COLOR 

The color of Moissanite stones can and do vary -- anywhere from G through J. Color is the biggest concern of many customers and when a complaint comes in, its usually about color. I'm sure this is because everybody wants a completely colorless stone. In its primitive state, Moissanite is green and I suspect that Charles & Colvard will one day perfect the process of producing a perfectly colorless stone. When looking at diamond color, you have to remember that it is often very difficult to detect the difference between a colorless diamond (D-F) and a near colorless diamond (G-H), especially when it is mounted in jewelry. The diamonds you see in most jewelry stores fall into the G through H range because jewelers do not want to invest in a D grade diamond unless they have a customer who has specifically made a request. One other thing thatis worth mentioning is the fact that because of the physical structure of the Moissanite crystal, Moissanite sparkles more than diamond and the qualities of brilliance and luster are magnified because of this physical structure (double refraction). Moissanite is not separated into grades because its manufacturer has set specifications that each stone must meet before being released to distributors. Charles & Colvard does not vary its price on a, for example, 9 mm stone, based on its color. A heavily shaded 9 mm stone is the same price as the best near colorless 9 mm stone but I guess some jewelers will charge more for the near colorless.

CLARITY 

The specifications that Charles & Colvard have set are comparable to diamonds which have been graded VSI (Very Slightly Included - Minor inclusions difficult to locate at 10x). Moissanite has no real inclusions...rather it has white, needle like structures which cannot be seen without 10 x magnification and even then, they are very difficult to see.  In addition, since Moissanite has no natural fractures, it is considered sturdier than diamond because it has no fractures that will crack if it is subjected to an impact of some kind. Also, Moissanite is very very hard -- second only to diamond. Sapphire, used in industry because of its hardness, is not as hard as Moissanite. The only thing that can scratch a Moissanite is another Moissanite or a diamond. This is the reason that Moissanite maintains its clarity and sparkle throughout a lifetime. It takes a trained gemologist or jeweler to determine whether or not a stone is Moissanite or diamond. I would be a little skeptical of someone who says that he/she can tell the difference just by looking at it.

CARAT  

It is important to remember that Moissanite is lighter in weight than diamond so when referring to Moissanite it is to your advantage to refer to it in millimeters rather than carat weight.

CUT

The cutting specifications for Moissanite jewels are designed to maximize the brilliance and fire inherent in the material. To maximize the light reflecting from a faceted Moissanite jewel requires the design of shapes with proportions and angles unlike any other jewel. Using computer modeling, we create proprietary designs to display the maximum light reflection based on the optical properties (i.e. fire, brilliance and luster) of Moissanite jewels. A unique version of the round brilliant cut was the first shape developed applying these computer models. Recently we designed new fancy shapes that eliminate dark areas commonly found in other gemstones with these fancy cuts. We believe these proprietary designs enhance Moissanite's physical properties for the superior optical performance observed in faceted Moissanite jewels.