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Moissanite

· 1 min read · Materials

Moissanite with flashes of color

Moissanite is a gem made of silicon carbide. It was discovered in 1893 by Henri Moissan in a meteorite crater, but the moissanite used in jewelry is almost always created in a lab.

Properties #

  • Composition: silicon carbide (SiC)
  • Hardness: 9.25 on the Mohs scale, below diamond.
  • Brilliance: it has more “fire” (flashes of color) than diamond.
  • Origin: almost all jewelry moissanite is synthetic.
  • Density: lighter than diamond, so a moissanite weighs less at the same size.

Uses in jewelry #

  • Engagement rings and wedding bands as an alternative to diamond.
  • Earrings and pendants.
  • Designer jewelry.

Pros and cons #

Advantages #

  • Very durable.
  • Intense sparkle and a price far below diamond.
  • Known origin.

Limitations #

  • Its sparkle differs from diamond: some find it “too colorful”.
  • Some models have a yellowish or greenish tint.
  • Lower resale value.

Care and cleaning #

  • Clean with lukewarm water, mild soap and a brush.
  • Avoid hard knocks.
  • It handles ultrasonic cleaning well.

See also #

This entry was drafted with the help of AI and is pending review by the author.