Why moissanite
The stone that out-sparkles the one it is compared to.
Moissanite is not a "fake diamond" any more than a ruby is a fake sapphire. It is a different mineral — silicon carbide — with its own optical properties, and on the two measures that decide how a stone looks in a room, it beats diamond outright.
| Measure | Moissanite | Diamond | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|
| Refractive index | 2.65 – 2.69 | 2.42 | How hard it bends light. Higher is brighter. |
| Dispersion (fire) | 0.104 | 0.044 | The rainbow flashes. Moissanite throws about 2.4× more. |
| Mohs hardness | 9.25 | 10 | Scratch resistance. Only diamond beats 9.25 — everything else in your jewellery box loses. |
| Origin | Meteorite, then lab-grown | Mined | No pit, no cartel, no sourcing question. |
| 1ct, set in silver | from $99 | $3,000+ | The reason you are on this page. |
Optical figures are the standard published gemological constants for silicon carbide (6H polytype) and diamond. Prices are indicative retail for a 1 carat round brilliant.
The honest part
Where diamond still wins
Diamond is harder — a 10 against 9.25 — so over decades of daily knocks it holds a crisp edge slightly better. And a diamond has resale infrastructure; moissanite does not. If you are buying a stone as an asset, buy a diamond.
If you are buying it because of how it looks on a hand, across a table, in bad restaurant lighting — moissanite wins, and it is not close.
See it in person.
Thirty days to decide, returns on us.
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