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Moissanite
Frequently Asked Questions...
by Julie Lee of Julie's Jewelry Design, LLC.
Charles &
Colvard moissanite is getting a lot of attention. As a retailer of
this exciting jewel, we want to provide you with answers to some of the most
frequently asked questions.
Q: What is Moissanite?
Where did the name moissanite come from?
A: Created moissanite is
silicon carbide formed as a single crystal. Moissanite is a naturally
occurring mineral found in limited quantities in the earth. Discovered in
1893 by Dr. Henri Moissan, the jewel was later named in his honor. The
natural quantities of moissanite are too small to create jewelry. The
jewel was created through a combination of science and art.
Q: How can they claim that
moissanite is "rare" when silicon carbide is a very common abrasive?
A: Abrasives formed of silicon
carbide powder are inexpensive to manufacture. Large single-crystal
silicon carbide is extremely difficult to produce. Charles & Colvard have
U.S. and international patent protection for moissanite jewels.
Q: Is it a synthetic diamond?
A: No. A lab-created
jewel is cut to take advantage of the exceptional properties most of us like to
see in fine jewelry.
Q: Is created moissanite
available in different colors?
A: Yes, it is available as near
colorless or as a limited number of green and yellow tints.
Q: How is moissanite made?
A: Single-crystal moissanite is
manufactured through a patented thermal growing process, the specifics of which
are proprietary. The process is very difficult and is performed by only
one company in the world.
Q: How is moissanite graded on
the GIA diamond color grading scale?
A: Moissanite is not graded on
the GIA color scale. It is available in a near-colorless form that is
brilliant and highly dispersive - thus, a beautiful jewel.
Q: How hard is moissanite?
A: Charles & Colvard created
moissanite is measured at 9.25 on the Mohs scale - harder than all
other materials used as gemstones, except diamond.
Q: How can moissanite be
distinguished from other colorless jewels?
A: Created moissanite can be
identified by: moissanite testers; a specific gravity test with calibrated
medium such as methylene iodide; doubly-refractive; and needle-like inclusions.
Q: Does it fluoresce?
A: Rarely - This is
not an identifiable characteristic.
Q: Is it irradiated?
A: No.
Q: Why should I use this
instead of other colorless materials?
A: Moissanite has brilliance,
hardness, and dispersion unlike any jewel on the market. This product is a
unique lab-created jewel with properties people expect to see in fine jewelry.
Q: Why is the price so much
higher than CZ?
A: There is no comparison;
moissanite is a much higher quality product.
Q: Why do you call it a "jewel"
rather than a gemstone/stone?
A: Terms such as
gem/gemstone/stone should be avoided as their use is subject to Federal Trade
Commission and Industry regulation to prevent consumer confusion.
Q: Do larger stones tend to
show more color than the smaller stones?
A: Yes, as with all other
materials, larger jewels tend to show more color. All moissanite will have
some color saturation.
Q: What materials can scratch
moissanite?
A: Carborundum abrasives and
any harder materials can scratch moissanite.
Q: Why is moissanite cut to the
proportions and dimensions it is?
A: The unique cut of Charles &
Colvard moissanite is specifically designed to maximize the performance derived
from the superior optical properties of moissanite: fire, brilliance,
luster.
Julie Lee is a web designer and founder of
Julie's Jewelry Design, LLC. Julie's Jewels is a
Texas based retail jewelry company specializing in high quality, affordable
jewelry pieces created to be treasured for a lifetime.
If anyone would like to republish the above article, please
email me your request and where it will reside, and I'll send you a
short bio you can use with it for your site.
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