What Is Moissanite?

Introduction

Moissanite is a gemstone made of silicon carbide. It is prized for its brilliance and its hardness, and almost all moissanite used in jewellery today is grown in a laboratory.

Where it comes from

The mineral was first identified in 1893 by the chemist Henri Moissan, who found tiny crystals in rock samples from a meteor crater in Arizona. Natural moissanite is extremely rare, so the stones used in jewellery are created under controlled conditions.

How it looks

Moissanite bends light strongly, which produces a bright sparkle with flashes of colour often described as “fire”. In everyday light it reads as a clear, lively white stone.

How it wears

At 9.25 on the Mohs scale, moissanite is one of the hardest gemstones used in jewellery. It resists scratching in normal wear, which makes it well suited to watches, rings and chains that are worn often.

Judging quality

• Colour: the clearest stones show no yellow or grey tint.
• Clarity: look for stones with no visible inclusions.
• Cut: even facets give even sparkle across the whole piece.