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.
