What is
Moissanite -
and Why Do We Love It?

We love all lab-grown gems, but we work with moissanite the most. What is moissanite? Moissanite is a rare gemstone naturally found in meteorites, discovered by Nobel Prize-winning chemist Henri Moissan over 100 years ago. It looks very similar to diamond, except with a more visible rainbow sparkle - which we adore. Plus, it’s strong enough to last forever, second only to diamond on the Mohs Scale of Hardness. So it’s basically…a space diamond!

Where is
Moissanite Found?

We mentioned meteorites earlier, but not all moissanite gemstones are found from falling space rocks. Commercial moissanite is grown in a lab with minimal environmental impact.

Unlike mined diamonds, moissanite is widely available (none of those artificial shortages and cartel pricing that come with the mined diamond industry) which allows us to offer you luxurious choices - like rare antique cuts and generous stone sizes. 

Let’s compare
diamonds and
moissanite
real quick:
Moissanite
Diamond
Origin
Grown sustainably in a lab
Can be mined or lab-grown
Composition
Silicon carbide
Carbon
Clarity
Eye clean (VS) to flawless
Ranges from severely included to flawless
Hardness ranking
Suitable for daily wear (9.25)
Suitable for daily wear (10)
Refractive index
2.65-2.69
2.41-2.42
Moissanite
Origin
Grown sustainably in a lab
Composition
Silicon carbide
Clarity
Eye clean (VS) to flawless
Hardness ranking
Suitable for daily wear (9.25)
Refractive index
2.65-2.69
Diamond
Origin
Can be mined or lab-grown
Composition
Carbon
Clarity
Ranges from severely included to flawless
Hardness ranking
Suitable for daily wear (10)
Refractive index
2.41-2.42
Is There Anything Else to Know About Moissanite?
Yes, there’s a ton actually! You’re in the right place to learn about moissanite’s hardness and durability, rainbow fire, color grading, and proportions. If you want to check out all the different colors moissanite is available in (it’s a lot of colors, and they’re all gorgeous), you can check out our Colored Gemstones reference page. 

Heirloom
quality

Moissanite Durability 

Heirloom quality is important to us at Hera, and while diamonds are a common go-to, moissanite fits right in. It also checks all our other boxes, like sustainability and affordability. That’s why we love moissanite - it’ll last through lifetimes of daily wear. 

How Hard is Moissanite?
Durability is tested on the Mohs Scale of hardness, which ranks minerals by how hard they are. On a scale of 1-10, with 1 being the softest and 10 being the hardest, anything nine or above is strong enough to withstand daily wear on your hand. Moissanite is second only to diamond - it’s even harder than both ruby and sapphire, which artisans have used in engagement rings for hundreds of years. You can compare moissanite’s durability to other common gemstones at the link below:
Learn More
Moissanite vs. Common Diamond Substitutes
Common synthetic diamond substitutes - like cubic zirconia - are fragile. After just a few months of daily wear, you’ll begin to notice scratches and clouding on the surface of your stone. That’s why we don’t really recommend cubic zirconia (or any other diamond substitute) for daily wear. Moissanite, on the other hand, is not a diamond substitute. It is a unique gemstone with its own unique properties. And, because it’s significantly harder than any diamond substitute, it won’t scratch or cloud over time. We’re so confident that we offer a lifetime warranty on our moissanite, guaranteeing that the optical properties of your stone will never change.  
Shop Rings

Moissanite’s Famous Rainbow Fire

We’re not talking about literal fire here - although that would be pretty cool. When discussing a gemstone, the term “fire” is used to describe the way a stone sparkles. This comes from a gemological property known as dispersion.

Dispersion happens when white light enters moissanite or diamond, splits into the rainbow of colors, and bounces back to reflect the light to the viewer - creating rainbow fire. 

WHAT TO
KNOW
ABOUT

Dispersion
and
Moissanite

shop rings

See a ring that’s almost what you want but just needs a little refinement? The Custom route is the way to go! We can accommodate most custom requests (just ask!) but a few of the most common changes can be found below.



