Gem Gossip
Moissanite
The Bright Diamond Alternative
Nature has created, and is still creating a variety of valuable materials and crystals. People are crazy about them and admired them. Old nations, Egyptians, Greeks and others used them as decoration and called precious stones. It is well-known that precious stones and various crystals have often adorned the best jewelry in the past, but it can also be found today on various pieces of jewelry. Diamonds, sapphires, rubies are known to all jewelry lovers, but one of the most unique stone today is Moissanite.
The history of Moissanite begins in the late 19th century, more precisely in 1893 when it was discovered by chemist Henri Moissan. During his mission Moissan questioned the walls of Canyon Diablo when he discovered this Crystal. At first he thought he discovered diamonds, but later found that it was about a new crystal that was named as Moissanite. Moissanite is a naturally occurring silicon carbide and because of its composition and characteristics, it is very useful for industrial purposes. In its natural form it is extremely rare, but it is created in the laboratory in its natural form. The process by which this crystal is created in a laboratory is a very complex requirement of complex technique and skill, but the end result is a unique stone that can be invigorated and diamonds.
The perfect reflection of the light, the beautiful shape and the purifier of the crystals are enough for everyone to love a piece of jewelry adorned with Moissanite. Its uniqueness is not only reflected in its rarity, but also in an incredibly luxurious and elegant appearance that no one can resist.
Although very rare in nature, Ralph Jacobs developed their own Moissanite collection with Natural Moissanite features. Evermore Radiant, Evermore Brilliance and Evermore Classic are part of this collection, and Evermore Radiant can be compared to a particular type of diamond, with E color GIA-certified diamond due to its exceptional quality.
Selecting the Perfect 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 is similar across different qualities of moissanites. At Ralph Jacobs, we offer three grades of Moissanite : Evermore Radiant, Evermore Brilliant and Evermore Classic. Evermore Brillant moissanites are nearly colorless and can be compared to a G or H in color on the 4 C’s scale, and Evermore Radiant moissanites are colorless, falling within the E-F range. Our Evermore Classic is has a slight tint of yellow, and can be compared to the I-J range.
Cut above the rest
All Moissanites are cut with exceptional accuracy so you never have to worry about the cut of our stones. Shape is your primary concern as you get Moissanites in all your standard shapes. Whether you choose a Round brilliant, a Cushion cut or an Emerald, you know the cut will be perfect. Gem size would be your next point to consider. The size of the stone will largely be determined by the look of your ring and the budget you have in mind. Colour too can affect your budget as the Radiant stone is much more expensive than your Brilliance counterpart. Finally, your metals will play a role in choosing your stone.The Radiant being perfect in white gold and platinum, Brilliance better suited to rose gold and silver and your Classic stone being suited to Yellow Gold.
The Sparkle Factor
The refractive index of a diamond is 2.42, but Evermore Moissanite is rated higher with a refractive index of 2.65-2.69. In addition, Moissanite (as do rubies and sapphires) has a double refraction (see “Birefringence” on Wikipedia), where a diamonds refraction is just singular (as is glass). This gives Moissanite 10% more sparkle and fire than a similarly cut diamond.
When jewelers are talking about a gem’s brilliance, they are referring to its “refraction”. The refraction index is a measurement of the difference of the speed of light in a vacuum compared to the speed of light traveling through a given medium (such as through a diamond or through Moissanite for example)
