Diamond Alternatives

Moissanite

Moissanite is a naturally occurring mineral (SiC – silicon carbide) first described by Henry Moissan in 1893. As a naturally occurring gemstone it is very rare, mostly found either in meteorites or as inclusions within other stones. It was introduced into the jewellery market only as recently as 1998, and only because it became possible for Moissanite to be synthetically produced. These patents expired in 2015 for the US and 2016 for most other countries, which is why we have seen a surge in the use of this stone in jewellery in the last five years.

Because it is synthetically produced Moissanite has a lower carbon footprint than diamonds. It is also far more affordable.

Moissanite has a hardness of 9.5 on the Mohs scale, which makes it more hardwearing than even Sapphire, though still not quite as hard as a diamond.