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Introduction to Moissanite -
What is Moissanite and what are its uses?
Moissanite is a trade
name name given to silicon carbide which is used in the production of synthetic gemstones.
Moissanite gemstones are used in all different types of jewelry
including a variety of rings such as wedding rings, engagement rings,
earrings, eternity rings, necklace, pendant, bracelet all set in silver
sterling and gold. But the
cost of Moissanite jewelry is just a fraction of the cost of jewelry
containing real diamonds. Moisanite, Mossanite and Moisannite are all
common mis-spellings. The high price of gem-grade diamonds has
created a large demand for affordable imitation diamonds which have
similar characteristics, such as Moissanite and its predecessor
Cubic Zirconia (or CV). Even some jewelers
have experienced difficulty telling the difference
between a Moissanite and a diamond with the naked eye!
Identifying
Moissanite as jewelry
When Moissanite was
first introduced in in the summer of 1998 some jewelers misidentified
Moissanite as diamond. These early errors occurred when thermal testers
were used as an aid to identification because the thermal conductivity
of Moissanite is very close to that of diamond. Once the properties of
Moissanite were fully known and understood it became is easy to
distinguish from diamond - Moissanite is as it is doubly refractive and
has a slight yellowish / greenish tint to the stones which becomes more
noticeable with increasing gem sizes. So what are the other differences between stones created with
Moissanite as opposed to diamonds? What are the Pro's and Cons of
Moissanite?
Quality of
Diamonds compared to Moissanite
Comparing the
quality of diamonds compared to Moissanite. The Cut, Clarity,
Color and Carat Weight all have a significant impact on the cost of
diamonds because these factors are all used to value the price of a
diamond. The Cut, Color, and Clarity are used to measure the quality of
the diamond and the Carat is used to measure the weight of a diamond.
The elements of the 4C's have been used to compare Moissanite with
diamonds and the comparisons are detailed below.
The Pros and Cons of Moissanite
- The Pro's
Facts and Information
about the Pros and Cons of Moissanite are as follows, starting with the
Pro's of Moissanite :
-
Cost - The cost of Moissanite is roughly an eighth of the
price of natural diamonds but is generally more expensive that
Cubic Zirconia at one tenth of the
price of natural diamonds
-
Appearance - Moissanite is so optically close to diamond
that even some jewellers cannot tell the difference without the
aid of various tests
-
Clarity -
Moissanite is not separated into different grades of Clarity
like diamonds because each stone must meet set specifications
before being released to distributors. The set specifications of
Moissanite are comparable to diamonds which have been graded
VS1-VS2 on the Diamond
Clarity Chart
-
Inclusions / Flaws
- Manufactured to appear more like diamonds, Moissanite
gemstones have Inclusions
which is a plus-point when compared to the flawless Cubic
Zirconia - the growing process produces tiny, unnatural, white,
ribbon-like inclusions
-
Moissanite stones
are equivalent to the H - J grades in the white
Diamond Color scale. Moissanite
is not as white-white like the Cubic Zirconia (which is
equivalent to a perfect "D" and therefore less believable
imitation, as white-white color diamonds are extremely rare
-
Hardness -
Hardness denotes resistance to
scratching
as opposed to Toughness which
relates to the ability to
resist breakage from falls or impacts.
Moissanite is
much harder than most natural gems, and Cubic Zirconia, at about
9.5 on the Mohs
scale, however it is nowhere near as hard as a diamond at about
10.0 on the Mohs scale
-
Toughness -
Moissanite is tougher than diamond because it has no natural
fractures that can crack if the stone is subjected to an impact
of some kind.
-
Moissanite has a
slightly higher index of refraction (brilliance) and much
greater dispersion (fire) than diamond
-
Moissanite to is
better able to retain it's fire if it gets dirty, oily, or
smudged, whereas Cubic Zirconia looks very dull when dirty. The
excess fire is seen as a 'pro' by some and a 'con' by others
Moissanite
- The Con's
Facts and Information
about the disadvantages or cons of the Moissanite are as follows:
-
Jewelry containing synthetic gemstones like Moissanite are
not a good investment, they do not hold their price
-
Color - Has a slight yellowish / greenish tint which becomes more
noticeable with increasing gem sizes
-
Fluorescence - An
undesirable hazy effect that causes them to appear slightly
green or yellow. The effect of Fluorescence on Moissanite
is much greater under natural light or in sunlight. A jewelry
dealer therefore tends to show the stones under a pink tinged
light as this tends to cancel out the fluorescence.
