Fact Sheet
What Is a Moissanite Stone?
Moissanite is a form of silicon carbon that appears similar to a diamond.
History
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Discovered in 1893 by Henri Moissan but not identified as a new form of carbon until 1904, moissanite was originally thought to be diamond. In the 1950s, sources other than meteorites were found as inclusions in minerals similar to diamonds.
Occurrence
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Moissanite is extremely rare in nature; most naturally occurring forms are too small for practical use in jewelry. It's easy to synthetically reproduce.
Uses
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In jewelry, moissanite is marketed as a diamond substitute. It has a higher refractive index than a diamond, and generally falls in the I-J-K area of the Diamond Grading Scale.
As an industrial material, moissanite is a superconductor of both heat and electricity, making it valuable for electronics manufacturing.
Considerations
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Although similar in appearance to diamonds, moissanite is double refractive, making it more brilliant than a diamond in appearance. In jewelry, moissanite can be identified by viewing the number of facets.
Price
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As compared to other diamond alternatives such as cubic zirconia, moissanite is considerably more expensive yet still less expensive than true diamond.
eHow Article: What Is a Moissanite Stone?