10 Moissanite Problems You Should Know Before Buying

Synthetic moissanite is an eco-friendly, socially conscious modern diamond alternative that is the ultimate selection for your next fine jewelry purchase. Moissanite has many positive attributes, including show-stopping fire, beauty, and hardness, making it a brilliant and high-quality gemstone choice for your engagement ring or other keepsake design. Create the engagement ring you have always dreamed of using moissanite at a fraction of the price.

Like other stones and jewelry, moissanite must be properly taken care of and regularly maintained so it will display its gorgeous appearance. Below, we cover 10 common moissanite problems before you buy. Problem 9 explains why tarnish and green skin come from the metal setting, not the stone, and how to prevent both.

Nobel Prize-winning chemist Dr. Henri Moissan discovered natural moissanite in Arizona in 1893, hence the name moissanite. Natural moissanite is found in the upper mantle rock and meteorites and is very rare and expensive (Gem Society). Real moissanite is even rarer than diamonds! 

Charles & Colvard was the first company to obtain a patent and produce and sell man-made moissanite (lab-grown silicon carbide gemstones). Production for lab-grown moissanite started in the late 1990s, aimed at mimicking natural moissanite's chemical and optical properties created under a controlled environment.

Moissanite is composed of silicon carbide (SiC), with a carbon atom surrounded by four silicon atoms in a tetrahedral form. Moissanite is created with an identical structure to natural moissanite (as mentioned above) using a combination of heat and pressure. This process takes between 2-3 months to produce a gem worthy of a jewelry setting.

This made the beauty of moissanite within reach, harnessing the attributes of the real moissanite into budget-friendly price points for the population to embrace with the lab version.

Learning about the top 10 issues to watch out for before purchasing your moissanite jewelry will provide helpful information; arming yourself with knowledge about moissanite will also aid in the final purchase.

The Mohs Hardness scale is a scale rating materials from 1-10, determining their relative hardness/scratch resistance tendencies. The harder the stone the more durable it is, offering important insights. 

Diamonds are famous for their hardness rating of 10/10, known as one of the hardest natural materials on earth. However, a diamond CAN scratch, pit, crack, break, or chip if it is treated roughly, knocked, or dropped under harsh circumstances exposing them to potential damage. Just because diamonds are hard, doesn’t mean they are indestructible. Hardness relates to the crystal structure this doesn’t mean the material can’t break.

Moissanite rates a 9.25 on the Mohs scale, making it not as hard as a diamond. What can damage moissanite? Although moissanite can last for years, it can also scratch, chip, or break. 

The majority of the moissanite on the market is man-made. Synthetic stones may be considered “less than” when compared to natural gems and diamonds.  Since real moissanite is so rare, this means the lab-created version is a more viable option for those who enjoy these gorgeous stones and the history behind them.

But, what if you just love natural gemstones? Other diamond simulant alternatives are natural. White sapphire, white topaz, colorless beryl, and rock crystal quartz are just some of the common options that can be swapped for a diamond replacement. However, even though these gems are strikingly beautiful with their unique attributes, they do not sparkle like diamonds or moissanite. They are also not as durable. 

Moissanite is its own gemstone, not a type of diamond. Lab-grown diamonds are the natural diamonds' synthetic counterparts. This means that moissanite doesn’t resemble a diamond and has different chemical, optical, and physical properties. 

At first glance, both stones may display sparkle, but they are dissimilar in many ways. Read this article to dive deeper on the subject: "Moissanite vs. Diamond: Is It Worth Choosing Moissanite Over Diamond?

The refractive index measures the bending of a ray of light when passing from one medium into another (Britannica), or what is called fire. The higher the refractive index, the more fire the stone exhibits. 

Diamond has a refractive index of 2.417, giving it attention-drawing fire with its adamantine luster. Moissanite has a refractive index of 2.65 to 2.69 and is doubly refractive. 

Moissanite has an adamantine to metallic luster, making it the world's most brilliant gemstone. It’s more brilliant than diamond and other diamond simulants. Moissanite is considered the world’s most brilliant gem! 

Because of this, the impressive sparkle may cause the stone to reflect different colors, making it look dissimilar to a diamond.

This means carbon atoms are bonded in the same way in all directions. Diamonds crystallize in the cubic (isometric) system, with each carbon atom bonded to four others in a tetrahedral arrangement. Diamond is the only gem made of a single element, which is 99.95% carbon. The other 0.05 percent can include one or more trace elements which don't make up its essential chemistry. Some trace elements can influence the crystal's shape and color (GIA).

Does moissanite have flaws? Did you know moissanite can also have visible inclusions, just like diamonds and many other colored stones? Moissanite is graded on the same scale as diamonds using the 4Cs developed by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA). The 4Cs include color, clarity, cut, and carat. Moissanite inclusions form during the lab process. These internal inclusions or exterior blemishes include many different internal growth characteristics such as mineral crystals, needles, clouds "plumes," feathers, knots, chips, and cavities. These inclusions allow an assigned quality value based on the clarity grade, in turn affecting the price of the stone, just like a diamond. 

Moissanite can be more difficult to sell than diamonds if the consumer is specifically looking for natural stones and diamonds. Synthetic stones often carry a stigma of being cheap imitations of minerals formed in the earth or sea. Educating the potential buyer and touching on the special attributes of moissanite will engage newfound interest. Socially conscious, eco-friendly, and sustainable options of natural stones are reimagined into man-made alternatives that CAN be high-quality and worthy to consider, such as moissanite.  

Have you ever wondered about the moissanite value vs. diamond? Although moissanite rings have a resale value on the marketplace, the value of moissanite is less than a natural diamond. Moissanite is much less expensive than diamonds.

Does moissanite tarnish? The stone itself does not. Moissanite is silicon carbide, which does not oxidize or corrode, so it will not darken or dull with wear. Tarnish and green marks come from the metal around it.

Sterling silver (925) darkens as it reacts with moisture and sulfur in the air. Worn plating exposes the base metal underneath, and copper in lower karat gold alloys can react with sweat. So will moissanite turn your finger green? The stone will not, but a copper-rich or worn setting can.

Solid 10K and 14K gold hold up well, and 14K has a higher gold content than 10K, so it is less likely to react. Rhodium-plated 925 silver resists tarnish until the plating wears thin, and fresh rhodium plating restores it. 

Keep pieces away from lotion, perfume, and chlorine, which wear plating faster. To keep any piece looking new, wipe it after wearing, store it dry, and follow our jewelry care guide.

Is lab-grown moissanite just another trend in an attempt to sway consumers? Moissanite has been around since the 1990s but has never been as synonymous with luxury as a natural diamond, and also not as prevalent as diamonds and diamond jewelry, such as diamond chains. 

Lab-grown moissanite often comes with a marketing campaign with lower prices and larger carat sizes, listing all the attributes compared to a diamond. Even though it is dissimilar to diamonds, it will always be moissanite vs. diamond or even lab-grown diamond vs. moissanite and why the consumer should give moissanite a try.