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 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.
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