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What Is Moissanite? A 1-Minute Guide to Its Origins, Features, and Comparison to Diamonds

Diamonds have long held emotional appeal, especially for women—but their high price limits them to engagement rings and select fine jewelry. For everyday wear, many now turn to moissanite—a diamond alternative gaining massive popularity. Let’s explore why moissanite has become the gemstone everyone’s talking about.

Moissanite’s Origins and Rise in Popularity >
Moissanite’s Key Features >
Moissanite vs Diamond >

1. Moissanite’s Origins and Rise in Popularity

In 1893, French scientist Henri Moissan discovered a new mineral while examining a meteorite crater in Arizona. At first, due to its brilliance and hardness, he believed it was diamond. Later testing revealed it was a new compound of silicon and carbon—not diamond.

Moissan was so captivated that he spent the rest of his career studying it, and the gem was later named “Moissanite” in his honor.

Fast forward to the 1990s, when Charles & Colvard developed a way to produce gem-quality moissanite and secured a 20-year patent in 1995. For two decades, only one supplier provided moissanite for jewelry, and limited supply kept prices high.

After the patent expired in 2015, new manufacturers entered the market, increasing supply, lowering prices, and triggering a global moissanite boom.

2. Moissanite’s Key Features

Looks: Nearly identical to diamonds—so much so that GIA, the world’s top gemological authority, recognizes moissanite as the gemstone most similar to diamonds.
Brilliance: Moissanite has a refractive index of 2.69, higher than a diamond’s 2.42—making it the most brilliant gemstone on Earth.
Fire: With a higher dispersion rate, moissanite gives off intense rainbow-colored flashes, even more vivid than diamonds.
Clarity: Often graded VVS1–VVS2, meaning it’s nearly flawless to the naked eye.
Hardness: More durable than ruby, and second only to diamond, moissanite is highly resistant to scratches—perfect for daily wear.
Price: Costs as little as 2% of a diamond of comparable size.
Sustainability: Natural moissanite exists only in tiny quantities in meteorites and is not viable for jewelry. All moissanite on the market is lab-grown, making it more environmentally friendly than mined diamonds.