WHAT IS MOISSANITE?

Moissanite is a unique near-colorless jewel made from silicon carbide (SiC) that outshines all others with its unsurpassed fire and brilliance. Moissanite, also known as silicon carbide (SiC), is a naturally occurring mineral found in limited quantities or as small particles in the earth. Moissanite is not a imitation diamond or diamond substitute like cubic zirconia; it is its own gemstone. The rarity of large natural moissanite crystals prohibits their use in jewelry making. Therefore, moissanite stones must be recreated and grown in a lab setting that has taken years for scientists to develop.

WHERE DID THE NAME MOISSANITE COME FROM?

Discovered in 1893 by French Nobel Prize-winner, Dr. Henri Moissan, the jewel was later named in his honor.

HOW IS CREATED MOISSANITE MADE?

Single-crystal moissanite is manufactured through a patented thermal growing process, the specifics of which are proprietary. The process is very difficult and expensive, thus preventing mass production. Boutique CZ & Boutique Pavè offer their very own line of moissanite stones that are the highest quality moissanite stones available.  All of our stones include a certificate of authenticity and a limited lifetime warranty.  You can learn more about this here

HOW DO YOU ENSURE THE PRODUCT AND QUALITY IN THE PRODUCTION OF CREATED MOISSANITE?

Every moissanite gemstone is produced within exacting specifications and high quality control standards. Moissanite created gemstones are released for sale only after having met stringent quality control standards.  

WHAT MAKES MOISSANITE SO BRILLIANT?

The Refractive Index (RI) of a gemstone is the most important optical property affecting its potential brilliance (sparkle). With an RI of 2.65 – 2.69, moissanite displays more brilliance than diamond which has a RI of 2.42 or any other popular gemstone, such as ruby (RI 1.77) and sapphire (RI 1.77)

HOW ARE MOISSANITE STONES GRADED?

Moissanite stones are graded just as genuine diamonds are graded. We apply the same 4 C's of Color, Clarity, Cut, and Cost to moissanite stones, with some slight differences.

Color:

Color grading is equally important for both diamonds and moissanite stones.  This refers to the amount of color present in the stone.  The color of the stone is graded on a scale from D for colorless to Z for a slight yellow tint. The color grades fall into three main color groups;

1. Colorless: Comparable to a D, E, or F color grade- *a majority of Moissanite stones fall within the "D" color range!
2. Slightly Colorless: Comparable to a G, H, or I color grade
3. Yellow Tinted: Comparable to a J or K color grade

Clarity:

The Clarity of a moissanite stone indicates the number of imperfections also known as inclusions. All diamonds and gemstones have inclusions including moissanite.  However, moissanite's inclusions are usually not visible to the naked eye!

The amount of inclusions a diamond or moissanite has determines the clarity grade the stone receives.  The grading system includes five categories from flawless, FL to included, I3.  Below are the clarity grades used for both diamonds and moissanite;

1. FL, IF: Flawless and internally flawless
2. VVS1, VVS2: Very, very slightly included *a majority of moissanite falls into a clarity grade of VVS1. 
3. VS1, VS2: Very slightly included
4. SI1, SI2: Slightly included
5. I1, I2, I3: Included

Cut:

The cut of a moissanite does not refer to the shape of the stone.  For grading purposes a stone's cut refers to how well a stone is cut and how much light refraction is seen from the stone.  The grading system for moissanite is equal to that of genuine diamonds, with a "cut" scaling system from excellent to poor.  A stone with an excellent cut allows for the maximum amount of light to travel through the stone which maximizes it's refraction and increases the stone's fire.  A poorly cut stone will not allow light to travel through the stone which decreases the amount of light refraction the stone has. 

The grade chart for a moissanite's cut is simply:

1. Excellent
2. Very Good *a majority of moissanite stones are this grade
3. Good
4. Fair
5. Poor

Carat:

A genuine diamond's stone carat weight refers to how heavy the stone is. Since moissanite has less density than a genuine diamond it is difficult to compare the two stones by their carat weight alone.  Jewelers and manufacturers of moissanite have determined that a moissanite's carat weight conversion should be identified by the stone's actual MM girth measurement.  For example, a one carat diamond would be equivalent to a 6.5 MM moissanite stone.  Each stone will have the same girth measurement of 6.5 MM, but the diamond would weigh more than the moissanite if placed on a scale. 

FOR MORE INFORMATION REGARDING MOISSANITE, PLEASE Contact Us