What is Moissanite?
Moissanite is a gemstone born to the universe. First discovered in 1893 by a French scientist Henri Moissan, who soon won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry. He discovered microscopic particles of the gem that would eventually bear his name "Moissanite", in Arizona USA, in a crater created by a meteorite that fell to Earth. He initially thought that he had discovered diamonds, but later determined that the crystals were composed of silicon carbide.
Natural Moissanite is incredibly rare, which means Moissanite available today are laboratory-created. After many years of trial and error, the particles Moissan discovered were successfully synthesized to produce what is now one of the world’s most scintillating gemstones.
Moissanite, referred to as a diamond simulant or alternative, is engineered to give the illusion of similarity of diamonds, but is compositionally and visually quite different from a real diamond. The durability, brilliance, and color of the two gems are quite distinct. One common property of both diamonds and Moissanites is that they are both very good thermal conductors which is why Moissanite stones pass diamond testers.
Choosing Moissanite
While diamonds are graded on the 4 C’s scale (Cut, Clarity, Color, Carat), Moissanites are graded solely on color. The cut and clarity grade is similar across different qualities of Moissanites. At The Miami Look, we only offer Super Premium Moissanites. Premium Moissanites are nearly colorless and can be compared to a G or H in color on the 4 C’s scale, and Super Premium Moissanites are colorless, falling within the D-F range.
Sustainability
Because they are grown in controlled environments using advanced technology, Moissanites require absolutely no mining to produce. Therefore, their origins are easily traceable.
Compared with natural gemstones, lab created Moissanites have a smaller carbon footprint and result in less environmental impact. Fine jewelry made with Moissanites and recycled metals is a responsible choice.