite is free from most impurities.
Diamonds, being created through natural phenomena, cannot always be perfectly flawless. Hence high-end diamonds are very rare and pretty expensive.
Color
The color of diamond and moissanite is pretty similar. Ice-white colors such as D-E_F and warmer shades like J-K-L are present in both diamond and moissanite.
Durability
Moissanites are highly durable. They are scratch-resistant and hence are an excellent choice for usage with noble metals like platinum and gold. The hardest material, diamond, has a hardness of 10. Moissanite fairs closely at 9.25 to 9.50 on the Mohs scale.
Price
Manufacturing moissanite is not a cheap affair. However traditional mining processes are way more expensive. A comparison of price with diamonds may be desired by some people. A high-end diamond shall cost around $1500.
A similar quality of moissanite shall cost around $75. Hence, this gemstone costs as low as 5% of the cost of natural diamond.
The manufacturing of moissanite uses 90% less energy as compared to traditional diamond mining. Moissanite proves to be a sustainable choice for the environment as it does not leave any hazardous byproducts. It is also highly cost-effective. Due to these reasons, moissanite engagement rings are slowly proving to be a better alternative for millennials.
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