How Ethical Is Moissanite? Diamond Alternative's Impact

Who isn’t hypnotized by the extravagant brilliance of a colorless diamond? It stands alone in beauty and sparkle. Simply put—nothing else compares to a gorgeous diamond. And people throughout time have yearned for diamonds of their own—having admired royalty who’ve worn them to flaunt their immense wealth and power.

So it’s not hard to imagine how the whole world developed an appetite for sparkling diamonds. If the rich and powerful owned them, everyone else wanted them too. The trouble was that diamonds have always been rare and hard to recover. So, that has made them out of reach for most of the world. 

Desire spawns invention, correct? With so many people desiring to wear diamonds but finding them out of reach financially---many innovative scientists worked on developing a luxury alternative to diamonds. These had to be beautiful, durable and desirable too.

Moissanite for Thoughtful Eco-Minded Shoppers

One such creation is Moissanite. It actually shares a fascinating history to be appreciated. A curious scientist named Henri Moissan in the late 19th century stumbled upon small natural crystals at a meteor crater site. First thought to be tiny diamond crystals, they were later proven to be another natural substance that had the potential to mimic diamonds in brilliance.

This prompted research to recreate them in the laboratory in large enough sizes to be used in jewelry.  Today jewelry lovers around the globe can acquire Moissanite as a diamond alternative. Some collectors have both diamonds and Moissanite and appreciate each one for its special attributes. While Moissanite is a spectacular colorless gemstone with vibrant brilliance, there are some distinctions which separate the two. 

Besides the clear difference in price between Moissanite and diamond, it’s considered a wonderful addition to any jewelry collector’s wardrobe. While moissanite is cheaper than diamonds it opens more doors for collectability to fans who find high quality large diamonds to be out of reach. 

Comparing Diamonds to Moissanite

Yes, both diamond and Moissanite are colorless. Diamonds (singly refractive) exhibit a dazzling display of reflected light when expertly cut. Moissanite on the other hand is doubly refractive. The trained eye can see this double refraction using a jeweler’s loupe. But anyone can see that Moissanite sparkles even more dramatically than diamonds, thanks to this double refraction. It breaks up light into its full rainbow of hues and sparkles back to the viewer’s eye with colorful brilliance.

Today Moissanite has evolved into one of the most sought after diamond alternatives in the world. Its exceptional brilliance and luster is a big draw. But so is its hardness which is close to that of a diamond. Diamond has a ranking of 10 on the Mohs scale, and Moissanite ranks 9.25. That’s about as close as it gets.

Modern shoppers want to spend their hard earned dollars on products that mirror their own value system. That includes luxury purchases. 

Some years ago, when the film Blood Diamond was released, it opened the eyes of diamond collectors and sellers around the world. It jumpstarted creating a system of tracking diamonds to their source to verify that they were not funding wars with governments or engaging in dangerous practices.

Shoppers Care about Sustainability and our Environment

Since then, consumers have been keen to know that their diamonds are ethically sourced and do not promote unscrupulous mining activities. That mindset has spilled over into the Moissanite conversation quite naturally.

Moissanite, an ethical, eco-friendly and affordable diamond alternative fits the bill for sharp minded consumers who want their ethos to be respected.  One of the sticking points that diamond fans still had even after the implementation conflict-free measures, was the effect of mining upon our environment. 

Moissanite gemstones are created from silicon carbide, a key material which makes up countless mechanized tools and industrial abrasives. As such, they are extremely durable since they are heat-resistant plus acid-resistant. These exceptional traits make Moissanite gemstones ideal for everyday wear. The Moissanite stone will continue to glisten, looking new for years to come.

Many consumers have already embraced the benefits of conflct-free diamonds once they learned what that means and how consumers can ‘vote their values’ by only purchasing ethically mined diamonds. But Moissanite fans can vote their values by selecting a sustainable product like Moissanite and also know that they are being mindful of our eco-system.

Benefits of Choosing Moissanite for Ethical Reasons

Eco-conservative measures like selecting Moissanite over mined diamonds should bring satisfaction to every jewelry collector. There is absolutely no downside to choosing Moissanite over earth mined diamonds. If you love diamonds, you will find that Moissanite delivers all the beauty, durability and more—yet it is kind to our environment.

With Moissanite, there’s no worry about human abuse conditions, destroying our environment, or even having the risk of our purchases funding illicit wars somewhere.  Added to that, Moissanite is less costly by far. So you can purchase a much larger and higher color and clarity stone in Moissanite than you’ll ever be able to afford with an earth mined diamond. That sounds like a smart shopper who respects the earth we all share.

To give you an example of what you gain with selecting eco-friendly Moissanite, its light performance and dispersion is superior to diamond. If you are able, it would be good to prove this to yourself by comparing the same size & quality Moissanite alongside a well cut diamond. It’s an astounding display of light performance, one that you won’t easily forget.

Strides in Manufacturing

 Today technology has made some tremendous advances. Now we are able to get Moissanite in the D-Flawless category. That is something unattainable in a diamond purchase for most everyone shopping for an important piece of jewelry. And this should be pointed out too, Moissanite carat weight availability ranges anywhere from 1.0 carat up to impressively large sizes.  In this day of large engagement rings, Moissanite engagement ring is great news for engaged couples.

Moissanite is a Great Option for Eco-Friendly Shoppers

It should be stressed that Moissanite is not a diamond substitute—or a diamond simulant. Moissanite is in its own category as a valuable created gemstone of great beauty. Many collectors who started out with diamonds have gone on to add Moissanite to their collections for the stone’s great beauty and its sustainability. It is especially appealing to those who want to reduce harm to our planet. Many agree that Moissanite is the smart choice for elegant luxury jewelry. 

You too should consider selecting Moissanite instead of an earth mined diamond. You sacrifice nothing in the beauty department, and you are a winner in the ethically created stone option. Your friends will be amazed at the gorgeous stone you have, and you’ll be satisfied with making the sustainable choice.

Moissanite’s Social and Environmental Impact

Soil Corrosion -- While diamond mining requires heavy excavation, involving removal of large portions of the earth, Moissanite does not require this kind of massive permanent disruption. 

Air Pollution -- Mining is an energy intense procedure. And it goes on 24/7 for the life of that mine. The unintended consequences of this leads to widespread air quality reduction. Moissanite manufacturers are mindful of soil degradation and damage to our planet. So they create products using the latest technology that is sensitive to our earth. 

De-forestation -- Diamond mining can be destructive to the earth’s forest lands. Our earth’s forests are the lungs of our planet, providing the clean oxygen we need. Upheavals of both forests and wildlife that rely on trees may face permanent destruction. That is not the story Moissanite provides thankfully.

It’s Up to You!

Discovering the key distinctions between Moissanite and diamonds has been vital in helping shoppers choose their best option.  Today, consumers are empowered to use their spending practices to make an impact. When social, ecological, and sustainable practices are a priority for you—you have the power to select Moissanite.