Moissanite is undoubtedly the best diamond alternative on the market. If you love the look of a diamond engagement ring but can’t afford the whopping price tag or don’t want the ethical dilemma of buying a mined diamond, moissanite is the perfect stone for you. Read on to find out why!
Moissanite is a real gemstone, not a wannabe diamond
Moissanite is actually its own, real gemstone and not a fake diamond. Although it is extremely similar in appearance to a diamond and many people do use moissanite as a faux diamond, it was never actually intended to be used as a diamond imposter (I mean, it was literally stumbled upon by a French scientist in a meteor crater of all places!). Moissanite is not made from carbon like diamonds – instead, it is made of silicon carbide and has its own unique physical properties. The beauty of moissanite is that it comes with all of the advantages of being a real gemstone and just happens to look very similar to a diamond!
So if it’s not a fake diamond, what is it?
In the same way that a sapphire or an emerald is different from a diamond, so is moissanite! It is not a faux diamond, but rather an incredibly affordable, durable and beautiful diamond alternative. Extremely popular in the United States, Canada and throughout Europe, moissanite is quickly gaining popularity in Australia as more and more people learn about this cost-effective, ethical diamond alternative.
Although there are many fake diamonds out there that look very similar to a real diamond, they are not made to last and will need replacing every few years. Take cubic zirconia for example: although it is extremely affordable and almost everywhere you look, it is not necessarily the best option for an engagement ring stone. Cubic zirconia is an extremely affordable option but is made from a softer, synthetic material that consists of zirconium dioxide, making it more prone to scratches. As scratches build up on the surface of this fake diamond, the less brilliant the stone looks and the more cloudy it becomes. This is why those cheap cubic zirconia earrings that you bought a few months ago or that cubic zirconia diamond ring you’ve been wearing everyday are only looking worse with each new day. Cubic zirconia will get cloudy after a year or so of everyday wear and will unfortunately never look as good as the day you bought it.
Luckily for us, we have moissanite as an incredible alternative! This precious gem is not only beautiful, but one of the hardest substances on earth, ranking just below a diamond on the hardness scale at 9.25-9.5. This means that unlike faux diamonds such as cubic zirconia (which score a hardness rating of 8), moissanite is incredibly scratch-resistant and guaranteed to maintain its brilliance over a lifetime of daily wear.
So it’s like a diamond…but better!
Moissanite looks so similar to diamonds that most people actually struggle to tell the difference between the two, even when placed side by side! The one telling difference is that moissanite will display slightly more rainbow sparkles than a diamond, as it has a higher refractive index. Just like a diamond, this precious gemstone also has a high clarity grade and colourless appearance, making this the perfect choice for your engagement ring if you’d like your stone to look as similar to a diamond as possible.
However, for a lot of people the real appeal of this incredible gemstone is the fact that it costs a fraction of the price of diamonds! As a comparison, for a VVS1-2 6.5mm (1ct) Round moissanite loose stone, you would pay around $600 AUD while a diamond with the same specifications would set you back at least $8000 AUD. Another advantage of selecting moissanite for your engagement ring stone is that increasing the size of your stone will not send prices skyrocketing, as it does with diamonds. Unlike diamonds’ steep pricing curve, moissanite stones increase in size at reasonable price increments, allowing you to opt for a larger stone than you ever imagined you could afford!
At these affordable prices, moissanite allows you to have the engagement ring of your dreams without sacrificing quality for price – it’s a win-win situation!
Moissanite is an ethical, environmentally-friendly choice
A moissanite engagement ring is truly the gift that keeps on giving. Not only is it just as durable and beautiful as a diamond (and MUCH more affordable), it’s also the most ethical and environmentally-friendly choice for your engagement ring stone. Since moissanite is produced in laboratories, it doesn’t require the mining processes that are used to source natural diamonds. This also reduces the impact on the environment, since natural forests do not need to be destroyed to supply your stone and local communities are not affected by the process. Here at Cullen Jewellery, you can rest assured that the source of your moissanite stone is fully traceable and will never have involved the use of unethical labour practices.
Conclusion
As an ethical, affordable and durable gemstone, moissanite is the smarter choice for your engagement ring stone. It is by far the best diamond alternative on the market and if desired, can pass as a faux diamond to the untrained eye. If you’d like to learn more about why moissanite is a great choice for your engagement ring stone, read more blogs here or contact us here!