First and most importantly, what is moissanite?
Moissanite is one of the rarest gemstones on the planet, and because of that, today, it is created in a lab, which makes it environmentally friendly with very little impact on the earth. The natural gemstone what initially discovered in 1893 by Henri Moissan, a French scientist, who later won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry. It was in a meteor crater in Arizona, where he thought he unearthed diamonds, but after further examination, he learned that the gems were made of a different material, called silicon carbide.
If you’re considering which stone to select for your ring, here are a few points to consider that may help you determine the right choice…
Moissanite
Moissanite scores a 9.25 on the Mohs hardness scale, which makes it one of the hardest substances on the planet.
The sparkle of Moissanite is highly refractive, even higher than a diamond, which gives it a bit of a prism or rainbow effect.
Moissanite tend to remain sparkly in spite of daily wear and any dirt that accumulates on the stone. If exposed to hard water, it will develop a ‘rainbow slick’, a thin film on the surface of the stone. This can be polished off with a sunshine cloth.
Diamond
Diamonds are the hardest, topping the Mohs scale at 10, making them the most durable and popular choice for engagement rings to be worn everyday.
Diamonds feature a more definitively ‘white’ sparkle. There are three types of reflections within a diamond that give it such an intense flame; the light refracted through the stone, the light reflected back, and the light that sparkles over the surface.
Similar to moissanite, diamonds require very little attention to maintain their sparkle; however, regular cleaning usually makes for a brighter, happier stone of any type.
Topaz
Many of my rings feature topaz as a more affordable alternative. On the Mohs scale of hardness, topaz receives an 8. If struck very hard, with a hammer, for example, topaz may be prone to fracture.
Topaz, again, features a whiter sparkle; however, the flame is not quite as intense as either moissanite or diamond.
While still quite hard, topaz tends to be a little more sensitive to dirt, and her sparkle will dull a little, so she requires cleaning a little more often. Just use a little mild soap and a soft toothbrush.
