If you’ve been looking into moissanite, you’re probably feeling quite excited! A beautiful gemstone that looks like a diamond, is just as long-lasting, and apparently even sparklier than a diamond?! It sounds too good to be true… but it’s not! Moissanite is an incredible gemstone quickly rising in popularity as it gains recognition for its beauty and affordability. But how can you be sure your moissanite will truly stand the test of time? Let’s look at why you can trust that moissanite will last a lifetime and will never lose its sparkle.
What is Sparkle?
Before we begin, let’s have a quick look at what “sparkle” actually means. When white light enters a gemstone, it is broken up as it bounces around inside the stone. As it exits through the top of the stone, it leaves as a colourful flash. This creates a beautiful, dazzling effect called fire. Gemstones that can break up white light into colourful sparkles are described as “fiery” stones. Many gemstones exhibit fire, including diamonds. The special quality of moissanite is how much fire it displays. It is well-known for this feature.
However, fire is only one aspect of sparkle. Brilliance and scintillation are also two important factors. Brilliance refers to your gem’s ability to reflect unbroken white light back to your eye. As white light enters the stone, some of it will remain unbroken, bouncing back out of the stone in one straight beam. A stone’s refractive index measures how much of this unbroken white light (brilliance) it can reflect. When you think of sparkle, you are thinking of a stone’s combined fire and brilliance. These two actions work together and complement each other to create a beautiful glitter in your stones.
Moissanite vs. Diamond
Both moissanite and diamonds are well-known for their beautiful fire and brilliance. But did you know that moissanite actually outshines diamonds? For starters, moissanite has a much higher refractive index (brilliance) than diamond! Moissanite measures at 2.65-2.69 while diamond scores a 2.42. Moissanite exhibits much more fire than diamonds too, scoring a 0.104 compared to a diamond’s 0.044. Lastly, moissanite has a greater luster index than a diamond (0.204 versus 0.172). This refers to how light interacts with the surface of the stone – in other words, moissanite has a greater general radiance than diamonds!
When it comes to sparkle, moissanite is truly unmatched. It has such a dazzling sparkle that it continues to shine even through dirt! Many moissanite owners don’t even realise that their ring has gotten dirty because their stone is still sparkling brightly. Once they give their ring a quick clean with some soap and water, they soon realise just how sparkly their moissanite really is!
Does Moissanite Get Cloudy?
Unlike softer stones like cubic zirconia (CZ), moissanite rates a 9.25-9.5 on the Mohs hardness scale. Moissanite is extremely hard! In fact, it is second only to diamond which rates a 10. Moissanite is so tough that even when dirts and oils start to build up on its surface, it still looks sparkly! In fact, this hardness protects the stone from damage. Some softer stones can be easily damaged when they get dirty. For example, when CZ gets worn everyday, the ridges where the facets meet can get worn down. Over time, the facets become rounded, impacting its ability to capture, break up and reflect light. Soft stones like CZ will lose their sparkle as their ridges become rounded. Moissanite, however, is so hard that its ridges will never wear down – simply wash the dirt off and your stone will be brightly sparkling in no time!
The Impact of Surface Damage on Sparkle
So, dirt and oils won’t stop a moissanite stone from sparkling. But what about scratches? It’s normal to accidentally bump or knock your moissanite engagement ring – you are wearing it all day long, after all! But there is absolutely no need to worry about ever scratching your moissanite. Since moissanite has such a high hardness rating, it can only be scratched by something as strong or stronger than itself. This means your moissanite stone can only be scratched by another moissanite stone or by a diamond. So it is extremely unlikely to be scratched! Just make sure to always store your moissanite and diamond jewellery in separate jewellery cases.
Best Styles for Optimising Moissanite Sparkle
Though all moissanite will exhibit a beautiful amount of sparkle, some shapes and cuts will sparkle more than others. The main contributor to a moissanite’s sparkle is its facets. Facets are the flat surfaces cut into a gemstone that reflect light and create sparkle. With any type of gemstone, the most sparkly cut is the Round Brilliant Cut. This is because it has so many facets (58 to be exact!). Since this cut is usually worn in a Solitaire ring, it’s also extra sparkly because more of the stone’s total surface area is exposed (sides and top). This means light can enter from multiple angles, creating more sparkle!
Summary
Moissanite is truly a “forever” stone. With a superior hardness rating, dazzling amounts of fire and brilliance, and scratch-resistant properties, your moissanite’s sparkle is guaranteed to last a lifetime. Moissanite does not lose its sparkle, and, with proper love and care, your grandchildren will also be able to enjoy this dazzling gemstone generations on!
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us.