Diamonds

Like a diamond, moissanite is a gemstone that is quite hard (a 9 on the Mohs Scale of Hardness) and durable enough for daily wear, especially in engagement rings. And like a diamond, moissanite engagement rings are also quite easy to clean from the comfort of your own home. To do so, you simply need a shallow bowl of warm water, a few drops of gentle dish soap, and a super soft toothbrush (use an old one or buy a baby toothbrush just for your jewelry). The first thing to do is check to make sure your moissanite is not loose in its setting. You can hold it near your ear and gently tap, checking for a rattling sound. If anything seems loose, don't clean your ring at home, instead take it to a trusted jeweler. Also, don't clean your ring over a sink, as this can result in precious gems down the drain and no one wants that. Ok, so you're ready to go — simply soak your ring in the soapy water, gently scrubbing it with the toothbrush to remove any dust and dirt that may be hiding out under the stone or prongs. Then rinse it off, dry it with a soft cloth, and go back to wearing that beauty!

A lab grown diamond is a real diamond, so it has all the same physical and optical properties. But a moissanite is a completely different gemstone of its own, which means it has a different crystal structure, hardness, and visual properties. Moissanite are almost always cut in the same shapes and faceting patterns as diamonds, so you can usually find the size and shape you're looking for will be widely available. But what you're probably wondering is whether moissanite really sparkle like a diamond. The answer there is both yes and no. Moissanite are in fact more sparkly than a diamond in some ways! They have a higher refractive index, and this gives them more rainbow flashes of light instead of diamond's crisp black and white patterning of light return.

If you're concerned about moissanite's durability, darling, don't be. Moissanite are nearly as hard as diamond (a 9 on the Mohs Scale of Hardness instead of diamond's 10). This makes them super durable and totally appropriate for daily wear. And they're also able to be set in all the same setting styles that we've come to know any love for our diamonds. You can find classic moissanite solitaire engagement rings, fancy moissanite eternity bands, fine jewelry and more. As long as you're taking care of your jewelry (and getting it insured), you should be good to go.

Moissanite is a truly spectacular, and sparkly, gemstone. This unique stone has a refractive index of 2.65 – 2.69, which is higher than a natural diamond's refractive index of 2.42. Moissanite is also double refractive, meaning that when a light beam hits it, it is split into two. Together, these qualities result in moissanite's increase in brilliant fire, to the point that some folks refer to it as the "disco ball effect". And it's a good reference point because moissanite has can have pretty intense rainbow sparkle that radiates out of it instead of the mostly white light return of a brilliant cut diamond.

Historically, moissanite was reserved as a hush-hush diamond stand-in, or simulant. And it's still used that way, but is gaining significant popularity in its own right as a cool alternative to diamond for a moissanite engagement ring. This growth in popularity and in the number of manufacturers creating this lab grown gem means it is much more widely available. Frank Darling, along with many other reputable diamond retailers, carries a wide selection of loose moissanite gems that can be set into an engagement ring of your choice.