Diamond Vs Moissanite

To be clear, the Moissanite is not a diamond imposter, it is in fact a very rare gemstone that rivals the diamond due to its refractive and hardness qualities.

Moissanite share a lot of optical similarities to the diamond although they are chemically and compositionally different. In fact, Moissanite have a higher refractive index than diamonds do (more sparkle).

In addition to this is the hardness of the Moissanite stone.
(MOHS scale)
On this scale diamonds are a 10 and a Moissanite is a 9.5-9.25. Followed by the Ruby (9), Sapphire (9), Emerald (7.5).
This ranking makes Moissanite the seconds hardest natural stone known to man.

Moissanite are incredibly strong and never change colour or lose their sparkle. They are also completely traceable, conflict-free and eco-friendly. 

The Prestwick stones are so pure and so white that they exceed that of any other gem or diamond.
Our stones are unfailingly pure, colourless and in the premium D-E-F range, with extreme hardness. 

In general, jewellery and diamonds do have incredibly high mark-ups but these mark-ups were due in part to jewellery being hand-made. Traditionally, it was one in-house jeweller creating everything for a brand; cutting stones, setting pave, etc.
Sadly, today we see companies outsource to places like China, or purchasing mass-produced styles and using CAD's—all the while marking up the price multiple times without increasing or inputting any truly skilful craft to the pieces.

As far as the mined diamond themselves, even with the guarantee of a GIA certificate, 100% traceability of naturally occuring diamonds is seemingly impossible. Diamond mines claim thousands of lives each day and it is likely that each natural diamond on today's market has some of 'conflict' associated to it.

The Prestwick stones are artfully crafted in a laboratory from silicon carbide, one of the hardest minerals in the world, and are guaranteed to last a lifetime.

Lab grown diamonds are real diamonds.

Lab grown diamonds are composed of crystallised carbon just like natural diamonds so the two have the same appearance and the same physical, chemical and optical characteristics.

Lab-grown diamonds are created using extreme pressure and heat inside a machine rather than the bowels of the Earth. Lab grown diamonds are identical to earth mined diamonds in every way, except that they are grown in a lab. They have the same chemical, physical, and optical properties as mined diamonds however, they are free from all forms of conflict, they do not impose ecological harm and damage to our environment and they do not require any diamond mining.

The answer is no. You cannot distinguish between the two with naked eyes.

One of the only ways to differentiate between a lab grown diamond and a mined diamond is to examine the inscription on the girdle of the diamond.

Under up to 30x magnification, a lab-grown diamond will reveal a unique laser inscription.

This is one of the only ways to identify whether a diamond is lab grown or mined.

There are no physical or chemical differences between a lab or mined diamond.

What many people don’t know is that there is such a thing as natural Moissanite, only it’s so rare and hard to come by that it’s impossible to have a natural Moissanite engagement ring.

While the Moissanite on the market is an achievement of science and technology, natural Moissanite came to earth on an asteroid. It was first discovered in a meteor crater in Arizona by Henry Moissan, who thought the stone was diamonds. Natural moissanite is only found in a few places in the world, mainly in meteorites and upper mantle rocks.

This means that Moissanite truly is stardust or space diamond. It’s a material that came from outer space and was replicated on earth. Now how’s that for an origin story?

We cant wait to make your dream ring a reality. 

Buying an engagement ring is a big choice and not one to be made lightly. Not only is it an expression of your love and commitment to each other, but it’s also a major financial decision.

The benefit of a Moissanite as opposed to a natural diamond is that it’s a lot more affordable. If a 1carat diamond costs $6000, a similar Moissanite might only cost $1000. This is a significant saving but it’s still not exactly cheap.

Some might think that buying a natural, mined diamond is an investment whereas a Moissanite or Lab-Diamond might not retain its value. Unfortunately, a natural diamond isn’t an investment and has no inherent value over a moissanite or a lab-diamond.

If you doubt this, try selling a natural diamond for the price you bought it for. Unlike gold, natural diamonds don’t maintain their value. They’re like cars or household goods – as soon as you buy them, they drop in price.

Moissanites are so similar in appearance to diamonds that they make excellent substitutes. In most cases, no one would even know the difference unless you told them.

Yes.

One major way that the moissanite & lab-grown diamond trumps natural, mined diamonds is that they’re ethical and sustainable and have minimal impact on the environment. This isn’t to say that other stones aren’t sustainable, it’s just that natural diamonds have come under fire in recent decades due to unethical practices in the industry.

With the release of movies like Blood Diamond, which shows the dark underbelly of the diamond industry, many couples are moving towards more ethical options. If you’re concerned about buying a conflict diamond or the huge devastation that diamond mining has on the planet, a moissanite or lab-grown diamond might be a more suitable option for you.

In terms of durability, Moissanite ranks second only to diamond when it comes to gemstones. Diamonds are a 10 on the MOHS scale, but Moissanite is a 9.25, which is the second hardest gemstone used in jewellery. Sapphires and rubies sit at 9 while morganite, aquamarine and emeralds are an 8.

This goes to show that Moissanite is extremely hard and scratch resistant. They’re tough and don’t easily break or chip regardless of the exposure they receive.

If you ask your local jeweller about Moissanite, you might get a range of responses. Some might be honest and tell you the truth, whereas others might say that Moissanites aren’t durable, they change and fade in colour or that they just look bad in general. You’ll have to take this kind of information with a grain of salt.

Natural Diamonds are most jewellers bread and butter, and it’s in their interests to keep this industry alive. Some might even go so far as to show you ‘bad-looking’ moissanite or lab-diamond next to a natural diamond, to prove their point that Moissanites and Lab-Diamonds aren’t a good idea. We offer Ring Showings and Digital Showings in order for you to really see the beauty of these stones.

Now, this is not to say that every jeweller is like this. But in general, do your own research - this way, you can make an informed decision based on facts and not be guided by the jewellers opinions.

This terminology relates to the colour and and clarity of a stone.

A lot of the time this language and these specifications can confuse newcomers.

See our full Colour / Clarity notes here.