A beautiful piece of modern moissanite jewelry.

Moissanite is suitable for any type of ring setting. They don’t require protection as they are durable enough, and can be set in delicate styles such as solitaire or tension settings.  Just like a diamond, they work with any metal color whether it is yellow, rose or white gold

While moissanites may seem traditional, they are in fact quite avant-garde and very modern, which is one of the reasons they are proving to be so appealing to modern couples.

What is the Best Moissanite Cut?

Although moissanite is only graded on its color, the cut is an important factor as a properly cut stone enhances the sparkle of a moissanite. Because moissanite’s optical properties are different to diamonds, the stone must be cut accordingly.

Moisssanites can be cut into any common gemstone shape, but the most popular shape by far is the round brilliant cut. This classic cut tends to maximize the fire of the stone, and is also extremely versatile to wear.

Other popular moissanite cuts are princess, marquise, pear, cushion, radiant and heart.

A round cut moissanite engagement ring.

Cuts such as emerald and Asscher that contain wide, open facets are also beautiful for moissanites but ensure that the stone is free of tints and is cut to proportion.

Choosing Moissanite Color

When purchasing moissanite, you’ll have three color categories to choose from: Colorless (D-E-F), near colorless (G-H-I) and slightly tinted (J-K range). The colorless gemstones come with a premium and are more desirable.

Moissanite tends to have green, yellow or brown tints so it’s important to see the stone carefully prior to purchase to ensure that it does not contain any undesirable colors.

If you’re looking for colored moissanite, it can be difficult to find. At present, Charles and Colvard (the original makers of moissanite jewelry) only offer green moissanite but at the time of this writing, they did not have any listed on their site.

A rare blue moissanite from Brilliant Earth. Source.

Sites such as Brilliant Earth sometimes stock blue moissanite but these are rare to find.

Moissanite Carat Size

Although it looks similar, moissanite is denser than diamonds, meaning that it is heavier. If you compare a diamond and a moissanite of the same carat weight, the moissanite will be slightly smaller in appearance. When shopping for moissanite, you’ll notice that some vendors choose carat weight while others prefer to measure moissanite by millimeters.

Moissanite Sparkle

Moissanite has exceptional sparkle and is one of the most brilliant gemstones. Moissanites have what is known as the ‘rainbow effect’ which is a fiery and colorful flash of color when the stone is viewed under light, especially natural light. This is due to moissanites very high Refractive Index (2.65).

While this is often not very visible in smaller stones, large moissanites can exhibit a strong rainbow effect. If this is something you prefer to avoid, a smaller stone may be more suitable for you.

Moissanite Clarity

Because moissanites are lab-created, there is a lot of control over the final product. Even so, most moissanite tend to have some faint inclusions. These are often in the shape of small, threadlike inclusions that form during the stone’s creation process. In general though, these flaws are only visible under magnification and the stone may appear eye-clean.

Moissanite Price and Resale Value

While moissanite is often chosen as an alternative to diamonds, don’t expect it to be cubic zirconia cheap. While moissanite is a comparatively affordable gemstone, high quality moissanite can still command hefty prices. It takes a laborious, resource-consuming process to create moissanite and this is not cheap.

The prices for moissanite can vary depending on the brand and quality, but in general, a 1 carat colorless stone costs on average about $600.

Moissanite’s resale value is not known for sure at this stage and as it is still a relatively new gemstone for jewelry, with the technology to create it always advancing and expanding, it is difficult to estimate the resale value. Having said that, reselling moissanite will generally get you back about 50% of what you paid for it, which is similar for diamonds.

How to Clean Moissanite Jewelry

Due to its durability, moissanite is an easy to maintain stone. Over time, dirt and grime build up can result in a cloudy or dull looking gemstone. However, washing the moissanite with a soft cloth, mild soap and water is the best way to restore its shine.

When storing moissanite jewelry, ensure that it is placed in a separate pouch or box. This is to make sure that the moissanite does not scratch softer gemstones and cause damage to other jewelry items. Likewise, keep moissanite away from diamonds as diamonds, being harder, can scratch them.

When cleaning, take care with the settings of your moissanite jewelry. 

In general, avoid harsh chemicals coming into contact with your moissanite gemstone. You can use an ultrasonic cleaner for your moissanite jewelry but ensure that the settings are tough enough to withstand the intense vibrations of the cleaner. For example, it’s not advisable to put a pave setting into an ultrasonic cleaner as the little stones can be forced out due to the pressure.