Do All Moissanite Gemstones Have Rainbow Fire?


While we absolutely adore moissanite’s rainbow flashes, we know that some people may be looking for a whiter sparkle. Rainbow fire is least visible at around 2 carats diamond equivalent weight and under, and in step cuts like the emerald cut. Like all stones, moissanite sparkles differently depending on the light source.

Like diamond, gemologists grade moissanite by its color - where “color” refers to the natural body color of the stone, not the flashes or sparkles you see as the stone moves. Moissanite is typically available in two color grades: colorless (DEF) and near-colorless (GH). 

You’ll likely have a hard time comparing the two unless they’re held side-by-side. But we’re perfectionists. We want your engagement ring to be flawless - so our experts pre-select the best moissanite color grade for each cut and take out the guesswork on your end. 

MOISSANITE COLOR GRADING

The Basics of Our Colorless Moissanite

Our colorless modern cut moissanite is DEF, while our antique cut moissanite is GH. These are inspired by antique diamonds that were cut to glow in candlelight. 

We charge the same price for colorless and near-colorless moissanite. Why? Because we want you to have the best color choice for your preferred cut - without wild upcharges and hidden costs. 

What About Our Colored Moissanite?

As a general rule, we try to keep our gemstones in their natural body color. This means that there are no coatings or other temporary treatments applied. Instead, your color is guaranteed to last forever without any fading. 

We offer moissanite in champagne, cognac, gray, green, cornflower blue, Pacific blue and black. And, yes, if you Google colored moissanite you’ll see pink and purple too, but unfortunately, all pink and purple moissanite is color-coated so we don’t sell it.

THE MOISSANITE GEMSTONE YOU WANT - NO COMPROMISES  |  THE MOISSANITE GEMSTONE YOU WANT - NO COMPROMISES  |  

THE MOISSANITE GEMSTONE YOU WANT - NO COMPROMISES  |  THE MOISSANITE GEMSTONE YOU WANT - NO COMPROMISES  |  

THE MOISSANITE GEMSTONE YOU WANT - NO COMPROMISES  |  THE MOISSANITE GEMSTONE YOU WANT - NO COMPROMISES  |  

THE MOISSANITE GEMSTONE YOU WANT - NO COMPROMISES  |  THE MOISSANITE GEMSTONE YOU WANT - NO COMPROMISES  |  

THE MOISSANITE GEMSTONE YOU WANT - NO COMPROMISES  |  THE MOISSANITE GEMSTONE YOU WANT - NO COMPROMISES  |  

THE MOISSANITE GEMSTONE YOU WANT - NO COMPROMISES  |  THE MOISSANITE GEMSTONE YOU WANT - NO COMPROMISES  |  

THE MOISSANITE GEMSTONE YOU WANT - NO COMPROMISES  |  THE MOISSANITE GEMSTONE YOU WANT - NO COMPROMISES  |  

THE MOISSANITE GEMSTONE YOU WANT - NO COMPROMISES  |  THE MOISSANITE GEMSTONE YOU WANT - NO COMPROMISES  |  

The Moissanite Gemstone You Want - No Compromises.

One of the great things about moissanite is that you can get exactly what you want - no compromises. And yes, this includes selecting the exact dimensions and proportion of your stone.

With elongated cuts, like emerald and oval, you can choose either a slimmer of fuller proportion for your stone. You can see the difference in proportions between the two options in the diagram below:
9x6 MM
9x7 MM
10x7 MM
10x8 MM
9x6 MM
9x7 MM
10x7 MM
10x8 MM

WE’RE HERE TO HELP

Also - you’re not alone. If you’re not sure what your next steps are - or even what gemstone you want, Hera is here to help. We’ll set up a consultation and put together your best options for the look you want, your budget, the gemstones you like, and more. 
Ready to get started?
Book a virtual consult

Let's hang
on tiktok