Facts About Moissanite

Moissanite is a mineral that was discovered in 1893 by Dr. Henri Moissan, a French scientist. The Nobel Prize-winner was the first to find tiny amounts of this natural silicon carbide within a meteorite.

Hardness of Moissanite

Moissanite has a hardness of 9.25 on the Mohs scale, compared to 10 for diamond, which is the earth's hardest substance. It became obvious to those who saw it that moissanite would be popular in jewelry, but naturally occurring pieces of moissanite are too small and scarce to make that possible.

Synthetic Moissanite

Synthetic moissanite can be grown in labs, but some gemologists do not feel that current synthetic versions are true moissanite.

Testing for Moissanite

Some jewelers cannot tell the difference between the colorless moissanite being sold today and a colorless diamond, so there's worry that fraudulent or inaccurate sales could take place after an initial moissanite purchase.

And if a jeweler can't distinguish the two, how can a consumer be expected to tell the difference?

Lab instruments are available to help jewelers distinguish these and other types of stones that are often fraudulently represented as diamonds.

Buy jewelry made from what's sold as synthetic moissanite because you love it, not because of its marketing hype. Ask the seller as many questions as it takes to make you feel comfortable with your purchase and always deal with a reputable jeweler who can tell you exactly what you are buying.