-
Moissanite is
highly birefringent (a birefringent crystal splits a light beam
into two) which is a desirable quality in some optical
applications, but is not desirable in gemstones. Moissanite
jewels are therefore cut along the optic axis of the crystal to
minimize birefringent effects
-
Fire - Has more 'fire' or brilliance producing a more synthetic effect.
The high dispersion of 0.11 is apparent in Moissanite (nearly
2.5 times greater than that of diamond) and readily
distinguishes it from diamond with a dispersion of 0.04 which is
virtually unnoticed. The excess fire is sometimes considered
cheap and fake looking
-
Hardness - Diamonds are harder than Moissanite which
is 9.5 on the Mohs scale compared to a diamond at about 10.0 on
the Mohs scale
-
Inclusions / Flaws
- Manufactured to appear more like diamonds, Moissanite
gemstones have Inclusions
Also natural flaws are absent in Moissanite replaced instead by
tiny, unnatural, white, ribbon-like structures that are a result
of the growing process.
-
Rarity - Moissanite is not rare and can be made quickly and
in vast quantities, whereas natural diamonds take millions of
years to form
-
Status and Wealth -
It has not got the same status as a diamond and does
not indicate wealth
-
Symbolic Value -
Diamonds have long symbolised love and purity - Moissanite
has no such symbolic value
What is Moissanite?
- Definition
What exactly is what is
Moissanite? Definition: It is a high quality synthetic gemstone which
imitates the appearance of diamonds and is made in a lab. It is
created with silicon and carbon, through a combination of pressure and
heat. Moissanite is a trade name name given to silicon carbide (chemical
formula SiC) for use in the gem business. Moisanite, Mossanite and
Moisannite are all common mis-spellings for Moissanite.
Moissanite CZ
Jewelry
Moissanite
jewelry has been available since the 1990's and
Moissanite jewelry
has gained in popularity. Moissanite
jewelry include all different types of rings including wedding rings,
engagement rings and eternity rings set in silver sterling and gold.
Moissanite jewelry also include earrings, necklaces, pendants,
bracelets again set in silver sterling and gold.
History
Timeline of Moissanite
The following
timeline details the discovery and production of Moissanite
|
History Timeline Dates |
History Timeline Moissanite |
|
1891 |
In 1891
a chemist
called Dr. Henri
Moissan
(1852-1907)
discovered carborundum |
|
1892 |
In 1892,
Henri Moissan theorized that diamonds could be
synthesized by crystallizing carbon under pressure from
molten iron |
|
1893 |
In 1893 Henri Moissan
discovered minute quantities of a new mineral, natural
silicon carbide. Henri Moissan discovered the mineral in
an ancient meteorite found in the Diablo Canyon in
Arizona. The silicon carbide was later named "moissanite"
in honor of Dr. Moissan. |
|
1905 |
In 1905
mineral silicon carbide was named "Moissanite" in
honor of Dr. Moissan |
|
1906 |
In 1906 Dr.
Henri Moissan was awarded the Nobel Laureate in
Chemistry in recognition of his investigation and
isolation of the element fluorine, and for the adoption
in the service of science of the electric furnace which
was called after him. |
|
1960's |
Scientists
looked at Moissanite as a new, versatile
material for use in optical
applications |
|
1974 |
German scientists used silicon
carbide in their LCD's for computers |
|
1980's |
A North
Carolina company named CREE developed a proprietary
process for producing large single crystals of
Moissanite |
|
1995 |
In 1995,
Charles & Colvard partnered with Cree (a NC-based R&D
lab) to develop gemstones using silicon carbide |
|
1998 |
Commercial
production of Moissanite began and Moissanite was
introduced in the summer of 1998. In conjunction with
Cree, Charles & Colvard is the exclusive worldwide
manufacturer and marketer of lab-created Moissanite |
|
History Timeline Dates |
History Timeline Moissanite |
The above History Timeline provides
details the discovery and production of Moissanite and its use as an imitation
of diamond.
Moissanite Jewelry
Moissanite jewelry is available in
rings, wedding rings, engagement rings, earrings, eternity rings,
necklace, pendant, bracelet all set in silver sterling and gold.
Moisanite, Mossanite and Moisannite are all common mis-spellings.
Guide - Colors - Facts -
Information -Info - Jewelry - Jewellery - Definition - Pro's and Con's
Quality - Timeline History- Pro's and Cons - Comparison with Diamonds
Moissanite
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