Moissanite vs Lab Grown Diamonds: Which Should You Choose?
Moissanite or Lab Grown Diamond: Which Is Right for You?
If you are looking for an alternative to a mined diamond, you have most likely come across both lab grown diamonds and moissanite. Both are created in a lab, both are far more affordable than mined diamonds, and both make beautiful engagement rings. But they are not the same thing. We make jewelry in both, so here is an honest comparison to help you choose.
What each stone is
A lab grown diamond is a real diamond: pure carbon with the same chemical, physical and optical properties as a mined diamond. Only its origin is different. Moissanite is a different gem altogether. It is silicon carbide, a mineral first found in a meteorite crater and far too rare in nature for jewelry, so the moissanite used today is grown in labs. Moissanite is classed as a diamond simulant: it looks similar to a diamond but is optically and chemically different.
Hardness and durability
On the Mohs scale a diamond, lab grown or mined, rates 10 and moissanite rates 9.25. Both are hard enough for an engagement ring worn every day, and moissanite is also tough and resists chipping well. A diamond keeps a slight edge in scratch resistance over many decades.
Sparkle and look
This is where most people decide. Moissanite has a higher refractive index and about twice the dispersion of diamond, so it throws more rainbow-colored fire, especially in sunlight and in larger sizes. Moissanite is also doubly refractive, unlike diamond, so under magnification its facet edges can look doubled. A lab grown diamond looks exactly like a mined diamond: bright white light with a more balanced mix of brilliance and fire. If you want the classic diamond look, choose a lab grown diamond; if you love colorful sparkle, moissanite delivers more of it.
Color
Both are available colorless and near-colorless, and both come in fancy colors. Older moissanite sometimes showed a yellow or green tint, while today’s colorless moissanite is far whiter. Colored moissanite such as blue, green or champagne costs much less than a fancy colored diamond.
Price
Moissanite costs considerably less than a lab grown diamond of the same size, and a lab grown diamond costs considerably less than a mined one. If size and sparkle on a tight budget matter most, moissanite gives you the most stone for your money. If you want a real diamond without the mined price, a lab grown diamond is the better fit.
Grading and paperwork
Diamonds, lab grown or mined, are graded on the familiar color, clarity, cut and carat scale. Moissanite uses similar color and clarity terms but is described as moissanite, never as a diamond. At Bhumi Gems, every piece ships with a Bhumi Gems certificate of authenticity that states the stone and metal.
So which should you choose?
- Choose moissanite if you want the most sparkle and size for your budget and you love colorful fire. Browse our moissanite engagement rings or loose moissanite stones.
- Choose a lab grown diamond if you want a real diamond with the classic diamond look at a lower price than mined. Browse our lab grown diamond engagement rings.
There is no wrong answer. Both are lab-created, both last a lifetime with simple care, and both are made to order in 925 sterling silver or solid gold, with platinum offered on many designs.