You have many choices when it comes to an engagement ring. One of the most popular questions ring wearers ask themselves these days is moissanite engagement vs lab diamond engagement ring? In this post, we’ll help you choose the best decision for your engagement ring.
What is a Moissanite Engagement Ring?
In this economy, many engagement ring seekers are looking for an alternative to higher priced natural diamonds. That is one of the main reasons why many people choose a moissanite engagement ring. Moissanite is a colorless gemstone that was discovered in 1893 by the French scientist named Henri Moissan. It comes as no surprise he named his discovery after himself. Initially, Henri thought he had discovered rough diamonds in a crater in Arizona. After further inspection, it was revealed to be a different material altogether.
Moissanite is composed of silicon carbide, whereas diamond is composed of carbon. Because it was discovered inside the crater caused by meteorites, natural moissanite is believed to have extraterrestrial origins. This earned it the nicknames of “Space Diamond” or “Stardust.”
If you were to buy a moissanite engagement ring, it would not be a natural moissanite stone. Natural moissanite is extremely rare and is not found in jewelry stores. So, every moissanite engagement ring you come across is a lab-created stone.
Why Some People Choose a Moissanite Engagement Ring
There’s a few different reasons why someone might choose a moissanite engagement ring as opposed to a diamond or a colored gemstone.
- Moissanite can appear more sparkly than a diamond.
Moissanite has a higher refractive index than a natural or lab grown diamond engagement ring. The refractive index of a gemstone explains the way a stone bends light. The more it bends the light, the more brilliance it displays. Diamonds have a refractive index of 2.42, while a moissanite engagement ring has a RI of 2.65-2.69. Moissanite will sparkle more intensely compared to diamonds.
- Moissanite generally costs less than a diamond.
The price of moissanite tends to be the number one reason why most people choose a moissanite engagement ring over a diamond engagement ring. Depending on where you buy it from, it’s less expensive to buy a moissanite engagement ring with a larger carat weight than if you were to buy a natural or lab grown diamond engagement ring.
- Moissanite naturally has high clarity.
Clarity denotes how many natural inclusions and blemishes a stone has. Moissanite is lab grown in a controlled environment which results in high clarity stones. In naturally occurring gemstones, a high amount of inclusions and visible clarity characteristics are common. These can impact the beauty of the stone. A good moissanite engagement ring will not have any visible inclusions without impacting the cost.
- Moissanite is highly durable.
Unlike many gemstones, moissanite has the closest scratch resistance to a diamond. It rates a 9.25 on the Mohs hardness scale, whereas a diamond is 10. This means that a moissanite engagement ring will stand up to dirt and dust much longer than other gemstone engagement rings over time. It’s also less likely to chip than a diamond because it doesn’t possess the same cleavage planes.
What is a Lab Grown Diamond Engagement Ring?
A lab grown diamond engagement ring is an engagement ring that features a diamond created in a laboratory environment. Lab diamonds have all the same characteristics as a diamond mined from the ground.
Lab created diamonds are usually created using high pressure high temperature (HPHT) or chemical vapor deposition (CVD) methods. The HPHT method is similar to how natural diamonds grow within the earth. Scientists produce the same conditions in a laboratory environment on a piece of a diamond that makes it crystallize. The CVD method involves using gasses on the piece of a diamond in a vacuum chamber. The heat breaks down the gas, releasing carbon atoms that attach themselves to the diamond seed. The layers cause the diamond to crystallize.
Lab grown diamonds are graded using the 4Cs of diamond quality, just like natural mined diamonds. Only a skilled gemologist with equipment has the ability to discern a lab grown diamond engagement ring from a natural diamond engagement ring.
Why You Might Choose Lab Grown Diamond Engagement Over a Moissanite Engagement Ring
At AW Jewelry, we recommend choosing a lab grown diamond engagement ring over a moissanite engagement ring. Here’s why we think a lab grown diamond engagement ring would be better than buying a moissanite engagement ring.
- A Moissanite Engagement Ring Might Be Too Flashy
It’s true that a moissanite engagement ring has brighter sparkle than a diamond engagement ring. But that might not be a good thing for everyone. The biggest complaint about a moissanite engagement ring is its sparkle.
Moissanite possesses what we call double refraction, or birefringence. This means that when light enters a moissanite engagement ring, it splits into two different rays which exit at different angles. This quality gives it the “disco ball” effect it is known for.
The problem with birefringence is that it can be overwhelming for those who prefer a more subtle sparkle. It can also make the stone look blurry or cloudy. Some people say that it makes a moissanite stone look “tacky” or “fake.” Diamonds do not have double refraction, which results in a subtle rainbow sparkle.
- There’s no quality standards for a moissanite engagement ring.
A natural or lab diamond engagement ring is assessed for quality using universal industry standards of the 4Cs of diamond quality: cut, color, clarity, and carat weight. No matter where you buy a diamond from, these are the standards.
Moissanite quality standards are more ambiguous. Some moissanite dealers grade them according to the 4Cs. Others may categorize them as “standard”, “premium”, or “super premium”. The quality will vary from retailer to retailer.
- A moissanite engagement ring may cloud over time.
Despite moissanite being the closest scratch resistance (hardness) to a diamond, it’s important to remember that the Mohs scale is not a linear scale. Moissanite’s hardness rating may be 0.75 away from a lab diamond’s 10 hardness rating, but that diamond is many times harder than a diamond. Hardness depicts the ability of a stone to resist dirt particles in air when worn daily.
So that being said, a moissanite engagement ring can scratch after years of wear, causing it to appear cloudy. A natural or lab diamond engagement ring will not.
- A lab grown diamond engagement ring has better value than a moissanite engagement ring.
While a lab grown diamond engagement ring isn’t as valuable (monetarily) as a natural diamond engagement ring, it still has better value than a moissanite engagement ring. You are more likely to get more money back when selling a lab grown diamond engagement ring than a moissanite engagement ring. Lab diamond engagement rings will also have higher appraisals and insurance value. Some places will even do trade-ups for lab diamond engagement rings, but they are rarely done for a moissanite engagement ring.
Create Your Dream Engagement Ring at AW Jewelry
If you’re considering a moissanite engagement ring, AW Jewelry offers you a better alternative with a custom created lab grown diamond engagement ring. We understand that the price difference of a moissanite and lab grown diamond engagement ring may be a significant factor in your choice. We implore you to work with our team to find a price that works for your budget considerations.
When you create a lab grown diamond engagement ring, you have assurance of its standardized quality factors and a wealth of unique options for your center diamond. We can custom cut your lab diamond engagement ring in a variety of unique diamond shapes, not just the standard 10 shapes that everyone else offers. Every lab diamond engagement ring is uniquely tailored to your exact specifications and cut. You’ll find that it is much harder to find these customizations for a moissanite engagement ring.
If you’d like to discuss creating a lab grown diamond engagement ring or want to know more about the comparisons to a moissanite engagement ring, the team at AW Jewelry is standing by to hear from you.
