Natural Diamonds, Lab Grown Diamonds and Moissanite
Natural Diamonds:
How are natural diamonds made? Diamonds form deep within the earth. Under extreme temperatures and pressure carbon becomes diamonds. They were brought to the surface with a rock called kimberlite a volcanic rock.
Diamonds can vary greatly in quality and price. During the 1940’s and 1950’s the GIA (Gemological Institute of America) developed a universal grading system and thus -- the standards for the 4Cs were born; carat, color, clarity, and cut. According to the GIA.edu website, “GIA's mission is to ensure the public trust in gems and jewelry by upholding the highest standards of integrity, academics, science, and professionalism through education, research, laboratory services, and instrument development.” READ MORE ON OUR BLOG: About Diamonds
Lab-Grown Diamonds:
Lab-grown diamonds are not the same material as CZs or Moissanite but it is a diamond. The difference between natural diamonds and lab-grown diamonds is growth time. Lab-grown diamonds take between two and eight weeks and natural diamonds take billions of years. Chemical Composition for both is carbon; Refractive Index is 2.42 for both; Hardness is 10 for both; durability is excellent for both and both have inclusions/blemishes.
Because the lab-grown diamonds are grown in a lab they can be 30%-50% less than their natural counterparts giving customers the ability to purchase higher carat total weights at a more affordable price.
Moissanite:
Moissanite was discovered in a meteorite crater in Arizona in 1893 by Henri Moissan. Currently Moissanite is created in a lab with strict standards which make for beautiful uniform stones. Moissanite is strong enough for daily wear and will not chip, crack or break easily. Moissanite is also an exceptionally sparkly stone this is because bends and reflects twice the amount of light as other stones. Although moissanite looks like other colorless stones it stands in a league of its own.
Compared to a diamond, Moissanite will sparkle more with colorful flashes where a diamond will have white flashes. Moissanite is more durable and less likely to chip or break where a diamond is harder and less likely to scratch.
Mohs Scale of Hardness, moissanite is rated as a 9.25. This is a great score, and higher than any gemstone used in jewelry besides diamonds.
Moissanites shine and reflect light the same as diamonds but a moissanite can cost 3x less than a diamond of the same size.
Our Moissanites are eye-clean, loupe-clean and with colorless or near colorless options.
