Moissanite vs diamonds, they can look very similar to the naked eye, but there are a few ways to tell them apart:
- Brilliance: Moissanite has a higher refractive index than diamond, which means that it has more fire and brilliance. This can make it appear more sparkly and colourful than diamond, especially in certain lighting conditions. Look for flashes of colour, such as green, yellow, or pink, as you move the stone around in the light.
- Colour: Diamonds are valued for their lack of colour, with the most valuable diamonds being completely colourless. Moissanite, on the other hand, has a slight yellow or green tint, although some moissanite stones are now available in near-colourless grades. If you have a diamond and a moissanite side by side, you may notice that the diamond appears more colourless.
- Hardness: Diamond is the hardest natural substance on earth, with a rating of 10 on the Mohs scale of mineral hardness. Moissanite is also a very hard gemstone, with a rating of 9.25 on the Mohs scale. This means that both gems are durable and resistant to scratches and chips, but diamond is slightly harder. If you have a scratch test kit, you can try scratching the surface of the stone with a known diamond and moissanite testing pen to determine if it is a diamond or moissanite.
- Price: Moissanite is generally less expensive than diamond, so if you are comparing two stones of similar size and quality, the moissanite will typically be less expensive. However, this should not be your sole way of determining if a stone is a moissanite or diamond, as lab-grown diamonds can be less expensive than natural diamonds, and the price of a gemstone can also depend on other factors such as the cut and clarity.
If you are unsure whether a stone is a moissanite or a diamond, it’s best to have it evaluated by a
professional gemologist who can use specialised equipment to determine the stone’s composition and properties.
It’s worth noting that many jewellers and gemologists can easily tell the difference between moissanite and diamond just by looking at the stone under magnification, as the two stones have different crystal structures and refractive indexes. However, it can be more difficult to tell the difference with the naked eye, especially for people who are not trained in gemology.
In addition to the factors I mentioned earlier, there are some other ways to tell moissanite and diamond apart. For example, moissanite is a doubly refractive gemstone, which means that it splits light into two different directions as it passes through the stone. This can cause a “doubling” effect in some areas of the stone, especially around the edges. Diamond, on the other hand, is a singly refractive gemstone, so it does not have this effect.
Another difference is that moissanite can have a different pattern of light reflection than diamond. Moissanite has a pattern of light reflection that is more “crushed ice” or “disco ball” than diamond, which can make it appear more sparkly and flashy to some people.
If you’re still unsure whether a stone is a moissanite or a diamond, the best way to know for sure is to have it professionally evaluated by a qualified gemologist or jewellery appraiser.
