Frequently Asked Questions

Moissanite is composed of silicon carbide and is a rare mineral that originates from space meteorites. Moissanites were first discovered by chemist Dr. Henri Moissan at the site of a massive meteorite strike in Arizona, USA. This new stone was named 'moissanite' in his honor as Dr. Moissan spent the rest of his life attempting to recreate this rare mineral in his laboratory.

It wasn't until the late 80's where scientists developed the innovative thermal growing process that made moissanites more widely available to consumers.

Lab diamonds and natural diamonds are materially and physically identical. The only difference will be their origin. Lab diamonds, as specified by their namesake, are synthetically produced in a lab via CVD (Chemical vapor deposition) or HPHT (High pressure high temperature) methods while natural diamonds undergo the same process underground naturally.

Lab diamonds and moissanite while similar in appearance have completely different chemical compositions. The difference in composition gives moissanite a slightly higher refractive index (overall brilliance).

The general public will not be able to discern any difference between the two stones, but a trained gemologist should be able to ascertain which stone is which in most instances.

Charles & Colvard's Forever One line and our own Gema&Co Resplendent Moissanite are materially the same thing. Both are guaranteed to be DEF in color and VS clarity or better. Charles & Colvard is the original producer of Moissanite and has been creating them for over 30 years. As such they have a slightly tighter variance in terms of clarity, and the majority of their stones actually fall in the VVS1 range, while our Resplendent Moissanite will be in the VVS2 range. This difference is not discernible to the naked eye and only under 10x magnification.

We also have no control over Charles & Colvard's pricing, but are able to offer our in house produced stones at the best possible prices.

Moissanite is not a Diamond or substitute of a Diamond, either scientifically, chemically or emotionally. Moissanite is not a fake Diamond but rather a different type of clear gemstone (just like White Sapphires) with its own set of chemical and optical properties.

Carat is the traditional unit of measurement for a Diamond's weight. Moissanites are not measured in carats because it weighs approximately 10 percent less than diamond. For example, a 6.5mm round diamond would weigh 1.0ct, while a 6.5mm round moissanite would weigh 0.88ct. The two stones would visually be the same size - 6.5mm in diameter. All stones for sale are listed with their size in millimeters and the diamond equivalent weight (DEW) in carats.