Diamonds, both lab-grown and mined, are made from carbon. Moissanite is made from silicon carbide. Moissanite and diamonds are two entirely different minerals.
To the untrained eye, moissanite looks like a diamond. This is why some consumers choose moissanite for more affordable jewelry and engagement rings. However, the chemical composition is inferior to diamonds. Moissanite is a diamond simulant that is graded differently and is lower in value.
A moissanite “diamond” is not a diamond at all. It’s a diamond simulant. Simply put, moissanite diamonds are fake diamonds.
Moissanite does not test as a diamond. It has an entirely different chemical composition. Moissanite is also graded differently than diamonds. Both mined and lab-grown diamonds are graded by the 4Cs — cut, color, clarity, and carat weight. Moissanite is only graded on color.
When consumers buy moissanite, they choose from Premium (G-H on the color scale) or Super Premium (D-F). The clarity of moissanite is essentially perfect for each stone. Lab-grown and mined diamonds, however, feature inclusions. They must be graded on clarity, as well as cut and carat weight.
A gemstone’s “sparkle” is actually its fire, brilliance, and scintillation. Moissanite has more fire and brilliance than a diamond or most other gems. Moissanite is double-refractive and is cut differently to highlight its overall sparkle.
But, moissanite reflects light differently than a diamond. Moissanite creates a rainbow-colored effect when reflecting light while diamonds reflect a white light. While moissanite has more brilliance, its sparkle is what signals that moissanite is fake. Shoppers tend to prefer the distinct brilliance of a diamond.
Moissanite is one of the most affordable simulant diamonds on the market today. It costs a tenth of what a mined diamond costs. The price of moissanite is based on its size and the difference between Premium and Super Premium color grading.
Lab-grown VRAI created diamonds are also less expensive than mined diamonds, but this is not due to a difference in quality. This is because we are a vertically integrated company.
We grow our diamonds ourselves in our zero-emission foundry. No mining companies, cartels, or other middlemen are paid in order for us to receive our diamonds. As such, VRAI created diamonds are available at more accessible diamond prices.
Consumers who choose moissanite jewelry often feel good that their gemstone doesn’t require mining. But, moissanite still has a large carbon footprint. Unless moissanite makers are using renewable energy to power their plants and laboratories, they are creating significant carbon emissions and likely relying on non-renewable coal. Moissanite can hardly be called a sustainable diamond alternative.
While lab-grown diamonds are real diamonds, they do not have the same ethical consequences as mined diamonds. Lab-grown diamonds can also have a high carbon footprint for the same reasons as moissanite, however.
VRAI created diamonds are the only truly sustainable alternative to mined diamonds. Our Carbon Neutral Certified lab-grown diamonds are produced using renewable energy in the world’s first zero-emission foundry. They do not have the same environmental or human impact as mined diamonds or moissanite.
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