Article for Women Issues

The beauty of moissanite
aside from it's obvious diamond like dazzle and brilliance is that it is being hailed as it's own stone
it's not just a "fake diamond" as some would have you believe.

Moissanite are laboratory made under exacting conditions by Charles and Colvard. Moissanites shadow real diamonds in many ways. The hardness rating of a moissanite is just under that of a diamond at 9.25. The hardness of a diamond is 10. The luster and brilliance of moissanite sometimes exceeds that of a diamond. Moissanites would be considered as an SI quality stone
known as "eye clean" to jewelers.It is their likeness to diamonds that sometimes makes moissanites and diamonds hard to distinguish
even to experienced jewelers.

It is very difficult for some jewelers to tell the difference between a moissanite and a real diamond. It seems that the thermal test most jewelers used that can tell them whether or not a stone is an actual diamond does not work with a moissanite stone
which has a higher temperature rating than a diamond. At a temperature of 1100 degrees celsius a diamond will eventually vaporize. A moissanite will remain intact. Some jewelers have an instrument that is called a "moissanite probe" that they can use when trying to distinguish a moissanite from a diamond or a CZ. There is also a double refraction that a moissanite has that distinguishes it from other stones.

Charles and Colvard are the sole manufacturers and patent holders of moissanite stones. They sell to exclusive jewelers which are listed on their internet website
and they do not allow any jeweler to sell moissanite as loose stones. Moissanites are not measured in carats but in millimeters. A moissanite stone approximately one carat in weight would sell for about $525. That's quite a savings over a one carat diamond which would sell for about $6
500
A 4 carat moissanite tennis bracelet sells for approximately $1
800
while a 4 carat SI diamond tennis bracelet sells for approximately $2
500
The best part is that no one will ever know it's not a diamond
unless you choose to tell them.